Jump back and kiss your bad self, Hec!

Jump back and kiss your bad self, Hec!

::Smooch!::

Damn, I'm pretty! t /Ali

You know I bet if I started begging now, Jake of Rocktober would help me set up a Tom Waits night at Quimby's with puppets and guest performers. How fun would that be?

Congrats Hec and Corwood!!

Are you going to do lots of interviews?

Depends on how many people are interested in the book once it comes out.

I meant as part of research for the actual writing of it.

Like a book tour?

No. Travel for research.

Do you get any fundage for any of that stuff?

As with the above, I meant for research-y stuff.

I realize that you could write the whole thing without interviewing anyone or moving from your living room comfy chair, of course. I am just curious if they even offer you any money if you wanted to do research.

I am just so excited for both of you guys. I've been telling people about it all day like it's me that is about to write a book. So exciting.

I meant as part of research for the actual writing of it.

Oh! Gotcha Well, I said I wasn't going to interview in my pitch since there's so much material extant, but now I think I'll try to get a few interviews. Waits lives in Northern California as do a number of musicians who worked with him (Ralph Carney, Matt Brubeck, Les Claypool). So I wouldn't have to travel for research either.

I should ask Kim about this, though. She did travel to Athens twice to interview lots of people. But I'm not going to take the same approach with this book. As you probably know, the books vary considerably in how they approach their subject.

I'm not particularly keen on doing a book like the R.E.M./Mumur book in the series which was an exhaustive account of the recording process. It was good history and detailed, but not the way I'd approach Tom Waits at all.

But it'd be cool to ask Francis Thumm and Victor Feldman some questions about how Swordfishtrombones was recorded. And Larry Taylor would be interesting too - he's one of Tom's regular bass players and one of the few musicians who made the transition over from his earlier carer. And it'd be cool to meet The Man himself.

And it'd be cool to meet The Man himself.

That's what I was thinking...

I had forgotten that your pitch said no interviews - and granted - you don't need to because, as you said, Waits has done plenty you can mine from. BUT it's a great excuse to meet cool people you admire who have great stories to tell. And the j-school grad in me just kind of says "but you have to!!".

::patiently waits for CI's answers::

joining tina on the Firsthand is Better Bench. But jeez, bunk, I'm thrilled for you. Even though to me he is totally "Down in The Hole" guy or The One Mom Hates(my dad went through a moody fuck phase, but considering the phases that followed, I think even she would vote for All Waits All The Time by comparison, you know?)

CAN YOU EVEN FREAKING STAND HOW COOL YOU ARE???

tina says it better than I ever could. I'm so thrilled for you, Cor and Hec. You each have spicy musical brains. I admire those two artists fervently, both as performers and for their brilliant writing. Equalling me extra antsy to dive in to such tasty concoctions.

I'm about to bust here at my desk suppressing the whooping crane dance I'm longing to do.

Thanks, everyone! I'm so psyched I don't know what to say.

Man, David, I'm thrilled that you're getting to write your book, b/c Swordfishtrombones is one bad-ass album, and I'm relieved because none of the (far, far better) writers on my music geek board made the cut and I've been thinking for the last 2 days I would have died of embarrassment if you didn't get the nod. And fuck yeah, you should try to meet Tom Waits. Drink beer with the man. Just don't take him fishing in Jamaica.

As to the questions, I'm planning to finish my draft by November. Since I work for the State Lege, I'm going to be too busy to think between January and June of next year. And yes, I intend to interview as many major players in the making of that album as possible, including Richard Thompson, Linda Thompson Kenis, Joe Boyd, Gerry Rafferty, and anyone else who'll talk with me. I'm specifically trying to model my approach on the informative model of the Kinks & NMH books.

And lord, no, I'm not cool. I'm specifically intending to exploit a couple of my heroes over the most painful period of their lives. "So, let's talk about when Linda got drunk on stage and smashed a glass at your feet. How did that make you feel, Mr. 'Forkbendingly Talented' Guy? Did you feel a slight bit of regret over dumping her just before you started an 11-month tour together, perhaps?"

Juicy question, Cor!

I will be using "forkbendingly talented" the first chance I get. I hope you don't mind.