Does anybody listen to...

[WinoJunko]

Does anybody listen to Tom Waits? Or even heard of him? He has a bit of a vintage sound to him at times. He isn't big band, he sounds more bluesy or folksy but sometimes it'll just be him on a piano. His voice reminds me of a white Louis Armstrong, haha.

 

[celtic]

The Piano has been Drinking,
Not Me.

 

[just_me]

Does anybody listen to Tom Waits? Or even heard of him? He has a bit of a vintage sound to him at times. He isn't big band, he sounds more bluesy or folksy but sometimes it'll just be him on a piano. His voice reminds me of a white Louis Armstrong, haha.

Obviously, you do based on your avatar. lol

I like him.

 

[WinoJunko]

Obviously, you do based on your avatar. lol

I like him.

You got me red handed, haha. Tom Waits is the bee's knees!

 

[Tomasso]

His voice sounds.............

........"like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car." Music critic Daniel Durchholz.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

i've tried to listen to some of his stuff, went through the whole album listening to as much of a song as i could...honestly, to me, he sounds like a drunk louis armstrong and it's kind of hard to keep listenening to...thats just me though, i know people who like him...he is even worse on youtube...

 

[Brian Sheridan]

His "Nighthawks at the Diner" is the audio version of that great painting. If any singer/songwriter could be called "noir," it would be Tom Waits. Did you ever hear his version of "Hi, Ho, Hi, Ho" from "Snow White?" It sounds like the 7 dwarfs actually work in a mine and all have lung disease. Incredible.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

"Have we heard of Tom Waits." Surely you jest.

 

[Feraud]

Waits is o.k. in my book.

 

[DerMann]

Several friends, from both back home and here at college, know that I like vintage things, including music. That being said, they insist upon me liking Tom Waits because he's "vintage."

I think I'll agree with you, SamMarlowPI, he sounds something like Armstrong, but extremely inebriated.

If I were to classify him into a genre, I'd put him into faux vintage, along with Richard Cheese. He has some vintagey sounding songs, but in general his music (in lyrics and melody) is quite modern.

I'll stick with my Astaire, Sinatra, Crosby, Miller, and Dorsey - thank you.

 

[celtic]

Several friends, from both back home and here at college, know that I like vintage things, including music. That being said, they insist upon me liking Tom Waits because he's "vintage."

I think I'll agree with you, SamMarlowPI, he sounds something like Armstrong, but extremely inebriated.

If I were to classify him into a genre, I'd put him into faux vintage, along with Richard Cheese. He has some vintagey sounding songs, but in general his music (in lyrics and melody) is quite modern.

I'll stick with my Astaire, Sinatra, Crosby, Miller, and Dorsey - thank you.

:eusa_doh:

i can't believe you put Tom Waits in the same SENTENCE with Richard Cheese.

while i have enjoyed many of Richard's novelty parodies,

Tom Waits is a brilliant songwriter and musician. He's not faux anything in my opinion. He has always had his own odd and everchanging style. Of course he draws from the past (like ALL musicians), but if you've listened to a lot of his music you'll understand that you can't pin him down style wise. He's always experimenting with sound and voice to create. Unlike those who simply copy or steal, Tom Waits is certainly not a novelty or one trick pony.

 

[Feraud]

Agreed on that Celtic.
Tom Waits isn't your "Weird Al" Yankovic.

 

[DerMann]

Okay, it was a bit rash of me to say he is faux vintage. And comparing him to Richard Cheese was quite mean spirited of me.

It's just that when people try and tell me that since I enjoy Sinatra and Crosby that the next logical step would be Waits, the logical fallacy that occurs just gets me absolutely miffed.

Most nights I sit in a room in the basement with several friends, smoking pipes, doing home work, talking, etc... And there's always music going. I've listened to a great deal of Waits, and yes, he does have quite a talent and can vary his voice to extremes.

What I mean to say is that I would hesitate to classify his music as vintage. And the fact that most of my friends (19 and 20) refer to him as vintage makes me rage.

Sorry, didn't mean to cause a fuss.

 

[Feraud]

I can understand a 19 or 20 year old referring to Waits as vintage.
What your friends probably mean is if you prefer a certain music (Sinatra, Crosby, crooners, etc.) then you might also enjoy Waits. Tom's early music was in the style of Lounge. It was basically him and the piano. I believe it was his wife who broadened his musical horizons and helped create the distinct Tom Waits persona.

 

[Dr Doran]

That is all right, Der Mann. We Tom Waits lovers still like you just fine.

I am a fanatic. I have never seen him play, but my ex lives in Sebastopol and has seen him around.

My dear friend Morgan Guberman played with Tom Waits' saxophonist, Ralph Carney, in a Kurt Weill cover band in the 1990s. They were cool.

I love all Waits' albums. To me, when I travel abroad and think of the things I love about America, I think a lot about Tom Waits. He, to me, is a real American creative genius and the stories he tells are wonderful. His sympathy for the downtrodden is very impressive. He fits in with the "bard" school of songwriting. The Russian equivalent would be Vladimir Vysotsky, whom all of you who love Tom Waits would probably love. I think of Waits as in the same streetlife storytelling genre as Edith Piaf as well, especially songs like the one that goes "la fille de joie est belle, au coin de la rue la-bas. L'Accordeoniste est seul," and on and on.

My favorite song is probably "Jesus gonna be here." I'm an atheist but that song makes me yearn for Jesus anyway. It's beautiful.

 

[The Wolf]

I like a lot of his music (and film appearances) . I saw him at a gas station in Sebastopol while we were both filling our tanks. I put out my hand and said "I like your work.". He looked at me like "Why would you want to shake my hand?". I put my hand further towards him and he shook it. lol
Btw, Miss Bella Hella, is that a yes or no?

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[WinoJunko]

One thing I'd like to say. I know Tom Waits isn't vintage, I was just saying that I think sometimes he sounds a little vintage. Thats all =)

 

[miles_archer]

Ever hear of Tom Waits...cute.

He has always reminded me a lot of Howlin' Wolf. I played the song 'Hold On' at my wedding reception and people seemed to like it.

 

[carter]

Doran, I saw him live a couple of months ago!

I saw Tom live in Dallas this fall. He's still cookin'! It was standing room only and the joint was packed. The man never tours so the fans were out in force.

I've been a fan since discovering Closing Time and The Heart of Saturday Night in the early 70's. Nighthawks at the Diner really sealed the deal. The dude was talkin' to me during the 70's. 30+ years on, he's still got it.

 

[Sertsa]

I have a few of his CDs and like him. His music tends to be for a special kind of mood, but I think he may be one of the greatest lyricists of all time.