Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Is it ignorance?
I have seen and heard quite a bit of Tom Waits over the past week, as he does the US promotional tour for his new 3-disc album. Many reporters, personalities, and others are fawning over him. I am baffled. Waits is performing a hackneyed, trite, act that is an extremely weak and entirely derivative imitation of Don van Vliet, an actual original American Artist. Waits is well aware of this fact, although he does not seem interested in sharing it with his interviewers or the general public. Thus in Waits' case, it is not ignorance. For everyone else, I guess that I just don't know. Thus I have also rendered myself ignorant. Rats.
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I hated his 70s “Nighthawks at the Diner” stuff and was sorely disappointed when I heard “Swordfish Trombone”, which had been billed as the Captain’s Second Coming. But he was funny in “Down by Law” and “Short Cuts”, and some of his records I like fine—‘tain’t Beefheart, but what is? However, Gavin Bryars included him singing along with the tramp in the 1993 CD remake of “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet.” Insufferable.
My point, however, does not relate to whether or not you like, or dislike, the work, The point is that the work is so derivative as to almost be a novelty act, and for it to be treated as original, and even groundbreaking material by the national publicity apparatus is simply idiotic.
From the last thread, I was in the December Issue of The Progressive. Your familiarity with my fingernails may be necessary in order for you to recognize me, as the dramatic events of the day led me into an alternative, costumed, role.
I guess I'll just have to wait for December to come to Berkeley (though it feels like it's here already--it was below freezing last night). I trust that "alternative costumed role" means schweinmaske.
I agree with you Jim about the novelty act character of Waits' work. Given that, was surprised to find myself enjoying his duet with Dan Hicks on a recent (90s) outing. Actually humorous, which I never found Waits. But then Hicks is a special taste. Other contributors to that particular outing are Ricky Lee Jones (I think she was Mrs Waits for awhile, saw her in Montreux - dreadful), Bette Midler!, Elvis Costello.
Anyway, the local kiosk here doesn't carry the Progressive (way past it), so please post photo in costume.
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