Tom Waits

Haddas · Sun 05/09/2004 19:27:59

I am interested if there are any Tom Waits fans on this board. Wherever I ask nobody seems to know him.
He's a musical artist and has been going for over 30 years. His voice has undergone dramatic changes over the last 30 years. His music style is occasionally weird and the lyrics are too. I myself, am a huge fan of his music. Some might have heard him in the film "Moulin Rogue" In the song "Roxanne". He's the deep voice.

I recommend you to listen to these:
http://www.smokecds.com/cd/35456
The early years. (personal favourite: Ice Cream Man)

+30 years

Compare it to:
http://www.smokecds.com/cd/30157
Blood money. (Recommended listening: God's away on business)

You've got to admire the man. He's a musical genious in my ears. ...weird, but awesome nontheless.

evenwolf · Sun 05/09/2004 19:33:00

of course.

He has starred in a few Jim Jarmusch films (Down By Law is great), and his songs are in plenty of films beside Moulin Rouge. He's very popular in Texas, almost everyone lists him as one their favorite musicians it seems.

Haddas · Sun 05/09/2004 19:37:32

Indeed. I just noticed, looking through his songs from 1970 to 2004, that he has become cynical. From those happy song names like Ice Cream Man and Frankie's song, the names have become Everything is going to hell and Knife Chase, etc. Also, what HAS he done to his voice? It's NOTHING like it was 30 years ago.

evenwolf · Sun 05/09/2004 19:48:53

It's just become very raspy. Might be a smoker but the sound is great. God's Away on Business is one of my favorites. I'll list others later.

Frank's Wild Years is an excellent album.

Andail · Sun 05/09/2004 20:49:01

I'm a huge fan.
I don't have anything more to contribute with at the moment.

Goldmund · Sun 05/09/2004 21:08:49

I really like Waits, and I think that his voice sounds much better than 30 years ago - actually, this sound of old truck trying to get out of a pool of black oil is what Waits is all about.
As for kingsized's theory, Waits himself answered that whisky and cigarettes are the secret of this sound.

My favourite record is Rain Dogs, I know I'm not very original with it.

Haddas · Sun 05/09/2004 21:17:24

Quote from: Goldmund on Sun 05/09/2004 21:08:49
I really like Waits, and I think that his voice sounds much better than 30 years ago - actually, this sound of old truck trying to get out of a pool of black oil is what Waits is all about.
As for kingsized's theory, Waits himself answered that whisky and cigarettes are the secret of this sound.

I also like his voice better now. A LOT better. I had a feeling whiskey and cigarettes were behind it. A whiskeybass as we refer to over here.

I can't really name a favourite album, but Blood money is high on the list, much because of God's away on business, which is my favourite track at the moment.

PaulSC · Sun 05/09/2004 22:40:46

Man, I LOVE this guy, and have huge amounts of respect for him both as an artist and a human being. I'm glad so many here like him!

How many other musicians can legitimately say they only got better and better as they got older? But for him, that's exactly the case - his run of albums from Swordfishtrombones to the present is one of the most consistently excellent I've ever heard.

Swordfish, Bone Machine, Black Rider are a few of my personal favourates by him. Alice would be my desert island pick though - that album is just insanely beautiful. I can't wait for his new one.

Chrille · Sun 05/09/2004 23:17:54

I'm still grateful to Eric for introducing me to Waits' music. I guess what I like most about him is that his songs are so full of atmosphere and images. I don't like his 70's stuff as much as his later material though. The albums I've heard from the 70's are not as varied and interesting even though there are few gems from then as well. My favourite album is Swordfishtrombones followed by Rain Dogs and Frank's Wild Years. Appearently he's releasing a new album next month, something I'm looking forward to. Alice was a great album.