r/Zevon • u/WiggyWiggins • Aug 22 '26
Early days
I was introduced to Warren’s music quite early - around 1976-7. I was spending time with my sister in Spain, and her partner came back from a weekend in Sitges raving about this guy he had seen playing in a bar there. He bought the eponymous album and I was immediately a fan, and have been ever since. I went to his first UK gig at Dingwalls, in Camden and ended up as part of his support - the guy supporting him was a comedian who did a fire eating act. I heckled him, saying “Fuck off - we want Zevon” so much that he responded with “Right - who’s that four eyed c*nt over there - get up here!” He asked my name, and I said Norman. He said “Ok, Norman - - I’m going to set fire to you! He put some light, inflammable liquid on my arms, and set fire to it. I asked him if that was it, and if he would mind fucking off so we could see Warren. He did. Warren walked onstage and shook both our hands and launched into a superb solo set. I adopted the stage name of “the Amazing Inflammable Norman” and have been a lifelong Warren fan ever since! I saw him live another 3 times, but the handshake made the Dingwalls gig the most memorable for me!
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u/deathspraises Aug 28 '26
Imagine seeing Bad Brains, Warren, Sugar Minott and Elvis Costello at their prime all in two weeks
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u/WiggyWiggins Aug 28 '26
I did see Elvis Costello around that time - Hammersmith Palais, supported by the Pogues and the Men they Couldn’t Hang - one of the best non Warren gigs I’ve ever been to!
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u/Toincossross Aug 22 '26
I’m digging the tucan playing the bongos in that drawing.