How we "met" Tom (I)

Aqui deixo alguns testemunhos de simples pessoas que, por uma ou outra razão, encontraram Tom Waits:

De:Colin (raindog4182@rogers.com)
Assunto:When did you get lucky?



Grupos de discussão:alt.music.tom-waits
Data:2004-03-14 19:35:36 PST


"Sorry if i fooled you with the subject line...

Anyways, after having a good conversation with Scott today, I got to
thinking... aren't we lucky? Yes, we are a minority, but its a great
minority... a few lucky people who somehow, some way, came across the
wonder of Waits & have thanked our lucky stars since...

Question is... how? When & how did you first come to know of Tom Waits?
Since almost none of us have heard his songs on the radio, there must be
a multitude of stories on how Mr. Waits came into our lives...

I'll go first. The year was 1992. I had just "wrapped up" my days at
university - three years where I managed to finish half a BA in
Philosophy (hey, Jim Morrison got me through high school). So, I decided
to go to college to get something "practical" - needless to say, I was
lost (but not in translation - that came later) & didn't know what the
hell I was doing...

I've always been a big fan of movies & that fall my girlfriend & I drove
into the Big Smoke to see an independent film by Jim Jarmusch. Now, the
reason I went? I was 22 & in love with Winona Ryder (I grew up since
then). The good thing about it? First, the movie was fantastic - but,
I became an instant fan of a little funny Italian guy (who became world
renowned a few years later) & was fascinated with the score &
soundtrack... I watched the credits & discovered that some guy named
"Tom Waits" was responsible...

Sooooo, I went shopping... first I picked up a copy (on cassette) of
Asylum Years. I listened to it forever - I think tape 1 got worn out
even! I then went out & bought all his "tapes" up to that point &
couldn't get enough... I'd listen to the same tape over & over & over
again; pop in the next one & repeat the cycle...

I've since bought the catalogue on CD (of course) & lamented that I came
into his timeline when he released an album every blue moon instead of
every year! I think it was 6-7 years from Bone Machine to Mule
Variations wasn't it? But at least all those earlier albums were there
to enjoy - and made waiting for the next one more worth it.

So, that's my story... thanks to Winona Ryder (who'd a thunk it, eh?).
I'm sure there are some stories out there a whole lot more interesting &
I'd love to see how others "met" Tom."

Colin