Tom Waits Bad?

To see him live is almost impossible for few reasons: Rarely tours and once on tour the tickets are more-likely sold shortly after announcement if announced. Street ticket scalpers would sell tickets to you for near 10x the actual price. He's a nation's #1 underground Artist, Actor, maestro and songwriter. Downloaded movie "Ironweed" and can't archive or delete it cuz always wanna watch mainly of TW not Jack Nicholson that picks up the identical roles in all his movies that are played with one his standard style.
Lucky you if you don't care of TW at all. You don't have to wait and spend large dollars for his concerts.

For someone who might find his later year voice, and the overly affected style of his music a bit off-putting, I would recommend the two volume complilations of "Early Year" recordings (recorded before his big commercial releases, but actually released much later). These simply arranged recordings highlight his song writing skills, which are prodigious, and are more listenable to those who are not his hardcore fans.

hi...my first post on audiogon...nice society we got here...about Mr. Tom Waits...he has rich discography...he is endem...rare true artist...folks who trow bad words bout Mr. Waits havent listen to his music werry well...or they got no class...his music is experimental...bunch of everything but mixed with style...so you have to got rafined taste of music not listen to only one type of music...his voice is instrument...one of greater lyricist of all time IMO...his lives are like new album...he understands music...he makes albums...not 2 3 good songs on album...im not trying to be his lawyer in this post...what i wanted to say there are two kind of people in the world...one who loves Tom...and others who dont know they love him...i suggest him on vinyl...much better musical presentation...

I'm a huge, no enormous, no ginormous Tom Waits afficianato. When I was much younger I saw him at the Backdoor at San Diego State (snatched one of the handbills off a pole and have it framed hanging in my bathroom). I own nearly all of his stuff on vinyl. I admit, a few of his offerings are a difficult listen, but his songwriting...at times is simply amazing. His newest is very good.

Even his stuff that I didn't originally appreciate, grew on me. I think his talents expand beyond the typical musician, as a true poet and performance artist. Count me as a fan.