OT - Tom Waits (no, he didn't die)

[Chris]

I know we have some fans here. Good little documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LVy_-lBUUg).

[David Kirk]

Thanks - I look forward to watching this.

dave

[katematt]

Saw him once and someone shouted a popular request, which he is famous for ignoring, his reply was, "man that stuff is so old its got dust all over the pages".

Went on to do his show brilliantly.

[oliver1850]

Just got an email today announcing remastered reissues of all the Anti albums on CD and 180 g vinyl. Wish I could afford the lps.

[cachagua]

For me, the moment that immortalizes Tom Waits is the last 10 seconds of Down By Law.

Maybe Catch-22 has a better opening scene, but no movie has a more beautiful ending.

And that's without EVEN mentioning his music. Step right up, step right up, step right up!

[OtayBW]

Well, the extended outlook for an indefinite period of time
Until you come back to me, baby, is high tonight, low tomorrow
And precipitation is expected
...from Emotional Weather Report

Saw him play this at the Exit In in Nashville in ~1973. What a hoot!

[schwa86]

That was great -- thanks for posting. And glad he's not dead!

[Mr. Pink]

Thanks. And, yeah, Satan still has more time before he gets there.

[djg21]

I’ve been a fan since the early 80s. I had an uncle who worked at the Bottom Line in NYC where Tom often played. While walking through Washington Square Park one day with my uncle on a visit to the City (I was probably 15-16 yrs old), we hear a gravelly voice yelling my uncle’s name. My uncle and Tom talked for a few minutes, and my uncle introduced me. After we all went our separate ways, my uncle asked if I knew who the man was and I said “no.” He then walked me into a record store and bought me a copy of Heart Attack and Vine. I put it on my Dad’s turntable when I got home from New York, and that was it. Tom has been one of my idols ever since. He’s one of two artists I’ve never had an opportunity to see live and must (the other is Robbie Robertson). If he ever plays anywhere in the continental US, I will be there. I’m hoping he plays a Beacon run some day soon.

If you’ve not seen his 1978 Austin City Limits show, it’s a classic! http://acltv.com/artist/tom-waits/

[classtimesailer]

Fans need to see episode two of "Fishing with Jon".

[crankles]

Saw him once and someone shouted a popular request, which he is famous for ignoring, his reply was, "man that stuff is so old its got dust all over the pages".

Went on to do his show brilliantly.

My favorite Tom Waits retort to an over zealous fan at a concert was "I thought I told you to stay in the car." I can't wait to watch.

[djg21]

I know we have some fans here. Good little documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LVy_-lBUUg).

That was really good. Thank you.

[oliver1850]

...from Emotional Weather Report

Saw him play this at the Exit In in Nashville in ~1973. What a hoot!

Nighthawks at the Diner was my introduction to TW. When I first heard it, I know I was in a car?/truck? with some of the crew of Lou Infante's CanAm cars, driving back to the motel from the track in their vehicle. Don't remember the details but it was probably 1981 or 1982 and likely near Road America. Wish I'd kept in contact with those guys, don't even remember their names.

[oliver1850]

Anti has announced re-issues of all the Elektra/Asylum albums on LP and CD. CDs are a fairly reasonable $11.99.

https://www.kingsroadmerch.com/tom-waits/

[terry]

I've tried, really tried but just can't get in to him. to the point where I have to change channels when I hear him.

[OtayBW]

^ Try listening to his album 'Closing Time'. Some real lyrical stuff that I'd bet you'd recognize.

[iPaul]

Went back to closing time and Saturday night. What happened to his voice in the late 70's? Sounds like two different people.m still enjoy but do prefer earlier sound.

[djg21]

Went back to closing time and Saturday night. What happened to his voice in the late 70's? Sounds like two different people.m still enjoy but do prefer earlier sound.

Hard living, whisky and smoking.

This is an excerpt from a somewhat related interview with Terry Gross (NPR Fresh Air) http://www.wbur.org/npr/141657227/tom-waits-the-fresh-air-interview

GROSS: That's "Talking at the Same Time" by my guest, Tom Waits, from his new album, "Bad As Me." Did you ever take singing lessons like, later in life, thinking, you know, the more styles of singing you wanted to do and the more voices you were comfortable using - that you wanted to just like, learn more about how the voice works, and how you could get the most out of yours?

WAITS: Uh, my voice - do you think that I should be taking voice lessons, Terry?

GROSS: Well, I think voice lessons are fascinating. I mean, I think - no, I think like, the human voice is such an amazing instrument - like, the more you understand it, the more amazing it becomes.

WAITS: Well I have been to, you know, voice doctors, throat doctors on the road. Periodically, I'll go in and have them tune me up. And then I have exercises I have to do before a show. And I sound very peculiar on the other side of the door. I bark my voice out through a closed throat, pretty much.

It is more, perhaps, like a dog - in some ways.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

GROSS: But that's murder on the voice, isn't it?

WAITS: I hope it's not murder, but it is - it does have its limitations. And - but I'm learning different ways to keep it alive, and it is hard on - especially on the road, when you're doing night after night after night, you know.

GROSS: So what kind of - what do the exercises sound like that you do?

(SOUNDBITE OF VOCAL EXERCISES)

WAITS: Things like that.

GROSS: That sounds great.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

GROSS: And that, like, loosens up your throat?

WAITS: Yeah, it just relaxes the muscles and all that, you know. That wasn't bad, was it?

GROSS: No, that actually sounded great. It sounded...

WAITS: Yeah, I thought so, too, yeah.

GROSS: It sounded like - you know the "Ursonate"?

WAITS: The what?

GROSS: Kurt Schwitters' "Ursonate"?

WAITS: Oh no, but I'll look into that.

GROSS: OK.

WAITS: Kurt Schwitters?

GROSS: Yeah. Like, the visual artist...

WAITS: The Dadaist? Oh wow, I'm glad you mentioned that because...

GROSS: The Dadiast, yeah. He wrote this music piece...

WAITS: ...I was just looking at this collection of poetry that was written by these Dada poets.

[Saint Vitus]

I've always enjoyed his work since I first heard "Frank's Wild Years", I've never had the opportunity to see him either. A guy I used to record and play with did some gigs with him on tour, nice work if you can get it.