Hec, if you haven't in a while, you might give Heartattack and Vine a spin. He's still working a lot of his 70's shtick, with many of the same characters, but the lurching, guitar-driven numbers on the album (the title track, "Mr. Seigel", "Downtown") sound like a direct pre-cursor to the howling, Beefheartian stuff he seemed to pull out of nowhere on i Swordfish. It's also got "Jersey Girl" which was probably his most stunningly gorgeous song to date.
You're absolutely right. I've come late to my appreciation of Heartattack and Vine as a transitional album into the Swordfish era, but I think that's exactly where Tom was straining at his leash. One From The Heart represents the other half of that transition, I think, where he explored a much broader range of instrumentation and composition.
One From The Heart represents the other half of that transition, I think, where he explored a much broader range of instrumentation and composition.
Also, although he's never really worked with another vocalist the same way, I think working with Crystal Gale really recharged his batteries a bit.
It's funny, a friend in high school introduced me to Small Change and Nighthawks at the Diner which I absolutely loved (the second more as a comedy album than anything, though there are some strong songs). So I was already a fan when Swordfishtrombones came out. I didn't even have to get to side two of that before a) I knew a big change was in works, and b) that I loved that album more than anything I'd heard by him up until that point. In fact, I think I might have ONLY heard Small Change and Nighthawks at that point. I didn't find Heart Attack until I was filling in the back catalog, but it struck me immediately that the seeds were there.
FAQWife just noticed something funny in Kim's NMH book (which is WONDERFUL, by the way). On page four of the photo section there is a picture of the horn chart for one of the songs. The picture is upside-down.
On page four of the photo section there is a picture of the horn chart for one of the songs. The picture is upside-down.
Damned rassenfrassen music majors!
I'll inform the responsible parties.
(Though it's entirely possible Scott Spillane played his horn parts upside down.)
Also, congratulations to Hec and Corwood! Looking forward to reading those books. I'd be super-psyched to be interviewing some of those folks too.
Corwood, the BBC did an hour-long RT documentary a year or two ago. Did you see it? I can have a look, I may have still it on tape somewhere - a PAL VHS, but still. They looked at the SOTL tour in some detail, IIRC.
Poking my head in late to pass my condolences along to Jon B.
And a big old w00t to Corwood and Hecubus for the book deal. Ah... I have no Tom Waits in my collection, unless you count Holly Cole's
Temptation.
Can anyone recommend a release to start with?
Jon, I am so, so sorry to hear about your dad. Take care of yourself, OK?
Thanks, all!
Corwood, the BBC did an hour-long RT documentary a year or two ago. Did you see it? I can have a look, I may have still it on tape somewhere - a PAL VHS, but still. They looked at the SOTL tour in some detail, IIRC.
I would love to see that, Fiona.
Can anyone recommend a release to start with?
Go with Swordfishtrombones. It's a great introduction to his weird later period.
Go with Swordfishtrombones. It's a great introduction to his weird later period.
I'll second this, but add if you want to here where he came from, SMALL CHANGE is probably his early masterpiece.
