Warren Zevon: Last News

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic The question is no longer just what Bob Dylan will have to say about Elvis Costello’s “Pump It Up” or the Clash’s “London Calling” when he writes about them in his new book, “The Philosophy of Modern Song.” Now we can wonder how Helen Mirren or Renée Zellweger will sound giving voice to Dylan’s prose as they read those chapters, respectively, in the audiobook version, which, like the hardback, arrives Nov. 1. Variety previously reported the titles of the historical songs Dylan has written essays about for the tome, followed by the the names of the actors enlisted to read individual chapters for the audiobook, but those two lists hadn’t been paired up till now. A look at the list below, being revealed for the first time today, shows that all of the stars involved have been given multiple assignments, including Jeff Bridges, Oscar Isaac, Rita Moreno, Jeffrey Wright, Sissy Spacek, John Goodman, Alfre Woodard and Steve Buscemi as well as Mirren and Zellweger.

The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn has announced his new solo album ‘Always Been’ and shared the single ‘People Of Substance’ – listen below.It will be the singer’s sixth solo album and will be released on April 4 via Tamarac Records/Thirty Tigers. You can pre-order/pre-save your copy here.‘People Of Substance’ is on streaming services now and sees Finn bringing back his trademark droll lyrical style over a rich, Americana-flavoured full band backing.

Willie Nelson has released an emotional rendition of The Flaming Lips‘ ‘Do You Realize??’, from his upcoming album ‘Last Leaf On The Tree’. Check it out below.‘Last Leaf On The Tree’ will be Nelson’s 153rd release (counting solo studio albums, live records, and collaborative LPs), and sees him cover hits by the likes of Warren Zevon, Nina Simone, Keith Richards, Sunny War, Beck and more.Earlier this year, Nelson shared the lead single and title track – a cover of Tom Waits’ ‘Last Leaf’.

Willie Nelson has announced a new album ‘Last Leaf On The Tree’, which is his 153rd release (counting solo studio albums, live records, and collaborative LPs).Just a few months after the release of his last studio LP ‘The Borders’, the 91-year-old’s forthcoming LP consists of a selection of covers curated by his son Micah as well as some originals, one of which Micah guests on. It will be released on November 1.Nelson will cover hits by the likes of Warren Zevon, Nina Simone, Keith Richards, Sunny War, and more, as well as The Flaming Lips‘ ‘Do You Realize??’ and Beck’s ‘Lost Cause’.The album’s lead single and title track, a cover of Tom Waits’ ‘Last Leaf’, is available to stream. It originally appeared on Waits’ 2011 album ‘Bad As Me’.Check out Nelson’s version of ‘Last Leaf’ and the tracklist below:The tracklist for ‘Last Leaf On The Tree’ is:1. ‘Last Leaf’ (Tom Waits)2. ‘If It Wasn’t Broken’ (Sunny War)3. ‘Lost Cause’ (Beck)4. ‘Come Ye’ (Nine Simone)5. ‘Keep Me In Your Heart’ (Warren Zevon)6. ‘Robbed Blind’ (Keith Richards)7. ‘House Where Nobody Lives’ (Tom Waits)8. ‘Are You Ready For The Country?’ (Neil Young)9. ‘Do You Realize??’ (The Flaming Lips)10. ‘Wheels’ (Micah Nelson)11. ‘Broken Arrow’ (Neil Young)12. ‘Color Of Sound’ (Willie Nelson & Micah Nelson)13. ‘The Ghost’ (Willie Nelson)14. ‘Lookin’ For Trouble’Nelson is in the middle of the ‘Outlaw Music Festival Tour’ with Bob Dylan.

Steven J. Horowitz Senior Music Writer Earlier on Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on the 2024 Democratic ticket.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic The 50th anniversary celebration for the Roxy in West Hollywood this September is picking up some added components, including an additional appearance by Neil Young and Crazy Horse; a recreation by Stephen Marley of his father Bob Marley’s “Live at the Roxy” album; and a compilation album that will draw on performances from the nightclub’s five-decade history. Young was already announced to appear at the Roxy on Sept. 20, the 50th anniversary of the night he officially opened the club with a multi-night engagement.

Iron Maiden‘s absence from this year’s inductees list while reflecting on the other nominees.Iron Maiden, who were included on the fan ballot this year, were not among the names announced on May 3 when the 2023 induction list was revealed. It was revealed that the band had the fourth-highest total for the annual fan ballot, with 449,682 votes.Speaking to Taryn Daily on Audacy Check In, Harris shared: “We love that people care; That they care if they’re in or out, and that their fans care.

The National, and claimed that he wishes he “could be Matt Berninger”.He made the comments in a new YouTube video this week (May 3), which saw him share his views on the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame class with longtime colleagues Barbara Gaines and Mary Barclay.While sharing his thoughts on this year’s inductees — which include George Michael, Rage Against The Machine and Kate Bush — Letterman also expressed his “disappointment” at singer-songwriter Warren Zevon being snubbed.It was here that the conversation shifted to the former television host’s fondness for Matt Berninger-fronted band, The National. “Oh, I love the National,” he explained, going on to label them as “your saddest friend’s favourite band.”He also expressed his admiration for one of their songs, which wasn’t featured on their latest LP, ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’: “They had this song called ‘Weird Goodbyes,’ which is not on the new album,” he said, going on to recite some of the song’s lyrics.

The 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced this year’s inductees for 2023.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Willie Nelson just got an only slightly late 90th birthday present: an impending induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The country music legend was one of seven music figures announced Wednesday morning as having been voted into the hall, along with Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, George Michael and the Spinners. There are six more inductees beyond that list, with the distinction of being selected by a select Hall of Fame committee to join the seven performers who were voted in via general balloting. These are singer Chaka Khan, instrumentalist-producer Al Kooper and lyricist Bernie Taupin, all in the “musical excellence” category; pioneering rock guitarist Link Wray and hip-hop originator DJ Kool Herc in the “musical influence” division; and “Soul Train” TV host Don Cornelius as the recipient of the annual Ahmet Ertegun Award.

The list of nominees for 2023 was announced in February, with the late pop star and Wham! singer joined by Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, Cyndi Lauper, Rage Against The Machine and The White Stripes for potential induction this year.Joining them on the list of nominees are Iron Maiden, Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow, Warren Zevon, A Tribe Called Quest, Willie Nelson and The Spinners. Meanwhile, Joy Division and New Order have been packaged together for their first nomination.The annual fan vote allows fans to vote once per day for their favourite nominee online or in person at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.Michael won the vote with over a million votes, followed in second place by Cyndi Lauper (928,113 votes), with Warren Zevon (634,130), Iron Maiden (449,682) and Soundgarden (427,040) following up.The fan vote victory isn’t a confirmation of Michael’s induction this year, but all but one of the five previous fan vote winners have gone on to be inducted into the prestigious group.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic David Lindley, a virtuoso guitarist and multi-instrumentalist best known to many for his work with Jackson Browne, as well as a recording and touring artist in his own right, died Friday at age 78. No cause of death was immediately given. The musician had been known to have been ailing for some time. A family member posted late last year that Lindley had been repeatedly hospitalized for kidney issues, pneumonia and influenza; a fundraiser that had been recently set up for Lindley and his family said his medical issues “seem to have begun with a terrible bout of Long Covid.” “The loss of David Lindley is a huge one,” tweeted Jason Isbell. “Without his influence my music would sound completely different. I was genuinely obsessed with his playing from the first time I heard it. The man was a giant.”

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic The good news for Taylor Swift fans: She is participating in Record Store Day again with a vinyl exclusive, for the second straight year. The bad news is that it’s in quantities of … Wait, that’s good news, too — there will be 115,000 copies available of “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions,” worldwide, about 10 times the amount that were pressed for her RSD 2022 single. Is that enough to meet demand, or keep legions of Swifties from queuing up before dawn along with the Record Store Day regulars on April 22? Not likely, but the volume of the pressing —more than four times as many as any RSD exclusive to date — should keep panic over procuring a copy to a lower level.

Kate Bush’s resurgent post-Stranger Things career just keeps running up new hills: The British singer-songwriter is among the 14 2023 nominees for induction in the The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The list of narrators for the audio version of Bob Dylan’s new book has been revealed. Because, after spending twelve years writing his examination of modern songwriting, he’s fucked if he’s going to spend hours in a studio reading it himself.So, instead, the 66 essays that make up ‘The Philosophy Of Modern Song’ will be read aloud by the likes of Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren, Sissy Spacek, John Goodman, Renée Zellweger and Jeff Bridges.Dylan – who won the Nobel Prize For Literature for his own lyrics in 2016 – started work on the book in 2010, giving his own critiques of a wide range of songs and culminating in what publisher Simon & Schuster calls “his extraordinary insight into the nature of popular music”.Before you get all excited about getting insight into what Bob Dylan thinks of modern musicians like Billie Eilish, Harry Styles and Ed Sheeran (which I know you were), you should probably know that his definition of ‘modern’ pop music is a bit different to yours.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic The list of narrators for the audiobook version of Bob Dylan’s upcoming book has come to light, and it reads like a who’s who of Oscar contenders from the past few decades, along with the author himself doing some of the reading. The lineup of voice talent reading chapters from “The Philosophy of Modern Song” aloud includes Jeff Bridges, Steve Buscemi, John Goodman, Oscar Isaac, Helen Mirren, Rita Moreno, Sissy Spacek, Alfre Woodard, Jeffrey Wright and Renée Zellweger. This lineup of all-star Dylan surrogates has yet to be officially announced. It was first published by the U.K. magazine Uncut; Variety has confirmed the list.

Billy Hinsche was a musician who recorded and toured with the Beach Boys for many years.Billy Hinsche was a guitarist and vocalist who recorded and toured with the Beach Boys. He formed the pop band Dino, Desi, & Billy in the 1960’s with Desi Arnaz, Jr., and Dean Paul Martin.

The War On Drugs have announced their new live album, ‘Live Drugs’.After teasing the release of the project last week, the Adam Granduciel-led band have today (October 6) confirmed the release of ‘Live Drugs’, which will arrive on November 20 via Super High Quality Records, Granduciel’s own record label.‘Live Drugs’ is comprised of 10 tracks that have been selected from 40 hard drives-worth of show recordings that were made during the band’s past six years of touring.

The Chase's Jenny Ryan, 38, who is otherwise known for her nickname The Vixen, has slammed American artist Kid Rock for being an "a***hole" while discussing her worst song choice with Dan Benedictus on his podcast Desert Island D**ks.The quizzer slammed the singer's song, All Summer Long.After Dan asked Jenny what her worst song choice would be, she said it would be Kid Rock's All Summer Long.The song is a mashup of Warren Zevon's Werewolves in London and Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama.The Vixen went on to discuss her honest opinions of the star as she said: "Adding to Kid Rock, who would be on my long list of d**ks on the island because he's just a d**k."I mean, I've never met him, I've never worked with him, but I've seen enough of