Time Line: 2001 - 2005
2001 |
|
Jan. '01 | First Screening on TV Arte/ RTE of "Freedom Highway - Songs That Shaped a Century/ Songs of Resistance and liberation". Irish 90 min. documentary on pop and politics, made for RTE, the BBC, the Irish Film Board and ARTE. Directed by Philip King (Hummingbird Productions, 2001). Has Waits as interviewee and musical performer (live versions of "I Know I've Been Changed" and "I Ain't Goin' Down To The Well No More"). Philip King (2004): "Tom Waits walked into the room with the barn door and he threw it onto the ground and he threw a chair on it and he sat up on it. And the door creaked and the chair creaked and he threw that tambourine into the door and he put his foot on it and a banjo in his hand and he said: 'I'm ready'. I knew he was ready, but I wasn't ready. Because his voice was like a whirlwind that just blew me across the room when he started to sing. He was consumed by the act of doing what he was doing... It's at those times that you feel the five-year wait is worth it. The 117 phone calls were worth it. The cajoling, the knocking on the door, the inevitable rejection, which is a constant part of this work, is worth it." (Source: "Philip King tells Shane Hegarty about recording Tom Waits" The Irish Times, . October 29, 2004) |
![]() |
Still from "Freedom Highway" (Waits being interviewed) |
Feb. '01 | Released: "Pollock - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack". Various artists. (Unitone 5301). Produced by Jeff Beal. Waits contributing "The World Keeps Turning" (first release) |
Mar. 13, '01 | Released "Wicked Grin" by John Hammond (Emd/Virgin.) Album produced by Tom Waits. With previously unreleased: 9. "Fannin' Street" and 13. "I Know I've Been Changed" |
Mar. 21, '01 | Waits sits in for a few numbers at John Hammond's show at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco/ USA (guitar on "Murder In The Red Barn", backing vocals on "I Know I've Been Changed" and "Cold Water"). Backed by musicians who played on the album (Stephen Hodges, Augie Meyers, Larry Taylor) and Frank Carillo, Charlie Musselwhite, Ralph Carney joining for select numbers. Further reading: Performances 2001-2005 |
![]() |
Waits and Hammond at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. Photography by Lacy Atkins |
Mar. '01 | Recordings for Big Bad Love soundtrack (Long Way Home, Jayne's Blue Wish) at Prairie Sun Recording, Cotati/ USA |
Apr. '01 | The Olomouc International Documentary Film Festival (Olomouc, Czech Republic) and several European TV stations showed the documentary: "Freedom Highway - Songs That Shaped a Century" directed by Philip King (Hummingbird Productions, 2001). Irish 90 min. documentary on pop and politics, made for RTE, the BBC, the Irish Film Board and ARTE. The documentary features a short interview with Waits and live versions of "I've been Changed" and "I Ain't Goin' Down To The Well No More" (premiere) |
May 8, '01 | Tom Waits, Randy Newman, Nancy and Ann Wilson filed a $40 million lawsuit against MP3.com in Los Angeles citing copyright infringement. Further reading: Waits v. MP3.com |
May 22, '01 | Tom Waits honored with the ASCAP founders award at the 18th annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The award was given to him for being an "extraordinary musical storyteller." Waits gave a speech to the attendees and did a 4-song live performance. Dean Goodman (2001): "Tom Waits was awarded the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' prestigious Founders Award Tuesday, at the 18th Annual ASCAP Pop Awards in Los Angeles. Before the performance, Keith Richards appeared larger-than-life in a video message recorded at his Connecticut estate. Dressed like Columbo in a grubby coat and hat, Richards staggered from thick brush and embarked on a generally indecipherable speech in praise of his one-time collaborator. He recalled buying 10,000 worms, on Waits' advice, to help aerate his lawn. An ASCAP spokeswoman said the Rolling Stones guitarist had hoped to attend the event in person, but was kept at home by family commitments." (Source: Dean Goodman, Reuters. May 23, 2001) |
![]() |
Waits at the 18th annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards. Award handed to him by ASCAP's W. Bergman |
May 24, '01 | Preview screening of "Big Time" (long out of circulation since its original release in 1988), at the Rafael Film Center San Rafael, California), with director Chris Blum present to take questions. Further reading: Big Time |
Jul. 12 - 26, '01 | First "Waiting For Waits" Festival. Palma de Mallorca/ Spain (Tomeo Gomila) |
Sep. 1-8, '01 | Staging of "Woyzeck" at the Berliner Ensemble in Berlin/ Germany (Wilson production by the Betty Nansen Theatre). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Aug. 28, '01 | Released: "It's a Wonderful Life" by Sparklehorse (Parlophone). Vocals/ train whistle by Waits on "Dog Door" |
Sep. 22 -23, '01 | Staging of "Woyzeck" at Dramaten in Stockholm/ Sweden (Wilson production by the Betty Nansen Theatre). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Oct. '01 | Released: "Groundwork: Act To Reduce Hunger" (Various Artists. Groundwork/ Starbucks. TW contribution: "Buzz Fledderjon"). Benefit CD to support the Food & Agriculture Organization/ United Nations global anti-hunger campaign. Further reading: Charity |
Oct. 3-6, '01 | Staging of "Woyzeck" at Gaiety Theatre in Dublin/ Ireland (Wilson production by the Betty Nansen Theatre). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Oct. 13 - 14, '01 | Staging of "Woyzeck" in Wroclaw/ Poland (Wilson production by the Betty Nansen Theatre). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Oct. 16, '01 | Released: "Tom Waits, Used Songs 1973-1980". Rhino/ Elektra. Compilation album with remastered songs |
Nov. 2, '01 | ANTI Records news: Tom Waits will release two entirely separate CDs simultaneously April 9 on Anti/ Epitaph Records, which also issued Waits' most recent album, the Grammy-Award winning Mule Variations. Titled respectively, Alice and Red Drum (renamed Blood Money), the recordings are startlingly different in landscape, sound, emotion and composition. Both are written and produced by Waits and Kathleen Brennan, his wife and long-time collaborator. Presently, the pair is in the studio putting the finishing touches upon each |
Nov. 2-4, '01 | Staging of "Woyzeck" at the Festival de Oto�o in Madrid/ Spain (Wilson production by the Betty Nansen Theatre). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Nov. 9-11, '01 | Staging of "Woyzeck" at the TNT Th��tre de la Cit� in Toulouse/ France (Wilson production by the Betty Nansen Theatre). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Nov. 15-16, '01 | Staging of "Woyzeck" at the Theatre National Bretagne in Rennes/ France (Wilson production by the Betty Nansen Theatre). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Nov. 30 - Dec. 9, '01 | Staging of "Woyzeck" at the Odeon Theatre in Paris/ France (Wilson production by the Betty Nansen Theatre). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Dec. 3, '01 | "Seventeen Sweetwater District graduates who have gone onto win Olympic gold medals, establish successful businesses and serve as the presidential physician - among other distinctions - will be inducted into the inaugural Alumni Hall of Fame during a gala dinner celebration. Recipients were district graduates who have distinguished themselves - at a national level - in academia, athletics, community, military or public service, business, and visual and performing arts... Visual and Performing Arts: Tom Waits, Hilltop High, 1968 - Grammy award-winning songwriter and musician as well as a film actor with credits including Bram Stokers Dracula and Francis Ford Coppolas Rumble Fish" (Source: "Sweetwater In The News: Sweetwater to Honor Inaugural Hall of Famers". Sweetwater Union High School District official site. December 3, 2001). Hilltop High School 555 Claire Avenue, Chula Vista, CA. |
Dec. 7, '01 | Tom Waits turned 52. |
Dec. 13, '01 - Feb. 16, '02 | Staging of "Woyzeck" at the Betty Nansen Theatre in Copenhagen/ Denmark (Wilson production by the Betty Nansen Theatre). Further reading: Woyzeck |
2002 |
|
Feb.19, '02 | Released: movie and soundtrack "Big Bad Love" IFC Films LLC (Director: Arliss Howard Producer: Debra Winger). Waits contributing to soundtrack: "Long Way Home" and "Jayne's Blue Wish" |
Mar. '02 | Waits has written a song for Solomon Burke's new album 'Don't Give Up On Me'. The album is due for release in July through Mississippi blues label Fat Possum |
Mar. 7, '02 | ANTI Records news: New Tom Waits album art and track listings for "Alice" and "Blood Money". Tom Waits is set to release both of his new albums "Alice" and "Blood Money" simultaneously on May 7th, 2002 |
Apr. 12, '02 | Tom Waits forthcoming albums 'Alice' and 'Blood Money' can de heard on anti.com for a limited time prior to release of the records on May 7 |
May 4, '02 | Release of Alice and Blood Money in The Netherlands |
![]() ![]() |
The covers for "Alice" and "Blood Money" |
May '02 | Several European TV-stations air the Irish documentary "Freedom Highway - Songs That Shaped A Century" by Philip King (Hummingbird Productions, 2001). The documentary features a short interview with Waits and live versions of "I've been Changed" and "I Ain't Goin' Down To The Well No More" |
May 4, 02 | Premiere of the show "Waits/ Weill" by Belgian ensemble Ictus at the Concertgebouw in Bruges (Tom Waits: songs from "The Black Rider" and "Frank's Wild Years". Kurt Weill: songs from "Mahagonny", "Dreigroschen Opera", "Happy End", "Lady in the Dark") The show will go on tour in: Belgium, Luxembourgh, France and Germany. |
May 6, '02 | Release of Alice and Blood Money in Europe |
May 7, '02 | Release of Alice and Blood Money in USA |
May 08, '02 | Aired: "Late Show With David Letterman" Interview for CBS TV show (USA). Ed Sullivan Theater. New York/ USA |
![]() |
TV screen shot from the "Late Show With David Letterman" Ed Sullivan Theater, New York/ USA. May 8, 2002. Thanks to Jaime Mayo for providing picture |
May 31, '02 | Vancouver's Documentary Film + Video Festival (Canada) will show the Irish documentary "Freedom Highway - Songs That Shaped A Century" by Philip King (Hummingbird, 2001). The documentary features a short interview with Waits and live versions of "I've been Changed" and "I Ain't Goin' Down To The Well No More" |
Jun. 13, '02 | ANTI Records news: The Tom Waits video for "God's Away On Business" (Directed by Jesse Dylan) will go live on Monday, June 17th. The Tom Waits "Electronic Press Kit" which includes interview footage is about thirty minutes long and will be edited down into four parts that will be distributed over a period of about eight weeks |
Jun. 17, '02 | Live streaming on ANTI Records: "God's Away On Business" video (directed by Jesse Dylan) |
Jul. 12-27, '02 | Second "Waiting For Waits" Festival. Palma de Mallorca, Spain (Tomeo Gomila) |
Jul. 15, '02 | Live streaming on ANTI Records: Tom Waits "Electronic Press Kit/ interview" part two |
Jul. 29, '02 | Live streaming on ANTI Records: Tom Waits "Electronic Press Kit/ interview" part three |
Aug. 1-3, '02 | Second international Tom Waits fans meeting "Straydogs Party" in Sj�tofta/ Sweden. Hosted by Ozcar Fredriksson and Kicki Bramstång. With live show by "Wolf and his Pack" |
Aug. 12, '02 | Live streaming on ANTI Records: Tom Waits "Electronic Press Kit/ interview" part four |
Sep. 24, '02 |
"Tom Waits attends the joint hearing on record label accounting practices in Los Angeles, which was called by members of the California senate judiciary committee and the senate committee on the entertainment industry. "The record companies are like cartels, like countries, for God's sake," singer/songwriter Tom Waits says. "It's a nightmare to be trapped in one. I'm on a good label (Epitaph) now that's not part of the plantation system. But all the old records I did for Island have been swallowed up and spit out in whatever form they choose. These corporations don't have feelings, and they don't see themselves as the stewards of the work. They are making shoes, and then they want to go to the Bahamas and get a suntan." He advises new artists to "get a good lawyer and don't ever sign away your publishing rights. Most people are so anxious to record, they'll sign anything. It's like going across the river on the back of an alligator." Waits joined the artists' coalition in hopes of exposing the industry's shadowy business practices. "Artists really do need to communicate and organize," he says. "Don Henley is willing to get a haircut and go to Washington. I'm all for that." (Source: "Rights issue rocks the music world". By Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY. September 16, 2002) "Acclaimed songwriter Tom Waits said his first contract paid him only about 15 cents per copy sold in the United States. "I've spent more time in court than I have in the studio and more money on lawyers than I have on engineers. So what does that tell you?" Waits asked." (Source: "Recording Stars Challenge Music Labels' Business Practices" By Chuck Philips. Los Angeles Times. March 29, 2001) |
![]() |
Source: S�ddeutsche Zeitung site "F�ttere die H�hner gut!". September, 2004. Also printed in Houston Chronicle: October 4, 2004 "Tom Waits visits the California Senate in 2002 for a hearing on record label accounting practices, in Los Angeles." Date: September 24, 2002. Credits: Photo credit AP (Associated Press) |
Sep. 27-29, '02 | Woyzeck staging at the Barbican Theatre London/ UK (performed in English as part of the BITE:02 annual festival). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Oct. – Nov. ’02 | Staging of “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui”, at the Michael Schimmel Centre for the Arts at Pace University, New York/ USA. Theatre play directed by Simon McBurney. Play features: “Rainbirds”, “Coney Island Baby” and “Knife Chase” |
Oct. 1-5, '02 | Woyzeck staging at the Barbican Theatre London/ UK (performed in English as part of the BITE:02 annual festival). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Oct. 18, '02 | The Austin Film Festival 2002 will show the Irish documentary "Freedom Highway - Songs That Shaped A Century" by Philip King (Hummingbird, 2001). The documentary features a short interview with Waits and live versions of "I've been Changed" and "I Ain't Goin' Down To The Well No More" |
Oct. 29 - Nov. 3, '02 | Woyzeck staging at the Harvey Theatre (Brooklyn Academy of Music) New York/ USA (performed in English as part of the 20th Next Wave Festival). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Nov. '02 | Released: "For The Kids". Various artists. Nettwerk Records. Compilation CD to benefit Nettwerk America and VH1's "Save The Music Foundation". Waits contribution: "Bend Down The Branches". Further reading: Charity |
Nov. 2, '02 | Waits attends Rolling Stones show at the Los Angeles Wiltern Theatre/ USA and meets up with soulmate Keith Richards again |
Nov. 5-10, '02 | Woyzeck staging at the Harvey Theatre (Brooklyn Academy of Music) New York/ USA (performed in English as part of the 20th Next Wave Festival). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Nov. 12-16, '02 | Woyzeck staging at the Harvey Theatre (Brooklyn Academy of Music) New York/ USA (performed in English as part of the 20th Next Wave Festival). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Dec. 7, '02 | Tom Waits turned 53. |
Dec. 3-15, '02 | Woyzeck staging at the Freud Playhouse (UCLA Live): Los Angeles/ USA (performed in English). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Dec. '02 | Released by Anti: "Alice" (music industry 1-track promo for "Alice"), "God's Away On Business" (music industry 1-track promo for "God's Away On Business") and "We're All Mad Here" (music industry promo interview disc) |
2003 |
|
Jan. 16, '03 | Released: "Gavin Bryars, a portrait" (Gavin Bryars). A double CD for release on Gavin's 60th birthday (January 16th 2003) which pulls together a number of works recorded on Point, Philips and Decca over the last twelve years TW contribution: "Jesus' Blood single" (A track, disc 1), "Jesus' Blood single" (B track, disc 2) |
Jan. 24, '03 | Jack Cahill & David Eberhardt's documentary "Long Gone" is winner of Best Documentary and Best Cinematography at the 9th Slamdance Film Festival. Park City, Utah (premi�re). "Besides helping to score funding for the project, Waits would use some of the rail-riding tunes for his comeback album Mule Variations." (Source: City Pages review of "Long Gone" by Jeremy O'Kasick for the Twin Cities City Pages, Apr. 2, 2003). On soundtrack: "Lost at the Bottom of the World" (first release), "Down There by the Train" (first release), "On the Road" and "Pony". Further reading: Long Gone official site |
Feb. '03 | Released: "Ready For Love" (John Hammond) Hammond's 29th album features the two Tom Waits songs: "Gin Soaked Boy" and "Low Side of the Road" which were left off 2001 Wicked Grin |
Feb. 11, '03 | Waits appears on the Ramones tribute album We're a Happy Family with "Return of Jackie & Judy" |
Feb. 13, '03 | Screening of Jack Cahill & David Eberhardt's documentary "Long Gone" at the Egyptian Theatre, Los Angeles/ USA |
Feb. 19, '03 | Published "Strange Angels", photobook by Guido Harari (Italy). Book has a 1992 Tom Waits picture on front cover. Book was published to accompany Harari's February 22 - March 23 photo exhibition in Milan/ Italy |
Feb. '03 | It is rumoured Waits is in the studio working on a new album (tentatively called "Orphans") to be released in 2004. |
Mar. '03 | The Full Frame documentary film festival in N.C., and the Kansas City filmmakers Jubilee will show Edward P. Davee's short experimental documentary "Crowfilm" featuring the track "Fawn" from Alice |
Mar. 9, '03 | Screening of Jack Cahill & David Eberhardt's documentary "Long Gone" at the 2003 Florida Film Festival, Orlando/ USA |
Mar. 19, '03 | Screening of Jack Cahill & David Eberhardt's documentary "Long Gone" at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts/ USA |
Mar. 27, '03 | Promotional film "Lighter or Darker: look at the drugs problem with different eyes" (aka Black or White) for Dianova. Dianova is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping substance abusers through residential treatment. The original music, "Coney Island Baby" is a courtesy by Waits. Produced by TBWA advertising agency and AZUL production agency in Spain (Source: Dianova official site) |
Apr. 1-3, '03 | Attic Salt Theatre Company, a not-for-profit organization in New York City, New York will be presenting a benefit cabaret "Variations II: More Music and Musings of Tom Waits" Apr. 1-3, 2003. Featuring the songs of Tom Waits as sung by: Marci Appelbaum, Jeff Catanese, Erin Lee Kelly, Christina Moll. With special guests Chris Lowe and Sam Cohen |
Apr. 7, '03 | In an interview for CBR (Comic Book Recources) director Guillermo del Toro tells he wants Tom Waits to be on the soundtrack for his upcoming movie "Hellboy". "Director Guillermo del Toro gave Comics2Film/ CBR news a report from the set of "Hellboy" currently in its fifth week of the eighteen-week production. Del Toro also tells us that the film still has not landed a composer. Marco Beltrami ("Blade II") had previously been on board but dropped out due to scheduling concerns. "I am hoping to lock the composer in the next three to four weeks," Del Toro said. The movie would also have a song soundtrack on top of the traditional score "The soundtrack is in discussion and I would love for it to have a lot of Tom Waits, that's for sure." (Source: "Guillermo del Toro Making Ron Perlman's Life A Living Hellboy" Rob Worley, Staff Writer, CBR. April 7, 2003) |
Apr. 20, '03 | Tenor jazz saxophonist Teddy Edwards has died of prostate cancer. He was 78. Waits toured with Edwards in the early '80s (Tour promoting 'Heartattack And Vine'. November 1980 - October 1981. TWS) and recorded the "One From the Heart" film score with Edwards in 1992. Waits also resurrected Edwards' career in the early '90s when he hooked up Edwards on the Antilles label and sang two of Edwards' compositions on the album "Mississippi Lad." Further reading: Charity
Tom Waits (2003): "I think music is going to miss him as one of the architects of bebop," ... "That tone of his is just unmistakable. He sounded like he was drinking champagne on a train, you know what I mean?" (Source: Los Angeles Times. Apr. 22, 2003). Tom Waits (2003): "Teddy Edwards always sounded like he was drinking champagne on a train and wise to the ways of the world. A consummate arranger and composer, Teddy Edwards was one of the original architects of bebop. An elegant man with a large heart and generous spirit, he always carried himself with poise and confidence. Kathleen and I have lost a friend, the world of music has lost one of the most innovative presidents of jazz and we all have the gift of the great music he left behind." (Source: "Teddy Edwards, Tom Waits' longtime Saxophonist has passed away..." By: Rob Partridge at Coalition in London Apr. 24, 2003) |
![]() |
Waits and Edwards during "Mississippi Lad" rehearsals. Date: March 15/ 16, 1991 at Sunset Sound, Hollywood CA. Credits: photography by Howard Morehead |
Apr. 23, '03 | Waits presents Dustin Hoffman the San Francisco International Film Festival's "Peter J. Owens" acting honour award at the San Francisco/ USA Ritz-Carlton
Ruthe Stein (2003): "Waits met Hoffman almost 30 years ago, at a time when the actor had just separated from his first wife. Bette Midler brought them together at a cheap hotel room where Hoffman was staying. "Dustin was sitting at a piano playing, and there was a lot of alcohol involved," Waits recalled for the audience. Hoffman also shared his memory of the evening. "Tom sang all the songs from his album 'Closing Time' because my marriage was ending, and you know how you think your first marriage will last forever. And you know, Tom, there wasn't just alcohol involved." In another connection, Waits and Tomlin played husband and wife in "Short Cuts," directed by Altman. "Tom and Lily were there for the first five days of filming, and they set a standard for the rest of the film," (Source: "Hoffman's really big show", Ruthe Stein. Apr. 25, 2003. �2003 San Francisco Chronicle). Bruce Bellingham (2003): "When Dustin Hoffman spontaneously asked Tom Waits to come up on the stage and sing "Moonglow" at the Ritz-Carlton Wednesday night, everyone in the ballroom knew it was no ordinary evening. "I am the biggest Tom Waits fan," beamed the sagacious Rachel Benson. "This is just amazing." Waits performed two tunes, including "Waltzing Matilda," before Robert Altman was introduced by Lily Tomlin. As Altman accepted his Lifetime Achievement Award in Directing from the S.F. Film Society, he said, "I am not someone who can cry -- I mean, I don't think I'm physically able to cry. The only time I recall ever crying at all is when I was listening to Tom Waits sing." Altman then asked Waits to come back and sing "On the Nickel." ... Many were moved to tears as well. ... Waits played Lily Tomlin's husband in the Altman film, "Short Cuts." ... With all the formality -- cummerbunds and creases, girls in pearls with long, black evening gowns -- it didn't seem like a place where you'd find Waits, the sullen, wiry poet of the sordid saloon. He agreed: "If I were drinking, well, I guess I'd be drunk right now." But Waits added he hasn't had a drink in 10 years -- and seemed quite pleased when saying it." (Source: "Room to dream", Bruce Bellingham. The Examiner. Apr. 25, 2003) |
![]() |
April 23, 2003 at the San Francisco Film Society Awards night. With: Dustin Hoffman, Robert Altman and Lily Tomlin. Credits: photography unknown. Thanks to Lynne Browning for providing scan |
Apr. 30, '03 | Waits and 33 other recording artists signed a letter to the US Federal Communications Commission, urging them to give the public a chance to review changes made in the regulations that govern US media ownership. These regulations concern: limits to the number of TV stations one company can own, the federal bar preventing a company from owning a newspaper and a broadcast station in the same locale and limits to the number of radio stations one owner can control in a single market. Most observers think the commission will ease the regulations. "The recording artists fear that easing the rules will lead to more centralized control of the nation's media outlets and will make it more difficult for competing voices to be heard. In their letter, they criticized the FCC for failing to include recording artists in its deliberations. "We believe the record demonstrates both the value of existing media ownership rules and the dangers in permitting widespread consolidation of ownership," they wrote. "We also believe the FCC has been negligent in listening to important stakeholder groups, like musicians, recording artists and radio professionals, to ensure their testimony is on the record." The musicians were particularly critical of recent Powell comments that appeared to dismiss concerns that negative repercussions could result from easing the rules. "In a recent speech, you referred to your critics as 'noisemakers' using the 'usual alarmist political attacks designed just to prevent change,"' they wrote. "With all due respect, we may be sounding an alarm, but we are not alarmist noisemakers. We are the concerned citizens and small-business owners whose welfare you are charged to protect. We ask for your respect and protection." (Source: "Pop Artists Make Noise About Media Regulations", by Brooks Boliek. Apr. 30, 2003. Reuters/Hollywood Reporter). Further reading: Future Of Music Coalition |
Apr. 18, '03 | Screening of Jack Cahill & David Eberhardt's documentary "Long Gone" at the Oak Street Cinema (Minneapolis/ USA/ St. Paul International Film Festival) |
May 4, '03 | Waits appeared at the memorial celebration held for Teddy Edwards at the Hollywood Musician's Union. Other attendants: Bernie Hamilton, Clora Bryant, Pete Peterson, Ernie Fields Jr., Louie Bellson, Diane Witherspoon, Gene Diamond, Bebop "Chuck" Niles, Gerald Wilson, Sweet Baby J'ai, Carol Chapin, Ernie Andrews, Carl Saunders. "Also equally enchanting, but unexpected was Tom Waits' raspy singing and light piano playing for a solo performance of "Little Man." He mentioned being on the road with Edwards and their continued friendship afterward.... Overall, the memorial was a great sendoff for musician that did things on his own terms and didn't believe in holding back. Proceeds from the event went to a scholarship in Edwards' name at Compton College." (Source: "Teddy Edwards Tribute", Jazz Times Magazine. May 4, 2003) |
Jun. 5, '03 | Matthew Sperry died in bike accident. "Oakland -- Accomplished Oakland musician Matthew Sperry, who most recently played bass for the San Francisco stage production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, was hit by a car and killed Thursday morning while riding his bicycle on the Oakland/Emeryville border. Oakland police spokeswoman Danielle Ashford said Sperry, 34, was riding his bike north on Vallejo Street at Powell Street about 9 a.m. when a 46-year-old Berkeley resident in a pick-up truck turned left onto Powell Street and hit him. The impact threw Sperry, who was wearing a helmet, off his bicycle. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene. The Temescal neighborhood resident and bassist was considered a rising star in the jazz scene. According to the biography on his Web site, Sperry was best-known for his work with free improvised music, but also performed subterannean pop, Jewish wedding music and experimental chamber works. He played bass on two of artist Tom Waits' albums, "Blood Money" and "Alice," and appeared with Waits on the David Letterman Show in May 2002. Sperry studied music at Florida State University from 1986 to 1991. In the early 1990s, he jammed with Seattle's The Long String Instrument Band, The Black Cat Orchestra, Seattle Experimental Opera, Gamelan Pacific and iv bricoleurs. In 1998, Sperry received an award from the Seattle Arts Commission to give a concert of improvised music with his Matthew Sperry Trio, featuring Gino Robair and violinist Carla Kihlstedt." (Source: Oakland Tribune, "Oakland musician dies in bike accident" by Laura Casey. June 6, 2003). The memorial service for Matthew Sperry will be held at the Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland California on June 9th. |
Jun. 6, '03 | Tom Waits donated the song "Walk Away" for the benefit CD "Across The Laguna". West County musicians raising money to benefit the Palm Drive Health Care Foundation (Palm Drive hospital, Sebastopol). "The CD "Across the Laguna" is a fundraising project of the Palm Drive Health Care Foundation, a non-profit organization founded originally to purchase the hospital for the community. With the voter-approved public hospital district, the Foundation now serves as a fund-raising organization, separate but in support of the hospital and other West County health care issues. Dr. Hill is a member of the Foundation's board, currently led by President Barbara McConnell." (Source: Sonoma West Times & News. May 29, 2003). Further reading: Charity |
Jul. 4-18, '03 | Third "Waiting For Waits" Festival. Palma de Mallorca/ Spain (Tomeo Gomila) |
Jul. 7, '03 | American Zoetrope production company is preparing a video and DVD release for "One From The Heart" (Francis Ford Copolla, 1992). With this reintroduction there will also be a limited theatrical run. Video and DVD are said to be released in February, 2004. (Source: "Remembrance of Films & TV Past" by Peter Caranicas. Film & Video Magazine. July 2003. Copyright � 2003 PBI Media, LLC. All rights reserved). Further reading: One From The Heart |
Jul. 18, '03 | Francis Ford Coppola attended a sold out screening of his "One from the Heart" at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills on Friday, July 18, 2003. Coppola joined the film's Academy Award-winning production designer Dean Tavoularis and other cast and crew members for a question and answer session following the screening of the film. Further reading: One From The Heart |
![]() |
Ticket for the screening of One From The Heart at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills on Friday, July 18, 2003 |
Jul. 17-19, '03 | Third international "Straydogs Party" in Crossmolina/ Ireland. Hosted by Rob Matthews. |
Jul. 18, '03 | David Noh reports in New York Blade, director Jim Jarmusch will release a compilation of 4 shorts entitled "Coffee and Cigarettes" fall 2003. Compilation of the four shorts with Cate Blanchett, Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits and Iggy Pop. (Source: "New York Blade Online edition", "Noh Way, Sightings and Overheard", David Noh. July 18, 2003) |
Jul. 15, '03 | New Christmas album "Go tell it on the mountain" from Grammy-winning legends The Blind Boys Of Alabama, to be released September 16 on Real World Records. Album is group's first Christmas record in their six-decade career. Features an extraordinary cast of guest artists including Tom Waits (on title track), Chrissie Hynde, Aaron Neville, Shelby Lynne, Solomon Burke, Me'shell N'degeocello, Mavis Staples, George Clinton, Richard Thompson, Michael Franti (Spearhead), Robert Randolph, and Les Mccann. A percentage of royalties from album to benefit diabetes awareness and research. (Source: The Rosebud Agency official site. July 15, 2003) |
Jul. 21, '03 | The Norwegian record label Tylden & Co. Hell Blues Choir is scheduled to release "Greetings from Hell - The Tom Waits Songbook" in September 2003 (Source: Kjell Myran, www.tylden.no. July 21, 2003) |
Jul. 31, '03 | Waits played at a tribute show for Matthew Sperry (benefit for Matthew Sperry family) at San Francisco's Victoria Theatre. Setlist (Tom Waits solo on guitar and piano): Rain Dogs, Yesterday is Here, All the World is Green, Long Way Home, Cold Water, Heart of Saturday Night, Coney Island Baby, Invitation to the Blues, Take Care of All My Children, Cemetery Polka, Hang Down Your Head, Lucky Day, Innocent When You Dream (encore), Take It With Me (encore). (As sent to Raindogs Listserv Discussionlist by Alex Walker. July 31, 2003). Beth Lisick (2003): "With a last-minute announcement that Tom Waits had joined the bill, the Matthew Sperry Memorial Concert, held at the Victoria Theatre last Thursday, had them lining up down the sidewalk holding "I Need a Miracle" signs. Whether Waits really did sign on to the show at the last minute or, rather, kept his name off the publicity to ensure Sperry's family and friends a first shot at tickets is a matter of speculation, but the show itself was definitely worth every cent of whatever the scalpers were hawking them for outside. (Granted, the show was a benefit for Sperry's wife and daughter, so you scalpers with high-speed Internet connections can pretty well figure out where to send your extra change.) Sperry, the Oakland bass player who was struck and killed by a truck June 5 while on his bicycle, left an indelible legacy for those who knew him. He was probably the Bay Area musician likeliest to elicit the most diverse memorial concert, and his cohorts and collaborators on the bill included the aforementioned Waits, with whom he played on the records Alice and Blood Money, and who put on a mesmerizing solo set using both guitar and piano, encoring with "Innocent When You Dream" and "Take It With Me." (Source: "Camper Van Beethoven reunite; Tom Waits and others remember Matthew Sperry; plus comedian Rob Cantrell" by Beth Lisick, SF Gate.com. August 6, 2003). Further reading: Performances: 2001-2005. Further reading: Charity |
![]() |
This image was on the front page of the program notes at Matthew's memorial service, and is also on the cover of John Shiurba's Matthew Music CDs. (Source: Matthew Sperry In Memoriam) |
Aug. 4, '03 | The Betty Nansen Theatre company has announced Woyzeck performances for October-November 2003 at the Betty Nansen Theatre in Copenhagen/ Denmark. (Betty Nansen Official Site). The show will also go on tour in Japan (English performance w. Japanese subtitles). Tokyo International Forum (Hall C). September 19-24, 2003 (As sent to Tom Waits Yahoo Groups discussionlist by Dorene LaLonde. August 4, 2003). Further reading: Entertainment Plus Japan (Japanese), Nippon Cultural Centre (Japanese). Further reading: Woyzeck |
Aug. 17, '03 | Malashock dance company films its first ever dance-for-the-camera project in partnership with UCSD-TV. Set to the music of Tom Waits, we'll be dancing all over town. The new work will premiere at a special screening event in October, and will be aired on UCSD-TV and other stations (Malashock official site. � 2003 Malashock Dance. August 2003) "Filming begins Aug. 17 for John Malashock's new (as yet untitled) dance-on-film project, based on songs by Tom Waits. Created in conjunction with UCSD-TV producer John Menier, the five-song suite will take viewers on a journey to the underbelly of urban America. Malashock and Menier expect the project to have a film-noir look; it will be shot in black-and-white to match the gravelly quality of Waits' songs. "This is the first project I've done in which the choreography is being made specifically for the camera," Malashock said. "I'm very excited about this new challenge." The film will debut October 11, 2003 during Malashock Dance's "Heart of Saturday Night" fund-raising event. There will also be a screening during "Malashock Sacred and Profane," the company's 15th anniversary season at Sherwood Auditorium Oct. 31 to Nov. 9." (Source: "Pair of San Diego choreographers wins $10,000 grants" By Jennifer de Poyen DANCE CRITIC. August 19, 2003. SignOn San Diego, � Copyright 2003 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.) |
Aug. 21, '03 | Billboard announces new Tom Waits album. "A new album by enigmatic singer/songwriter Tom Waits is on the Anti Records release schedule. No details are available about the set, which is tentatively slated for a March 2004 release. If it comes to fruition, the set will be Waits' first proper studio album since 1999's acclaimed "Mule Variations." It debuted at No. 30 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 388,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album won Grammys for best folk and alternative music albums. Last year, Waits released a pair of albums - - "Blood Money" and "Alice" -- consisting of music written for plays conceived by Waits, his wife/collaborator Kathleen Brennan and Robert Wilson. The albums debuted at No. 32 and No. 33 on The Billboard 200 and have sold 143,000 and 140,000 copies, respectively. As previously reported, Waits is among the artists appearing on the forthcoming Blind Boys Of Alabama album, "Go Tell It on the Mountain," due Sept. 16 via Real World Records." (Source: Billboard.com. Billboard Bits: Waits, Bozulich, Santa Fe Jazz Fest. Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y. Edited by Jonathan Cohen. August 21, 2004) |
Sep. 5, '03 | "Francis Ford Coppola announced the release of a two-disc "Special Edition" of One from the Heart under the new American Zoetrope DVD label to be distributed by Fantoma. The soundtrack is completely remixed and remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound from the original 1981 Tom Waits recording studio sessions. The two-disc set, which includes hours of fascinating behind the scenes materials and new documentaries, will be available January 27, 2004." (Source: One From The Heart on DVD. Copyright � 2003 American Zoetrope). Further reading: One From The Heart |
Sep. 7, '03 | "One from the Heart will screen at the Toronto/ Canada International Film Festival at noon on September 7, 2003 as part of the Dialogues: Talking with Pictures series. (Source: One From The Heart on DVD. Copyright � 2003 American Zoetrope). Further reading: One From The Heart |
Sep. 16, '03 | Released: The Old Grey Whistle Test: 1971-1987. Collection of clips from BBCs Old Grey Whistle Test. Various artists. BBC/ UK Warner DVD. Features Waits performing "Tom Traubert's Blues". March, 1976 |
Sep. 16, '03 | Released: New Christmas album "Go tell it on the mountain" from Grammy-winning legends The Blind Boys Of Alabama. Features a cast of guest artists including Tom Waits (on title track) |
Sep. 20, '03 | Burlesque troupe "Gun Street Girl" out of Seattle is hosting a tribute to Tom Waits "On September 20th the girls are returning to their roots to pay homage to their patron saint Tom Waits in the production Rain Dolls: A burlesque tribute to Tom Waits. Using music that spans the entire career of Mr. Waits, Bella Beretta, Strict Nein,Amatol Etoile, Luna C. Madame Munition, and Schaden Freud dot the crooked pavement of their street, luring newest member Roxy Shocks into the questionable world of bras, bullets and bourbon that is Gun Street." (Source: The Gun Street Girls press release. September 3, 2003) |
Sep. 21, '03 | "Tom Waits Joins Leading Musicians from Around the World For Healing The Divide A Benefit Concert For Peace And Reconciliation At Avery Fisher Hall At Lincoln Center, Sunday, September 21st, 2003. His Holiness The Dalai Lama To Give Special Address At Concert. (August 25, 2003, New York, NY) - It was announced that Tom Waits will be participating in an exclusive, one-night-only performance at the upcoming Healing the Divide benefit concert at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center on Sunday, September 21, 2003 at 7:00 PM. Waits will join an extraordinary and eclectic line-up of world-renowned musicians that will perform for the benefit concert dedicated to the theme of peace and reconciliation. Making a rare visit to New York City, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and one of the foremost spokespeople for peace in our time, will give a special address for the occasion." (Source: Press release as sent to Raindogs Listserv Discussionlist/ Tom Waits Yahoo Groups discussionlist by Stuart Ross. August 23, 2003) "The star isn't usually the opening act at a concert, but things work differently with the Dalai Lama, who begins his daily spiritual practices at 3:30 a.m. Since he had to be in bed early, he spoke at the beginning of the concert on Sunday night at Avery Fisher Hall to benefit Healing the Divide, an American organization that tries to use technology to preserve and provide access to ancient cultures like that of Tibet... Tom Waits, who closed the show in his usual guise as a lowlife sage, wisecracked: "So his holiness goes to bed at 7:30? That's not the holiness I used to know." Mr. Waits was the welcome, indecorous oddball in what had been a concert of richly meditative music. Playing to a hall with many Buddhists, Mr. Waits started his miniset singing about Jesus and Satan. "Gotta help me keep the Devil way down in the hole," he sang in his slurred growl... In a concert filled with genre-straddling collaborations, Mr. Waits was accompanied by the Kronos String Quartet and Greg Cohen on bass. The quartet arrangements worked ingenious variations on Mr. Waits's waltzes and hymnlike tunes, skewing the oom-pah-pah to various places around the beat and applying dissonances that brought out Mr. Waits's Kurt Weill connections. The quartet was most effective in "What's He Building?," a paranoid recitation that the quartet accompanied with eerie atonal creaks and scrapes. Mr. Waits's set moved through songs about death, greed, loss, love and finally faith and hope. "Always keep a diamond in your mind," he sang." (Source: "Star Starts a Show; Tom Waits Ends It" by Jon Parales. The New York Times (Arts) September 23, 2003). Further reading: Performances 2001-2005/ Charity |
![]() |
Waits at "Healing The Divide". September 21, 2003. At Avery Fisher Hall. Lincoln Center, New York. Source: The New York Times. September 23, 2003. Photography by Jack Vartoogian. Thanks to Dorene LaLonde for donating newspaper article |
Oct. 11, '03 | Film debut of Malashock's dance-on-film project "The Soul Of Saturday Night" (set to the music of Tom Waits) during Malashock Dance's "Heart of Saturday Night" fund-raising event. There will also be a screening during "Malashock Sacred and Profane," the company's 15th anniversary season at Sherwood Auditorium/ USA ("Pair of San Diego choreographers wins $10,000 grants" By Jennifer de Poyen DANCE CRITIC. August 19, 2003. SignOn San Diego, � Copyright 2003 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.) Songs featured in the film are: The Heart Of Saturday Night, Fumblin' With The Blues, Please Call Me Baby, Depot Depot, The Ghosts Of Saturday Night. |
Oct. 18, '03 | Waits donates two autographed black and white photos, a tour t-shirt, and an autographed CD to online celebrity charity auction on Yahoo Auctions for the Fund for Constitutional Government and the ACLU's Capital Punishment Project/ USA. (Source: E-mail message as sent to Tom Waits Library. Julia Buckmaster. October 18, 2003) Further reading: Charity |
Oct. 21, '03 | Waits, Bonnie Raitt, Jason Newsted and Norton Buffalo join "Little Kids Rock" program, at Spring Valley Elementary San Francisco(Source: "Raitt, Waits, Buffalo jam with S.F. schoolkids" Joel Selvin, Chronicle Senior Pop Music Critic. Thursday, October 23, 2003. San Francisco Chronicle). Further reading: Charity |
![]() |
Waits, Raitt, Newsted and Buffalo at the Russian Hill school cafeteria. October 21, 2003. Photography by: David Paul Morris. Source: San Francisco Chronicle. October 23, 2003 |
Nov. 8, '03 | Released "American Music". Book and exhibit show by photographer Annie Leibovitz. Book features portrait(s) of Tom Waits. "American Music" exhibition at Experience Music Project, Seattle/ USA. November 8 through January 18, 2004 |
Nov. 11, '03 | Released: benefit CD entitled "Where We Live - Stand For What You Stand On. "Many of the world's most outstanding musicians have contributed tracks for a new benefit CD entitled "Where We Live - Stand For What You Stand On." The project, released for the holiday season, is being distributed globally through EMI and on EMI's Higher Octave label in North America. Proceeds from the CD will support Earthjustice's Where We Live campaign to promote the universal right to clean air and clean water. The benefit CD is a soulful collection of hard-to-find tracks that remind us about the importance of standing up for your rights, staying strong, and celebrating when ordinary citizens achieve victories in protecting the planet we live on. Artists include Mose Allison, Captain Beefheart, Rub�n Blades, Bob Dylan, Michael Franti & Spearhead, John Hammond & Tom Waits, Norah Jones, Los Lobos, Maria Muldaur & Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, The Neville Brothers, Karen Sav�ca, Pops Staples & Ry Cooder, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Tina Turner & Robert Cray, Dan Zanes (with Lou Reed & the Rubi Theater Company). (Source: "Norah Jones, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt know "Where We Live"" From Earth justice Tuesday, November 11, 2003). Tom Waits contribution is "I Know I've Been Changed" (John Hammond version). For more information about the campaign, or to get copies of the CD visit: www.wherewelive.org. Further reading: Charity |
Dec. 1, '03 | Barbican Theatre (London/ UK) confirms The Black Rider (Robert Wilson version) will stage from May 17 to June 12, 2004. Produced by BITE:04 in association with Cultural Industry Co-produced by ACT, San Francisco and Sydney Theatre Festival. Further reading: Barbican.org, The Black Rider |
Dec. 2, '03 | Steve Berlin confirms Waits will appear on the forthcoming Los Lobos album. The new album, The Ride, is due May 4th |
Dec. 7, '03 | Waits turned 54. |
2004 |
|
Jan. 20, '04 | The USA Columbia division of Sony is releasing the soundtrack of One From the Heart. Waits himself has overseen the reissue, now expanded to two CDs and with bonus tracks (Empty Pockets & Candy Apple Red). Further reading: One From The Heart |
Jan. 20, '04 | Waits nominated for Grammy award for "Best Male Rock Vocal Performance" of 2003. "Perhaps the most unexpected Grammy nod of all time? Tom Waits has been nominated for "best male rock vocal performance" for his feisty rendition of the Ramones classic "Return of Jack & Judy" from 'We're a Happy Family: a tribute to the Ramones'. Tom Waits was a bit stunned when he heard the news of his latest Grammy nomination for "Best Male Rock Vocal Performance" for "Return Of Jack & Judy," his contribution to We're A Happy Family: A Tribute to the Ramones (Columbia Records), which also featured tracks performed by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rob Zombie, Eddie Vedder/Zeke, Metallica, John Frusciante, Kiss, Marilyn Manson, Garbage, Green Day, The Offspring, Pretenders, Rancid, Pete Yorn, Rooney and U2. According to Johnny Ramone, "It took the Ramones 30 years to be eventually nominated for a Grammy. Thanks to Tom Waits for finally getting us there." "Tom Waits recorded the track for the tribute album with his son Casey Waits on drums and Les Claypool of Primus on bass, while Brett Gurewitz from Bad Religion and Epitaph Records founder co-produced and played guitar. "The only honor possibly greater than producing and playing on a Tom Waits track would be to do it for The Ramones," said Gurewitz. "The fact that it's nominated for a Grammy makes it all the more surreal." (Source: Anti Newsletter January 20, 2004) |
Jan. 20, '04 | Waits contributed a track to the benefit record for eccentric primitive songwriter Daniel Johnston being produced by Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse. (Source: Anti Newsletter January 20, 2004) |
Jan. 27, '04 | Kaufman Center/ USA presents the Fifth Annual New York Guitar Festival "$29 and An Alligator Purse": The Music of Tom Waits. "New York, NY, 12/19/03--The Kaufman Center presents the New York Guitar Festival� at Merkin Concert Hall. Tuesday, January 27 at 8 PM will be "$29 and An Alligator Purse": The Music of Tom Waits. Paying tribute the genius of this American original are veteran bluesman John Hammond, singer-songwriter Eleni Mandell (referred to by the New Yorker as "perhaps the best unsigned artist in the business") and Tin Hat Trio, the freewheeling chamber music ensemble described by Acoustic Guitar magazine as "the poster band of a new folk-jazz fusion." The concert is presented in association with WFUV Radio and broadcast on 90.7 FM." (Source: Kaufman Center press release January 8, 2004) |
![]() |
Handbill for "$29 and An Alligator Purse" |
Feb. 4, 04 | Waits attends lecture by Robert McNamara at the University Of California at Berkley. Mr. McNamara, the defense secretary in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, fielded questions from center stage in a packed auditorium at his alma mater. "When Robert McNamara, an 87-year-old former American Secretary of State for Defence, spoke last week at the University of California, Berkeley, it wasn't exactly a Hollywood occasion. But it wasn't that different either, not with people like singer Tom Waits in the front row, author David Eggers sitting a few seats behind and 2,000 others who'd bought tickets to listen to America's newest and unlikeliest film star." (Source: "Bringing it all back home" Lawrence Donegan. Sunday February 8, 2004 The Observer) "Before the film-clip showing and discussion in front of a sellout crowd, there was a reception at the chancellor's home on-campus. The sushi flowed, Tom Waits rubbed elbows with Alice Waters, and McNamara was surrounded by people who protested his very existence 35 years ago and were now trying to get his attention." (Source: Reuters. February 5, 2004) |
Feb. 10, '04 | Norah Jones will be releasing a new album on February 10th. "Feels Like Home" will feature 13 songs, six of which were either co-written or written by Jones. The tracklist includes a few covers, including a version of a song by Tom Waits: "The Long Way Home" (previously released on Big Bad Love soundtrack, 2002) |
Feb. '04 | Dutch "Galili Dance" dance company will tour Holland with 'The Wind Tree' in February-May, 2004. The dance production consists of four ballets by: Itzik Galili, Sara Wiktorowicz, Stephen Shropshire and a reprise of Galili's theatre hit from 1995: 'Through Nana's Eyes' on music by Tom Waits (further reading: Galili Dance official site) |
Mar.03, '04 | Waits wins Spanish legal judgement: "Tom Waits has won the opening stages of a legal battle against a Spanish production company that adapted his music and impersonated his voice for a television commercial - even despite Waits' refusal to allow his original version of the song, Innocent When You Dream, to be used for the advertisement. A court in Barcelona has ordered the company, Tandem Campany Guasch, to pay compensation to Waits' publisher in Spain, Hans Kusters Music, for violation of copyright. The commercial, for Audi cars, was screened in Spain in 2000. As well as having the same structure as Innocent When You Dream, the commercial's music was also performed in a Tom Waits' style. The favorable court judgment thus recognizes there has been a violation of Waits' moral rights in addition to the infringement of copyright. Volkswagen-Audi Espa�a (VAESA), originally a defendant in the action brought by Waits, was cleared by the court. Tom Waits first learned about the commercial from Spanish fans posting on various websites. Many believed it was Waits singing his own song on the commercial, even despite the fact he has always been adamant that his music will never be used for advertising purposes. Indeed, Waits rejected Tandem Campany Guasch's original approach to use Innocent When You Dream. The action against Tandem Campany Guasch - a groundbreaking copyright judgment for the Spanish courts - is the latest in a line of successful legal actions Waits has taken to prevent his music and image from being associated with commercial products." (Source: AntiNews, www.anti.com March 3, 2004. COPYRIGHT 2004 PR Newswire Association, Inc. COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group). Further reading: Waits v. Audi |
Mar. 19, '04 | Published: The Annie Leibovitz 'American Music exhibition' collection of photographs at "The Hospital" (London/ UK). March 19 until May 9. Features Tom Waits picture |
Mar. 28, '04 | London Barbican Theatre has extended the run of The Black Rider from June 12 to June 19 (Source: www.barbican.org.uk March 28, 2004). Further reading: The Black Rider |
Apr. 2, '04 | Released the movie "Hellboy" (directed by Guillermo del Toro and starring Ron Perlman). On soundtrack Heartattack And Vine (not included on the Varese Records CD soundtrack) |
Apr. 6, '04 | Long Gone (David Eberhardt & Jack Cahill, 2003) will have its UK premiere at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London/ UK. The film will be shown as part of "Pain: documentaries and discussion". The film will be followed by a panel discussion on 'Pain, Loss and Trauma', with speakers: Dr Caroline Bainbridge, Andrew Cross and Dr James Thompson. Further reading: Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), Documentary Filmmakers Group London (DFG). (Source: DFG/ Susanna Grant press release. February 26, 2004) |
Apr. 17, '04 | Coffee and Cigarettes shown at opening night of the 47th San Francisco International Film Festival. "The movie -- a series of oddball conversations around various tables -- may not be everyone's cup of tea. But Thursday evening's crowd appreciated its dark humor, a trademark of director Jim Jarmusch, who told the audience this was his film's U.S. premiere. "We did show it at the Toronto festival, but that's a whole different country, and their leaders aren't on a death trip." Somehow, I don't think he was referring to closet smokers in the Bush administration. Waits and Pop had quit smoking before Jarmusch cast them, but he made them start again. "They were really mad about it, too," he said. All must be forgiven because Waits stood beside him onstage, along with the Wu-Tang Clan's the RZA... Following the screening, everybody repaired to the Galleria to party. Waits was spotted patiently waiting in line until it was pointed out that he could use the VIP entrance."(Source: "Java, smokes, stars in Jarmusch opener at festival" San Francisco Chronicle. Ruthe Stein. April 17, 2004). "Coffee and Cigarettes" began as a short film made in 1986 starring Stephen Wright and Roberto Benigni. Jarmusch followed it up in 1989 with a second version set in Memphis starring Steve Buscemi and Spike Lee's siblings Cinque and Joie Lee. A third version popped up in 1993 teaming Tom Waits and Iggy Pop. Now Jarmusch has taken these three short films and edited them together with eight new segments to make a 96-minute feature film." (Source: It's a java jamboree, By Jeffrey M. Anderson | Special To The Examiner Published on Friday, May 14, 2004). Further reading: http://coffeeandcigarettesmovie.com/. The 2004 soudtrack CD has the track "Saw Sage" by Tom Waits and C-side (Instrumental from "Moanin' Parade - Gatmo Sessions Volume 1". Gatmo 2000). Coffee & Cigarettes DVD will be released on September 21, 2004. |
Apr. 23, '04 | Release date for next album set to September 2004. Tom Waits (2004): "We are currently recording a new record in an old schoolhouse in Mississippi because there's nothing like fresh material.... all new tunes by Kathleen Brennan and myself to come out in September. No title as of yet. We worked with Larry Taylor on bass and guitar, Mark Ribot on guitar and tres, Brain Manita on drums, Casey Waits on percussion and turntables, Les Claypool on electric bass and Harry Cody on guitar. Feelin' good about it all. Songs about Mama, liquor, trains and death. Politics, rats, war, hangings, dancing, pirates, farms, the carnival and sinning. In other words, the same 'ol dirty business." (Source: Note sent to "Blue Valentine"/ Italian Tom Waits fanclub, as forwarded by Stuart Ross to Raindogs Listserv discussionlist, April 23, 2004) |
Apr. 28, '04 | Anti (2004): "Tom Waits has been holed up in an old school house in Mississippi, recording a new album, titled Real Gone for Anti. "Real Gone is primal rhythmic blues featuring Waits on vocal mouth percussion, Larry Taylor (veteran of Waits recordings since 1980's Heartattack & Vine) on bass and guitar, Mark Ribot (first collaboration since their classic pairing for 1985's Raindogs) on guitar and tres, Brain Manita (Primus, Buckethead and the most recent Guns N' Roses tour) on drums, Casey X. Waits on percussion and turntables, Les Claypool (Primus) on electric bass and Harry Cody on guitar and banjo. Engineered by Mark Howard (Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Iggy Pop) and produced by Waits/ Brennan." (Source: "Tom Waits working on new album for Fall release!" AntiNews, www.anti.com April 28, 2004) |
May 4, '04 | Released the album "The Ride" by Los Lobos. Featuring Tom Waits and Martha Gonzalez on "Kitate". "Listeners have never heard a song like "Kitate" before. On it, Tom Waits makes an alley cat howl in the background that makes for strangely enjoyable listening. Eventually, his voice becomes robot-like. Still, the song works so well that it makes one wonder why all albums aren't required to have at least one duet with Waits on them." (Source: "Los Lobos: Crossing Musical Thresholds". International Musician, April 2004) "Tom Waits used a tape he received from Los Lobos in the mail as the foundation for the wild and raucous musical adventure "Kitate." It means "get away from me" in Spanish, but Waits purposely misspelled it. The song is neither English nor Spanish, but its own hybrid version of Spanglish with a similar mix of musical styles-including Jamaican ska, Mexican mariachi and New Orleans funeral band-that can only be described as unique." (Source: Los Lobos promo interview. Warnermusic.com) |
May 17 - Jun. 19, '04 | Staging of The Black Rider at the London/ UK Barbican Theatre. Produced by BITE:04 in association with Cultural Industry Co-produced by ACT, San Francisco and Sydney Theatre Festival. Further reading: The Black Rider |
May 23, '04 |
Angela Dias (2004): "On Sunday 23 May Robert Wilson presents an animated lecture which charts his prolific output from 1967 - 2004. To complement The Black Rider, Andrey Bartenev, a leading figure of the post-glasnost Russian avant-garde has been commissioned by the Barbican to produce a multimedia installation. Being Robert Wilson is a 'portrait' of Wilson's visionary world. Incorporating costumes, photographs and videos as well as a variety of objects from Wilson's own art collection, Bartenev will re-create Wilson's surreal world in his neo-constructivist style in the Barbican Pit Theatre from May - June 2004. There is also a complementary film season including documentaries about Robert Wilson and his work, films of past Wilson productions, and a programme of clips and archive footage featuring material by Marlene Dietrich, the 'Fred Astaire of Harlem' Charles 'Honi' Coles, and other artists and performers who have inspired Robert Wilson over the years." (Source: Barbican Theatre press release. Angela Dias. January 6, 2004) |
Jun. 2, '04 | Theatre release of "Bukowski: Born Into This" (2003). "This documentary looks at the life of poet and author Charles Bukowski (1920-1994), whose bibliography includes "Notes of a Dirty Old Man", "Love is a Dog from Hell", as well as the screenplay for Barfly. Bukowski earned a cult following attracted to his graphic and brutal stories of a life (often his own) lived amidst alcoholism, poverty and violence." Directed and produced by John Dullaghan. Features Waits as interviewee. Further reading: Magnolia Pictures Distribution. |
Jun. 5, '04 | "Guitarist Robert Quine, one of punk rock's most daring soloists, was found dead Saturday (June 5) in his New York apartment. He was 61. According to close friend and guitar maker Rick Kelly, who discovered Quine's body, the musician died of a heroin overdose Memorial Day weekend. He had been despondent over the recent death of his wife... Quine made key guest appearances on Tom Waits' "Rain Dogs" (1985) and Marianne Faithfull's "Strange Weather" (1987)." (Source: "Guitarist Robert Quine Found Dead", Billboard.com, Daily Music News. Chris Morris, L.A.; Jonathan Cohen, N.Y. June 07, 2004) |
Jun. 11-14, '04 | Fourth international Tom Waits fans meeting "Straydogs Party" in Llandudno/ Wales. Hosted by Rob Sumbland. With live show by "The Raindogs" from Liverpool. |
Jun. 21, '04 | Beck, Tom Waits and Bright Eyes have covered songs for the tribute album honoring cult songwriter Daniel Johnston. The two-CD "Uncovered, Covered: The Late Great Daniel Johnston" will feature alt-rock takes on Johnston's songs, along with his own originals" (Source: Rollingstone.com. June 21, 2004) |
Jun. 30, '04 | REAL GONE: Tom Waits Has Completed Groundbreaking New CD for Anti Records - Titled 'REAL GONE' - Out October 5. "LOS ANGELES, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Academy Award nominated and Grammy Award winner, Tom Waits has been long considered one of music's most influential artists because he has continuously created music outside of fad or fashion. With REAL GONE, his off-road adventures are taken into the further beyond. Mixing and mashing: worlds both sonic and ethnic, musical traditions both new and old, and rhythms both mouth-made and sampled from his own instruments, Waits has reached a new pinnacle. Written and produced by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, his wife and long- time collaborator, REAL GONE features 15 tracks of funk, Jamaican rock-steady, blues both urban and rural, rhythms and melodies both Latin and African and, for the first time, no piano. The crash and collide of rhythms and genres within a song creates a hybrid unlike any music he has made before. The comic, funky, hip-hop/r&b inspired instructional dance number, "Metropolitan Glide" ("now show your teeth, bray like a calf/Then kill me with your machine gun laugh") and the sonic mayhem and nonsense rhyme ride to "Top of the Hill" (why don't you give me another cup of that soup?/Turn a Rolls Royce into a chicken coop") are both punctuated by a live band and turntable playing along to Waits' home recorded voice percussion. Lyrically and musically the kinetic songs play against the haunting lull of the ballads. The epic, ominous and hypnotic Jamaican rock-steady groove of, "Sins of the Father," follows the dark trails of straying, passed on from generation to generation, from those at the top to those at the bottom and back around again, echoing a theme of the record. While Waits has traditionally used his voice as an actor, inhabiting each song with a different vocal character, on numerous songs here, he also uses it as chugging, sputtering, wheezing syncopated engine of sound and rhythm that can explode like a string of sidewalk firecrackers or sound like the indecipherable incantations of a street corner shaman. REAL GONE is a place, a time beyond reach: a lost mind, a renegade leader, war love sublime, love lost, death, desire, escape. These are the themes of the record inspired by the giddy lust, high voltage, out of orbit times -- a vertigo of splash and trash popular culture spinning alongside the gun to our head and the knife in our heart political times or as "Shake It" says, "I feel like a preacher waving a gun around." REAL GONE is also a musical expression, the experience of playing and losing yourself to the place where you can finally be found. In a musical career that has spanned four decades and over 20 albums "Waits has," according the Los Angeles Times Robert Hilburn, "come through it all with a body of work that stamps him clearly as one of the most important figures of the modern pop era." REAL GONE adds more weight to that claim." (Source: Anti Records press release. As published on Yahoo PR Newswire. June 30, 2004) |
Jun. 30, '04 | "R.E.M., Blink-182 and Fountains Of Wayne are among those who have contributed to a compilation CD that will raise funds for MoveOn.org and other like-minded political advocacy organizations. Organized by They Might Be Giants principal John Flansburgh, "Future Soundtrack for America" is due Aug. 10 through Seattle-based indie Barsuk Records... Although not yet released, Tom Waits' "Day After Tomorrow" will also be included on his forthcoming studio album, "Real Gone," which is due in October through Epitaph's Anti- label.." (Source: "Future' Compilation Supports Political Change". Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y. Edited by Jonathan Cohen. June 30, 2004. Copyright 2004 Billboard). Further reading: Charity |
Jul. 9, '04 | "The Waits masterpiece film, "Big Time" will be playing, One show only, at the Raven Theater in Healdsburg, CA on July 9th. Tom and the director, Chris Blum (a Healdsburg resident), have quite generously agreed to allow this one-shot showing of the film and as there is only one print in existence, owned by Mr. Blum, this may be the last time this film is ever shown on the big screen. It has been years since the last viewing. Healdsburg is one hour north of San Francisco. For street address, etc. visit www.raventheater.org" (Source: Tod Brillian. June 16, 2004). Further reading: Big Time full story |
Jul. 15, '04 | More information on Real Gone from updated artist bio (excerpts) from Anti website: The 15 track CD features: primal blues, Jamaican rock-steady grooves, rhythms and melodies both African and Latin, what Waits calls "cubist funk" and "human beatboxing"--the "vocal mouth percussion" that is Waits' unique approach to hip-hop--and for the first time, no piano. "Real Gone is an electric pill box, a homogeneous concoction of mood elevators, mind liberators and downers, an alchemical universe of rattling chains, oscillating rhythms and nine-pound hammers," says Waits. Real Gone (Anti Records)--written and produced by Waits with his wife and long time marital musical collaborator, Kathleen Brennan--is released October 5th 2004. Tracklisting for Real Gone is: 01. Top of the Hill. The song has a 'cut up' Mungo Jerry dance feel with a syncopated wind-up car beat highlighted by turntables, nonsense rhyme and kazoo funk guitar. Described by Waits as "an expensive ride to a bad neighbourhood". 02. Hoist That Rag. A pounding heat-soaked Afro-Cuban-style sea tale of plundering mercenaries. 03. Sins of My Father. A crosscut and fade of dark tales and wayward odysseys, complete with oblique references to politics past and present. A song which chronicles personal and collective failings & with a promise of redemption. 04. Shake It. An erotic mambo melded into a blue stomp & an escaped convict's dream of real freedom. 05. Don't Go Into That Barn. A cautionary tale, A rural blues' Night of the Hunter told in the voices of four different characters. 06. How's It Gonna End. Bleak vignettes of tragic endings - every card in the deck is a spade. 07. Metropolitan Glide. A twisted James Brown funky-bad dance number, complete with Waits' own instructions on a strange new step. 08. Dead and Lovely. Blond ambition. It's about all the young girls who get into cars with powerful men hoping to be driven to great new heights. 09. Circus. The portrait of a struggling family circus with a one-eyed this and a broken that and one of these instead of one of those. The tune features Casey Waits on drums behind a broken carousel waltz. 10. Trampled Rose. West Africa joined with Appalachia and a furtive tarantella. 11. Green Grass. Love is never having to say goodbye - touching or diabolical? 12. Baby Gonna Leave Me. Rocks in a blender, the Stones in a can 13. Clang Boom Steam. 14. Make It Rain. Naked gospel blues, giving God his marching orders. Thick and lurid guitar work from Marc Ribot. 15. Day After Tomorrow. The human face of war. Real Gone has been engineered by Mark Howard, whose previous credits include work with Bob Dylan and Lucinda Williams. The musicians featured on Real Gone are: |
Jul. 20-30, '04 | Fourth "Waiting For Waits" Festival. Palma de Mallorca/ Spain (Tomeo Gomila). "This festival at Palma's Sala Sonotone, as the name suggests, pays homage to Tom Waits in an alternative country kind of way. First started in 2001, every artist on the line-up ends their set with a cover of a Tom Waits song. The 2004 event features: 20 july Carter Wood + Songdog centre de cultura "sa nostra" - c/concepcio' (palma - mallorca). 24 july Dayna Kurtz claustre de sant francesc (muro - mallorca). 27 july Kelly Joe Phelps sala palmanova (calvia - mallorca). 29 july Josh Rouse + Mary Lou Lord (also at claustre de sant francesc (muro) on friday 30th july) teatre "sa congregacio" - c/rosari (sa pobla - mallorca). (Source: email by Tomeo Gomila to Tom Waits Library. July 8, 2004) |
Jul. 24, '04 | According to a Minneapolis Star Tribune article, director Robert Altman is about to begin work on a film loosely based on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion radio show, starring Tom Waits:"The quirky characters of Minnesota humorist Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" may be headed for the silver screen. A cinematic version of the popular radio show is tentatively set to begin shooting in January at the Fitzgerald Theater, with director Robert Altman at the helm, the Star Tribune of Minneapolis reported Saturday. Keillor wrote the screenplay - about life backstage at the radio show. The movie is expected to star Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin as a fading sister duet act and Tom Waits and Lyle Lovett as Dusty and Lefty, the singing cowboys." (Source: "Keillor's Characters May Hit Silver Screen" StarTribune/ AP, July 24, 2004)
Follow-up (2006): "The movie was shot at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul in 23 days. The actors did their own singing, and Harrelson and Reilly, as singing cowboys Dusty and Lefty, played their own guitars. Altman wanted Lyle Lovett and Tom Waits to play the singing cowboys, but because the movie was shot during the summer concert touring season, they bowed out." (Source: "Altman's 'Prairie' one fitting finale Hollywood legend brings down house with his new film". By Donna Hartman. The Herald April 10, 2006) |
Aug. 1, '04 | Tickets on sale for The Black Rider at the Geary Theater: "In its first day of single ticket sales at A.C.T. (August 1), The Black Rider broke A.C.T. box-office records, setting a one-day single-ticket sales record of more than $117,000. The show's run at A.C.T. is the only opportunity to see the production in North America before it travels on to Australia's Sydney Festival." (Source: "A.C.T. Extends Run of The Black Rider to October 3". A.C.T. official site. August 26, 2004) |
Aug. 4, '04 |
First information on 2004 tour from: Anti website: "Tom Waits plays three Berlin shows; first dates announced in November European tour Tom Waits plays three shows at Berlin's Theater Des Westens on Monday 15th, Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th November 2004 -- the first concerts to be announced on the singer's eight-date European tour that follows the release of his new album, Real Gone, this autumn. Tickets for the German concerts go on sale this coming Saturday, 7th August. The tour '- Waits' first in Europe since 2000 '- will also include shows in the UK and the Benelux countries. The full details of these concerts, to be played in small and intimate venues, will be announced in the near future. Waits has not played in the UK since 1987. His new touring band features Marc Ribot (guitar), Larry Taylor (bass) and Brain Mantia (drums), the same musicians who also appear on the Real Gone album which is released through Europe in the week beginning Monday 4th October. Real Gone has been written and produced by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, his longtime collaborator. The 15-track CD unveils Waits' new musical hybrid, crafted from primal blues, Jamaican rock-steady grooves, African and Latin rhythms and melodies and what Waits calls 'cubist funk'. The album is released on Anti Records.". Further reading: Performances: 2001-2005 |
Aug. 17, '04 | Released: Future Soundtrack For America (featuring "Day After Tomorrow"). "A fundraising CD compilation, titled future soundtrack for america, a joint project with MoveOn.org and Music For America. (McSweeney's Publishing is also releasing a book with similar fundraising goals that will include a copy of the CD; the future dictionary of america features contributions from an astounding group of almost 200 writers, from Paul Auster to Michael Chabon to Jonathan Franzen to Joyce Carol Oates to Kurt Vonnegut to Wendy Wasserstein.) One hundred percent of our and McSweeney's profits will go to non-profit progressive organizations, including Music For America, Common Assets, The Sierra Club, and others." (Further reading MoveOn Pac. Further reading: Charity |
Aug. 22, '04 | iTunes (download music store) offers "Metropolitan Glide" for download |
Aug. 26, '04 | San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater will host the only North American engagement of "The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets," as the kickoff of its 2004-05 season at the Geary Theater (Source: "Waits' 'Rider' coming to S.F. ACT hosts only engagement of Burroughs piece" Variety. April 4, 2004). The Black Rider opens for previews at the Geary Theater on August 26. Preview performances are: August 26, 27, 28, and 29. There are 2 performances on the 28th. (Further reading: The Black Rider). Extended to October 10th, 2004! |
Aug. 31, '04 | Epitaph/ Anti have started promoting the upcoming album Real Gone through classifieds in regional American newspapers (Pittsburgh City Paper, The Village Voice, Boston Phoenix, Salt Lake City Weekly, Washington City Paper, Seattle Weekly, Chicago Reader) |
Sep. 1, '04 | iTunes (download music store) offers "Day After Tomorrow" for download |
Sep. 3, '04 | Premiere of the Black Rider at the Geary Theater (hosted by San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater). Performance Times: 8 p.m. September 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 7 p.m. September 7 2 p.m. September 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, 25, and 26 Extension Performances: 8 p.m. September 28, 29, 30; October 1, 2 2 p.m. September 29, October 2 7 p.m. October 3. NB: Extended to October 10th (final extension). Further reading: The Black Rider |
Sep. 9, '04 | War child music offers "Baby Gonna Leave Me" for download: "Warchildmusic.com is a not-for-profit company set up by War Child. For every �1 you spend downloading tracks War Child will receive around 70p to continue their work in some of the world's most troubled regions. The charity is currently active in The Congo, Afghanistan and Iraq and continues to work with children in the former Yugoslavia almost 10 years after the war there subsided. warchildmusic.com is a unique proposition. Not only will the majority of the money raised be going directly to the relief work undertaken by War Child, but it is also different to other music download sites. Where other sites offer a huge selection of tracks off the peg, we offer a bespoke service." (Further reading: War Child Music). Further reading: Charity |
Sep. 15, '04 |
"UCSD-TV and Malashock Dance have been awarded a platinum "Best of Show" Aurora Award for outstanding achievement and broadcast/cable excellence. The TV program that received the honor is "The Soul of Saturday Night," produced by UCSD-TV's John Menier and John Malashock, founder of Malashock Dance. "The Soul of Saturday Night" is a dance narrative set to the music of Tom Waits and was shot at various locations around San Diego." (Source: SignOnSanDiego.com. Compiled by arts/entertainment writer Preston Turegano. � Copyright 2004 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.) |
Sep. 19, '04 | William S. Burroughs tribute held in San Francisco. "And Sunday night's tribute to William S. Burroughs, put on by ACT and Litquake, featured Peter Coyote, Lenore Kandel, Michael McClure and James Dalessandro, all more or less non-grizzled veterans of the Burroughs era, reading to a packed house. Author Dalessandro had not seen poet McClure since 1974. He paid McClure $150 he had unwittingly owed him since the Santa Cruz Poetry Festival of that year, organized by Dalessandro." (Source: SfGate.com. by Leah Garchik. September 22, 2004) Not attended by Tom Waits? |
Sep. 17, '04 | Anti.com offers "Real Gone" E-card (Flash promo clip) and "How It's Gonna End" free MP3 for download. |
![]() |
Still from Real Gone E-card (Anti, 2004). Credits: photos: Anton Corbijn. E-card: PXTweaker |
Sep. 20, '04 |
US "Real Gone" pre-release listening party at The Knitting Factory Club - Hollywood/ LA(USA). Presented by: AntiI Records, KCRW.com and Filter Magazine |
Sep. 20, '04 | US "Real Gone" pre-release listening party at Cafe Du Nord - San Francisco USA). Presented by Anti Records, KCRW.com and Filter Magazine (Source: Cafe Du Nord official site. September 17, 2004) |
![]() |
Ticket for the September 20th pre-release party |
Sep. 23, '04 |
US "Real Gone" pre-release listening party hosted by: Filter Magazine, KCRW, the Onion and KEXP in Austin, TX - Club de Ville - 9pm and Chicago, IL - Delilah's - 8pm(Source: http://www.filter-mag.com/ . September 17, 2004) |
Sep. 24, '04 |
Real Gone pre-release listening party at M�rkbar in Copenhagen -Vesterbrogade 106A (Denmark) (Source: www.//gaffa.dk/. September 18, 2004, � 1983-2004 GAFFA A/S) |
Sep. 24, '04 |
iTunes (download music store) offers all the songs from "Real Gone" for download |
Sep. 28, '04 |
Waits appears on "The Late Show with David Letterman" (US tv show). Interview and live performance of "Make It Rain". The band: Larry Taylor, Judah Bauer and Russel Simins. |
![]() |
Screenshot from "The Late Show with David Letterman" Credits: CBS TV show/ � CBS Broadcasting Inc. |
Sep. 28, '04 |
US "Real Gone" pre release listening party hosted by: Filter Magazine, KCRW, the Onion and KEXP in New York, NY - Rothko downstairs lounge - 8pm (Source: http://www.filter-mag.com/ . September 17, 2004) |
Sep. 28, '04 |
US "Real Gone" pre release listening party hosted by: Filter Magazine, KCRW, the Onion and KEXP in Seattle, WA - Hattie's Hat - 7-9pm (Source: http://www.filter-mag.com/ . September 17, 2004) |
Sep. 30, '04 |
US "Real Gone" pre release listening party hosted by: Filter Magazine, KCRW, the Onion and KEXP in San Diego, CA - Transport - TIME TBD (Source: http://www.filter-mag.com/ . September 17, 2004) |
Oct. 2, '04 | Italian site www.corriere.it is the first to publish the lyrics for Real Gone. They also allow Real Gone audio files to be downloaded from their site |
Oct. 3, '04 | European release of Real Gone ((P) & � 2004 Anti Inc. 86678). American release date: October 5, 2004. All songs/ production: Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan |
![]() |
Cover art for Real Gone (Anti, 2004) |
Oct. 4, '04 | US "Real Gone" pre release listening party hosted by: Filter Magazine, KCRW, the Onion and KEXP in New York, NY - Eleven (Downstairs Lounge) 9pm (Source: http://www.filter-mag.com/ . September 17, 2004) |
Oct. 5, '04 | US "Real Gone" pre release listening party hosted by: Filter Magazine, KCRW, the Onion and KEXP in Washington, D.C. - SALT at Cafe Saint-Ex 10pm (Source: http://www.filter-mag.com/ . September 17, 2004) |
Oct. 6, '04 | US "Real Gone" listening party hosted by: Filter Magazine, KCRW, the Onion and KEXP in Boston, MA - Blackout Bar at the Paradise Lounge - 9pm (Source: http://www.filter-mag.com/ . September 17, 2004) |
Oct. 10, '04 | Final extension of The Black Rider at the Geary Theater, hosted by San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater. Further reading: The Black Rider |
Oct. 13, '04 | Reuters (2004): "Tom Waits grabbed his highest career peak on The Billboard 200 with "Real Gone" (Anti-/Epitaph), which entered at No. 28 on sales of 34,000 copies and also bowed at No. 1 on the Top Independent Albums chart. His simultaneously released "Blood Money" and "Alice" in 2002 opened at No. 32 and No. 33, respectively, with a combined total of 64,000. Sales of the sets are split almost evenly with a combined to-date total of 307,000 copies." (Source: "Updated 'Confessions' Returns Usher to No. 1", by Margo Whitmire. � Reuters 2004. All Rights Reserved) |
Oct. 15, '04 | Start tour promoting Real Gone: October 2004 - November 2004, at Orpheum Theater. Vancouver/ Canada: Friday (on sale September 13th). Further reading: Performances: 2001-2005 |
Nov. 14, '04 | "Tom Waits makes a rare British television appearance when he is featured on Channel 4's UK Music Hall of Fame. The show, to be screened on Sunday 14th November, will be the first time the legendary American singer has been seen by UK viewers in more than a decade. Waits' television appearance comes as the prelude to his show at London's Hammersmith Apollo on Tuesday 23rd November. The concert was an instant sell-out, with 78,000 people attempting to buy tickets in the first hour of the box office opening last month. It is Waits' first show in the UK since 1987. The singer's new album, Real Gone, entered the UK chart at number 16 last week. It is currently number nine in the combined European chart - a position that emphasises the album's phenomenal first week sales throughout the continent. Real Gone, released on Epitaph's Anti label, is a Top 10 album in eight national charts - Italy, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal and The Netherlands." (Source: "Tom Waits: UK television appearance as prelude to London concert." Anti news. www.anti.com, October 22, 2004) |
Nov. 23, '04 | End tour promoting Real Gone: (October 2004 - November 2004) at Carling (Hammersmith) Apollo theatre. London/ UK: Tuesday (on sale September 10th) Fiona Sturges (2004): "At �65 a ticket you'd hope to be left slack-jawed in wonder by stage hydraulics, flame-throwers, dancing girls and at least a dozen costume changes. But supply and demand being what it is, instead we get an old goat in a dusty suit shaking a pair of maracas. What's more, he's half an hour late, though what's another 30 minutes when you've waited 17 years?" (Source: "Tom Waits, Hammersmith Apollo Half an hour late, but after 17 years, who cares?" The Independent. By Fiona Sturges. November 24, 2004) |
Dec. 7, '04 | Waits turned 55. |
Dec. 7, '04 | Waits is nominated for the 47th annual Grammy Awards (to be presented February 13, 2005 in Los Angeles/ USA) with "Metropolitain Glide". Other nominees: Solo Rock Vocal Performance: "Wonderwall," Ryan Adams; "The Revolution Starts Now," Steve Earle; "Breathe," Melissa Etheridge; "Code of Silence," Bruce Springsteen. |
Dec. 9, '04 | Marianne Faithfull Collapses In Milan. "Marianne Faithfull has been forced to cancel all upcoming performances including the Sydney Festival after collapsing on Wednesday in Milan, Italy.Faithfull was due to perform her production The Black Rider as the opening show for the 2005 Sydney Festival.Doctors say the singer is suffering from chronic exhaustion and ordered her to take three months rest. As well as her Australian performance, she has cancelled her entire European tour.Marianne Faithfull was due to perform as Pegleg, the Devil with who Faustian contact is made with a young clerk. She played the role earlier this year in London at the Barbican theatre.The Black Rider features the music of Tom Waits. A replacement is expected to be announced over the next few days.The Black Rider will play 16 performances from January 8 to January 22 at the Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay." (Source: "Marianne Faithfull Collapses In Milan". by Paul Cashmere. As published on undercover.com.au December 09, 2004). Further reading: The Black Rider |
Dec. 17, 04 | "Tom Waits has made an unexpected return to film with a small role (as a wandering soothsayer) in the Tony Scott directed "Domino," starring Keira Knightly, Mickey Rourke and Christopher Walken in this true life story of Domino Harvey. Domino -- the real life daughter of esteemed British actor Laurence Harvey -- who turned far away from her successful career as a Ford model to become a bounty hunter. According to Waits on why he took the part, "They won me in a poker game." (Source: "Tom Waits Return to the Big Screen in Domino" by James Wray. MonstersAndCritics.com. December 17, 2004) |
2005 |
|
Jan. 8-22, '05 | Opening of The Black Rider at the Sydney Theatre, Sydney/ Australia (Wilson production as part of the 2005 Sydney Festival). Marianne Faithfull replaced by Nigel Richards. The Black Rider will play 16 performances from January 8 to January 22 at the Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay." Further reading: The Black Rider |
Jan. 11-15, '05 | Opening of The Black Rider at the Waterfront Theatre, Granville Island, Vancouver/ Canada (non-Wilson production by November Theatre, licensed by Robert Wilson, et. al.). Director: Ron Jenkins. Musical Director: Corinne Kessel. Choreographer/ Assistant Director: Marie Nychka. Set and Costume Designer: Marissa Kochanski. Lighting Designer: Michael Kruse. Performers: Michele Brown, Clinton Carew, Kevin Corey, Rachael Johnston, George Szilagyi and Michael Scholar, Jr. Musicians: Liz Han, Corinne Kessel, Dale Ladouceur. Further reading: The Black Rider |
Jan. 10, '05 | Waits is nominated "Best International male solo artist" for the upcoming Brit Awards, competing with Kanye West, Usher, Eminem and Brian Wilson. The nominations were unveiled at the Brit Awards launch January 10th. The Awards, now in their 25th year, will be held at London's Earls Court on February 9 and hosted by Chris Evans. Brit organisers have pledged �500,000 (€715,600) in proceedings to child victims of the Asian tsunami disaster. The money will go to a two-year Save The Children project which will supply education and music therapy to youngsters affected by the catastrophe. (Source: AP. January 11, 2005) |
Jan 23, '05 | Premiere of the documentary "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" (Alex Gibney, 2005) at The Sundance Film Festival (Park City). "What's He Building" is played during the opening credits of the movie. The movie opens in theaters late April 2005. |
Jan. 27, '05 | "Post production has been completed on "East Of Sunset", an independent feature directed by Brian McNelis for Blixa Films, Los Angeles. The dysfunctional drama stars Emily Stiles as a pill-addicted twentysomething who lives a life of pills, dive bars and uncommitted sexual encounters. When she meets up with Jim, an artist with a secret, she is unexpectedly forced to face her avoidance of intimacy, her drug use, and ultimately herself. This music-driven project was created to showcase the early songs of Waits' career. In much the same way that I Am Sam featured only covers of Beatles' songs in its soundtrack, "East Of Sunset" will consist entirely of covers of songs written by Waits in his early years from 1973 through 1983. Among the artists who have covered Waits songs are Lydia Lunch, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Pete Shelley, Alex Chilton, and Drugstore, as well as on-camera performances, songs and adapted score elements by critically-acclaimed San Francisco slo-core band [the] caseworker. The dark-toned script written by Heather Miller is loosely inspired by the themes presented in Waits' early music." (Source: "East Of Sunset" official site, 2005) |
Feb. 4, '05 | A Tom Waits tribute show will be held at the Labia Cinema in Capetown/ South Africa from February 4 to February 25. Musicians performing in this tribute are: Mark Harris, John Pringle, Ramon Alexander, Jacques Louw and Nick le Roux. (Source: Capetown Today) |
Feb. 10, '05 | Tom Waits has won the Plug Independent Music Award for "Male Artist Of The Year" with nominees including Devendra Banhart, Nick Cave, Danger Mouse, MF Doom and more (Source: Plug - Independent Music Awards official site) |
Feb. 13, '05 | The Mimi Fishman Foundation (a non-profit organization founded to raise funds for various charities) has auctioned the dressing room sign from the Appollo Hammersmith/ London show (November 23, 2004). The plaque was donated by Tom Waits and went for $450. The auction is in support of The Station Family Fund for the families of the victims of The Station nightclub fire. (Further reading: Mimi Fishman Foundation) |
Feb. 14, '05 | The Grammy Award for "best solo rock vocal performance" did not go to Tom Waits, who was nominated for Metropolitan Glide, but to Bruce Springsteen for his song Code of Silence. |
Feb. 16, '05 | American Routes dedicates its Cool Ivories show to Dave Brubeck and Tom Waits (includes interview). (Further reading: American Routes) |
Apr. 5, '05 | The 7th annual The Method Fest Independent Film Festival in Calabasas, Ca., will be screening "East Of Sunset" (world premiere). This music-driven project written by Heather Miller and directed by Brian McNelis showcases the early songs of Tom Waits' career. The films soundtrack consists entirely of covers of songs written by Waits in his early years from 1973 through 1983. East Of Sunset was nominated for three awards and won two at the 7th annual Method Fest Independent Film Festival in Calabasas, Ca. Emily Stiles won Best Actress in a Feature Film and the production won the Maverick Award for quality in a low-budget feature. Heather Miller's orignal screenplay was also nominated for Best Screenplay. (Further reading: Method Fest Independent Film Festival, "East Of Sunset" official site) |
Mar. 11, '05 | Release of the animated feature "Robots". Directed by Chris Wedge (Blue Sky Studios/ Bunny). The picture will be simultaneously released to both IMAX� and conventional theatres. On the soundtrack is Waits's "Underground" (not on soundtrack album). (Further reading: Blue Sky Studios) |
Mar. 21, '05 | Through April 11, Minneapolis producer/ director Robert Berdahl's will stage his production of "Warm Beer Cold Women," featuring an array of Waits songs. With pianist Dan Chouinard, accordionist Mark Stillman and vocalists Katy Hays, Dennis Curley and Berdahl. 8 p.m. Mondays through April 11; Music Box Theatre, 1407 Nicollet Ave., Mpls. (Source: Pioneer Press. March 17, 2005. Further reading: Warm Beer Cold Women official site) |
Mar. 22. '05 | Ictus Ensemble from Belgium will give interpretations of works by Kurt Weill and Tom Waits at The fourth Tongyeong International Music Festival (TIMF) in Tongyeong/ Korea. (Further reading: Tongyeong International Music Festival) |
Mar. 31, '05 | Waits visits Dali exhibition in Philadelphia: "How surreal to see gravel-voiced singer-songwriter Tom Waits, with wife and collaborator Kathleen Brennan and family, touring the Salvador Dal� exhibition at the Art Museum on Thursday. Waits, who lives in Northern California and is sight-seeing on the East Coast, also visited Elfreth's Alley and the Betsy Ross House before dining at Old City's Buddakan. Laid-back and gracious was the museum folks' line on him." (Source: "Dal�-ances", Michael Klein. The Philadelphia Inquirer. April 3, 2005) |
Apr. 1, '05 | Tom Waits tribute at the Visulite Theatre, Charlotte, NC (USA), with Bruce Hazel; David Childers; Todd Busch; and members of Sea of Cortez; Houston Brothers; Tyre Fyre; Lou Ford. (Source: Visulite Theatre official site) |
Apr. 6, '05 | The Ahmanson Theatre (Music Center, Los Angeles/ USA) announced its 2006 run of The Black Rider: April 26 - June 11, 2006. Further reading: Ahmanson Theatre official site |
Apr. 14, '05 | Stewart D'Arrietta's "Tom Waits For No Man" at Chapel Off Chapel (Prahran/ Australia). April 14 until May 1, 2005. "Tom Waits for No Man, a wild, sprawling romp that features a gravel-voiced, consumed and sometimes shirtless D'Arrietta on the piano, premiered at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2002. The show is an original and unusual combination of about 25 Waits songs, D'Arrietta's extravagant interpretation of them, and his own stories about what the songs, and Waits, mean to him... The show has D'Arrietta on piano and accordion, Ian Bloxham on marimba, vibraphone and drums, Phillip Rex on double bass, and Anthony Barrett on guitar." (Source: "Inspired by dark poetry" The Age, April 14, 2005. By Fiona Scott-Norman) |
Apr. 19, '05 | Waits might take legal actions against Opel/ GM for their "Opel, Zafira people mover" commercial. Further reading: Copyright Scandinavian ad men incur the wrath of Waits: "Opel cars is in hot water after it screened advertisements in Scandinavia featuring a soundtrack spookily similar to the style and sound of Tom Waits. Even the 'impersonator's singing voice was a close match. Waits is now taking legal advice and has issued the following statement:"In answer to the many queries I have received: No, I did not do the Opel car commercial currently running on TV in Scandinavia. I have a long-standing policy against my voice or music being used in commercials and I have lawyers over there investigating my options. But I got to tell you, it doesn't look good. This is the third car ad, after Audi in Spain and Lancia in Italy. "If I stole an Opel, Lancia, or Audi, put my name on it and resold it, I'd go to jail. But over there they ask, you say no, and they hire impersonators. They profit from the association and I lose time, money, and credibility. What's that about? "Commercials are an unnatural use of my work... it's like having a cow's udder sewn to the side of my face. Painful and humiliating." Waits was informed of the ad after fans contacted his label, many assuming it was the man himself. Waits isn't exactly unfamiliar with the legal process - over the last 20-or-so years he has taken a series of successful legal actions preventing his music and image from being used in association with commercial products." (Source: "Scandinavian ad men incur the wrath of Waits", by Michael Diver. April 19, 2005. Drowned In Sound.com)
Tom Waits Objects to Another TV Ad: "Tom Waits, who has successfully sued in the past over the use of impersonations of his voice and musical style, is now taking on Opel, a European subsidiary of General Motors, in response to a new ad. "I have a longstanding policy against my voice or music being used in commercials," Mr. Waits said in a statement this week, "and I have lawyers over there investigating my options." Mr. Waits has sued Audi over imitations of his voice in commercials, and in 1993 he won a $2.5-million suit against Frito-Lay for a Doritos ad. In a statement, Opel responded, "We actually are surprised about the fact that Tom Waits considers the music that goes with the current TV commercial 'Lullaby' for a range of Opel cars as a potential misuse of his voice and style of singing." Opel said that the underlying music was by Brahms, that it had not approached Mr. Waits and that the only celebrity singer it had considered was Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. "But before even starting any negotiations, a Frankfurt-based singer was found who delivered an excellent rough voice interpretation for the 'Wiegenlied' theme in English," the company added, referring to the Brahms "Lullaby." Mr. Waits said: "If I stole an Opel, Lancia or Audi, put my name on it and resold it, I'd go to jail. But over there they ask, you say no, and they hire impersonators." (Source: "Arts, Briefly" Compiled by Lawrence Van Gelder. The New York Times, Ben Sisario. April 22, 2005) |
![]() |
TV screenshot from Scandinavian Opel Zafira commercial (April, 2005) |
Apr. 29, '05 | Jay Blakesberg photo exhibition at The Richard Goodall Gallery, Manchester/ UK, from April 29th to May 28th. The centerpiece of Blakesberg's first ever European exhibition, will be his portfolio of Tom Waits (Source: "The Photography Of Jay Blakesberg", Jambase. April 28, 2005. Further reading: Jay Blakesberg official site) |
May 6, '05 | Dances With Films festival will be screening "East Of Sunset" (Tom Waits music-driven project, written by Heather Miller and directed by Brian McNelis). (Further reading: Dances With Films. "East Of Sunset" official site) |
May 7, '05 | Tom Waits Fights to Stay Out of Advertising: Radio station WHYY featured a news item about artists and advertisements, including the Opel case and a telephone call with Tom Waits - through NPR's "All Things Considered" |
May 18, '05 | It is confirmed Waits will not appear in the upcoming movie "Prairie Home Companion" by Robert Altman. See: Jul. 24, '04 (Source: Pioneer Press/ Star Tribune. May, 2005) |
May 26, '05 | Dutch radio station 3FM (VPRO) will broadcast a 46-minute edit from the Amsterdam concert (November 21, 2004 - Theater Carr�, Amsterdam) on their "3voor12" radio show |
Jun. 2, '05 | Publisher sues Warner Music over Waits tunes. By Chris Morris: "Third Story Music, a Los Angeles-based music publishing firm and the successor to the production company that managed singer-songwriter Tom Waits early in his career, has filed a federal suit against Warner Music Group, alleging that Waits has been shortchanged on the sale of digital downloads. The action, filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles on Tuesday, stems from 1972 and 1977 contracts signed by Third Story principal Herb Cohen and Warner-owned Asylum Records regarding Waits' services. The Waits recordings at issue include such early albums as "Closing Time," "The Heart of Saturday Night," "Small Change" and "Heartattack and Vine." According to the suit, under the terms of the two contracts, Waits was entitled to royalties of either 25% or 50% from revenues derived from third-party licenses. Third Story maintains that digital music downloads constitute a form of third-party license, and that Waits is entitled to payment at that level. In 2003-04 royalty statements to Third Story, WMG computed royalties from Waits' digital download sales at the same (and much lower) rate as royalties from the sale of physical product. Under the terms of the '70s Asylum contracts regarding album sales, Waits would be entitled to either 9% or 13% of the 67 cents received by WMG from each 99-cent download. The action says that in February, Third Story sent a formal notice questioning the accuracy of royalty statements to WMG. The music company replied in March that downloads "are sold to customers such as iTunes and Listen.com just as physical product is sold to...Best Buy and Virgin." Third Story seeks a declaration that compensation for downloads is governed by the third-party license provisions of the Asylum agreements, and damages in an amount to be determined. A spokeswoman for WMG, which recently went public about a year after being sold to a private investor group by Time Warner Inc., said the company had no comment." (Source: � Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved) |
Jun. 15, '05 | Published: "Innocent When You Dream." Edited by Mac Montandon (Thunder's Mouth Press, 2005). Reader with articles, reviews and interviews. On June 14, there will be a book launch party for "Innocent When You Dream: The Tom Waits Reader" at the KGB Bar (New York City). (Further reading: Publishers Group West catalog) |
Jun. 17, '05 | Waits is to be a judge in the International Songwriting Competition, 2005 (Source: International Songwriting Competition. June 17, 2005) |
Jun. 18, '05 | Tom Waits tribute at the Atrium, The Hague/ The Netherlands. Featuring: Rood (Nighthawks At The Diner) and Dimitri Verhulst. |
Jul. 5-30, '05 | Fifth "Waiting For Waits" Festival in Palma de Mallorca/ Spain (Tomeo Gomila). Info/ reservations: [email protected] |
Jul. 23, '05 | Hommage A Tom Waits (tribute to Tom Waits) at Caf� la Petite Gaule. Montreal/ Canada (Source: Caf� la Petite Gaule official site) |
Jul. 25, '05 | Waits to receive lifetime achievement award (Keeping The Torch Lit): "Most days, Rhys Williams steps before his 2,100 degree "glory hole" furnace before dawn, but with a hot job to finish this week, the Claremont glassblower sweated out Monday's peak heat. While cubicle dwellers and mall tenders get by within their climate-controlled arctic bubbles, immune to the record temperatures outside, others toil at the hottest jobs in town. On Monday, sweat poured from Williams as he worked a lump of glass into shape within the fierce white flames of his furnace. He has few days to finish a totemic glass object to be presented as a lifetime achievement award to the gravel-voiced musician Tom Waits." (Source: "Like it or not, some do it hot". Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. July 25, 2005. By Kenneth Todd Ruiz) |
Jul. 29, '05 | "Keeping The Torch Lit" Award Ceremony honoring Tom Waits in the Bank of America Theater at the National Hispanic Cultural Center (Albuquerque, NM). Christopher Coppola will discuss the creative process with Mr. Waits. (Source: Ears xx1 official site. July 25, 2005) |
![]() |
"Keeping The Torch Lit" Award Ceremony (w. Christopher Coppola). Credits: The Duke City Shoot Out/ Ears xx1 official site |
Aug. 4-7, '05 | Fifth international Tom Waits fans meeting "Straydogs Party" in Hadsten/ Denmark. Hosted by Peter Sander. With live performance by Rood. |
Aug. 25, '05 | Jam! Showbiz claims Tom Waits is rumoured to play a part in the upcoming movie The Assassination of Jesse James. According to Jam! Paul Schneider, Jeremy Renner and Garret Dillahunt will play opposite Brad Pitt. Also rumoured to be taking part - according to Jam! - are Nick Cave and Zooey Deschanel (Source: "The gang's all here" by Louis B. Hobson - Calgary Sun. August 25, 2005) |
Aug. 28, '05 | Opening of Stewart D'Arrietta's musical tribute to Tom Waits "Belly Of A Drunken Piano" (previously known as "Tom Waits For No Man", Adelaide Cabaret Festival) at the Soho Playhouse New York/ USA. Closing date: October 9, 2005 (Source: Soho Playhouse official site. August 21, 2005) |
Aug. 29, '05 | The Black Rider (co-production between Ground Zero Theatre, the Calgary Opera and the November Theatre) won five Betty Mitchell Awards (Calgary's professional theatre prizes). The show took home prizes for: Musical direction (Corinne Kessel), Costume design (Marissa Kochanski), Outstanding direction (Ron Jenkins), Outstanding production of a musical, FFWD Reader's Choice Award (Source: "Black Rider, ATP big winners at the Bettys" by Matthew Halliday - Calgary Sun. August 30, 2005) |
Sep. 7, '05 | Documentary film "Long Gone" (Jack Cahill/ David Eberhardt) aired on Dutch national TV ("Karel's Keuze". AVRO, Ned2). Original music by Tom Waits. |
Sep. 13, '05 | DVD release of "East Of Sunset" Movie written by Heather Miller, directed by Brian McNelis. Executive Producer: Evan Cohen (Third Story/ Manifesto Records) Tom Waits is not involved in this movie. The soundtrack only holds Asylum songs (Third Story/ Herb & Evan Cohen). On soundtrack: 01 Lonely - [the] caseworker 02.Ruby's Arms - [the] caseworker 03.Heart Attack and Vine - Lydia Lunch 04. I Hope that I Don't Fall in Love with You - [the] caseworker 05.Downtown - Alex Chilton 06. Better Off Without a Wife - Pete Shelley 07. Poncho's Lament - [the] caseworker 08.New Coat of Paint - Lee Rocker 09.You Can't Unring a Bell - These Immortal Souls 10.Cinny's Waltz - [the] caseworker 11.Broken Bicycles - Botanica 12.Old Shoes - [the] caseworker 13. Ruby's Arms - Frente! 14. Old Shoes - Drugstore 15. Poncho's Lament (Instrumental) - [the] caseworker 16. Lonely (Instrumental) - [the] caseworker 17. Old Shoes (Instrumental) - [the] caseworker 18. Ruby's Arms (Instrumental) - [the] caseworker. (Further reading: "East Of Sunset" official site) |
Sep. 15, '05 | Tom Waits Files Suit Against General Motors' Opel and Ad Agency for TV Commercial: "LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tom Waits, the gravelly voiced, Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, has filed suit against General Motors' Opel and the ad agency McCann Erickson in Frankfurt, Germany for producing and broadcasting a series of car commercials that used a perfect impersonation of Waits' singing voice. Waits had been approached several times and refused to participate in the advertisements. After the defendants were told that Waits has a long-standing policy against doing commercials, their agents hired a soundalike singer to imitate Waits, according to the lawsuit. The commercials were produced in Germany, and aired throughout Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway in late winter and early spring of this year. Among other claims, the suit charges the defendants with violating Waits' personality rights under German law. Waits seeks recovery from defendants' ill-gotten gains, including their profits. This action is supported by a recent German case involving misuse of the iconic Marlene Dietrich's personality rights. In April of this year, Waits issued a press release to assure confused fans who had mistaken the soundalike for him that he had not done the ad or changed his policy to keep his music, voice and image out of commercials. General Motors (the parent company of Opel) countered by claiming in the press that it did not seek out Waits or intend to use his voice, but the facts disclosed in Waits' new suit depict an ad agency and its client determined to bring Tom Waits' unique voice to their campaign. "Apparently," Waits said, "the highest compliment our culture grants artists nowadays is to be in an ad -- ideally naked and purring on the hood of a new car. I have adamantly and repeatedly refused this dubious honor. Currently accepting in my absence is my German doppelganger. While the court can't make me active in radio, I am asking it to make me radioactive to advertisers." Tom Waits" (Source: PR Newswire Association LLC. September 15, 2005). Further reading: Copyright |
Sep. 16, '05 | Belgian Ictus Ensemble will be performing their Waits/Weill project at the Ostend (Belgium) Casino Kursaal. This performance is a musical production with arrangements by Fran�ois Deppe, Jean-Luc Fafchamps and Fabian Fiorini for a line-up of 13 musicians of songs by Kurt Weill and Tom Waits, with soprano Judith Vindevogel and rocksinger Kris Dane. After the Ostend show, the tour concludes in Grenoble (France) on December 6th. (Source: Ictus official site) |
Sep. 20, '05 | Waits will be joining the "From The Big Apple to The Big Easy" benefit for Hurricane Katrina victims (confirmed September 13, 2005): "The big Sept. 20 Madison Square Garden benefit for Hurricane Katrina victims just got bigger. So big, in fact, Radio City Music Hall will be open the same night for even more acts. Among the performers at the Radio City show are Dave Matthews, Tom Waits, Joss Stone, Trey Anastasio, John Mayer, the Meters, and Galactic with the Mardi Gras Indians. Simon and Garfunkel and Elvis Costello will join the previously announced artists at the Garden, who include Elton John, Bette Midler and Lenny Kravitz." (Source: New York Post Online Edition. September 13, 2005 "More Acts For Katrina Benefit") Line up: Larry Taylor: Bass; Stephen Hodges: Drums; Smokey Hormel: Guitar; Charlie Musselwhite: Harp and Marc Ribot.Set list: Way Down in the Hole, Jesus Gonna be Here, Get Behind the Mule, Murder in the Red Barn, Take Care of All My Children, I Wish I was in New Orleans, House Where Nobody Lives, Make it Rain (encore with Marc Ribot)
New York Times: "But the night's most memorable performance came from perhaps the least jubilant performer: Tom Waits. "I'm telling ya right now, I wish New Orleans was dry and Washington was under water," he growled, and when he returned for the night's only encore, he did a squint-eyed version of "Make It Rain." He sounded a bit like the city he commemorated: old and weird and set in his ways and intent � no matter what � on staying the same." (Source: "Funk, Blues, and Jams That Were Big and Easy" By Kelefa Sanneh. The New York Times. September 21, 2005) |
![]() |
"From The Big Apple to The Big Easy" benefit for Hurricane Katrina victims. Radio City Music Hall/ N.Y.C./ USA. Credits: photography by Jon Simon |
Sep. 21, '05 | An auction hosted by the San Francisco Academy of Art University to benefit the victims of hurrican Katrina has raised over $17,000. Amongst the items sold, was artwork by Tom Waits. Further reading: Academy Of Art University official site |
Sep. 23, '05 | Unreleased Waits Track Leads Katrina Benefit CD: "An exclusive track featuring Tom Waits and the Kronos Quartet (What's He Building) leads the lineup for an upcoming double-disc compilation from clothing retailer Urban Outfitters and Filter magazine. The project will be available in mid-October in 80 Urban Outfitters stores and through the company's Web site. Proceeds will be donated to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Only 10,000 copies will be made available, from which the companies hope to raise $150,000 for the American Red Cross." (Source: Billboard magazine. By Katie Hasty, N.Y. Edited By Jonathan Cohen. September 23, 2005) |
Sep. 25, '05 | Musical tribute to Tom Waits. Cultureel Podium Roepaen. Ottersum/ The Netherlands. By: Andre Manuel, Bart-Jan Baartmans, Gerco Aerts, Arend Bouwmeester and Stephan van der Meijden. (Source: Cultureel Podium Roepaen official site. September 25, 2005) |
Oct. 2, '05 | Premiere (Austin/ USA) of the movie Domino (See Dec. 17, '04). "Tom Waits has made an unexpected return to film with a small role (as a wandering soothsayer) in the Tony Scott directed "Domino," starring Keira Knightly, Mickey Rourke and Christopher Walken in this true life story of Domino Harvey. Domino -- the real life daughter of esteemed British actor Laurence Harvey -- who turned far away from her successful career as a Ford model to become a bounty hunter. According to Waits on why he took the part, "They won me in a poker game." (Source: "Tom Waits Return to the Big Screen in Domino" by James Wray. MonstersAndCritics.com. December 17, 2004)"During a key scene at the end of the second act, the audience is suddenly introduced to yet another character, 'The Wanderer,' played by singer/songwriter Tom Waits. He appears in the desert seemingly out of nowhere, similar to the role of the chorus in a Greek tragedy. "The Wanderer explains a lot," says Scott. "Basically, he gives a summation of what's happened up to that point in the story. He also seems to have a psychic connection with Domino but no one knows if he is real or simply a figment of the imagination." Scott and Waits discussed the origin of the character and decided he would be a gun toting, Seventh Day Adventist sporting a bandaged hand. He also foreshadows what is about to come." (Source: Domino official production notes, 2005) |
Oct. 5, '05 | Shooting of the movie Wristcutters (a comic tale about the journey through the afterlife for suicides) has finished. Tom Waits is quoted as one of the actors. Movie was written and directed by Goran Dukic (Source: Wristcutters official site. October, 2005) |
Oct. 14, '05 | Release of La Tigre E La Neve. Movie directed by Roberto Benigni. Has a cameo by Tom Waits performing "You Can Never Hold Back Spring" |
Oct. 28, '05 | Inside a Broken Clock: "A Tom Waits Peepshow is a small-scale spectacular featuring dance, puppetry, comedy and other vaudeville-style weirdness, set to the music of Tom Waits and played live by some of Austin's finest junkyard musicians." Shows: The Victory Grill, Austin: October 28 & 29. Arts on Real, Austin: November 4 & 5. (Source: Broken Clock Cabaret official site, 2005) |
Oct. 29, '05 | Tim Robbins, Marisa Tomei, Don Cheadle, Eva Mendes, Alfre Woodard, and Tom Waits will perform a staged reading of "Impossible Boulevard", adapted from the book 40 Lives-From Homelessness to Hope at the Kirk Douglas in Culver City, CA. The evening, hosted by Arianna Huffington, will include the performance and a post-show reception with the cast. Proceeds will benefit The Actors' Gang Theatre Company and OPCC, a Westside network of shelters and services for homeless youth, adults and families, battered women and their children, and people living with mental illness. (Source: OPCC official site, 2005). Waits performed: "Cold Water", "Tom Traubert's Blues" and "You Can Never Hold Back Spring" and he joined the actors for a hand-holding lineup bow. (Source: email from October 30, 2005 as sent by Dorene LaLonde to Tom Waits Yahoo Groups discussion list) |
![]() |
Reception after the performance of "Impossible Boulevard - From Homelessness To Hope". With Tim Robbins and Alfre Woodard. Date: Kirk Douglas Theatre, Los Angeles/ USA. October 29, 2005. Credits: photography by Michael Buckner |
Nov. 2, '05 | Waits is designing Zoetrope's Winter 2005 issue, to be released in mid december. The issue includes contributions from Mary Gaitskill, Miranda July, Charles D'Ambrosio, and Paul Auster, among others; and will mark the magazine's first edition to be printed on glossy paper. Further reading: Zoetrope All-Story |
![]() |
Cover for Zoetrope All-Story Winter 2005 edition. Picture by Tom Waits. |
Nov. 5, '05 | 7th Annual Tom Waits Tribute Night at Sam Bond's Garage in Eugene, Oregon. The tribute will feature Mood Area 52 and special guests. Presenting the entire album of "Alice" with a variety of performers. (Source: Eugene Poetry Slam official site, 2005) |
Dec. 7, '05 | Waits turned 56 |
Further reading |