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Pomona, Los Angeles CA, United States (1949 – present)
Tom Waits (born Thomas Alan Waits, in Pomona, California, on December 7, 1949) is a prolific American singer, songwriter, composer, and actor.
He started his career in the early 1970s as a singer in spit ‘n’ sawdust bars. Initially, he was deeply influenced by the beat generation, novelists like Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs, and poets like Allen Ginsberg and Charles Bukowski. Waits is often compared to Charles Bukowski, being similar both in content and lifestyle, although Waits’s views are more egalitarian than Bukowski’s. Waits was unable to make a living from his music in the 70s because his classical bar music, based in pre-rock, and americana, blues, and vaudeville styles were not popular. Waits’s voice back then was soft, warm and clear.
Waits subsequently developed a devoted cult following and has influenced subsequent songwriters, despite having little radio or music video support. In fact, his songs are perhaps best known to the general public in the form of cover versions of more visible artists, such as the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen and Rod Stewart.
Although Waits’s albums have met with mixed commercial success in his native United States, they have occasionally achieved gold album sales status in other countries.
He started his career in the early 1970s as a singer in spit ‘n’ sawdust bars. Initially, he was deeply influenced by the beat generation, novelists like Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs, and poets like Allen Ginsberg and Charles Bukowski. Waits is often compared to Charles Bukowski, being similar both in content and lifestyle, although Waits’s views are more egalitarian than Bukowski’s. Waits was unable to make a living from his music in the 70s because his classical bar music, based in pre-rock, and americana, blues, and vaudeville styles were not popular. Waits’s voice back then was soft, warm and clear.
Waits subsequently developed a devoted cult following and has influenced subsequent songwriters, despite having little radio or music video support. In fact, his songs are perhaps best known to the general public in the form of cover versions of more visible artists, such as the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen and Rod Stewart.
Although Waits’s albums have met with mixed commercial success in his native United States, they have occasionally achieved gold album sales status in other countries.
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Top Albums
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Rain Dogs
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Mule Variations
Tom Waits Buy- Download Album
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Closing Time
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Bone Machine
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Shoutbox
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Daniel_Sullivan wrote:
Tom Waits > Leonard Cohen.
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anarxoaplytos wrote:
for what? waits for what? HAHA *cries*
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sometimeshuman wrote:
stop liking what i dont like dammit
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Mc_Regis wrote:
Coolest guy ever
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alma_negra wrote:
i had a good home, but i left left right left
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Yuri_Addict wrote:
hell, broke, luce!
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elpura wrote:
Tom is amazing.
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restinagony wrote:
Chuck Norris checks under his bed for Tom Waits [2]
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jaxolotl wrote:
terrific and terrifying.
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SwarmOvermind wrote:
I wait, you wait, we all wait for Tom Waits ! (9)
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Garison01 wrote:
<3
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MKjamTIME wrote:
Love Tom Waits, almost or just as much as Leonard Cohen can't wait to hear that new album on 1/31, but until then I will gladly listen to TW Last FM
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adam_wrong wrote:
read a journal waits read a journal
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bodystarx wrote:
smoke waits smoke
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SystemUpDown wrote:
Drop of Poison < 3
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junkyard_god wrote:
cool
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glassbottle wrote:
Looking for the Heart of Saturday Night tonight ineed.
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Sentenzia22 wrote:
Tribute to Megaupload R.I.P: http://www.lastfm.es/group/We'll+miss+you%2C+Megaupload
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Dustache wrote:
Time to bring back the Small Change session picture as the main http://www.last.fm/music/Tom+Waits/+images/38183285
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DavidGaal wrote:
cool guy
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News
TomWaits.com Releases Exclusive Red Vinyl Edition of 4 Tom Waits' E/A Albums
1 Nov 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/tomwaits
Ahead of the general December 21 Rhino retail release,
TOMWAITS.COM is offering limited edition 180 gram red vinyl
versions of Closing Time, The Heart of Saturday Night, Nighthawks
at the Diner an...
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TomWaits.com Releases Exclusive Red Vinyl Edition of 4 Tom Waits' E/A Albums
1 Nov 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/tomwaits -
1 Nov 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/tomwaits -
4 Oct 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/tomwaits
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serenadarcy, williantello, eurekablue and 97 other people added Tom Waits to their libraries. 4 minutes ago
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fortyfive_rpm wrote about Tom Waits – Real Gone in Vinyl Collection. Thursday evening
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mudexveg wrote about Tom Waits – Bone Machine in Top 30 of 2011. last month
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mudexveg wrote about Tom Waits – Blood Money in a deleted journal. last month
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mudexveg wrote about Tom Waits – Real Gone in a deleted journal. last month
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mudexveg wrote about Tom Waits – Bone Machine in a deleted journal. last month
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mudexveg wrote about Tom Waits – Rain Dogs in a deleted journal. last month
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