Whether it's your first Bonnaroo or you’re a music festival veteran, we welcome you to Inforoo.
Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
Post by exitmusicroo on Jan 28, 2007 18:40:10 GMT -5
Start with Closing Time which is his first. It's pretty straight-forward songwriting but it is a damn good album. Then go to Small Change which is a tour de force of songwriting and covers a range of emotions and drunken states. Then you're ready for his masterpiece and one of the greatest albums ever recorded: Rain Dogs.
Tom Waits is my favorite artist. If you enjoy all of those three you can go anywhere from there. He's definitely an acquired taste but once you acquire that taste it's all delicious.
Post by Mrs. Featherbottom on Jan 28, 2007 18:44:00 GMT -5
I would have to agree whole-heartedly with exitmusic. Waits is a real gem and I remember the day I heard Closing Time. It is certainly the best introduction...
I really like "The Heart of Saturday Night." It's not as out there as much of his work since has gone, but I love the feel of it all. For me it's a very real album.
From what I've heard of "Orphans" it sounds amazing too. I'll certainly get it eventually, now I'm just praying he ends up at Bonnaroo, which would speed up my getting it greatly.
It's important to remember there's a significant difference between his stuff with Asylum and his stuff with Island. His Asylum stuff is more straight forward, boozy lounge music. His Island stuff was written after he met his wife and definitely has a bavarian flavor to it. But that style sort of went from Swordfishtrombones to Bone Machine (I'm not counting The Black Rider since it was more of a musical score). Since Mule Variations, he's been all over the map. He's added an electronic element to his music, and he's revisited his earlier stuff a little more.
My favorites go like this: Asylum: Foreign Affairs Island: Frank's Wild Years Anti: Alice
Post by steveternal on Jan 28, 2007 22:24:05 GMT -5
The Heart of Saturday Night > Small Change > Rain Dogs > Franks Wild Years > Bone Machine > Mule Variations
That's my recommendation, and it just happens to be in chronological order as well. If you get that far and want to really see the limits of his music, move on to the sountrack album One from the Heart, then The Black Rider, and then Orphans.
Post by steveternal on Jan 28, 2007 22:38:30 GMT -5
Yeah, The Black Rider is very obtuse and difficult to penetrate. That's why I'm only recommending it insofar as an education in his musical background.
But to re-read your question, napydred, you're asking for a couple good albums to start off with. We can all disagree about which are the best (although many of us mentioned Rain Dogs), but I think all us fans would agree that you should definitely get one Asylum album and one Island album, which will give you a very comprehensive view of Mr. Waits music as a whole.
So, pick one of these albums: Closing Time (fits the category although it's an Elektra album) The Heart of Saturday Night Small Change
And one of these: Swordfishtrombones Rain Dogs Franks Wild Years Bone Machine
And we'll see you at the Waits show at Bonnaroo! (... in my dreams.)
man i dunno, I've asked the same question. I think that the general consensus is that Tom Waits is amazing, we all love him, but he doesn't have the mainstream appeal necessary for a true headlining spot. If he's there at all you're gonna have a WHOLE lot of very happy Inforoosters for sure.
Post by Mrs. Featherbottom on Jan 29, 2007 16:08:00 GMT -5
napydred said:
did anyone catch the night tripper last year?
...amazing vibe. Brought New Orleans to the 'Roo. Almost like a dream cause it was late as hell, influences were abundant and that stage was the nuts!!
It's clear that a lot of us dig his work. But I would still prefer him in a late-latenight spot(like Dr. John last year).
I agree, but I also can't see a tent being big enough for him. The guys concerts sell out instantaneously and his following is bigger than Dr. John's. It's hard for me not to see him playing one of the stages, even if they did some kind of late night stage set.
Post by hailboognish on Jan 30, 2007 7:34:56 GMT -5
I'd love to see Tom late night on the which stage. We've had 2 late-night shows on that stage - Primus & Trey - I think Tom would fit in perfectly. And to the person asking about what Tom to listen to - *if* he plays the roo and *if* the show is anything like the show I caught last year expect a good amount from Real Gone and Mule Variations. Heck, even the older songs got a re-working to sound darker and louder, almost like they could have come off of those albums.
At any rate, Tom just standing on stage telling jokes and stories for an hour or so would be worth the entire price of admission.
Post by bhamwizofoz on Jan 30, 2007 9:12:01 GMT -5
I think a late night on the Which Stage would be perfect but if he played on top of the portable toilets i would be be there front row. The man is an idol and would be worth the price of admission.
I saw him twice last year, and the shows were terrific !!!
It would also be great if he played with Les Claypool, they have played on many albums together, and I don't know if they ever have played live together.
Post by oatmealschnappz on Jan 30, 2007 15:50:39 GMT -5
Tom Waits would definitely be one of my "must-see" acts. He is a one of a kind songwriter and his voice is amazing (Rough and Whiskified, but...)! If you are interested in something a little different of his, I suggest the soundtrack from Francis Ford Coppola's "One From The Heart" (1982)...a collaboration with Crystal Gayle. It's rather different and more mainstream, but still very good.
Last Edit: Jan 30, 2007 15:51:11 GMT -5 by oatmealschnappz - Back to Top
Post by gogogajoob on Jan 30, 2007 18:09:34 GMT -5
isaac said:
man i dunno, I've asked the same question. I think that the general consensus is that Tom Waits is amazing, we all love him, but he doesn't have the mainstream appeal necessary for a true headlining spot. If he's there at all you're gonna have a WHOLE lot of very happy Inforoosters for sure.
re:could waits headline?
He's pretty damn mainstream if you look at record sales. A friend that works at a CD store was telling me that they've sold a ton of copies of Orphans... I don't know anyone who doesn't like him.
But to me headliners are big icons, people that put on a huge show and look like rock stars. Think DMB, Radiohead, Petty, Neil... Tom isn't necessarily one of these type of people, but he's certianlly 'bigger than life'. He could headline simply because if he played 'roo nearly everyone at the festival would be the show.
Tom only requires two things: (1) A stage. (2) Night-time. It's just his style..
But in all seriousness i wouldn't get your hopes up, it's a bit of a pipe dream. The guy plays like 8 dates every four years, if he does play it will be a rare treat and certainly a must-see event.
