Happy birthday Tom Waits

 On December 7, 1949, Thomas Alan Waits was born to Jesse Frank Waits and Alma Johnson McMurray.

The Heart of Saturday Night 50th anniversary vinyl

To mark the 50th anniversary of The Heart of Saturday Night, ANTI- is reissuing the album on two limited edition colors: 'slightly gold' (limited to 800 copies) and 'raspberry beret (limited to 3,700 copies). 

These releases will be out on December 6th, but are available for pre-order now.

Mule Variations 25th anniversary vinyl

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of Mule Variations, the album is re-issued on 180g 'slightly silver'-coloured vinyl. You can get it here. 

New version of ‘Get behind the mule’

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the album Mule variations Tom Waits and ANTI- Records released a new rendition of the song Get behind the mule, with slightly different lyrics. 

In this alternate take of the album's iconic track, Waits' gospel moans resonate with raw emotion, accompanied only by a gritty Wurlitzer. This stripped-down rendition amplifies the dark narrative of murder and perseverance (....).

Listen to the new version on your favourite platform.

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Tom Waits in new Jarmusch movie

Tom Waits will feature in a new Jim Jarmusch movie called Father Mother Sister Brother, Variety reports. The picture will also have a strong musical component, Jarmusch has said, according to Variety, contradicting earlier reports that suggested there might be very little or no music at all.  

The movie - “a comedy interwoven with threads of melancholy” - also stars Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat, and is expected to be finished later this year.

Tom Waits honours Keith Richards with poem: ‘Burnt Toast To Keith’

Tom Waits has written a poem called ‘Burnt Toast To Keith’ to mark Keith Richards’ 80th birthday. It appears in the January 2024 edition of UK magazine Uncut. Available in shops now, or online at their web store. 

Read the complete poem at Uncut.co.uk.

‘Tom Waits writing songs again’

Not sure how to interpret this, but according to this piece on Tidal, another Tom Waits album ‘could be closer than you think’: ‘he’s reportedly writing songs again’.

How to Play With Tom Waits: Tom Waits’ collaborators — including Marc Ribot, Tchad Blake, Greg Cohen and others — remember the brilliant madness that went into the maestro’s (newly remastered) Island Records catalog.