I was going to mention Beefheart, but it didn't seem necessary. Yeah, Captain Beefheart was a stylistic influence for Waits, and both artists were experimentalists (an understatement, that) but I think Waits became his own sound long ago. He's managed to pretty much sever all ties with his peers and influences, which is a good thing, and something Beefrheart did as well. In doing so he seems to have become a truly a unique voice in music, and that's why I love him.
When Lou Reed died, I pulled out a shit ton of old albums & CD's and listened to his voice fight the very notion of "evolution" for 50 years, maintaining the same gritty, ironic, off-key timbre, whether he was talking, singing, reciting, attempting to croon (god I love his cover of "This Magic Moment") or screaming... I listened until I cried. Then I listened until I couldn't cry. Then I listened some more. Lou Reed's my favorite solo artist in the history of rock. I can't say that anyone will ever have a shot at taking that spot from him, but if anyone can it's Tom Waits.
(I had an odd premonition that he was going to die in 2013... Glad to see I was wrong, but the man can't live forever. If I outlive him, and get a chance to sit down with all my LP's, CD's, playlists and make my way through them like a crucible, sobbing and laughing-- cause y'know, it's Tom Waits, and he is hilarious at times-- I may find myself with a difficult decision to make.)
Just sayin', the man's importance to me is of Lou Reed level magnitude. My favorite albums are Swordfishtrombones, Real Gone, Alice/Blood Money, Rain Dogs, pretty much every album, because that's how much I love him... Like, even Heart of Saturday Night is a gem in my opinion, and I've been hearing that fucker since I was in diapers.
Long story short: Tom Waits is the genuine article. I have never seen the man perform live, and yes I'm ashamed about it and yes I have definitely lied about it in the past.... I've probably lied about it on this very board, because of the circumstances that surrounded my missing his first UK show in ten years, back when he was touring in support of Real Gone... (It's complicated- I had every intention of going, and I heard a few songs, but I spent that night drinking and being far too rowdy to have been allowed in anyway
)
But yeah. Waits is the shite.
