Tom Waits

[Omar 382]

Is anyone a fan of the guy? I wrote in another thread that I recently found his music about a month ago. I like what I've heard thus far, but he has a huge discography. Any recommendations on where to start?

 

[ThereIsNoPlace]

 

[romeo212000]

I’ll check him out. Heath Ledger based his Joker character off Tom Waits.

 

[broncosmitty]

People a lot cooler than me listen to Tom Waits.

That's all I know.


That and he's in At Play in the Fields of the Lord. Which I recommend you watch.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

I'm not only a fan, but he's also a friend of mine. I've known him since the late 70's when I also lived in SoCal. He currently still lives up here in the bay area.

I would suggest to anyone wanting to know what albums to listen to, I'd say start at or near the beginning of his long list of recordings to get a better idea of the many phases he went through while living in LA which he wrote about. Some are more bluesy than others and some are jazz influenced, while others are focused on his own type of prose & poetry, his love of art, literature and theater.

 

[beardown07]

I'm not only a fan, but he's also a friend of mine. I've known him since the late 70's when I also lived in SoCal. He currently still lives up here in the bay area.

I would suggest to anyone wanting to know what albums to listen to, I'd say start at or near the beginning of his long list of recordings to get a better idea of the many phases he went through while living in LA which he wrote about. Some are more bluesy than others and some are jazz influenced, while others are focused on his own type of prose & poetry, his love of art, literature and theater.

Did you know him when he was fucking Bette Midler? Lulz


I like Waits. Gotta be in the right mood for him, but I like him. I like all the little subtle side projects he's done, with my favorite being the voice of Tommy, in Primus' Tommy the Cat, but others, like his cameo in Mystery Men en sech.

 

[Guy Incognito]

I found his late 90s - early 2000s stuff first, and liked it.

Mule Variations
Alice - was supposed to be a musical based on "Alice in Wonderland"
Blood Money

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Did you know him when he was fucking Bette Midler? Lulz


I like Waits. Gotta be in the right mood for him, but I like him. I like all the little subtle side projects he's done, with my favorite being the voice of Tommy, in Primus' Tommy the Cat, but others, like his cameo in Mystery Men en sech.

Nah..that was before I knew him...but when we first met he was dating Rickie Lee Jones then, whom I've also met back during that time.

I also met his wife Kathleen once and 2 of their 3 kids back in the early 00's.
Good people.

 

[Omar 382]

People a lot cooler than me listen to Tom Waits.

That's all I know.


That and he's in At Play in the Fields of the Lord. Which I recommend you watch.

Never heard of it. I’ll check it out. Already promised someone else a couple weeks ago that I’d watch Giant with James Dean, so that’s ahead of this on my “watching shit based off people’s recommendations” list. But I’ll let you know what I think.

 

[broncosmitty]

Never heard of it. I’ll check it out. Already promised someone else a couple weeks ago that I’d watch Giant with James Dean, so that’s ahead of this on my “watching shit based off people’s recommendations” list. But I’ll let you know what I think.

Since you're strapped for time, I won't require reading The Discovery of the Amazon, first.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Is anyone a fan of the guy? I wrote in another thread that I recently found his music about a month ago. I like what I've heard thus far, but he has a huge discography. Any recommendations on where to start?

Bech, you asked me if I liked him, but you never got back and told me what you thought about John Prine.

 

[Indrid Cold]

I like Waits...he also wrote Down By The Train, which Cash covered.
And had a small role as a beggar in The Fisher King.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

I like Waits...he also wrote Down There By The Train, which Cash covered.
And had a small role as a beggar in The Fisher King.

Fify

He also wrote Downtown Train, & Ol '55...which were covered by others.
(Notably, Rod Stewart for the former...and The Eagles for the latter)

 

[GNG]

Inducted into the R&R HOF in 2011.

 

[Omar 382]

Bech, you asked me if I liked him, but you never got back and told me what you thought about John Prine.

Sorry man, I’ve been busy beating off to Bryce Harper’s 2015 stats and interviewing for job positions when I graduate in June (mainly jacking it to Bryce though).

I’ll try to get back to you within the next week on that album you recommended (I need to look it up again)

 

[Omar 382]

I like Waits...he also wrote Down By The Train, which Cash covered.
And had a small role as a beggar in The Fisher King.

The Fisher King (3/5 stars) was kinda middling to me, and like you said, his role was small in that. (I liked Fisher King overall, just a little let down because all of Gilliam’s other stuff is epic.)

Waits was great in 2018’s The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (3.5/5 stars), but my favorite performance from him is in Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (3.5/5 stars) in which he plays Satan who’s constantly smoking from a cigarette holder.

 

[Omar 382]

Since you're strapped for time, I won't require reading The Discovery of the Amazon, first.

Thank you Masta’. Masta’ so kind to me and all my chill’run. We just love livin’ here on this beauta’ful plantation; what with the free room and board and the VCR showings every Sat’aday night

 

[beardown07]

The Fisher King (3/5 stars) was kinda middling to me, and like you said, his role was small in that. (I liked Fisher King overall, just a little let down because all of Gilliam’s other stuff is epic.)

Waits was great in 2018’s The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (3.5/5 stars), but my favorite performance from him is in Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (3.5/5 stars) in which he plays Satan who’s constantly smoking from a cigarette holder.

Good stuff, perfect casting.

My favorite thing he's ever done is his duet with Les Claypool in Primus' Tommy the Cat.

 

[Omar 382]

Good stuff, perfect casting.

My favorite thing he's ever done is his duet with Les Claypool in Primus' Tommy the Cat.

Well, that was certainly interesting....

Can’t say I’ve heard anything quite like that one. And here I thought the Rolling Stones’ “We Love You” or Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an Eagle” were experimental...

 

[beardown07]

Well, that was certainly interesting....

Can’t say I’ve heard anything quite like that one. And here I thought the Rolling Stones’ “We Love You” or Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an Eagle” were experimental...

One of the best bass players on the planet.

I was 14 when Frizzle Fry came out. Still one of my faves.