Tom Waits reissues: Swordfishtrombones, Frank's Wild Years, Rain Dogs, The Black Rider and Bone Machine

 Tom Waits' Island Records studio catalog is being reissued: you can now get remastered digital, cd and vinyl versions of  Swordfishtrombones, Frank's Wild Years, Rain Dogs, The Black Rider and Bone Machine. 

The remastering, from the original tapes, was overseen by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan. The five albums are available to stream as of today, vinyl and cd issues should be released in September (Swordfishtrombones, Frank's Wild Years, Rain Dogs) and October (The Black Rider, Bone Machine). Vinyl versions come in regular black and coloured opaque vinyl. 

You can find them at the official Tom Waits store or Norman Records or listen to the streams. 

Tom Waits' entire metaphoric & groundbreaking mid-period Island Records studio catalog newly remastered from original tapes and prepped for release on vinyl, CD and digital for the first time. Pre-order & listen now!https://t.co/BmxrHYTG14 pic.twitter.com/1kgL2UPqWq

— Tom Waits (ANTI-) (@tomwaits) July 12, 2023

‘More than flesh and bone’: David Frazer's book interpreting Waits songs

David Frazer is publishing a book, More than flesh and bone, interpreting the Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan songs The last rose of summer, Take it with me and The briar and the rose.

The handbound book contains 26 wood engravings, a linocut and typeset printed by hand, by Frazer and the edition is limited to 30 copies, all signed by Tom Waits and David Frazer. Each book contains a loose engraving signed by Frazer. 

A copy sets you back 2.200 US dollar. 

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New ‘Closing time’ reissue

To mark the 50th anniversary of Closing Time, Anti is releasing a limited edition double LP on clear or black 180g, cut at 45rpm with half-speed mastering by Abbey Road Studios and packaged in a gatefold jacket with lyrics. 

Release date is June 2nd, but you can pre-order it at Kings Road Merch.

  

Re-edited version of Francis Ford Coppola's ‘Twixt’ available on Blu-ray

B’Twixt Now and Sunrise - a re-edited and restored version of Francis Ford Coppola's 2011 Twixt, with Tom Waits as the narrator - arrives on Blu-ray (including a digital copy) on February 28 from Lionsgate. 

It's already available for pre-order on Amazon. 

The original trailer for the 2011 movie:

Happy birthday Tom Waits

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

Tom Waits joins voice cast of ‘Wildwood’

Animation studio Laika has revealed the voice cast for its next stop-motion and CG animated feature, Wildwood. According to Hollywood Reporter, Tom Waits will be heard along side Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day and Richard E. Grant in this movie directed by Travis Knight and based on the novel by The Decemberists lead singer and songwriter, Colin Meloy.

KCRW to release 1987 Tom Waits recording

Radio station KCRW will be releasing various live recordings - ‘recently unearthed and unheard for nearly 40 years’ and ‘newly-remastered’ - from its  archives. One of those is Tom Waits' interview and performance of August 24, 1987 (which has been circulating as a bootleg). Other names include Nick Cave, Cowboy Junkies, Daniel Lanois and R.E.M.

The Bent By Nature archive will be released to the general public on November 14 on KCRW, members get early access starting Friday November 4.

In tandem, KCRW will launch BENT24, a 24-hour, on-demand streaming service featuring a shuffling playlist of Deirdre O’Donoghue’s SNAP episodes (1981-1991). 

From the press release: 

When approached by KCRW for permission to release his live performance, Tom Waits and his wife Kathleen Brennan wrote, “In a town filled with sounds borne of the marriage of music and commerce, Deirdre [O’Donoghue] was a voice and venue for the undiscovered or marginalized and a refuge for artists who felt estranged from the prevailing currents. She opened so many ears and hearts, including ours, with her earthy and irreverent voice and wide ranging enthusiasm for all music. So great someone thought to do this.”