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[Music] Tom Waits



exKT17

Well-known member
Nov 27, 2016
337
Argyll & Bute
First heard him about 40 years ago when I was a young 'un and he was just getting appreciated.

A lifelong love affair followed - and I saw in the two times he played in England.

I prefer his earlier work to his later avant-garde work, I suspect he was at his best as a craftsman when he was drinking (I'm guessing)

I figure him as not only a great US singer songwriter, but also as a great lyricist/poet of the USA.

I'd take 'Kentucky Avenue' and 'The Briar and the Rose' to my grave, but there are too many other favourites to choose...

Any other 'Waitists' out there in NSC-land?
 


Fungus

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
May 21, 2004
7,038
Truro
First heard him about 40 years ago when I was a young 'un and he was just getting appreciated.

A lifelong love affair followed - and I saw in the two times he played in England.

I prefer his earlier work to his later avant-garde work, I suspect he was at his best as a craftsman when he was drinking (I'm guessing)

I figure him as not only a great US singer songwriter, but also as a great lyricist/poet of the USA.

I'd take 'Kentucky Avenue' and 'The Briar and the Rose' to my grave, but there are too many other favourites to choose...

Any other 'Waitists' out there in NSC-land?

I have a few albums, some of his work is inspirational and some is unlistenable (or maybe I need to listen better). Can understand why some people prefer the cover versions, but I like his voice.
 




Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,323
Uffern
I've been listening to Waits for about 35 years, I think all his albums are great but if I had to pick one, it would be Rain Dogs. I can see that his vocal style is an acquired taste however.

I've never seen him live - he's top of my list of unseen acts that I'd love to see.
 


exKT17

Well-known member
Nov 27, 2016
337
Argyll & Bute
I've been listening to Waits for about 35 years, I think all his albums are great but if I had to pick one, it would be Rain Dogs. I can see that his vocal style is an acquired taste however.

I've never seen him live - he's top of my list of unseen acts that I'd love to see.

He doesn't come here often, so when he does tickets are hard to come by, I was lucky, twice
 








herecomesaregular

We're in the pipe, 5 by 5
Oct 27, 2008
4,175
Still in Brighton
I've been listening to Waits for about 35 years, I think all his albums are great but if I had to pick one, it would be Rain Dogs. I can see that his vocal style is an acquired taste however.

I've never seen him live - he's top of my list of unseen acts that I'd love to see.

Agree re Rain Dogs, probably as I first heard him on Down By Law (just bought it again on Blu-ray).
 






Coxovi

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Nov 5, 2011
369
Suisse
Not a committed fan but have a live album that I love. He is a voice of the US that is so different than what is usually heard abroad, neither ecstatic nor vehement, but very human. He can also define an image so well “ she cracked her gum, then arched her back”. Not a melodic voice to sure, but a real one.
 








Acker79

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Nov 15, 2008
31,763
Brighton
I mostly associate him with Rod Stewart's cover of Downtown Train, and his appearance in Mystery Men.

Edit: Just did a search of my itunes library, I also have a bob seger cover of downtown train, tom wait's performing little drop of poison from shrek 2, and writing a song on the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss album Raising Sands, and Meat Loaf's Welcome to the Neighbourhood.
 


catfish

North Stand Brighton Boy
Dec 17, 2010
7,677
Worthing
I've got a few of his albums and Closing Time is my favourite. A few years ago I heard him reading a Charles Bukowski story on the radio and it was superb.
 










Binney on acid

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Nov 30, 2003
2,479
Shoreham
He’s obviously very talented, but I couldn’t stand his voice, which meant that his musical output completely by-passed me. Generally speaking, I love American singer songwriters. However, this is an example of ‘the marmite effect’.
 




Bob'n'weave

Well-known member
Nov 18, 2016
1,970
Nr Lewes
He’s obviously very talented, but I couldn’t stand his voice, which meant that his musical output completely by-passed me. Generally speaking, I love American singer songwriters. However, this is an example of ‘the marmite effect’.

I get it. Bob Dylan does the same thing for me. Sounds like ambulance or a two stroke engine to me but his lyrics are poetry. :shrug:
 





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