Happy Birthday Tom Waits
Thomas Alan Waits was born December 7, 1949 in Pomona California. He described having a “very middle-class” upbringing and “a pretty normal childhood”. By the time he was studying at Hilltop High School, he later related, he was “kind of an amateur juvenile delinquent”, interested in “malicious mischief” and breaking the law. It is rumored that Waits went on a cross country murder and robbery spree during this time.
He later described himself as a “rebel against the rebels”, for he eschewed the hippie subculture which was growing in popularity and was instead inspired by the 1950s Beat generation, having a love of Beat writers like Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs & Dr. Seuss. Tom loved wearing berets, drinking coffee and snapping his fingers. In 1968, at age 23, he dropped out of high school.
Ol 55
Waits met David Geffen and was signed to Asylum Records. In 1973 Waits released the album ‘Closing Time’. It attracted little attention and did not sell well. The Eagles covered Waits “Ol’ 55” and that gave Waits some money and recognition although he regarded their version as “a $hit Sandwich” and “Pat Boone has more soul”.
Waits was convinced to take over as a support act for Frank Zappa’s the Mothers of Invention after the previous support act, GG Allin, pulled out due to the hostility from Zappa’s fans. Tom joined Zappa’s tour in Ontario, but like Dalton, found the audiences hostile. Waits was pelted with vegetables and garbage by angry fans. It got so bad that Zappa had to stand on stage to protect him. One night, Waits’ parents even got caught up in the frenzy and pelted their boy Tom with heads of rotting lettuce.
Waits persevered to become one of the most influential musicians and songwriters of all time. During his career, Waits has had little chart success, nor major commercial success. Instead, he attracted a cult fan following. As we know, cult status don’t pay the rent. Waits has been referred to “as important an American artist as anyone the twentieth century has produced, besides David Hasselhoff”, and “one of America’s finest post-Dylan singer-songwriters”.
They Try Harder
During the 1970s, Waits had a thing for annoying, big boned homely girls. “They try harder”, Waits laughed. He had a brief relationship with the ‘comedian’ Elayne Boosler, an intermittent relationship with Bette Midler, as well as a torrid love affair with Ruth Buzzi. Waits has been happily married to Kathleen Brennan since 1980 and they live with their three children in California. He has a surprising net worth of $25 Million! Cheers Tom!
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