Mr. Bad Example

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Mr. Bad Example
Studio album by
Warren Zevon
ReleasedOctober 1991
Recorded1991
StudioThe Sound Factory, Los Angeles; Dodge City, Glendale, California
GenreRock
Length40:15
LabelGiant
ProducerWaddy Wachtel
Warren Zevon chronology
Transverse City
(1989) 		Mr. Bad Example
(1991) 		Learning to Flinch
(1993)
Singles from Mr. Bad Example
  1. "Finishing Touches"
    Released: 1991
  2. "Searching for a Heart"
    Released: 1991

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]

Production[edit]

Mr. 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[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Calgary HeraldC[13]
Chicago Tribune[14]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[15]
Rolling Stone[16]
Uncut8/10[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[edit]

All tracks composed by Warren Zevon, except where indicated.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Finishing Touches" 4:05
2."Suzie Lightning" 4:04
3."Model Citizen"LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel, Zevon4:39
4."Angel Dressed in Black"Julia Mueller, Waddy Wachtel, Zevon4:24
5."Mr. Bad Example"Jorge Calderón, Zevon3:22
Side two
No.TitleWriter(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, Zevon2:53
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]

  1. ^ Gundersen, Edna (October 9, 1991). "Standout fall LPs still due". USA Today. p. 5D.
  2. ^ Ehrlich, Dimitri (October 1991). "Mr. Bad Example by Warren Zevon". Interview. Vol. 210, no. 10. p. 28.
  3. ^ "This Week". Fanfare. Newsday. December 15, 1991. p. 2.
  4. ^ Pareles, Jon (December 19, 1991). "Warren Zevon and the Odds, The Marquee". The New York Times. p. C13.
  5. ^ "Mr. Bad Example by Warren Zevon". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 43. October 26, 1991. p. 82.
  6. ^ a b Potter, Greg (January 2, 1992). "Some wickedly memorable recordings to wrap up the old year". Vancouver Sun. p. C6.
  7. ^ Cromelin, Richard (February 4, 1992). "An Excitable Boy Becomes 'Mr. Bad Example'". Los Angeles Times. p. F3.
  8. ^ Garofoli, Joe (October 27, 1991). "Warren Zevon's extreme examples are his best". The Milwaukee Journal. p. E2.
  9. ^ Gettelman, Parry (November 8, 1991). "Warren Zevon". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 8.
  10. ^ Puterbaugh, Parke (February 1992). "Mr. Bad Example by Warren Zevon". Stereo Review. Vol. 57, no. 2. p. 132.
  11. ^ Allan, Marc D. (November 11, 1991). "'Mr. Bad Example' offers good sample". The Indianapolis Star. p. B5.
  12. ^ Mark Deming (October 15, 1991). "Mr. Bad Example – Warren Zevon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  13. ^ a b Wagamese, Richard (October 20, 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. C7.
  14. ^ a b Kot, Greg (October 24, 1991). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  15. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  16. ^ "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)
  17. ^ "How to buy Warren Zevon". Uncut. October 2023. p. 71.
  18. ^ Sullivan, Jim (October 24, 1991). "Warren Zevon Mr. Bad Example". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 10.
  19. ^ Lannert, John (May 22, 1992). "Warren Zevon Kicks Off U.S. Tour with Carefree Show". Features Showtime. Sun Sentinel. p. 30.
  20. ^ Graff, Gary (October 31, 1991). "'Bad Example' isn't". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 20.
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