Dark Voiced Poet: Who is Tom Waits?

Thomas Alan Waits, as his family called him, and Tom Waits, as he is known all over the world, was born on December 7, 1949, in California.

Tom Waits, who is considered one of the most successful musicians in both the USA and the world, is an actor as well as a singer, songwriter, musician, and composer.

Waits is one of the names that managed to attract attention with his personality as well as his distinctive voice.

Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He began in the folk scene during the 1970s, but his music since the 1980s has reflected the influence of such diverse genres as rock, country, Delta blues, opera, vaudeville, cabaret, funk, hip hop and experimental techniques verging on industrial music. Per The Wall Street Journal, Waits “has composed a body of work that’s at least comparable to any songwriter’s in pop today. 

Childhood

While he was still in primary school, he started playing the pipe and guitar, and then the ukulele with the guidance of his father.

Waits, who started living with his mother in San Diego after his parents divorced in 1959, joined a music group called the Systems at O'Farrell Public School, where he studied.

Waits became interested in R&B, soul, and country music; In those years, he began to be influenced by names such as Ray Charles, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, and Roy Orbison.

His youth

Waits, who described himself as a "rebel against the rebels" in the following years, began to follow the Beat Generation during his high school years.

Waits, who dropped out of high school when he was 18, first worked at a pizzeria in California. Finding himself intrigued by the customers' lives, both there and at a local restaurant where he worked, Waits began writing down the dialogues and expressions he heard.

Stating that he worked as a firefighter for three years, Tom Waits also worked as a Coast Guard Officer during the same years.

Entering the World of Music Step by Step

Waits studied photography for a short time, then started taking piano lessons and turned his attention to music.

He participated in folk music groups around San Diego. He worked as a bodyguard at the club called Heritage, where folk music artists performed, and appeared on stage from time to time.

Waits, who sang mainly Bob Dylan and Red Sovine songs at first, began to create his own style and use his own materials over time. During this period, it is possible to see influences of rock music as well as folk, vaudeville, and jazz in Waits' music.

Since his chances of advancing his music career in San Diego were low, he frequently traveled to Los Angeles to play at the Troubadour.

Encountering Herb Cohen

Waits was discovered by Herb Cohen, who also managed Frank Zappa, while he was playing at the Troubador. Cohen was more interested in Waits' songwriting than his singing.

Thus, Waits began his musical career as a songwriter in 1972 and also continued to perform at the Troubadour.

First Albums

Waits, who met David Geffen at the Troubadour, signed his first album deal with Asylum Records.

Closing Time was released to audiences in March 1973 but did not sell well.

Waits' first albums reflected his unique style and musical understanding. Although these albums were found successful by critics, they did not attract the attention of the audience.

Small Change

Waits released the album Small Change in 1976. This album allowed him to prove his musical talent and reach a wider audience.

Small Change was followed by the albums Foreign Affairs in 1977 and Blue Valentine in 1978.

First Movie: Paradise Alley

Tom Waits started his acting career in 1978 with the movie Paradise Alley, directed by Sylvester Stallone.

After 1978, he played in Wolfen in 1981. In the same year, he played a small role in the film One from the Heart, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and composed the music for the film.

Music by Tom Waits

Waits, who has produced nearly 20 albums and written dozens of lyrics, often features strange characters and places in his songs; It includes worn-out atmospheres like Bukowski, whose influence is clearly felt.

Waits married Kathleen Brennan in 1980, and Brennan's name was mentioned as the second songwriter in many of his song lyrics after the 1980s. Additionally, Brennan supported Waits in doing more experimental work. This enabled Waits to create bold, different, and extraordinary works over time.

Waits, who appeared in nearly 40 films throughout his life, also wrote lyrics and composed music for films and musicals such as The Fisher King and Bram Stoker's Dracula.