Warren Zevon had a reputation as being a tough guy, a singular artist, and an “excitable boy” who sang about lawyers, guns, money, and werewolves. First-time author Kushins examines Zevon’s heritage as the son of a WASP mother and a Ukrainian-Jewish professional-gambler father with organized crime ties; mastery of songwriting and “smooth-talking”; recording career; love of the rock-and-roll lifestyle; substance and alcohol abuse issues; and a life-long phobia about doctors. Kushins captures the essence of the brooding yet wickedly witty singer. Zevon could be wildly irresponsible, his behavior erratic even on a good day, and, worse, many of his years were wasted in self-loathing. It wasn’t for nothing that Zevon once told the Chicago Tribune that “All my songs are really about fear.” He was known, and admired, for his acerbic lyrics, but also for his lovely ballads, including his swan song, “Keep Me in Your Heart.” No less than the great Irish poet Paul Muldoon collaborated with him. A straightforward account, including a comprehensive discography, of Zevon's fascinating creative life cut short by mesothelioma when he was only 56.
C. M. Kushins has been a freelance journalist for over fifteen years. His writing has appeared in numerous print and online publications, including High Times and Creative Nonfiction. Nothing’s Bad Luck is his first book. A native New Yorker and a musician himself, Kushins is also, at times, FiveSe7en Collective recording artist Muckiness Child.