It took our pal Tommi Brem and his associate Daniel Knapp two years to translate Jay S. Jacob’s Tom Waits biography, “Wild Years: the Music and Myth of Tom Waits”, into German — Tommi at one point likened it to birthing a baby elephant.
Now, finally, the book is about to be published and ready for pre-ordering.
You may remember that Sharl and I were approached to create chapter illustrations for this book, as well as a cover. Given the subject, that turned out to be great fun, despite a near fatal computer crash.
For those interested: if you pre-order the book, you get a free set of high-quality postcards with all 12 illustrations printed on them.
As for Sharl and I: we’re chuffed to have been part of this project! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go camp near the mailbox and await the arrival of my copy 🙂
Hey-ho …
Believe me, the postcard-set alone justifies buying the book, even if you can’t read German.
Thank you guys again for the phantastic artworks and for putting up with us. We have not been the easiest people to deal with at times. So here’s to you!
Congrats on the cool gig. Tom is an okay egg…even if he did co-opt Beefheart a bit!
ditto on the beef.
[quote comment=”3716″]Congrats on the cool gig. Tom is an okay egg…even if he did co-opt Beefheart a bit![/quote]
Exactly how do you think Tom Waits co-opted Beefheart? Please explain yourself. I’m interested. Besides having a similarly Muddy Waters / Howlin’ Wolf type growlin’ voice (and a love for roots blues), these two artist really couldn’t be more distinctive.
Btw, congrats Barry and Sharl…
Re: Beefheart
For one, Beefheart thinks so. Screw the blooze, notice the ticks. And it is confirmed that during the recording of swordfishtrombones Tom kept calling Don, pestering him about recording techniques (something Tom sorely needed to escape his rather sentimental, schmaltzy releases). It always seems like Tom is attempting to allay his guilt for co-opting him through personal contact or public announcement. Additionally, as a fan of both Don & Tom when these things wuz new, I can’t begin to tell you the shock of hearing CB in Tom’s big change, particularly the lyrics. Heavy influence there, without a doubt. The kicker, UNDERGROUND, is like a love letter to Don. What else? Plenty, but if ya don’t hear it, nuthin’ I can say will make you. Almost forgot, Tom hired Magic Band member Jeff Moris Tepper for his Frank’s Wild Years album. And don’t forget to ead Tom’s write up of Trout Mask. It’s like he’s talkin’ about himself: made from bone and mud, etc…
Congrats on your art being published. I sure it will look nice on your coffee table (next to the baby magazines). Make you sure you get another copy and seal it a protective coon to last the ages.
The drawing above is my favorite but I find “Warm Beer And Cold Women” quite alluring. I don’t know if it’s the drawing or the interesting memories the title brings to mind.
[quote comment=”3864″]Congrats on your art being published. I sure it will look nice on your coffee table (next to the baby magazines)[/quote]
Thx Hugh. You reminded me of that FZ quote: “The single-child yuppo-family that uses the child as a status object: ‘A perfect child? Of course! We have one here — he’s under the coffee table’.” Hope I never turn into that 🙂
[quote comment=”3865″][quote comment=”3864″]Congrats on your art being published. I sure it will look nice on your coffee table (next to the baby magazines)[/quote]
Thx Hugh. You reminded me of that FZ quote: “The single-child yuppo-family that uses the child as a status object: ‘A perfect child? Of course! We have one here — he’s under the coffee table’.” Hope I never turn into that :)[/quote]
I have never pictured you & Sharleena as yuppy parents. But one day, if you find yourself picking up your child from a “Young Republicans of Tomorrow” after-school program, then . . . you might have “turned”!