In the early days of americana, there were a few bands that set the template for the sort of sound that was to come within this new subdivision of popular music. One of the most respected was the garage-style rock outfit The Del Fuegos, who, from 1984 to 1989, released four high-energy, superb albums. Amongst their many fans was one Tom Petty, who recorded with the band and had the band support him on some of his tours.
The band was fronted by brothers Warren and Dan Zanes, and, in typical rock’n’roll style, the brothers’ relationship was described as ‘fractious’. Warren Zanes was only seventeen when he joined The Del Fuegos, and he left the band after their third album.
This departure marked an opportunity for him to record and release four solo albums – all brilliant and released by Dualtone. He also flexed his musical muscles in other areas and went on to write some highly respected books. These included ‘Dusty Springfield’s Dusty In Memphis’ in 2003, about Dusty Springfield’s 1969 album ‘Dusty In Memphis’. Petty was highly impressed with the book, having read it twice, and the book inspired him to write the song ‘Down South’ from his 2006 album “Highway Companion”. Zanes has subsequently worked with Martin Scorsese on a 2011 George Harrison documentary; was a consulting producer for the brilliant documentary ’20 Feet From Stardom’ on female backup singers; and wrote material for the Johnny Cash film ‘The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash’ in 2019.
He also wrote the best-selling book ‘Petty: The Biography‘ in 2015 and the 2023 book ‘Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making Of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska’; this book was the basis of the recent film. As if this wasn’t enough, Zanes also became the Vice President of Education and Public Programs at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and, for ten years, Executive Director of The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation.
His solo releases are also really worth checking out – they are “People That I’m Wrong For”, “I Want To Move Out In The Daylight”, “The People That I’m Wrong For”, “The Biggest Bankrupt City In The World” and “The Collected Warren Zanes”. He has a canny knack for writing deliciously catchy songs, and his style is diverse and fascinating. The track I’ve chosen is one of my favourite songs ever, and it’s a feel-good, instantly memorable track with a tune to die for.
“I Want To Move…” was released in 2011, and Zanes has suggested it was his ‘break up’ album, as he’d just gone through a divorce. He chose some exemplary players to join him on the album, and they also helped on songwriting and production. Brad Jones plays bass, guitars, keyboards and provides vocals, as well as producing and engineering. The astoundingly talented Daniel Tashian provides sterling work on mandolin, keyboards, bass, lap steel guitar, as well as vocals and production assistance. Nick Buda plays drums on the album.
Tashian also happened to co-write this track with Zanes, and it opens with a strong drumbeat and lovely acoustic guitar strumming before Zanes’ effective vocals come in. We then have the infectious chorus with its ‘whoa oh oh’s’ and this glorious positive vibe. Whenever I play this, it transports me to a better and lovely place. I’m singing along, and life’s just tickety-boo. What more could you want from a song? Utterly enchanting and a true classic.
