Reason 764,231 Why Tom Waits is One Cool Mofo was a top story for this week. Here it is again: (antiMusic) Even if you don't like his music, you can't help but love Tom Waits. In an age of bland manufactured "rock stars," Tom stands out by the sheer force of his personality. The latest example of this is Tom interviewing himself for The Independent. We're sure many artists wish they could do this at the end of a long day of answering the exact same questions over and over again. But Tom is a man of action so he took the bull by the horns and asked himself the questions he wanted to answer! They cover a wide variety of topics but his introduction to the interview itself is priceless. Here is that: I must admit, before meeting Tom, I had heard so many rumours and so much gossip that I was afraid. Frankly, his gambling debts, his animal magnetism, coupled with his disregard for the feelings of others... His elaborate gun collection, his mad shopping-sprees, the face-lifts, the ski trips, the drug busts and the hundreds of rooms in his home.
The tax shelters, the public urination... I was nervous to meet the real man himself. Baggage and all. But I found him to be gentle, intelligent, open, bright, helpful, humorous, brave, audacious, loquacious, clean and reverent. A Boy Scout, really (and a giant of a man). Join me now for a rare glimpse into the heart of Tom Waits. Remove your shoes and no smoking, please...# - The full Q & A is here
