News

May
13

Tom Waits Donates Art to Benefit Local School

Ever the charitable soul, Tom Waits has donated one of his rare photos — signed, framed and truly one-of-a-kind — from his “Oil Stain” series to a charity auction that will go to benefit the tuition assistance program at Summerfield School.
More about the school: “Summerfield stands behind its deeply-rooted commitment to the children of the school, and we celebrate our economically diverse student population. Now, more than ever, Summerfield needs your support to continue this essential program.”
The online auction will close June 5, 2009. Click here for more information. Read More

Apr
08

Tom Waits To Release Limited Edition 7” April 18

(pic Stunned)
On April 18 in honor of “Record Store Day” TOM WAITS will release an exclusive limited edition 7” single because he believes in the importance of the independents: “The record store is the livery stable where I can tie up, feed and groom my ears.”
As noted in an earlier post, the songs were recorded during last summer’s critically acclaimed “Glitter & Doom” tour–side A features “Lucinda/Ain’t Goin’ Down to the Well” (recorded at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA) and side B contains “Bottom of the World” (recorded at the Edinburgh Playhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland).
You can locate participating stores here Read More

Mar
11

TOM WAITS’ ORPHANS GOES GOLD! Vinyl Version Coming Soon, Tom Writing Music & Filming ‘The Book of Eli’

TOM WAITS latest 3 CD set—Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards—has been certified gold by the RIAA® and will be released on vinyl in the not-too-distant future. He has also collaborated with Kool Keith on N.A.S.A.’s recently released The Spirit of Apollo, which also features such diverse artists as David Byrne, Karen O and Ol’ Dirty Bastard. As for new material, Waits and his long time collaborator and wife, Kathleen Brennan, have begun writing new songs, which they plan to record this summer for an upcoming CD. (No release date at this time.)
Of Orphans, Bill Flanagan stated on CBS SUNDAY MORNING: “No contemporary musician embodies the twin virtues of elegance and piracy better than Tom Waits. He is a gravel-voiced poet, the Edward Hopper of rock n’ roll.” Elsewhere in MOJO, the preeminent music magazine of the UK, declared: “Mojo Instant Classic..Masterpiece isn’t the right word for such a profusion of profound delights…exhibition is better…With his unfussy brushstrokes, umber hues, and humanely honest delight in warts and all, he is the Rembrandt of modern music.”
Currently, Tom Waits is in the midst of filming The Book of Eli, directed by Albert and Allen Hughes (From Hell, Dead Presidents, Menace II Society, among others). Eli is a post-apocalyptic Western, in which a lone man fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving mankind. The film stars Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman with Tom Waits in a small role as “Engineer.” This will mark Waits’ second teaming with Oldman as Waits’ played Renfeld to Oldman’s Count Dracula in the Francis Ford Coppola version of the classic vampire film.
In other film news, Waits stars as Mr. Nick (the devil) opposite Christopher Plummer in Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which is also Heath Ledger’s last film. Due to Heath’s premature death, his unfinished roll was taken on by Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell. The fantastical morality tale set in the present day also features Lily Cole and Verne Troyner. The film looks to premiere at Cannes and open worldwide later this year. Read More

Dec
24

Tom Waits - Best Live Act of 2008

photo: bob butler for paste
Paste magazine has announced their “10 Best Live Music Acts of 2008″ with Tom Waits topping the list: “Tom Waits #1 - This year’s tour was announced with a fake press conference and covered an almost random swath of the American landscape. But it proved once again that when Johnny Cash passed away, Waits became the coolest cat on planet earth.”
They’ll get no argument from me or probably anyone else who saw the tour…read the rest of the list here. Read More

Dec
04

TOM WAITS Provides Moving Soundtrack to FEEDING AMERICA’S National Campaign to Raise Awareness of Hunger in US

“We all need to be reminded that the folks who need help getting back on their feet are all members of our family.” - Tom Waits
On November 25th, the Advertising Council and Feeding America announced the launch of a new national public service advertising campaign designed to raise awareness of the issue of hunger in America and motivate Americans to help combat the problem.
Hunger in the U.S. remains invisible to most Americans, yet as the economy worsens, demand at U.S. food banks is increasing at an alarming rate. According to Feeding America, a staggering 1 in 8 Americans, including millions of children, seniors, and the working poor live with hunger every year.

“The fact that more than 35 million Americans struggle with hunger each year is inexcusable. This campaign will help the country to realize that they have neighbors, acquaintances, and other people they interact with every day who need their help,” said Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of Feeding America. “In this nation of abundance, we all need to join together to help those in need.”
Created pro bono by Ogilvy NY, the new TV, radio, print, and web advertising aims to change the way Americans look at this critical issue affecting our country and to understand the fact that many people they interact with on a daily basis may not know where their next meal will come from. The PSAs direct the audience to the campaign’s website www.feedingamerica.org to find out more about hunger in the United States and how they can help in their communities.
“We are thrilled to partner with Feeding America to educate Americans about just how close hunger is to each one of us,” according to Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of The Advertising Council. “I believe that the 1 in 8 campaign will inspire Americans to become involved in this critical issue.”
“This work uses simple visual imagery to demonstrate the reality of the fact that everyone today knows someone who is hungry,” said Antonio Navas and Chris Bradley, creative directors at Ogilvy who developed the campaign. “We were very fortunate to get musician Tom Waits to contribute a beautiful piece of music – “Never Let Go” off of 2006’s Orphans — that helps bring the work to life and connect with the public in a tangible way. We believe it will have great impact on this important cause.”
Per the Ad Council model, the PSAs will be distributed to media outlets nationwide this week and will run and air in advertising time and space that is donated by the media.
FEEDING AMERICA
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, Feeding America and its network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks operate 63,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms.
THE ADVERTISING COUNCIL
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families. Read More

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Tom Waits Donates Art to Benefit Local School

Tom Waits To Release Limited Edition 7” April 18

TOM WAITS’ ORPHANS GOES GOLD! Vinyl Version Coming Soon, Tom Writing Music & Filming ‘The Book of Eli’

Tom Waits - Best Live Act of 2008

TOM WAITS Provides Moving Soundtrack to FEEDING AMERICA’S National Campaign to Raise Awareness of Hunger in US

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Tom Waits

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Tom Waits Donates Art to Benefit Local School

Tom Waits To Release Limited Edition 7” April 18

TOM WAITS’ ORPHANS GOES GOLD! Vinyl Version Coming Soon, Tom Writing Music & Filming ‘The Book of Eli’

Tom Waits - Best Live Act of 2008

TOM WAITS Provides Moving Soundtrack to FEEDING AMERICA’S National Campaign to Raise Awareness of Hunger in US

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