Warren Zevon - vocals, guitars, piano; Randy Brown - guitar, vocals; Joe Daniels - drums; Larry Larson - bass; John Wood - lead guitar, vocals
It was remarkably eerie that the late, great singer/songwriter Warren Zevon ended this memorable 1982 performance by telling the audience: "They say that everything that dies will come back - and if that is true, I hope I come back as Suzanne Sommers. No, just kidding, but in case I don't, I'd like to thank everyone for a great time and have a great life..." Then the irreverent music celebrity launched into his classic song, "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead."
This show, although not quite as strong as the 1980 Philadelphia show also done for the King Biscuit Flower Hour, was originally broadcast on FM radio as well as on MTV. VJ Marc Goodman was the emcee, and it seems odd now hearing his introduction, considering music like this would never be heard on the original video channel these days.
Much of the newer material came from the brilliant Zevon LP The Envoy, which helped revive his career in the music business after a much publicized bout with drugs and alcohol. From that album he performs "Lookin' For The Next Best Thing," "Charlie Medicine," and the title song. Zevon puts the band (not as good as the one on his previous tour, but still solid by anyone's standards) through several of his best known songs including "A Certain Girl" (Zevon's remake of the Yardbirds tune), "Jeannie Needs A Shooter," "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner," "Simple Man, Simple Dreams," "Lawyers, Guns And Money," and "Accidentally Like A Martyr," which he dedicated to Martin Scorsese, who he called: "the man who makes the greatest movies..."
Holding court in his friend Bruce Springsteen's neighborhood, he charges into a medley of "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me" and the Boss's own "Cadillac Ranch." Now completely pumped up, Zevon closes with favorites "Excitable Boy," "Ain't That Pretty At All" and of course, "Werewolves Of London," which he introduces and sings as "Werewolves of Jersey."