Any place is good for eavesdropping, if you know how to eavesdrop. Tom Waits More Quotes by Tom Waits More Quotes From Tom Waits If I exorcise my devils, all my angels may go, too. Tom Waits devil angel may Let me fall out of the window/ With confetti in my hair Tom Waits hair window fall I like vocal word stuff. But I don't always write with an instrument, I usually write a capella. It's more like drawing in the air with your fingers. It's closest to the choreography of a bee. You're freer. Tom Waits drawing air writing I like writing melody without an instrument. It's just so - it's more like the choreography of a bee; you just go. Tom Waits instruments bees writing I finally discovered that my life is more important than show business. Tom Waits important shows life-is All records are riddles, and whatever you may want people to think it's about, it may just be throwing them off. And you don't want it to get in the way of what someone else's understanding is. It's not really about anything. At the same time, it will find some meaning. Tom Waits understanding people thinking Now it's closing time/the music's fading out. Tom Waits closing-time fading closing I didn't really want to be part of a clique or a niche. But I also was looking for my own voice, as a writer, y'know? And a world I could call my own. Tom Waits voice want world My first big gig was an opening show for Frank Zappa, and I think that was difficult. Tom Waits gigs firsts thinking I'm usually more concerned with how things sound than how they look on the page. Tom Waits pages sound looks I don't go to church on Sunday, don't get on my knees to pray, or memorize the books of the Bible, I got my own special way Tom Waits sunday special book The first time I started listening to Irish music, I had a very strong connection. Strangely enough, there's a great many Japanese melodies and vocal styles that sound very much like Hungarian music. You start seeing all these cross-references and comparative, independent musical cultures. Tom Waits style independent strong I may be drunk but at least I'm not insane. Tom Waits drunk insane may Cross my wooden leg, swear on my glass eye. Tom Waits glasses eye expression I think some bands thrive on the idea of changing instruments. When they're off their real instrument, the ability to go very far from the original idea is reduced. Tom Waits real ideas thinking It's a battered old suitcase to a hotel someplace, and a wound that will never heal. No prima donna, the perfume is on an old shirt that is stained with blood and whiskey. Goodnight to the street sweepers, the night watchmen flame keepers and goodnight, Matilda, too. Tom Waits flames night travel I never looked at music as a serious venture. There was very little encouragement from my family. I didn't have anybody to entertain, so it was hard to get motivated. Tom Waits my-family serious encouragement I was a fireman. I lived in the fire station for about a year. The pay wasn't so good. It was kind of like being in the army, or what I imagine that would be like. Tom Waits fireman army kind Francis Ford Coppola is completely unconventional. He has a strong sense of loyalty. Great eyes. It's a diabolical undertaking in terms of organization and leadership. Tom Waits loyalty eye strong In terms of black music - the only music that we can call our own, that was really born here - I don't think a lot has been done to chronicle the relations between American history and where black music fits in. Tom Waits black done thinking
