It's Better To Burn Hard Than To Rot

With his reputation on a high, a tangential interview reveals a lot about the unique worldview and oddball technique of TOM WAITS. On the release of Rain Dogs, Tom talks white socks, neuroscience and his new guitarist, Keith Richards. “We met in a woman’s lingerie shop…”

- Gavin Martin

So they tell me the shows we’re doing in London are sold out already. I can hardly believe that.”

Well, Swordfishtrombones had quite a big impact, Tom. “Mmm, but there’s the other side of that, it doesn’t last too long. Everything is temporary – they pump you up for a little while, dye your hair, see you in a different shape. It goes around for a while and comes back down again. It’s not something you can really build on.”

Are you nervous about coming to London? “I am, I’m scared to death. Jesus, I’ll need a bullet proof vest. I need a new hat, a new suit – I can’t go over there in a raincoat. I’ve told the band to smarten up, too. They’re more attuned to the stuff I’m doing now, but they’re also capable of doing some pre-Swordfish stuff but with a different slant to it.

“So I think it will be OK, I hope it will be OK. I will have to talk to my sax player, Ralph Carney, about his white socks, the white socks and the navy uniform; I’m not sure about that.

“Ralph, I haven’t been able to confront you about this face to face, so I’m using this opportunity to talk to you through the press – we must do something about the white socks.”

The only time I’ve seen Tom Waits live was in London, the Victoria Apollo in 1981. The appearance came just after the release of Heartattack And Vine, notable for its move into bone crushing electric blues. Waits’ ability to rework the sleazy nightclub setting had already been proven by the double live album Nighthawks At The Diner, but in this large auditorium his stand-up bass, drum and piano set-up couldn’t really carry. I left before the end.

“It’s kinda hard to do that on a big stage, the basic economics of touring kept me in tow there.”