Warren Zevon - Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings [2 x CD]

Warren Zevon's son Jordan was clearing out the house after Warren's passing in 2003 and found a stash of demos and home recordings made before 1976. Those were distilled down and released in 2007 as Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings.

The album comes complete with a bonus CD of interviews and performances, and the package is rounded off with a 44 page booklet of previously unpublished notes and photographs.

The sound quality as can be expected is not up to usual studio standards, but that is more than made up for by the emotionally-charged performances. Early versions of his classic songs with a stripped down, Dylan-esque feel demonstrate clearly his massive talent, but at the same time show just why Zevon never quite 'fitted in' with the mainstream singer-songwriter movement of those days.

Disc 1 Previously Unreleased:

• Empty Hearted Town
• Steady Rain
• Join Me In LA
• Hasten Down The Wind
• Werewolves Of London
• Tule's Blues
• French Inhaler
• Going All The Way
• Poor Poor Pitiful Me
• Studebaker
• Accidentally Like A Martyr
• Carmelita
• I Used To Ride So High
• Stop Rainin' Lord
• Rosarita Beach Cafe
• Desperados Under The Eaves

Disc 2 Interviews and Oddments:

• I was in the house when the house burned down
• Warren on songwriting and the early days
• Musings on mortality and the King of Rock 'n' Roll
• A chat about producers and Life'll kill Ya
• Back In The High Life
• Warren's take on Winwood's classic
• Talk of TV movies acting & performing
• Don;t Let Us Get Sick [Solo Acoustic Live]