If Tom Waits didn't exist, it would be necessary to invent him.
I've seen him only once (Milan, 2008). One of the best shows I've seen.

Little Steven's Underground Radio Show featured a segment on Tom Waits last year...a great interview...Tom discussed his recording session with Keith & it was funny as hell...some of this I believe is printed above but if you ever get a chance to hear TW talk about it, you will die laughing....you might be able to locate this show on LS website...otherwise he repeats some of his classic segments often...TW attended Leonard Cohen's show here in SF some months back....both musicians are national treasures as far as I'm concerned....peter

We've been talking on other threads of what the Stones could do different next time out. How about backing Tom Waits for a few shows? Not as unlikely as it seems. Musically they intersect at Howling Wolf (Waits even recorded an album of Wolf covers recently but didn't release it). True, Mick wouldn't have much to do, but what an interesting idea.

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71Tele
We've been talking on other threads of what the Stones could do different next time out. How about backing Tom Waits for a few shows? Not as unlikely as it seems. Musically they intersect at Howling Wolf (Waits even recorded an album of Wolf covers recently but didn't release it). True, Mick wouldn't have much to do, but what an interesting idea.

Hmmm ... don't know how a Tom Waits & The Rolling Stones show would come together in a on-stage or tour sense, but as a one off collaboration if nothing else I think it could be very interesting. I'd love to hear TW jam with Keith and Charlie, maybe with Mick doing some harp and backing vox. Then again, if it's blues/or noise they're doing, I guess Ronnie could step in w/some slide. Hmm, again, don't know about a tour, but maybe a televised special (kind of like that Crossroads show) could be very good! They could do Waits originals as well as reimagined versions of Stones tunes.

Picture it - the Stones and TW doing 'I Just Wanna See His Face'!!

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with sssoul
>> In the same year, Waits also contributed piano and vocals to the song "Sleep Tonight"
on The Rolling Stones' album Dirty Work. <<

er ... Tom sang backup on Harlem Shuffle, not Sleep Tonight, and unless there's a way more reliable source than Wikipedia
saying he played the piano on Sleep Tonight, i'm keeping that idea on hold.

Interesting. I have read on numerous occasions that he was on Sleep tonight. Whatever his contribution to Dirty Work, it is clearly subtle if we can't agree on it. That Feel is a much better example of collaboration.

<< Picture it - the Stones and TW doing 'I Just Wanna See His Face'!! >>

Exactly! I didn't mean a tour. I was thinking outside the box, which I think the Stones should be doing now. Just Want To See His Face would be amazing.

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71Tele
<< Picture it - the Stones and TW doing 'I Just Wanna See His Face'!! >>

Exactly! I didn't mean a tour. I was thinking outside the box, which I think the Stones should be doing now. Just Want To See His Face would be amazing.

Tom is on record as saying that is his favourite Stones song

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letitloose

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71Tele
<< Picture it - the Stones and TW doing 'I Just Wanna See His Face'!! >>

Exactly! I didn't mean a tour. I was thinking outside the box, which I think the Stones should be doing now. Just Want To See His Face would be amazing.

Tom is on record as saying that is his favourite Stones song

I can totally see that. It even SOUNDS like a Tom Waits song. And yes I agree 'That Feel' is a wonderful collaboration between Keith and Tom. You can really hear KR on the chorus. Is that him on guitar as well? You can plainly hear his licks all over the wonderful 'Stone Blind Love' (which would also sound cool with either Mick or keith singing along).

Man, the more we talk about this, the better it sounds. If ANYBODY in the Rolling Stones organization is reading this, PLEASE give Tom a call and make this happen!

<< Man, the more we talk about this, the better it sounds. If ANYBODY in the Rolling Stones organization is reading this, PLEASE give Tom a call and make this happen! >>


Thanks for picking up on this everyone! It would surely be a more exciting guest to have onstage than Christina Aguilera or Dave Matthews. "That feel" indeed. Tom has it.

Alice is the best record ever by Tom (tho its only my opinion). Its a beautiful album best heard on 180 gram vinyl.

Oh and I have been lucky enough to see him 4 times. Best was Paris (the Rex). I was camping with my then girlfriend. There were ducks floating by our tent in the morning. She insisted on using the Metro to get to the gig. It was a disaster, all the stations were shut. I was cursing her for not taking a cab. We finally got there, drenched as rats. Second song in.....Rain Dogs ("Taxi?, we'd rather walk!). Oh , and Elvis Costello was sitting beside me across the aisle.

Great story, LetItLoose. I've "run into" Elvis a few times myself. He's a real gent.

It was the show where Tom walked down the middle aisle showering the crowd in glittery confetti while singing through a megaphone. Pure theatre

Waits is listed on the DW credits, and from several interviews I have read it is him on keys for Sleep Tonight.
The man is an American genius at the level with Dylan. He is an enigma and fascinating. And again, another fantastic musician/actor. His acting roles are always thrilling. Down By Law is a classic and both him and Strummer are fantastic. And Short Cuts! Waits oozes charisma on it. I have not yet seen his take on the Devil in Heath Leger's last film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, and I want to see it soon. His latest live album Glitter and Doom live disc is great! Mostly stuff from his recent albums, but some nuggets as well.

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whitem8
Waits is listed on the DW credits, and from several interviews I have read it is him on keys for Sleep Tonight.
The man is an American genius at the level with Dylan. He is an enigma and fascinating. And again, another fantastic musician/actor. His acting roles are always thrilling. Down By Law is a classic and both him and Strummer are fantastic. And Short Cuts! Waits oozes charisma on it. I have not yet seen his take on the Devil in Heath Leger's last film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, and I want to see it soon. His latest live album Glitter and Doom live disc is great! Mostly stuff from his recent albums, but some nuggets as well.

Speaking of Waits and Heath Ledger, I swear Heath's doing a Wait's impression as the Joker in Dark Knight. If you ever heard Tom speak, you know what I mean.

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fiftyamp

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whitem8
Waits is listed on the DW credits, and from several interviews I have read it is him on keys for Sleep Tonight.
The man is an American genius at the level with Dylan. He is an enigma and fascinating. And again, another fantastic musician/actor. His acting roles are always thrilling. Down By Law is a classic and both him and Strummer are fantastic. And Short Cuts! Waits oozes charisma on it. I have not yet seen his take on the Devil in Heath Leger's last film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, and I want to see it soon. His latest live album Glitter and Doom live disc is great! Mostly stuff from his recent albums, but some nuggets as well.

Speaking of Waits and Heath Ledger, I swear Heath's doing a Wait's impression as the Joker in Dark Knight. If you ever heard Tom speak, you know what I mean.

Hmm, I never considered that.Perhaps I will watch the Dark Knight again this weekend.