Ghost Train RadioTom Waits: Rain Dogs and Mardi Gras
My latest joy has been listening to Tom Waits albums with some good strong smoky roasted coffee before sunrise each chilly morning here in Northern California.
I’ve known about Tom Waits since 1981 – when my boss at Kodak in Rochester told me how much he loved his music. I’ve always enjoyed his most well known songs, but finally am listening to all of his full albums.
I love his dirty blues songs with a jazzy or even 1930’s blues-jazz concoctions replete with very interesting instruments like harmonium. “Walking Spanish” just played. God. his lyrics are to die for.
His music has just enough Captain Beefheart influence, but I love how he is his own with his own style.
Some of his more poppy songs are also awesome, like “Downtown Train”. His “spooky” songs fits my likings as far as some of my photography and all of my assemblage pieces go.
His New Orleans inspired funeral dirge blues and his experimental stuff remind me of New Orleans and Mardis Gras – even though I believe this album was loosely about NYC down and outers.
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