Tom Waits
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Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American composer, singer, musician and actor.
One critical appraisal is that Waits possesses "one of the most distinctive voices in popular music" and is furthermore "at once a throwback and a visionary."[1] (http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=tom_waits) Primarily, Waits plays piano and guitar, but has performed on many other instruments.
When Waits is known at all to the general public, it is probably as the writer of "Downtown Train" (a hit for Rod Stewart), "Old '55" (a hit for The Eagles) and "Jersey Girl" (a hit for Bruce Springsteen), or for his occasional small roles in Hollywood films, like The Two Jakes, Mystery Men or Bram Stoker's Dracula.
To his devoted following, Waits is known as a writer of distinctive, compelling songs, which often resemble compressed short stories. His songs alternate between affecting ballads of love (whether the lost, unrequited or devoted varieties), and tales of freaks, oddballs and strange happenings.
With at best minimal radio or music video support, Waits' albums regularly reach gold or platinum sales status.
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Early Career
Born in Pomona, California, Waits' recording career began in 1971, after he relocated to Los Angeles and signed with Herb Cohen, manager of Frank Zappa, among others.
After numerous abortive recording sessions, Waits first record, the melancholic, country-tinged Closing Time was issued in 1973. It received warm reviews, but he first gained national attention when his "Ol' 55" was recorded by The Eagles in 1974. The Heart of Saturday Night showed Waits' roots as a nightclub singer, half speaking and half crooning ballads, often with a jazz background.
The 1975 album Nighthawks at the Diner, recorded in a studio but with a small audience to capture the ambience of a live show, captures this phase of his career, including the lengthy spoken interludes between songs that punctuated his live act. Regarding his music during this era, Waits reported that "I wasn't thrilled by Blue Cheer, so I found an alternative, even if it was Bing Crosby."[2] (http://www.keeslau.com/TomWaitsSupplement/Quotes/influences.htm)
Small Change (1976) (featuring famed drummer Shelly Manne) was jazzier still, and songs such as "The Piano Has Been Drinking" and "Bad Liver and a Broken Heart" cemented his hard living reputation, with a lyrical style pitched somewhere between Raymond Chandler and Charles Bukowski. Foreign Affairs (1977) and Blue Valentine (1978) were in a similar vein, but showed further refinement of his artistic voice.
1980 saw the release of Heartattack and Vine. Though not entirely unprecedented, the album's gritty rhythm and blues sound was different for Waits, and forshadowed the major changes in his music that would follow several years later. The same year, he began a long working relationship with Francis Ford Coppola, who asked Waits to provide music for his film One From The Heart. Waits tapped singer/songwriter Crystal Gayle as his vocal foil for the album. Waits began his acting career with his appearance in Coppola'sRumblefish. He starred in Jim Jarmusch's Down By Law in 1987, and has played supporting roles in films like The Outsiders, The Cotton Club and Dracula (as the Dracula's insane slave Renfield). He has worked with such directors as Jarmusch, Coppola, and Robert Altman.
In August 1980, Waits married Kathleen Brennan, whom he had met on the set of One from the Heart. Brennan is regularly credited as co-author of many songs on his later released albums, and is often cited by Waits as a major influence on his work.
1980s
Waits left Asylum Records for Island Records. 1983 saw the release of Swordfishtrombones, a record which marked a sharp turn in Waits' output, and which cemented his reputation as a visionary, steadfastly outside the mainstream. In many ways, Waits has carved out his own musical genre.
Aside from perhaps Captain Beefheart and some of Dr. John's early output, there was little precedent in popular music for Swordfishtrombones or its followups, Rain Dogs and Frank's Wild Years. The instrumentation and orchestration were often quite eclectic. Waits' self described "Junkyard Orchestra" included wheezing pump organs, clattering percussion (sometimes reminiscent of Harry Partch), bleary horn sections (often featuring Ralph Carney, and taking their cues from brass bands or soul music), nearly atonal guitar (perhaps best typified by Marc Ribot's contributions) and obsolete instruments (Waits is fond of a damaged chamberlin which he purchased from several surfers; recent albums have featured the little-used stroh violin.)
Along with a new instrumental approach, Waits gradually altered his singing style, sounding less like the late-night crooner of the 70s, instead adopting a number of techniques: A gravelly sound reminiscent of Howlin' Wolf and Captain Beefheart, a booming, feral bark, or a strained, nearly shrieking falsetto Waits jokingly describes as his Prince voice.
His songwriting shifted as well, becoming somewhat more abstract, and embracing a number of styles largely ignored in pop music, including primal blues, cabaret stylings, rhumbas, theatrical Kurt Weil-esque approaches, tangos, early country music, European folk music and Tin Pan Alley-era songs. He undertook a few nearly-spoken word pieces influenced by Ken Nordine's "word jazz" records of the 1950s. All of these different techniques are filtered through Waits' unique lens, however, and so rarely seem like a pastiche.
Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs and Frank's Wild Years were a trilogy of loose concept albums, following sailor Frank O'Brien, as he leaves the familiar comfort of home, sees the world, and returns. The last of these albums was also adapted as an off-Broadway musical co-written with Brennan. This was the first of several theatre collaborations Waits would undertake: with his wife, Waits wrote and performed in Big Time, a slightly surreal concert movie and soundtrack relased in 1988.
1990's
Waits appeared on Primus' 1991 album, Sailing the Seas of Cheese as the voice of "Tommy the Cat", which exposed him to a new audience in alternative rock.
Bone Machine was released in 1992. Critic Steve Huey calls it "Perhaps Tom Waits' most cohesive album ... a morbid, sinister nightmare, one that applied the quirks of his experimental '80s classics to stunningly evocative -- and often harrowing -- effect ... Waits' most affecting and powerful recording, even if it isn't his most accessible."[3] (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:xsyvad1kv8w6) Bone Machine was awarded a Grammy. (Incidentally, "Bone Machine" was a song on The Pixies' earlier Surfer Rosa, though it's uncertain if Waits borrowed the term from the Pixies, or developed it independently.)
Waits wrote and conducted the music for Jarmusch's 1993 film A Night On Earth, which was released as an album. The Black Rider is the result of a theatrical collaboration between Waits, director Robert Wilson and writer William S. Burroughs.
Mule Variations was issued in 1999, and also won a Grammy. It was Waits' first release for Anti records.
2000's
Singer John Hammond's Wicked Grin was issued in 2001. Hammond and Waits are close friends, and the album is a collection of cover songs originally written by Waits, who appears on most songs (playing guitar, piano or offering backing vocals).
2001 also saw the release of trumpeter Dave Douglas's Witness; the 25-minute "Mahfouz" features Waits reading an excerpt from a work by Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz.
In 2002, Waits simultaneously released two albums, Alice and Blood Money. Both were the fruits of theatrical collaborations with Wilson; the former was originally intended as a musical play about Lewis Carroll.
Real Gone was released in 2004. In comparison with Waits' last few albums, it is rougher, angrier, and, in a first for Waits, political: the album-closing "The Day After Tomorrow" takes on the persona of a soldier in Iraq writing home that he is disillusioned with the war and is thankful to be leaving.
Lawsuits
Waits has steadfastly refused to allow the use of his songs in commercials and has filed several lawsuits against advertisers who used his material without permission.
The first lawsuit was filed in 1988 against Frito Lay, and resulted in a US$2.6 million judgement in Waits' favor. Frito Lay had approached Waits to use one of his songs in an advertisement. Waits declined the offer, and Frito Lay hired a Waits soundalike to sing a jingle similar to Small Change's "Step Right Up," which is, ironically, a song Waits has called "an indictment of advertising." [4] (http://www.joe.trussell.com/waits/frito_lay.html) ("Step Right Up" concludes with the lyric "What the large print giveth, the small print taketh away").
In 1993, Levi's used Screamin' Jay Hawkins's version of Waits's "Heartattack and Vine" in a commercial. Waits sued, and Levis agreed to cease all use of the song, and offered a full page apology in Billboard Magazine. [5] (http://www.keeslau.com/TomWaitsSupplement/Copyright/copyrightwaitslevis.htm)
In 2000, Waits found himself in a situation similar to his earlier one with Frito-Lay: Audi approached him, asking to use "Innocent When You Dream" (from Frank's Wild Years) for a commercial broadcast in Spain. Waits declined, but the commercial ultimately featured music very similar to Waits' song. Waits undertook legal action, and a Spanish court recognized there had been a violation of Waits' moral rights, in addition to the infringement of copyright [6] (http://www.anti.com/news.php?newsid=86715). The production company, Tandem Campany Guasch, was ordered to pay compensation to Waits through his Spanish publisher.
The Sons of Lee Marvin
Tom Waits has claimed on several occasions to being a member of the secret society, "The Sons of Lee Marvin", a group founded by Jarmusch in which all members bear a physical resemblence to actor Lee Marvin.
Discography
Major releases
| Year | Title | Special Info | |
| 1973 | Closing Time | ||
| 1974 | Heart of Saturday Night | ||
| 1975 | Nighthawks at the Diner | recorded live for small audience | |
| 1976 | Small Change | ||
| 1977 | Foreign Affairs | ||
| 1978 | Blue Valentine | ||
| 1980 | Heartattack and Vine | ||
| 1982 | One From the Heart | Movie Soundtrack | |
| 1983 | Swordfishtrombones | ||
| 1985 | Rain Dogs | ||
| 1987 | Frank's Wild Years | ||
| 1988 | Big Time | Live CD, movie, video release | |
| 1992 | Night on Earth | Movie soundtrack | |
| 1992 | Bone Machine | Won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album | |
| 1993 | The Black Rider | Collaboration w/ Wm. S. Burroughs | |
| 1999 | Mule Variations | Won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album | |
| 2002 | Blood Money | ||
| 2002 | Alice | ||
| 2004 | Real Gone |
Collections
- 1983 Anthology of Tom Waits (Elektra)
- 1991 The Early Years, Volume One
- 1993 The Early Years, Volume Two
- 1998 Beautiful Maladies: The Island Years
Contributions
- 1991 Sailing the Seas of Cheese, by Primus: Waits does character vocals on Tommy The Cat
- 1992 Beautiful Mess, by Thelonious Monster: Waits appears as a guest singer on Adios Lounge
- 1993 Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet, by Gavin Bryars: Waits appears as guest singer
- 1999 Antipop, by Primus: Waits does vocals on Coattails of a Deadman
- 2000 Helium, by Tin Hat Trio: Waits appears as guest singer on Helium Reprise
- 2001 It's A Wonderful Life, by Sparklehorse: Waits does vocals on "Dog Door"
- 2002 For the Kids by various artists: Waits performs the lullaby "Bring Down the Branches"
- 2004 The Ride by Los Lobos: Waits does vocals on the track "Kitate"
- 2004 The Late Great Daniel Johnston by various artists: Waits covers Johnston's "King Kong"
Tribute albums
- 1995 Temptation, Holly Cole
- 1995 Step Right Up, various artists
- 2000 New Coat of Paint, various artists
- 2001 Wicked Grin, John Hammond
- 2004 Step Right Up: The Songs of Tom Waits, various artists
Filmography
- 1978 Movie debut as 'Mumbles' in Paradise Alley.
- 1980 Worked with Francis Ford Coppola on the soundtrack to One From The Heart.
- 1982 Soundtrack of One From The Heart. Nominated for an Academy Award for best original score.
- Played petrified man in carnival in The Stone Boy.
- 1983 Played Buck Merrill in The Outsiders.
- Played Bennie the pool hall owner in Rumble Fish.
- 1984 Played Irving Stark in The Cotton Club.
- 1986 Starred as Zack in Down by Law.
- 1987 Played Rudy The Kraut in Ironweed.
- Played Al Silk in Candy Mountain.
- 1989 Played the 'Punch & Judy Man' in Bearskin: An Urban Fairytale.
- Starred as Kenny the Hitman in Cold Feet.
- Voice of the radio DJ in Mystery Train. Composer on Sea of Love
- 1990 Played a plainclothes policeman in The Two Jakes.
- 1991 Played Wolf in At Play in the Fields of the Lord.
- Played a disabled Veteran beggar in The Fisher King.
- Wrote the score of Night on Earth (With Kathleen Brennan).
- Played Monte in Queens Logic.
- 1992 Composer (With Kathleen Brennan) on American Heart.
- Played R.M. Renfield in Bram Stoker's Dracula.
- Played Earl Piggott in Short Cuts.
- Appeared as himself in the IFC TV series Fishing with John.
- 1996 Composer on soundtrack of Dead Man Walking.
- Composer on soundtrack of The End of Violence.
- 'Cold Cold Ground' and 'Temptation' appeared on the soundtrack to Leolo.
- 1999 Mystery Men -- played an inventor who specialized in non-lethal weapons.
- 2003 Appeared in conversation with Iggy Pop in Coffee and Cigarettes: Somewhere In California (filmed in 1993).
- 2004 Composer (with Kathleen Brennan) on soundtrack of Shrek 2. Also appears, in a shared role with Nick Cave, as an animated piano-playing pirate singing "A Little Drop Of Poison".
Tours
- 1973 Closing Time touring
- 1974-1975 The Heart Of Saturday Night touring
- 1975-1976 Small Change touring
- 1977 Foreign Affairs touring
- 1978-1979 Blue Valentine touring
- 1980-1982 Heartattack and Vine touring
- 1985 Rain Dogs touring
- 1987 Big Time touring
- 1999 Get Behind The Mule Tour
- 2004 Real Gone Tour
See also:
- Kazik Staszewski, Polish artist extensively covering Waits
- Holly Cole, Canadian artist covering Waits' songs in jazz style
External links:
- Official Site (http://www.officialtomwaits.com/)
- Waits hasn't had fun since 1962 (http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/waits%20hasn.t%20had%20fun%20since%201962)
- Tom Waits for No Man (http://tomwaits.radicalwacko.com/) - a fan blog
- The Eyeball Kid (http://eyeballkid.blogspot.com/) - a fan blog
- Tom Waits Fan.com (http://www.tomwaitsfan.com/) - a Tom Waits informational site. Also houses active forums.
- Tom Waits Supplement (http://www.keeslau.com/TomWaitsSupplement/) - a compendium of information about Tom Waits and his works
- Tom Waits Fanatics (http://www.livejournal.com/community/_tom_waits/) - a Live Journal fan club
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