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Tom Waits' Swordfishtrombones
Series: 33 1/3
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Check link for latest rating. ( 414 ratings, 61 reviews)
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Tom Waits' Swordfishtrombones
$2199
Unit price
/
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Ideal for enthusiasts of Tom Waits, students of music history, and readers interested in artist biographies and creative rebirth stories.
As the 1970s ended, Waits felt trapped by his persona and career. But at his low point: Francis Ford Coppola asked Tom to write the score for "One From the Heart". He cleaned up, and met Kathleen Brennan. This work tells the story of a man creating that elusive American second act, and also about finding the prefect collaborator in his wife.
This book presents two stories: one of a man creating that elusive American second act, and secondly finding the perfect collaborator in his wife.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Two entwined narratives run through the creation of Swordfishtrombones and form the backbone of this book. As the 1970s ended, Waits felt increasingly constrained and trapped by his persona and career. Bitter and desperately unhappy, he moved to New York in 1979 to change his life. It wasn't working. But at his low point, he got the phone call that changed everything: Francis Ford Coppola tapped Tom to write the score for One From the Heart. Waits moved back to Los Angeles to work at Zoetrope's Hollywood studio for the next 18 months. He cleaned up, disciplined himself as a songwriter and musician, collaborated closely with Coppola, and met a script analyst named Kathleen Brennan - his "only true love".
They married within 2 months at the Always and Forever Yours Wedding Chapel at 2am. Swordfishtrombones was the first thing Waits recorded after his marriage, and it was at Kathleen's urging that he made a record that conceded exactly nothing to his record label, or the critics, or his fans. There aren't many love stories where the happy ending sounds like a paint can tumbling in an empty cement mixer.
Kathleen Brennan was sorely disappointed by Tom's record collection. She forced him out of his comfortable jazzbo pocket to take in foreign film scores, German theatre, and Asian percussion. These two stories of a man creating that elusive American second act, and also finding the perfect collaborator in his wife give this book a natural forward drive.
Series: 33 1/3
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Cory Frye praises this book as "another bodice-ripper" in the 33 1/3 series. Matthew Fiander describes it as an illuminating guide through Waits’ work, and The Big Takeover calls it an intelligent and welcome addition to Tom Waits scholarship.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780826427823
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 15 February 2008
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 121.0mm
Height: 165.0mm
Weight: 148g
Pages: 152
Collections
About the Author
David Smay has co-edited two books on music with Kim Cooper: Lost In the Grooves: Scram's Capricious Guide To The Music You Missed, and Bubblegum Music Is The Naked Truth. He's a regular contributor to Scram, has an upcoming piece in Oxford American and has occasionally dithered about pop music on NPR, French Television and documentaries only shown at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas. But his best interview was with Ratso the punk rock puppet at Quimby's in Chicago. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and two children, Emmett and Matilda.
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