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.

Oh, that's Linda's description, not mine. Please use it often!

I don't think I directly answered the question, but yeah, I intend to travel to do these interviews. Richard Thompson lives in LA now, and I think Linda lives in Boston, although Joe Boucher would have to confirm or deny that impression. I don't know anything about the money.

He's been in Santa Monica for years, but I thought she lived in London. As of the Fashionably Late tour she still lived there. I'm not having any luck finding anything more recent. I'll bookmark the interviews I find & send them to you. Love this from a KGSR interview:

Q: You've been married to Steve Kenis, who is a motion picture agent, for about 20 years. How did he feel about this reunion and the fact that you use your surname (as) your stage name still?

A: Oh, well, he's in the movie business so he completely understands that. He's from Hollywood. He's a Los Angeles person. I think if he thought I was going to sell records, he'd let me remarry Richard.

Unfortunately the link to page 2 is broken & none of the permutations I tried managed to find it. Know anyone at the station? Tell them their state funding is dependent on fixing the link, or even better on reposting the audio.

I would like you to ask one or both of them the following: "How close to killing Gerry Rafferty did you come when you heard the tapes?" Even he couldn't fuck up "Walking on a Wire" but the others I heard are terrible.