Tom Waits – Big Time

   When in 1988 Island Records released Big Time, the 12th official album of Tom Waits, many have guessed it was about the end of the entire era. It had been issued in parallel with the film of the same title, and in the matter of fact as a kind of soundtrack for the movie. Tom Waits who was hardened in mid 70’s while being both late beatnik and avant-garde bard, a decade later became famous as author of songs, composer, singer, actor and creator of project that made him the guru of an alternative music. Some were convinced that after Tom Waits married Kathleen Brennan, his direction has changed. Maybe she was the one, who opened him for Captain Beefheart’s music and ideas, but in this decade Waits’ creative activity was equally high as before and development was even more rapid. He was heading almost the same direction as Beefheart few years before, but even if he has changed, this was more like following the changing times. And the times were really changing.
   The general tendency was visible yet in some of Tom Waits’ songs from last Asylum years. The title song of his last Asylum album Heartattack and Wine (1980) shows he was moving towards folk and blues aiming the same ideas Captain Beefheart did before. But Waits did it on his own way – where Beefheart was rough and individualized, Waits was nostalgic and socialized. This was the main difference between Beefheart and Waits – folk blues expression versus moving folk lyricism and catchy country tunes. In early 80’s he started his association with Island Records, beginning the period of his great albums – by many recognized as his best works – Swordfishtrombones (1983), Rain Dogs (1985) and Frank’s Wild Years (1987). The last accord of this series was Big Time, live album with songs mostly known from earlier studio recordings, but in live versions performed during 1987 tour.

Tom Waits – Big Time (1988)

   The album Big Time is much more than just an alternative version of the movie, it is rather complementary vision of these songs in better audio quality and with audience interaction. Both are perfect closings for the narrative continuity of prior records and kind of climax ending the chapter of artist biography – this chapter included also acting in best movie productions and participation in recording sessions with different artists. In 70’s he was underground individual, in 80’s he became alternative celebrity and one of most recognized artists. Recorded in November 1987 and released in September next year, Big Time was great artistic success. Recordings came from gigs in Warfield Theatre in San Francisco and Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. Both, film and record gave the most accurate picture of Waits’ live performances, including acting and talking to the public in the movie and all songs in perfectly fitting edition. The song Falling Down is unpublished studio recording. It’s a kind of bridge between Way Down in the Hole and written for Marianne Faithful Strange Weather – a magic moment in the movie and the end of A Side.

Tom Waits – Big Time – Strange Weather (1988)

   But what was the real value of these productions, these are kind of recapitulations of Waits’ creative achievements. One can find here biting wit and pure nonsensical skits as well as rational insights and touching ballads. Different instrumental settings bringing sound stylized on a cheap cabaret band with great power of expression. The band saxophonist Ralph Carney is playing various horns including tenor and alto saxophones played simultaneously on stage. Jazz musicians guitarist Marc Ribot and bassist Greg Cohen playing also alto sax are well known for their rich artistic activities. The group includes Willy Schwarz playing accordion, organ, sitar and conga and the drummer Michael Blair who was also a parto of staff recording Rain Dogs album. Including so powerful personalities instrumental lineup of Waits’ band is sometimes neglected. Many critics just don’t remember how strong the impact of this band was in times of plastic electronic instruments. This presentation really showed there are no different Waitses and different periods are only mind constructions for better understanding the process of artistic development. Strong and bright four stars.

Tom Waits – Rain Dogs

   Tom Waits was always a star in the niche reserved for personalities in conflict with official structures. Of course every creative artist is against the world he found not sufficient, this discord is basic mechanism of creation in general. But sometimes it comes to be the way of life. It can be called bohemian or hipster, the terms are varying, but in the core it is always the same. One of conditions of creative attitude is not to subordinate and to have enough courage to say it loud. And Tom Waits was artist who did this in seventies, when retired heroes of seventies revolts enjoyed fame and fortune. This is the reason why his early club concerts and recordings were popular only among small group of fervent followers. In eighties he became famous and even if he made some changes, he was still in opposition to mainstream of pop, post disco, post punk music played in TV. In Waits creative biography this was the time of trilogy – Swordfishtrombones (1984), Rain Dogs (1985) and Frank’s Wild Years (1987).
   The ninth album by Tom Waits – or better, his presence – makes culture of the eighties more human and open than it really was. There’s no coincidence in times of Reagganite antisocial politics and empty gesture of anticommunist propaganda, a bunch of avant-garde musicians recorded series of albums steeped in nostalgia for the difficult times of great crisis, dark after war poetry, revolting outsiders, beatniks, crude folk and dirty but so sincere delta blues sound. It was just another answer for the same question, which set themselves counterculture artists. And in eighties it was even more troubled than any time before, because this time it was against prosperous society dreaming the republican dream in beginnings of postindustrial era. Mainstream media were focused on easy and mild version of American music that was quite different to what could be heard in Detroit, Chicago, Seattle or New Orleans. 

Tom Waits – Rain Dogs (1985)

   Recording of Rain Dogs was crucial moment in the creative process. During sessions in RCA studios Waits was supported by 23 musicians. It is some more than personnel of average star of pop or jazz music. And this is not the orchestra but a bunch of great personalities. Ralph Carney, saxophonist with rich sound so well respondent to Waits’ timbre, working with singer for years and guest stars John Lurie on alto saxophone and Arno Hecht on tenor, long term double bass player Greg Cohen, Larry Taylor and guest Tony Levine on bass, G. E. Smith and Marc Ribot on guitars, Stephen Hodges on drums and percussionist Bobby Previte, Bob Funk on trombone and William Schimmel on accordion – many of them were regular members of Waits’ band, but in group of incidental stars it is hard to omit Keith Richards playing guitar and backing vocals. Listing could be long, even if list is only two dozen names; every musician has his own contribution to the sound of this album.
   It is a mystery of his talent how he melted all the elements together. The irony outweighs the depressive vision of loneliness in the deep night, when rain washed out streets and dogs have lost the way home. Projected title of this album had to be Evening Train Wrecks. Everything here shows the world is wretched place and everything is convincing our sensitivity can do it better – maybe even not much, but better place. Two songs from the Rain Dogs were used in movie Down by Law by Jim Jarmusch. Tom Waits played Zack one of main characters of this movie – other two actors were John Lurie as Jack and Roberto Begnini as Roberto. Opening sequence capturing New Orleans and its outskirts is clear reference to Jockey Full of Bourbon song and in a way to the whole Rain Dogs album.