The following excerpt was pulled from Sound Waves Magazine
Music Notes
“Accidentally Like a Martyr: The Tortured Art of Warren Zevon” – James Campion
By Mark T. Gould
It would be an understatement to say that Warren Zevon was a complicated man. Gone for 15 years now, his legacy remains intact: as gifted, haunted and self-destructive as any singer-songwriter of our times. And, maybe more so. But, oh my, as this magnificent book points out, was he ever a singer-songwriter. Zevon songs, and his life, were like a boundless cacophony of sound and fury, chock full of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. As such, it takes a writer with the earnestness, honesty and grasp of James Campion to make sense of it. Campion takes a novel approach to his analysis of Zevon’s work, life and career, penning a series of essays based on 10 of Zevon’s songs and three of his albums. But, that’s the only a starting point, as each essay expands, much like Zevon’s songs, page by page, with in-depth interviews of friends, family and fellow musicians to reach the zenith, and understanding, of an incredible life and career. The reason d’etre of Zevon’s music and being was that he was willing, almost had to, reach many of the dark places that much lesser writers refused to go. As such, he challenged fans and listeners with his beauty, candor and sense of humor, much as Campion does in his wonderful book.