Soho, London UK
"I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand,
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain,
He was looking for a place called Lee Ho Fook's,
Going to get himself a big dish of beef chow mein,"
- Warren Zevon "Werewolves of London" 1978.
I love Warren Zevon. With the possible exception of Kurt Cobain - I don't think a "rock death" has hit me so hard. It wasn't just that he left behind such great music, but the way he handled knowing he was going to pass on.... recording the cover of "Knockin' On Heaven's Door", the doco about his life filmed over his final months (including doctors visits), the Letterman episode where he was the only guest, but most of all his response when Letterman asked if facing death had given him any more insight into life ("not unless I know how much you're supposed to enjoy every sandwich").
I saw Warren perform live in Melbourne once. It was October 1992 and he was touring solo (much of this tour, including a couple of songs from the Adelaide date a couple of nights before I saw him was documented on the outstanding 1993 live album 'Learning To Flinch'). It was at The Grain Store Tavern in King street (a shocking venue as a nightclub, even worse for live performance) with 3/4 of the floor space taken up with a recording rig. Warren wandered on without any introduction delivered a riveting "Boom Boom Mancini". When he finished, a roadie ran on to gaffa something down, which prompted Warren's first comments of the night: "it's a little early for the black tape don't you think?".
Keen eyed viewers will note I'm recreating the werewolf howl ("ah-oooh"). About twenty minutes after this photo was taken - it started pouring with rain. Not unusual for London in November, but I like to think it was the spirit of Warren looking down.
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain,
He was looking for a place called Lee Ho Fook's,
Going to get himself a big dish of beef chow mein,"
- Warren Zevon "Werewolves of London" 1978.
I love Warren Zevon. With the possible exception of Kurt Cobain - I don't think a "rock death" has hit me so hard. It wasn't just that he left behind such great music, but the way he handled knowing he was going to pass on.... recording the cover of "Knockin' On Heaven's Door", the doco about his life filmed over his final months (including doctors visits), the Letterman episode where he was the only guest, but most of all his response when Letterman asked if facing death had given him any more insight into life ("not unless I know how much you're supposed to enjoy every sandwich").
I saw Warren perform live in Melbourne once. It was October 1992 and he was touring solo (much of this tour, including a couple of songs from the Adelaide date a couple of nights before I saw him was documented on the outstanding 1993 live album 'Learning To Flinch'). It was at The Grain Store Tavern in King street (a shocking venue as a nightclub, even worse for live performance) with 3/4 of the floor space taken up with a recording rig. Warren wandered on without any introduction delivered a riveting "Boom Boom Mancini". When he finished, a roadie ran on to gaffa something down, which prompted Warren's first comments of the night: "it's a little early for the black tape don't you think?".
Keen eyed viewers will note I'm recreating the werewolf howl ("ah-oooh"). About twenty minutes after this photo was taken - it started pouring with rain. Not unusual for London in November, but I like to think it was the spirit of Warren looking down.
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