I saw Waits when I was in college because I loved him. Had no idea he was only eight years older than I was; he seemed much older, in that way where I am happy he has made it this far. That means there's hope for the rest of us who lived too hard back when it was tempting and possible to do that.
Some years back we vacationed in Chicago near Millennium Park. We found a deli near our hotel that a Tom Waits Two AM Breakfast Special. It consisted of 2 eggs, 2 slices of bread, 2 pancakes, 2 sausage links, 2 ham rounds and maybe 2 hash browns.
The Live from Ferndale clip of "My Piano Has Been Drinking" was pretty shitty. I suppose there was nothing better available. I don;t know where we first heard that song, perhaps on Dr. Demento, but it caused us to go out and buy the album.
Every month there is at least one opportunity for my husband and me to look at one another and say, "What's he Doooing in there?" Cracks us up Every Single Time.
This is, hands down, the best Wonkette post ever. How could it even be better? Maybe if there was a clip of Tom talking about footwear, but I’m not greedy.
So we’re even regarding that five bucks I supposedly owe you, right?
I saw Waits when I was in college because I loved him. Had no idea he was only eight years older than I was; he seemed much older, in that way where I am happy he has made it this far. That means there's hope for the rest of us who lived too hard back when it was tempting and possible to do that.
That "Fernwood 2 Night" appearance was priceless, both the song and the interview after.
"We've never interviewed anyone who had a bottle in front of him."
"Well, I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."
I love Tom Waits! Thank you for this!
Love love love Tom Waits (and Fernwood), and I don't even have bangs...
Some years back we vacationed in Chicago near Millennium Park. We found a deli near our hotel that a Tom Waits Two AM Breakfast Special. It consisted of 2 eggs, 2 slices of bread, 2 pancakes, 2 sausage links, 2 ham rounds and maybe 2 hash browns.
The Live from Ferndale clip of "My Piano Has Been Drinking" was pretty shitty. I suppose there was nothing better available. I don;t know where we first heard that song, perhaps on Dr. Demento, but it caused us to go out and buy the album.
Consider video standards at the time it was made. If that makes you feel old, you're not alone.
The best thing I got out of my shitty first marriage was that my shitty husband introduced me to Tom Waits.
Tom Waits writes like he's Doktor Zoom on some fucked up steroid. Can't not love that.
I don't knit, Fuck that guy!
Every month there is at least one opportunity for my husband and me to look at one another and say, "What's he Doooing in there?" Cracks us up Every Single Time.
I only say that if I suspect the person has a connection to Indonesia.
Or as we pronounce it: IndonEEEEEEzia
My favorite Tom Waits: https://open.spotify.com/track/1Sop1OTWUgjypjmuBVXHS6?si=1531aafef8b04506
Alternatively: https://youtu.be/3WMeJJ3LdHU?si=tSv1Tmnl-Uqkh4qH
I was a kid in Detroit and saw that episode of Fernwood Tonight.
I didn’t know it at the time but it changed my life is one of the reason I became a musician.
Decades later I was describing it to some friends and one of them pulled it up on YouTube and was exactly as I remembered it
It was eerie.
And of course Waits led me to Ribot, and now I play jazz guitar.
This is, hands down, the best Wonkette post ever. How could it even be better? Maybe if there was a clip of Tom talking about footwear, but I’m not greedy.
So we’re even regarding that five bucks I supposedly owe you, right?
I miss Tom in Tony Spiridakis' film 𝑄𝑢𝑒𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝐿𝑜𝑔𝑖𝑐...which I need to find streaming somewhere, someday.
Love, love Tom Waits. His poem (it's not really a song) "Putnam County" is incredible.
To this day, and after hearing it hundreds of times, I cannot listen to "Pony" and not weep openly. No possible way to properly thank him for that.
Same here with “Ruby’s Arms.”
Substack has been a sad disappointment.