Tom Waits

[Glebe]

Tom Waits For No One:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCNDZY4vXPs[/youtube]

[trotsky assortment]

From another thread...though I've been digging through lots of Waits this week, so a timely bump...

Thats probably my second favourite Waits album (first place goes to Alice joint with Rain Dogs). For me, Foreign Affairs is Waits shit album, and while the actual songs are bloody ace Night On Earth is a waste of money.

As far as 'Franks Wild Years' goes, I really like 'Hang On St Christopher' and 'Innocent When You Dream' and one other (the name of which escapes me).  As far as 'Foreign Affairs' goes, it's easily the weakest of his work for Asylum, with 'Barber Shop' being the albums only real stand out for me.

[trotsky assortment]

Forgot to mention that these days it's quite difficult to waste your money on the 'Night On Earth' soundtrack.  Alongside the vinyl only compilation 'Bounced Checks', it's the only Waits album currently out of print.  I can't remember the last time I saw one either.

[Why I Hate Tables]

I've looked back at the tracklisting I made and...it's appalling. Some people have gone onto investigate further, fortunately. My fandom has increased masively, through Waits moving onto Tricky, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey and Tindersticks. I've also noticed a lot of Mike Patton stuff is almost in a similar spirit, but I'm probably wrong on that.

Ahh, Night On Earth was a waste of money because I bought it on Ebay and while it's OK I thought it would be like One From The Heart and composed mainly of songs. Then found endless instrumentals, with, annoyingly enough, three (I think) brilliant songs. Can't really complain, though and it's nice to have as I'm a bit of a completist.

Apart from the four acts mentioned above, anyone got any recommendations of other things I'd like, being a Waits fan?

[daisy11]

being a Waits fan?

Solo artists only?
Is it for the deep voice?  Then Leonard Cohen :-)
For song-writing and singing generally?  Johnny Cash, Ed Harcourt, Jeff Buckley, Patti Smith, Scott Walker maybe.

Oh, I'm lost now.  Nick Lowe's going through my head too, I'll work out why later.

[Catalogue Trousers]

Singapore and What's He Building are both bloody marvellous choices. I'd also throw in the title track from The Black Rider, as much as anything for Waits's cheerfully sinister huckstering.

"Step right up...see the Dog-Faced Boy..."

Oh, and Frank's Wild Years, both for its poetic language and its genuine sense of slightly sour humour.

[thugler]

I've looked back at the tracklisting I made and...it's appalling. Some people have gone onto investigate further, fortunately. My fandom has increased masively, through Waits moving onto Tricky, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey and Tindersticks. I've also noticed a lot of Mike Patton stuff is almost in a similar spirit, but I'm probably wrong on that.

Ahh, Night On Earth was a waste of money because I bought it on Ebay and while it's OK I thought it would be like One From The Heart and composed mainly of songs. Then found endless instrumentals, with, annoyingly enough, three (I think) brilliant songs. Can't really complain, though and it's nice to have as I'm a bit of a completist.

Apart from the four acts mentioned above, anyone got any recommendations of other things I'd like, being a Waits fan?

Any of Mark Lanegans solo stuff. And the album he did with Soulsavers.

[buntyman]

Looks like there's a good chance of Tom Waits making a rare appearance in the UK at some point this year. http://www.ents24.com/web/news.html?id=00065534
I'd be prepared to fork out a good chunk of dough to see this chap.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

One of my very few goals in life is to see Tom Waits live before he or I die. Despite hanging on the telephone for about an hour before the tickets sold out last time (2004?), I will be whoring myself openly to ensure that I get tickets this time.

So I urge interested parties to PM me for some harrowing anus. No time wasters please.

[Lee Van Cleef]

I re-listened to the only Waits album I own (Franks Wild Years) today for the first time in a while.  Great stuff, I only bought it because of The Wire and now I'm glad I did.  "Innocent When You Dream (Barroom)" is one of the sweetest songs I've heard in a long time.  Some great stuff on this album.

Ended up ordering Heartattack And Vine, Nighthawks At The Diner and The Heart Of Saturday Night from play.com since they were in the 3 for £12 promo.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I hope you enjoy those albums, Lee, because - aside from the "you had to be there" quality of Nighthawks - they all contain incredible songs.

But If you liked FWY, then you may also like the rest of that 80's "trilogy", namely Swordfishtrombone and - especially - Rain Dogs. The latter is one of the most consistently brilliant albums ever made.

[trotsky assortment]

I hope you enjoy them too, Lee - every one of them better than 'Frank's Wild Years'.

[Little Hoover]

Can I just push in and ask where I should go after Rain Dogs?

[trotsky assortment]

Do you want old piano-croony style Tom?
Do you want something which feels similar to 'Rain Dogs'?
Or do you want something a bit scarier?

[Little Hoover]

erm, something scarier

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Then to Bone Machine, man, and don't spare the horses! It's a fairly disquieting album, I'd say.

And any excuse to air this alarming piece of madness from Alice:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/y9npk8

[trotsky assortment]

Tom's last proper album 'Real Gone' shows the man pushed to his shouty limits.  Once you get your head around it, it contains some gems - I'm particularly fond of 'Don't Go Into That Barn'.

For anyone looking to explore Tom's work further, I'd highly recommend the following albums (in no particular order), if you've not heard them already:

Rain Dogs
Swordfishtrombones
Mule Variations
Heart Attack and Vine
Blood Money
The Heart Of Saturday Night (a beautiful representation of early Waits).

All but the very brave should avoid disc three of his 'Orphans' set.

[trotsky assortment]

Then to Bone Machine, man, and don't spare the horses! It's a fairly disquieting album, I'd say.

I'm on record saying this elsewhere, I know, but I'd say 'Bone Machine' is probably my least favourite Waits album, except for perhaps 'The Black Rider' (the only proper Waits album that neither Ms Trotsky or I own - and between us we own almost a complete set - twice.)

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I'm on record saying this elsewhere, I know, but I'd say 'Bone Machine' is probably my least favourite Waits album, except for perhaps 'The Black Rider' (the only proper Waits album that neither Ms Trotsky or I own - and between us we own almost a complete set - twice.)

It's never been a favourite of mine, either. I only suggested it to Little Hoover it as a fairly consistent example of mad, shouty Tom. I love him in that mode, but only when it's interspersed with the more melodic ballads. Which is why albums like Mule Variations and Rain Dogs work so beautifully.

But yes, all the albums you mentioned there are perfect entry points for those wishing to get into Waits. But no Small Change? Surely the apogee of his barfly crooner era?

[trotsky assortment]

Yeah.  That's fantastic too, maybe it's my dislike of 'Tom Traubert's Blues' which makes me forget that one occasionally.  For those of you who own 'Small Change', I'd recommend listening to it in the bath with the volume cranked.

[trotsky assortment]

And any excuse to air this alarming piece of madness from Alice:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/y9npk8

I've not clicked on it, but I'm guessing that'd be 'Komminezospat'.  Was it you who once listen to that while jumping up and down wearing a pirate's hat?

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Yeah.  That's fantastic too, maybe it's my dislike of 'Tom Traubert's Blues' which makes me forget that one occasionally.  For those of you who own 'Small Change', I'd recommend listening to it in the bath with the volume cranked.

Yup, that is indeed a perfect setting for the full Small Change experience. You might want to smoke and drink heavily while you're at it.

And you don't like Tom Traubert's Blues? For why? Is it because of its relative ubiquity as far as Waits' songs go? When I'm in the right mood, that song can still tug at the heart strings.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I've not clicked on it, but I'm guessing that'd be 'Komminezospat'.  Was it you who once listen to that while jumping up and down wearing a pirate's hat?

Well guessed! But sadly, no, I've never listened to it while jumping up and down wearing a pirate's hat. What a splendid idea. I may fashion one from cardboard and do just that.

I've always liked Komminezuspadt because it sounds like a terrifying version of the Muppet Show theme. It's a shame that Tom was never invited on as a guest during the original series - a piano duet between him and Rowlf would've been brilliant.

[trotsky assortment]

A trawl through the search engine sheds no light on the 'pirate hat incident', but I'm sure I've not imagined it.

[Glebe]

He's supposedly playing two dates here in Dublin, so I'd better get me skates on and find out about tickets. Most probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see him live.

[Cog Sinister]

As someone who did get to his last show in London I'd suggest selling relatives, miscellaneous loved ones and your very soul for the chance to see him play.

[youtube=425,350]http://youtube.com/watch?v=cke0Ue4kmHQ[/youtube]

[Don_Preston]

I don't want to be illegal or anything, but are there any recommended Waits bootlegs flying around? Usually at CD fairs I see a DVD or so, but always a bit apprehensive over the quality. I saw an interesting CD titled "Tom Waits on the Radio" from a 1976 session, but again didn't know how good the quality is.

Normally I don't care if an official live album is a bit rough around the edges, but usally hope for a bootleg to be pristine.

[trotsky assortment]

Ms Trotsky and I have a great DVD called 'Closing Time' (I think), which contains some broadcast quality footage of him live on Scandinavian TV and half a gig from Italian telly.  Worth picking up if you see it.

[Whug Baspin]

Sorry a very Random question here, but I read a review of Highlander in one of those huge books full of film reviews, (the Time Out one I think) and it mentioend that the Kurgan was singing Tom Waits as he was killing people so it wasn't without redemption.  Does anyone remember this? Sorry not sure quite why I'm asking here.

[Panodil Tabletter]

I'd highly recommend the Waits bootleg Cold Beer on a Hot Night - it has a great rendition of Hokey Cokey/Pasties and a G-String.