Mr. Bad Example is an album by the American musician Warren Zevon, released through Giant Records in October 1991.[1][2] Zevon supported the album with a North American tour, with the Odds serving as both opener and backing band.[3][4]
Mr. Bad Example | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 1991 | |||
Recorded | 1991 | |||
Studio | The Sound Factory, Los Angeles; Dodge City, Glendale, California | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 40:15 | |||
Label | Giant | |||
Producer | Waddy Wachtel | |||
Warren Zevon chronology | ||||
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Singles from Mr. Bad Example | ||||
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Production
editMr. Bad Example was produced by Waddy Wachtel.[5] Los Angeles session musicians contributed to the album.[6] Zevon sometimes struggled for songwriting ideas, but always finished a song once he had started.[7]
Dwight Yoakam provided backing vocals on "Heartache Spoken Here"; Dan Dugmore played pedal steel.[8][9] David Lindley played a variety of instruments on "Quite Ugly One Morning".[10] "Searching for a Heart" appeared on the soundtrack to the film Love at Large.[11]
Critical reception
editReview scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [12] |
Calgary Herald | C[13] |
Chicago Tribune | [14] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [15] |
Rolling Stone | [16] |
Uncut | 8/10[17] |
Vancouver Sun | [6] |
The Boston Globe called Mr. Bad Example "a wonderful, resonant album, eclectic and accessible."[18] The Chicago Tribune deemed it "a return to the terse guitar-drums-keyboard format of [Zevon's] '70s albums."[14] The Sun Sentinel considered it to be "pure, earthy rock accessibly colored by Zevon's typically wry imagery."[19]
The Calgary Herald wrote that "Zevon's become a somewhat torpid renegade wailing away about his rebellion while safely ensconced in L.A. security."[13] The Austin American-Statesman determined that "Zevon's first-person characters on this record are shocking, reprehensible and relentlessly slapstick."[20]
Track listing
editAll tracks composed by Warren Zevon, except where indicated.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Finishing Touches" | 4:05 | |
2. | "Suzie Lightning" | 4:04 | |
3. | "Model Citizen" | LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel, Zevon | 4:39 |
4. | "Angel Dressed in Black" | Julia Mueller, Waddy Wachtel, Zevon | 4:24 |
5. | "Mr. Bad Example" | Jorge Calderón, Zevon | 3:22 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
6. | "Renegade" | 4:51 | |
7. | "Heartache Spoken Here" | 3:48 | |
8. | "Quite Ugly One Morning" | 3:53 | |
9. | "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead" | LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel, Zevon | 2:53 |
10. | "Searching for a Heart" | 4:16 |
Personnel
edit- Warren Zevon – guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Jorge Calderón – bass guitar on "Mr. Bad Example", "Quite Ugly One Morning" and "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead", harmony vocals
- Dan Dugmore – guitar on "Model Citizen", pedal steel on "Heartache Spoken Here"
- Bob Glaub – bass guitar
- Jim Keltner – drums on "Mr. Bad Example" and "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead"
- Tito Larriva – harmony vocals on "Angel Dressed in Black"
- Kipp Lennon – harmony vocals on "Searching for a Heart"
- Mark Lennon – harmony vocals on "Searching for a Heart"
- Michael Lennon – harmony vocals on "Searching for a Heart"
- David Lindley – fiddle on "Renegade", saz, lap steel guitar, cümbüş on "Quite Ugly One Morning"
- Jeff Porcaro – drums
- Waddy Wachtel – guitar, harmony vocals
- Dwight Yoakam – harmony vocals on "Heartache Spoken Here"
- Jordan Zevon – harmony vocals
Production
edit- Producer: Waddy Wachtel
- Engineer: Marc DeSisto
- Assistant engineers: Andrew Ballard, Scott Blockland, Jeffrey Shannon, Brian Soucy
- Mixing: Niko Bolas, John Beverly Jones
- Dave Collins – Mastering
- Technical assistance: Peggy McAfee, Tom Smyth
- Art Direction and design: Jeri Heiden
- Photography: Diego Uchitel, Jimmy Wachtel
References
edit- ^ Gundersen, Edna (October 9, 1991). "Standout fall LPs still due". USA Today. p. 5D.
- ^ Ehrlich, Dimitri (October 1991). "Mr. Bad Example by Warren Zevon". Interview. Vol. 210, no. 10. p. 28.
- ^ "This Week". Fanfare. Newsday. December 15, 1991. p. 2.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (December 19, 1991). "Warren Zevon and the Odds, The Marquee". The New York Times. p. C13.
- ^ "Mr. Bad Example by Warren Zevon". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 43. October 26, 1991. p. 82.
- ^ a b Potter, Greg (January 2, 1992). "Some wickedly memorable recordings to wrap up the old year". Vancouver Sun. p. C6.
- ^ Cromelin, Richard (February 4, 1992). "An Excitable Boy Becomes 'Mr. Bad Example'". Los Angeles Times. p. F3.
- ^ Garofoli, Joe (October 27, 1991). "Warren Zevon's extreme examples are his best". The Milwaukee Journal. p. E2.
- ^ Gettelman, Parry (November 8, 1991). "Warren Zevon". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 8.
- ^ Puterbaugh, Parke (February 1992). "Mr. Bad Example by Warren Zevon". Stereo Review. Vol. 57, no. 2. p. 132.
- ^ Allan, Marc D. (November 11, 1991). "'Mr. Bad Example' offers good sample". The Indianapolis Star. p. B5.
- ^ Mark Deming (October 15, 1991). "Mr. Bad Example – Warren Zevon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
- ^ a b Wagamese, Richard (October 20, 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. C7.
- ^ a b Kot, Greg (October 24, 1991). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
- ^ "Warren Zevon: Mr. Bad Example : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Web.archive.org. November 28, 1991. Archived from the original on May 22, 2008. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "How to buy Warren Zevon". Uncut. October 2023. p. 71.
- ^ Sullivan, Jim (October 24, 1991). "Warren Zevon Mr. Bad Example". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 10.
- ^ Lannert, John (May 22, 1992). "Warren Zevon Kicks Off U.S. Tour with Carefree Show". Features Showtime. Sun Sentinel. p. 30.
- ^ Graff, Gary (October 31, 1991). "'Bad Example' isn't". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 20.