Accidentally Like a Martyr: The Tortured Art of Warren Zevon

Long before the Red Hot Chili Peppers sang about the grip of addiction in the City of Angels, Warren Zevon (1947–2003) penned the loneliness and isolation of Hollywood with songs such as "Desperados Under the Eaves." Like many artists, Zevon's output was fueled by equal parts imagination and self-destruction. Here, Campion (Shout It Out Loud) uncovers both the humanity and manic energy of Zevon by dissecting three albums from his discography. Each album represents a turning point in his life underscored with a recursive stumble backward into an addiction that dominated him. However, a closer examination of Zevon's lyrics reveal an unmitigated pursuit of happiness within the confines of existential dread. Piecing together disparate shards of memories, from Bruce Springsteen to Jackson Browne, Campion writes a holistic biography of Zevon as a musician, author, and entertainer.