Ran into him just a couple years ago in the tiny airport of Santa Fe, New Mexico. He almost missed his plane because he was so wrapped up in his own private universe, tapping his foot and rocking back and forth (though not as pronounced as in this video). I had to point out to him that his flight had been called ages ago... he showed me his ticket and said "For real?", I said "For real" and walked him to the gate. I so badly wanted to talk to him, thank him for his music, but didn't want to interrupt his musings.
This is an amazing look into his legendary Tropicana phase. Before he met Kathleen, before he got married and polished like a new dime. How he ever pulled into his persona is a real mystery. Self-invented out of the ashes of the 40’s and 50’s, he was such a staggering departure from the acoustic guitar strumming songwriters all trying to surpass Bob Dylan. Tom was completely fishing off a different pier, on a different coast of a mythic shore of a strange island port bar. As if his parents were refugees from a Filipino/ Cuban Cruise Ship Directors gig with no direction home. Somehow out of this incredible chaos, he became a sober family man who is perhaps our greatest living songsmith.
Beautifully said. I find parallels between Tom and Hunter Thompson. They both dug out unique personas and perspectives completely counter-intuitive to their peers. Ships of Jewels, not fools, these two. Bug-eyed geniuses.
Funny enough, some of his body language here reminds me of Dylan, specifically during his ‘66 tour. They must’ve been on the same stuff, cause the jittery rocking back and forth and strange finger positions remind me of that interview where Dylan was like “I just wanna go home.” Both look pretty strung out. Here’s the vídeo, if you’re interested (the part I’m talking about is right at the end): ua-cam.com/video/adCrkOY5vDQ/v-deo.html
Great! Interesting to see him honing his character early in his career. It's all stage craft, but I loved it at the time. My guess is he never actually lived in that Tropicana apartment, but it made a great prop. Thanks for this.
Tom W. did live at the Tropicana. I visited him there, I was from San Diego where we both went to High School (in Chula Vista-HILLTOP HIGH). Anyways, his apartment was always in a continuos laughing riot.
@@samueljones3790 He sure did. I lived /stayed downstairs in Chuck E.'s room whenever he was gone. Susan and Damian Hardin lived in the front of the house (Tim Hardin's ex.)
FYI, Tom wasn't putting on a shtick or a persona. This is simply Tom's personality! After hearing Tom talk about his struggle with Auditory Processing Disorder and noise sensitivity, seeing him stimming, and also see him avoiding eye contact I personally believe that he's on the high functioning end of Autism. Tom shows autistic kids that there's nothing wrong with them! He shows them that they don't have to mask their behaviors in order to find approval. Tom is himself wherever he goes. And, he's loved exactly for who he is. This is the kind of representation we need to see in the media!
i have a different understanding of the situation ;) to me it seems as hes been up for far too long and still buzzing like crazs. propably amphetamins. smokes chain, one after the other, same with beer at early daytime. his voice too fucked up for even his standards too sing. he clearly is high as a kite.
This is real history right here. Performers, pay attention. This really is Tom finding himself at this period of time. Keep in mind, just a few years later he'd release "Swordfishtrombone" - an album FULL of performance and theatrics. Something he hasn't let go to this day. Man, this is great.
muchas gracias for the upload! ive been looking for this for years as it seemed to had dissappeared. what a document of his early years! totally wasted but still witty and beautiful in his expression.i really love that clip.
"You wanna walk in my shoes?" Tom was also on the Dinah Shore show but videos from that have to be leased for special events, etc. At least that was the case when I researched these maybe 20 years ago.
As a fairly recent discoverer of Tom Waits, who I think is a genius, I find him fascinating. At first sight he looks like a substance-addled wreck, yet even in thin interview his brain and his wit are pin-sharp, and I find it hard to shake off the feeling that he has fooled everyone with a created persona. Unless he is a great an actor as he is a songwriter I know it's unlikely, but something just doesn't quite seem to add up!
His piano was famously in the kitchen, jammed into the counter, very tight space. He didn't have big furniture like that couch either. He had lawn chairs. This isn't his crib. The video performance is stellar though, this isn't a complaint.
I don't know anything about Tom Waits, only heard a song or two of his. What I see here is a man in the throes of some kind of mental illness. Glad to hear he pulled out of it later.
This looks like this was filmed during Tom's as yet unknown and secret "meth head up for a week" stage. (before he transitioned into a drunk, and finally a secret clean and sober stage) It's either that or he just got out of a "special" hospital and the thorazine hadn't worn off yet?
@@MelancholyProductions Yeah it's burma shave. My favourite version, although his version of it with herb hardesty is incredible. Does summertime into burma shave, its amazing.
Band members of The Turtles, who created this interview show. There's one with David Bowie. They used to have Soupy Sales as a neighbor in their building.
Got that as well. Joke's on them. They probably didn't know all the beauty that was right in front of their faces till someone pointed it out and made them realize it later.
@@Putocurioso Eh? They were in awe. Their whole shtick as interviewers, presenters and even performers was being kind of goofy and so of course there's an element of that but seriously, they thought Waits was/is a genius.
Funny how things turn out back in 1978 ~ No one cares if Flo & Eddie have a new record coming out but people are clamoring to get a new Tom Waits LP here at the tail end of 2022 ~ BTW where are Flo & Eddie now ~
![Frank Zappa & The Mothers - Live at The Roxy 1973 [extras]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/r7fyyhhuE7c/mqdefault.jpg)
![Frank Zappa & The Mothers - Live at The Roxy 1973 [extras]](/img/tr.png)
Ran into him just a couple years ago in the tiny airport of Santa Fe, New Mexico. He almost missed his plane because he was so wrapped up in his own private universe, tapping his foot and rocking back and forth (though not as pronounced as in this video). I had to point out to him that his flight had been called ages ago... he showed me his ticket and said "For real?", I said "For real" and walked him to the gate. I so badly wanted to talk to him, thank him for his music, but didn't want to interrupt his musings.
This is an amazing look into his legendary Tropicana phase. Before he met Kathleen, before he got married and polished like a new dime. How he ever pulled into his persona is a real mystery. Self-invented out of the ashes of the 40’s and 50’s, he was such a staggering departure from the acoustic guitar strumming songwriters all trying to surpass Bob Dylan. Tom was completely fishing off a different pier, on a different coast of a mythic shore of a strange island port bar. As if his parents were refugees from a Filipino/ Cuban Cruise Ship Directors gig with no direction home.
Somehow out of this incredible chaos, he became a sober family man who is perhaps our greatest living songsmith.
Yeah, he was also a bit of a dick to Rickie Lee Jones. I like the songs but this “character” really gets old quick.
Very well written Owen! I like how you left songsmith for the end :) Never read that word before. That's a very good description for waits.
Beautifully said. I find parallels between Tom and Hunter Thompson. They both dug out unique personas and perspectives completely counter-intuitive to their peers. Ships of Jewels, not fools, these two. Bug-eyed geniuses.
Funny enough, some of his body language here reminds me of Dylan, specifically during his ‘66 tour. They must’ve been on the same stuff, cause the jittery rocking back and forth and strange finger positions remind me of that interview where Dylan was like “I just wanna go home.” Both look pretty strung out.
Here’s the vídeo, if you’re interested (the part I’m talking about is right at the end):
ua-cam.com/video/adCrkOY5vDQ/v-deo.html
Yes indeed to all you wrote above, Owen.
Of course, this is unbelievably great.
When he plays the piano it's just like angels clearing the space of demons. Otherworldly ✨✨✨✨✨
Holy Moley actual recording of Tom at his Tropicana hovel...history with Flo and Eddie as well...wow
A one of a kind songwriter and performer, very underrated. Saw him work 5 or 6 times starting in the mid-70's. He never disappoints.
I’ve been a Tom Waits fan since I was thirteen years old and somehow, all these years, I’ve never seen this clip! This is fantastic!!
I thought I had seen everything, but never even knew this existed. Thanks for sharing!
I would like to submit this as evidence to why keeping your creative space as chaotic as possible is part of the creative process
It's when the silverfish start feeling comfy you gotta watch out..
girl you are rocking back and forth violently
misitua
@@greatlakeblake you get me
Great! Interesting to see him honing his character early in his career. It's all stage craft, but I loved it at the time. My guess is he never actually lived in that Tropicana apartment, but it made a great prop. Thanks for this.
Tom W. did live at the Tropicana. I visited him there, I was from San Diego where we both went to High School (in Chula Vista-HILLTOP HIGH). Anyways, his apartment was always in a continuos laughing riot.
@@samueljones3790 He sure did. I lived /stayed downstairs in Chuck E.'s room whenever he was gone. Susan and Damian Hardin lived in the front of the house (Tim Hardin's ex.)
FYI, Tom wasn't putting on a shtick or a persona. This is simply Tom's personality! After hearing Tom talk about his struggle with Auditory Processing Disorder and noise sensitivity, seeing him stimming, and also see him avoiding eye contact I personally believe that he's on the high functioning end of Autism.
Tom shows autistic kids that there's nothing wrong with them! He shows them that they don't have to mask their behaviors in order to find approval. Tom is himself wherever he goes. And, he's loved exactly for who he is. This is the kind of representation we need to see in the media!
i have a different understanding of the situation ;) to me it seems as hes been up for far too long and still buzzing like crazs. propably amphetamins. smokes chain, one after the other, same with beer at early daytime. his voice too fucked up for even his standards too sing. he clearly is high as a kite.
Yeah, this is clearly him not taking care of himself. I assume abusing substances and being up for days at a time, living the lifestyle.
This comment gave me brain damage. "Tom shows autistic kids that there's nothing wrong with them", This guy is high on heroin lmao.
@@420gg6 hilarious, right?
It’s an act… He is an actor who created this whole Persona to work within… to live within. Later, of course, he shed it, and created a whole new one.
This is real history right here. Performers, pay attention. This really is Tom finding himself at this period of time. Keep in mind, just a few years later he'd release "Swordfishtrombone" - an album FULL of performance and theatrics. Something he hasn't let go to this day. Man, this is great.
Booze and cocaine. I used to not like his music but I just hadn’t gotten it yet. Genius and such a wonderful man.
more like amphetamin
Thank you very much! :o)
FICKING PRICELESS! INTIMATE VIEW OF TOM!
Oh man he plays Burma Shave!
That was unexpected & wonderful.
I wonder if the rocking was an affectation.
Thanks for uploading this gem
this is beautiful. a genius
I used to think I didn't like Tom Waits. I was wrong...
A genius on a journey
Now I wanna watch 200 motels.
muchas gracias for the upload! ive been looking for this for years as it seemed to had dissappeared. what a document of his early years! totally wasted but still witty and beautiful in his expression.i really love that clip.
Bro! Thank you so much for posting. 🤯
I never saw the entire segment. The view of the Tropicana Motel at the beginning was cool.
The embodiment of imagination, like a made-up friend.
Tom is an imaginary friend to us all.
Tom Waits and the Turtles. That would've been a great musical hook up. Or better yet, Zappa & Mothers and Waits.
ua-cam.com/video/3M9Q0qkltDs/v-deo.html
Tom toured with Zappa in the beginning of his career.
The first time I ever saw him he opened for the Mothers and played solo piano.
Hmmm all Frank and Herb Cohen
I saw Flo & Eddie - great musical /comedy show
This is a fascinating clip. Never seen it.
Excellent 👍
Tom Waits is among the greatest film makers in American cinema -- yet not celluloid.
Tom Waits; at the end of those places... we've never been.
7:38 "it was either this or a career in air conditioning and refrigeration" LOL
"He earns millions of dollars but he lives here.'" He was known but not wealthy at this point .
Yes he was wealthy
This is true. Plus, L.A. has always been VERY expensive. Truth is, the place he lived in this video is most likely all he could afford.
@@josephozturk3288 Not at that time, though I'm sure he could have afforded a decent apartment.
I first saw Tom Waits on The Mike Douglas show. You want to talk culture clash!
"You wanna walk in my shoes?" Tom was also on the Dinah Shore show but videos from that have to be leased for special events, etc. At least that was the case when I researched these maybe 20 years ago.
@@sclogse1
Tom Waits is definitely an Acquired Taste. I like him A lot But....ya know what I mean.
He is the greatest songwriter this country has ever produced. Dylan is great, but forget it!
agreed.
Abso-Fucking-lutely Priceless!!!!
It's the Sun City Girls guy
4:52 he would later write the line “I ain’t no extra baby,I’m a leading man”
As a fairly recent discoverer of Tom Waits, who I think is a genius, I find him fascinating. At first sight he looks like a substance-addled wreck, yet even in thin interview his brain and his wit are pin-sharp, and I find it hard to shake off the feeling that he has fooled everyone with a created persona. Unless he is a great an actor as he is a songwriter I know it's unlikely, but something just doesn't quite seem to add up!
Tom Waits Pop Singer
🔥💙🔥
When the saints go marching in..brilliant vid! Burma shave far outA+
hey frank, where's flo ?
im not sure, but he'll be standing next to eddie
Brilliant. :o)
What song is that? Edit: it's 'Burma Shave'
true magic....people can say he ripped off Beefheart but he has the goods....a great songwriter
His piano was famously in the kitchen, jammed into the counter, very tight space. He didn't have big furniture like that couch either. He had lawn chairs. This isn't his crib. The video performance is stellar though, this isn't a complaint.
Does anyone know the name of the song he plays around 9:45
I don't know anything about Tom Waits, only heard a song or two of his. What I see here is a man in the throes of some kind of mental illness. Glad to hear he pulled out of it later.
Whatever happened to Flo and Eddie?
pop singer?
A blast from the past ?
This looks like this was filmed during Tom's as yet unknown and secret "meth head up for a week" stage. (before he transitioned into a drunk, and finally a secret clean and sober stage) It's either that or he just got out of a "special" hospital and the thorazine hadn't worn off yet?
Tom( Napoleon Dynamite)Waits
And now almost every piano bar in the country has some "hipster" performing, with a hat like Tom's, and wishing they had his talent.
wt kind of drugs was my mans on?
The right ones - jazz greats
alcohol and cocaine
@@dylanharkin8198 looks very much like amphetamin to me
Articulation still immaculate 👌
Most likely the jittery movements he makes were just apart of his shtick. Guy was method acting in these years.
that guy called tom a 'pop' singer lmao
9:11
what song is he playing? Burma? The piano sounds lovely in this video.
@@MelancholyProductions Yeah it's burma shave. My favourite version, although his version of it with herb hardesty is incredible. Does summertime into burma shave, its amazing.
Bad beer claimed interview
Clearly talented . But what is wrong with him ?
Who are Flo & Eddie?
Band members of The Turtles, who created this interview show. There's one with David Bowie. They used to have Soupy Sales as a neighbor in their building.
so good! Also kind of cringey with Flo and Eddie dissing Tom in a way - but I s
till love em
Got that as well. Joke's on them. They probably didn't know all the beauty that was right in front of their faces till someone pointed it out and made them realize it later.
@@Putocurioso Eh? They were in awe. Their whole shtick as interviewers, presenters and even performers was being kind of goofy and so of course there's an element of that but seriously, they thought Waits was/is a genius.
Funny how things turn out back in 1978 ~ No one cares if Flo & Eddie have a new record coming out but people are clamoring to get a new Tom Waits LP here at the tail end of 2022 ~ BTW where are Flo & Eddie now ~