I like Tom Waits more than is appropriate. My girlfriend has had to place a ban on me interrupting her days to play her Tom Waits excerpts I find particularly interesting or or heartbreaking or hilarious.So imagine my delight when I discovered Down In The Hole - a podcast dedicated entirely to Tom Waits. One of my favourite books to take with me when I’m travelling is a collection of Tom Waits interviews. Not only do they tend to be both funny and inspiring, there are an endless amount of references to other musicians, writers, films etc. I spend my journey making mental (or actual) notes of any names that grab me and then seek them out once I'm at the other end. To hear Down In The Hole presenters, Sam Whiles and Tom Kwei, go through the Waits catalogue album by album, highlighting the different contributors and influences at work, was pretty much the ideal podcast for me to come across. Best of all, they’re English and about my age, so they sound just as ridiculous quoting Waits as I do.
Sam Whiles
There’s a famous Tom Waits quote about Captain Beefheart - "Once you've heard Beefheart, it's hard to wash him out of your clothes. It stains, like coffee or blood." Have you found spending so long talking about Tom Waits has meant that his influence has crept into other areas of your life?
Yes, almost entirely, especially in terms of my writing. It’s impossible not to have his odd perspective change the way you see things, or his iconic wordplay/storytelling enhance the way you phrase your words. Even his terminology is just as infectious.
Are there any artists you’ve gotten into as a result of understanding their influence on Waits?
Yes but only one album each so far, so perhaps me claiming to be ‘into’ them is a little false, both being the debut albums of Harry Partch and Captain Beefheart.
In everything Tom Waits does, from his songs to his live shows to his interviews, there’s an element of a persona at work - keeping you at bay. When you’re researching the episodes, trying to piece the truth together, is that frustrating or part of the appeal?
I honestly revel in the mysterious aspect of Waits’ character, or at least the character he has built around himself. Now whilst I wish he was a little more prolific in his interviews (especially recorded ones), I still think the best part of the schtick is that we will never truly know 100% either way of what was true or not. It’s like any horror movie villain, once you know too much about their past they’re not scary anymore.
Do you think you’ll carry on podcasting, about Tom Waits or otherwise, once you’ve got through all the albums?
Well we are both in various stages in releasing our own independent podcasts, but we have both said that if ever there was a new album, tour or anything substantial enough to talk about, then we would have a podcast reunion as it were. However despite doing the show, the bonus episodes, the blog and our day-by-day chit chat we still always find ourselves with new things to talk about, so there’s always a chance we will come back after Bad As Me.
Finally, what was the last thing (book, song, artist, place, etc) that you totally fell in love with?
Tom Kwei
There’s a famous Tom Waits quote about Captain Beefheart - "Once you've heard Beefheart, it's hard to wash him out of your clothes. It stains, like coffee or blood." Have you found spending so long talking about Tom Waits has meant that his influence has crept into other areas of your life?
Having been a pretty hardcore fan for 5 or so years prior to the podcast I was already drenched in his influence, and since we've started reviewing the albums since it's just been a beautiful overdose. Tom is a great yardstick of quality if anything else, his consistency and constant reinvention is a continual influence and point of comparison.
Are there any artists you’ve gotten into as a result of understanding their influence on Waits?
Two. Through some thorough googling I discovered that Waits' nanny, Jesca Hoop, has gone onto to release records of her own and they're pretty decent. Her music somewhere between Kate Bush and Regina Spektor with a recognisable splash of the absurd. Digging deep into the records too has further entrenched my love of Marc Ribot, Tom's trust guitarist from Rain Dogs onward. I had always admired his work on Waits' records but he is a genius composer and player in his own right, able to push the fretboard envelope in a ridiculous amount of differing styles.
In everything Tom Waits does, from his songs to his live shows to his interviews, there’s an element of a persona at work - keeping you at bay. When you’re researching the episodes, trying to piece the truth together, is that frustrating or part of the appeal?
Part of the appeal for sure. If Waits had kept fastidious diaries and notes ala many other songwriters of his repute then perhaps the whole podcast journey would've been less enlightening as critics for myself and Sam. With so many holes to fill in it's made us question and dig deeper. Besides, one Waits interview is as juicy and memorable as five for anyone else.
Do you think you’ll carry on podcasting, about Tom Waits or otherwise, once you’ve got through all the albums?
When we're done with Waits' chronology I think we'll be done for good, until another album hopefully comes out at least that is. I have loved podcasting though and have plans for a few literature focused one in the future. At the moment I currently host a pod entitled 'Battle Rap Resume' along 'Down in the Hole', where I interview 1:1 the great writers of battle rap - my second obsession along with Waits. You can listen here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/
Finally, what was the last thing (book, song, artist, place, etc) that you totally fell in love with?