In honor of Tom's 62nd birthday AND the recent release of his new album Bad as Me,I'm posting two of his videos here today. The first is from the new album and the second a piece from the 1976 album Small Change- taped live in 1977.
I recently saw the Edward Hopper exhibit at the Whitney in NYC. I love Hopper. As I found myself transported into Early Sunday Morning, I seemed to be doing so to a Tom Waits soundtrack. I later realized, over the course of twenty five years of listening to Tom (after all that time, I don't think he'd mind me calling him Tom) I would frequently think of his music while looking at art. Be it Hopper, or Pollock, or even and not to any lesser extent, Cassius Coolidge.
Edward Hopper Early Sunday Morning
Jackson Pollock Number 31, 1950
Cassius Coolidge A Friend In Need
Tom's music is incredibly visual. Listening to it can transport you into some sort of film adaptation of a Steinbeck novel directed by Fellini. With his lyrics he can distill the entire range of human emotion in a single line. From his simplest love songs and narratives evoking wind blown hobo jungles, to his more surreal slices of the human carnival–complete with tightrope walkers and blind chihuahuas–he can stop you dead in your tearful train tracks. Or even your trainful tear tracks.
Tom's music moves me. Ever since first hearing Heart of Saturday Night I needed more. I couldn't wait to see how he'd evolve–and as I indeed would myself–I happened on a soundtrack for my life.
From barroom lothario to circus announcer, Tom has created an entire world of possibilities. A world where misfits rule and the broken hearted hope. What more can any artist hope for?
Oh good- you're still checking in. Thank you. To quote Tom Waits- "I've been riding on the crest of a slump lately". Not so much for the lack of anything to say. No, no- that would actually be a welcomed thing. I might then get some sleep. No. The problem, as usual is time- well the lack of it. I know... EVERYBODY is busy. I guess I'm having a hard time multi-tasking lately. There's a few posts in the works, and with your patience and obvious lack of anything better to do, there'll be some new and interesting and exciting and thought provoking and.... well.... there'll be some new stuff. In the meantime I'll leave you with this- on the first day of September...
