Tom Waits for everyone

Headliners

Tom Waits for everyone

By Melissa Starker

When tickets for Tom Waits' first-ever Columbus concert went on sale last month and vanished in less than five minutes, the city was split into three camps. In one were those who were able to snag seats to Saturday's show at the Ohio Theatre. In another, the people who want to go but won't for one reason (a quick sell-out and fierce anti-scalping measures) or another (the $85 ticket price).

The last group doesn't know what the fuss is about.

For that segment, we offer a 101 on Waits' 30-plus-year career, the source of a truly unique discography, intense devotion among fans and the music that made up Scarlett Johansson's recently released debut album.

Although he personifies "cult icon," only entering Billboard's Top 100 three times, Waits' presence in contemporary pop culture is pervasive. His songs have been used in over 60 films and TV shows, including Hellboy, Shrek 2, Fight Club, ER and Gilmore Girls.

As an actor, he's appeared alongside Sylvester Stallone, Jack Nicholson, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Bacon (of course) and, in the upcoming The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Johnny Depp and Heath Ledger.

What: Tom Waits

When: Saturday, June 28

Where: Ohio Theatre, Downtown

Web: tomwaits.com

Among devotees, Waits is the hipster's hipster, a gravel-voiced enigma sporting a porkpie hat and a sinister sense of humor, a singular combination of throwback and timeless phenomenon. His musical and performance style, as well as his cheeky public persona, resurrect the Beat Generation and American vaudeville. Nearly all of his albums sound like they could've been made at any point post-WWII.

Those discs, full of arcane instrumentation and criminal thoughts shared like small-talk asides, relayed in tones that range from sentimental crooning to deranged barking, tend to generate a passionate response.

While Rod Stewart and Bruce Springsteen have had mainstream hits covering his songs, Waits' output is a classic case of music to one listener's ears being noise to another's. Bucking the standard trajectory, he seems to be growing less safe and more challenging with age.

Intrigued? Here are a few suggestions for getting to know more about Waits.

Essential discs

Small Change (1976)

One of Waits' few commercial hits, this booze-soaked collection is as accessible an entry point as any into his sound. There's a hint of the odder areas he'd delve into later, but also blues, jazz and beautiful balladry.

Download: "Tom Traubert's Blues," "Step Right Up," "The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)"

Rain Dogs (1985)

Arguably the quintessential Waits album, a perfect sampling of his various obsessions, also the middle disc in the trilogy that yielded the excellent Swordfish Trombones and Frank's Wild Years.

Download: "Jockey Full of Bourbon," "Tango Till They're Sore," "Walking Spanish"

Bone Machine (1992)

Waits' first Grammy winner features guests Keith Richards and Les Claypool, along with thundering levels of percussion from all manner of instruments.

Download: "Going Out West," "I Don't Wanna Grow Up"

The Black Rider (1993)

A theatrical collaboration in Germany with Robert Wilson and William S. Burroughs gave Waits the structure to create a consistent vision of a dark, deadly carnival.

Download: "Just the Right Bullets," "Russian Dance"

Essential films

Down by Law (1986)

Waits' first collaboration with Akron's own Jim Jarmusch resulted in some of the best work either has done for the big screen. Waits plays the calm center to fellow escaped convicts John Lurie and Roberto Benigni as they seek sanctuary in the underworld of New Orleans.

Big Time (1988)

A terrific document of the theatrical nature to Waits' live shows, made in the era of his best music, with some movie magic allowing him to play roles offstage as well. Unfortunately, it isn't available on DVD, but you can find segments of the movie on YouTube.

Short Cuts (1993)

Waits is one of the many desperate souls within Robert Altman's sprawling, star-packed, influential adaptation of Raymond Carver's short stories.

Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)

Under Jarmusch's direction once again for this vice-fueled anthology, Waits gives the ultimate appearance as himself in a stilted barroom meeting with Iggy Pop. It should tell you a lot that Waits clearly intimidates even Iggy.

June 26, 2008