70s Classics

Warren Zevon gave David Letterman a guitar, and after 22 years, it just went “back to work” in the hands of The Killers’ Dave Keuning

The Killers covered “Lawyers, Guns and Money” as part of Zevon’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

One of the more moving moments at this weekend’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony came when David Letterman took to the stage to honor his friend, the late American singer-songwriter Warren Zevon.

Zevon was a regular guest on Letterman’s late-night shows, and made an emotional final appearance shortly before his death, in 2003, aged just 56.

“It was the last time I saw Warren - that was 22 years ago,” said Letterman during his speech. He reflected on Zevon’s advice - knowing his time was short - to “enjoy every sandwich,” and recalled how, after that final show, he followed Zevon to his dressing room.

“He’s got the guitar there that he’s used every time he’s appeared on our show,” remembered Letterman. “And as we’re chatting… he picks up the guitar and he puts it in the guitar case, and then he flips up those two little guitar flippies on a guitar case. He closes the guitar case, he hands it to me and he says ‘take care of this for me.”

Overcome with emotion, Letterman says that he started to sob. “Warren and I hugged, and I said ‘Warren, I just love your music.’”

But that isn’t quite the end of the story, because the guitar in question - a Modulus Graphite model, we believe - was sitting right there in front of Letterman on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame stage.

“This is the guitar and tonight, by God, it’s going back to work,” he said, before handing it to Dave Keuning, lead guitarist with The Killers, so he could play it during the band’s performance of Zevon favourite “Lawyers, Guns and Money” alongside Waddy Wachtell, his close collaborator.

Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.

Letterman gives some guitar pointers to Jerry Garcia

This never gets old 💫💫 Late Night with David Letterman, April 18,1982

Fifty years ago today, Pink Floyd released the classic Wish You Were Here.

Putting it mildly, following The Dark Side Of The Moon was a daunting prospect. However, with Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd rose to the challenge. What the album lacks in dynamics it more than makes up for with a controlled tension, which is evident from the taut opening keyboards and guitar that stretches to breaking point before David Gilmour’s four-note arpeggio exquisite release.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond opens and closes the album: a eulogy to the pervading ghost of Syd Barrett, and it's the finest track the band wrote without him. The acerbic Welcome To The Machine and the cynical Have A Cigar rage against the system, while the melancholy of the title track offers a stark contrast. Wish You Were Here may not contain the pizzazz of its illustrious predecessor, but it cuts deeper.

Words: Hugh Fielder / Classic Rock