Tom Waits’ five albums for Island Records are given new life from the original analog master tapes

It was the beginning of October 1990 and, next to the window on the first floor of a small café on Rue du Bac, in Paris, with his feet resting casually on the chair in front, Tom Waits was speaking about the reason that had led him to the French capital. : the performance, at the Théâtre du Châtelet, of the opera “The Black Rider”, which he had written with William Burroughs and Robert Wilson. Suddenly, down on the street, the figure of Kathleen Brennan — co-composer, companion and force of order in Waits’ world —, coming out of the hotel opposite, appears gesturing towards him. Like someone who just pauses and then continues what was left suspended, like a benevolent dictator, Tom Waits says to me: “Ask me the next question, leave the recorder here and, please, go out to the street to find out what what she wants.” Like a carrier pigeon, I accomplished the mission in five minutes. Later, I would discover that he was also faithful to his commitment, speaking uninterruptedly throughout. Just further proof that, at least as fascinating as his musical work, Tom Waits in direct speech is invariably much better than any attempt to characterize him.

And he was also so aware of this that, in 2008, he sent Anti Records a promotional text consisting of an interview he had done with himself. The introduction was enlightening: “I have to admit that, before meeting Tom, I had heard so many rumors and rumors that I was a little scared. The gambling debts, the animal magnetism, the disregard for other people’s feelings… the exquisite collection of weapons, the consumer rage, the plastic operations, the ski resorts, the drug raids, the hundreds of rooms in your mansion… I was nervous about going to meet him. But I ended up finding him kind, intelligent, open, brilliant, available, good-humored, brave, audacious, loquacious, clean and reverent. Indeed, a true scout and a great man. Now join me in taking a look at the heart of Tom Waits. Take off your shoes, and smoking is prohibited.”

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