Is, I think, a genius.

I love him; and what he's created and inspired is brilliant.


Discuss si vous plait...

I only knew Swordfish Trombone until I heard a lot Tom Waits at Garve's Radioshows. I like him, he can do the most sentimental stuff without sounding schmaltzy because of his grumpy voice and my fave tracks are
Don't go into that barn
16 Shells From A Thirty-Ought Six
Rain Dogs
The piano's been drinking

I love 'The Piano Has Been Drinking' as well, but also 'Martha' and more obvious ones like 'Tom Traubert's Blues', 'Downtown Train' and 'Looking For the Heart of Saturday Night'.

An old mate's gruff, world-weary boyfriend introduced me to Waits years ago, so I'm forever stuck with an image of that real-life Waits-wannabe every time I hear a track, which kind of adds to it!

Rain Dogs and Real Gone are my favorite albums. Excellent artist.

Only got into him in the last couple of years, but my favourite tracks are Grapefruit Moon and Martha.

Favourite album, Mule Variations.

Tom Waits fans, REJOICE!!!

From the MySpace page of His Tomness:

TOM WAITS TO RELEASE
‘GLITTER and DOOM LIVE’
NOVEMBER 24 ON CD AND VINYL

EACH INCLUDES 17 SONGS FROM
THE SOLD OUT TOUR OF EUROPE AND THE US
IN THE SUMMER OF 2008

TOM WAITS is set to release Glitter and Doom Live, a collection of outstanding live tracks from his 2008 sold out US and European tour. This two CD set contains 17 live recordings from ten nights along the tour including, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Tulsa, Knoxville, Atlanta, Paris, Milan, Jacksonville, Dublin and Columbus. The second CD entitled, Tom Tales holds nearly 40 minutes of Waits quixotic ruminations on topics ranging from romantic spiders to injured vultures. The CD will also come with a booklet of live photos.

The vinyl version of Glitter and Doom Live will feature gatefold sleeve with live photos from the tour and contain all 17 tracks but no Tom Tales. Inside the LP, Anti- is providing a card w/mp3 download instructions, which will enable the buyer to download Tom Tales as well.

Musically, the live discs encapsulate Waits in all his chug, boom and steam. His shamanistic vocals, innovative arrangements, visionary lyrics, pounding rhythms and emotional melodies are all here. There are dark swampy tribal rhythms, ominous hymns, and cautionary tales all swirling around Waits’ unmistakable howl and croon. The CD has a dead man singing to his widow, a convict’s last words, an instructional dance number, lamenting sword swallowers and bragging pirates. All of the tracks were personally selected and sequenced to give you the feeling of one great night on tour.

On October 12, www.tomwaits.com is set to go live. You are invited to wander and roam through the first ever official website for all things Waits: news, updates on recordings, new releases, tours, films and more. A resource for lyrics, photos, wit and wisdom, strange but true tales, and more imponderables on topics as far ranging as the origin of consciousness, the sexuality of Christ and the lonely journey of the male seahorse.

Track listing is as follows:

1. Lucinda / Ain't Goin Down (Birmingham - 07/03/08) - 5:37
2. Singapore (Edinburgh - 07/28/08) - 5:00
3. Get Behind The Mule (Tulsa - 06/25/08) - 6:26
4. Fannin Street (Knoxville - 06/29/08) - 4:16
5. Dirt In The Ground (Milan - 07/19/08) - 5:18
6. Such A Scream (Milan - 07/18/08) - 2:51
7. Live Circus (Jacksonville - 07/01/08) - 5:04
8. Goin' Out West (Tulsa - 06/25/08) - 3:48
9. Falling Down (Paris - 07/25/08) - 4:21
10. The Part You Throw Away (Edinburgh - 07/28/08) - 5:07
11. Trampled Rose (Dublin - 08/01/08) - 5:06
12. Metropolitan Glide (Knoxville - 6/29/08) - 3:10
13. I'll Shoot The Moon (Paris - 07/24/08) - 4:25
14. Green Grass (Edinburgh - 07/27/08) - 3:20
15. Make It Rain (Atlanta - 07/05/08) - 3:58
16. Story (Columbus - 06/28/08) - 2:02
17. Lucky Day (Atlanta - 07/05/08) - 3:47

I was at the Jacksonville show...wish they would've included "Invitation To the Blues" instead, as he surprised us all with that tune and it was glorious. But still...HUZZAH!!

Tom Waits also features in the new Terry Gilliam film

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

The Fisher King is one of my all time favourite films along with Brazil. I love Gilliam's films.

No offence to Tom Waits fans but 6MUSIC have just played Fannin St, I just don't get it, I'm sure the voice is an acquired taste. It's about the 4th tune I've heard from him and I just have to switch the radio off.

I decided to put this here, instead of in the Musical Advent Calendar thread, because I think it would probably piss off too many non-Waits fans if I put it over there...it's too strong for general consumption but just right for the rest of us! Enjoy!

THanks Chrissie - I don't think that would have gone amoss on the Musical Advent Calendar thread at all, but I really enjoyed it wherever you posted it.

Edit - who's Amos? I meant amiss of course