“We were staying in a cottage near Tralee,” Waits told journalist John Little, “and we travelled all through Kerry - we went around the Ring three times - up to Galway, around Dingle. We’d just get up in the morning, get in the car, and drive somewhere for the day. “I like the fact that you can feel the distance between cities. There’s a crisis around every corner... sheep, cattle, and all that. I love seeing sheep on the road. I’ll never eat another lambchop again!”
Every interview with Tom Waits feels like watching someone on the street, trying to enjoy their cigarette in peace, and some guy just won't leave him alone.
Well you say things like your art is seedy and it sort of makes him feel introverted. He isn't performing just for the high class folks he wants to give a voice to the streets he keeps it real and people try to shame him about it. It's insulting to some of his friends.
@@Finn_Lawless Greet line, indeed! Of course, attributed to Groucho Marx, of which Waits was certainly a fan. Multifaceted genius, patron Saint of the arts, all.
@@wynnssecret8584 It does sound like a Groucho line, or rather, S J Perelman line, but the gag was coined by Gerard Hoffnung in the late 50s, in the Charles Richardson interviews. It's the beginning of a whole comic meditation about his childhood.
I heard an interview with him where he said that one of his kids is older than him. 🤣 I don't know how he could sit down and just kill Tom Traubert's Blues after that piece of shit interviewer who I want to fucking send to some BlackOps site in an abandoned factory full of thugs on crack.
Kathleen is a beautiful and witty. Its obvious how she grounded Tom in his health and happiness while opening up his creativity in her collaboration with his writing and its a two way street. You should always be with someone who helps you reach your potential like these two.
Hahahaha! the guys all notice and know what was going on, except the one it was "going on, on!" And she acts like it's nothing and it ain't happening... boy, I would have knocked his hand off me in a second! This jerk-off interviewer wouldn't get away with it today. LOL!
Tom Waits what an artist and a beautiful love story. He and his lovely wife, a perfect combination. Thank you ❤️ 😊 The Piano Has Been Drinking. Amazing.
There is a lot of James Dean in his mannerism. Whenever I listen to him I feel the static in life dissipate for a while and the essence of simple beauty show itself for a moment. It’s a grounding experience.
I was born in Pomona then ended up in Whittier for many years as well! I did take a detour to Compton for a few years though but that’s pretty badass to learn about Tom.
His place in the post beat poet era gained him the praise of Jack Kerouac, Harry Dean Stanton, and Dennis Hopper. Also loved his seedy character in Mystery Men😂😂
Tom is a unique talent, and a unique individual. For me his music is very hit and miss. It can be sensational and I love it. This is the first time I’ve seen him interviewed and he seems incredibly shy and nervous. An amazing guy in lots of ways.
No, that was normal for Irish TV, a lot of the had a inflated sense of self-importance and an arrogant, witless, unfeeling way of delivering questions. I think it's more likely that the host hadn't bothered to spend a moment building a rapport with his guest before the show.
@@jontk @evannakamura637 Gay Byrne appeared to like and enjoy Tom, in my opinion. That was his style. I was never a GB fan but he was hugely popular in Ireland.
Imagine a full album with songs by Shane MacGowan and Tom Waits, working together. That would be something wouldn't it? Two of the best song writers in the world, with the two grittiest voices in the world.
At his best he is my all time favourite singer, at his worst he is unlistenabley bad. His poetry and piano are like a narrator describing the seen around the story. He uses tricks like advert jingles to further illustrate the mood of a place. Close your eyes and you are not just listening to a love story but one being told in a bar with its regulars and the Jute Box playing a familiar Barr or two from an Iconic tune. His art is the most Visual music I have ever heard.
@@conmcgrath7502 you know, I was thinking the same thing. I looked him up and although this interview was a nightmare, he apparently wasn’t evil and I could at least be grateful for this view of a great songwriter and his muse. Rest In Peace old Irish dude, may the wind be at your back and may you have 100 virgin knees always there to touch to eternity ☘️🇮🇪
@@CatherineSTodd Gay Byrne, the interview. He was like an uncle to a few generations of Irish people. I'm a little young for that but for folks over 50, he was a staple of Irish TV & radio for about 50 years.
A very attractive couple too. People rarely say that about Tom but I think he was a looker I would have loved to paint the town with him get my hand stuck in that thick head of hair she's a lucky lady he's a creative genius too.
I know i talk about that all the time. she is credited as a co writer in almost every song after 1983. so cool to get to see her there are hardly any pictures of her anywhere.
I really doubt his very best songs would be what they are but for her. So she could claim to be among the best songwriters in the world but who would immediately come up with her name when he was asked: name some real great songwriters.
I really am not a fan of his stuff pre-brennan, although I didn't know of her for awhile, just happened to notice on the liner notes at some point and incidentally, she shows up right when he becomes the pirate and appears to come into his own, which is ironic. I guess that really he came into her 😂
I can finally see why Kathleen inspired so much music in Tom. She's beautiful, bright and interesting. They are a great couple and I wish them many more years of happiness together.
This was at about the time when she introduced Tom to exotic music, like Bulgarian gypsy (On the streets in Frankfurt, Germany, you can hear there outside the Kaufhaus a band playing a gypsy song, the direct source of the titles music track "Jockey full of bourbon" from "down by law", 95% identical chords, rhythm, melody). She expanded his musical horizons, got him out of his ruts, musical and otherwise. the self destructive Kerouac/Cassiday/Bukowski/RImbaud nihilist Beat drunk poet emulation- downtown L.A: lifestyle.
Can't believe how nobody seems to notice how waits (clearly anoyed by Gay) was so many levels ahead him and the audiencie that he managed to do a musical gag at them: doing a semi atonal rendition of "The piano has been drinking". A polite way to both oblige and say "fuck You" to Gay
I've seen a few interviews by this Gay Byrne character, not always as obnoxious as this, but he does often seem to have a condescending and smarmy attitude even when he's not deliberately trying to get up someone's nose like here
@@eduardoramos5792 That's not his point. The original song isn't played anything like that. The host was being really rude, so when he requested that particular song, playing it in a much more dissonant way was a way of saying F you. Exactly like the OP said, obliging and spoiling his request at the same time. The way Tom plays it, it might as well be a different song.
some of his humor is dry but he has all angles. making songs about vaginas and people burning their families I wouldn’t say is dry, but it is great humor lol
I can almost bet you dollars to donuts,,, Tom Waits deliberately plays the inferior intellect, all the while being above the majority of folks,,, because he doesn't want to appear over-intelligent, which he surely is!!! That's a beautiful sentiment!!!!
So wonderful to see and hear Kathleen Brennan (Mrs Tom Waits) I understand she contributes a lot to Toms music / lyrics. The fact they have been married all these years warms my heart.
I don’t think Tom gets enough credit for his skill on the piano - the recorded version of the piano has been drinking is discordant and all, but you could believe it was painstakingly built and practiced over and again, but this performance shows his deep understanding of the instrument and his incredible improvisational skill - a rare, talented man ❤
Agreed. As a pianist myself I was pleasantly surprised to see how he found little pockets of things to play with throughout this impromptu performance.
@@sysiphuscorinth That's precisely it. Nail on the head. I never liked Gay Byrne. He always seemed to come across as a patronising little shit towards people he didn't understand. Zero empathy I would imagine.
You are so right. Whoever the interviewer is, he had no ability to interact as a human with Tom or Kathleen (wow is she lovely), I think he might have had a personality disorder or something. What a tool.
Tom was in character, misplaying, rambling, "drunk" , at the time it was needed to be these shows.. and Little Kathleen the wife... when in g=fact she DROVE his career from the first three albums to him still being here and brilliant..
I love the ride he took that audience on with the second song. You could feel the anxiety growing in the room with his demented carousel music. Pushing it to the point of outright contempt for all of them and reeling them back in sweetly with a nice melodic ending, allowing them to breathe again. Perfect.
Yeah. He actually plays a sort of montage of a number of his songs all at once. and mostly in a minor key. I think I can ID at least 3 Waits songs in there.
Patrick o Donovan placing your hand on another man’s wife’s thigh is Irish?.... wow, no wonder you guys didn’t let that character trait go public. Also he was subtlety rude towards Waits almost the entire interview if you hadn’t noticed. I heard he’s popular over there, but I definitely can’t see it from this interview. All I see is a playboy past his prime trying to go Alpha on Tom
She stayed a big part of his song writing process, they’re collaborators, which is a rare and beautiful thing. That’s like going to work everyday with your spouse haha, tricky. Wish them all the best
Kathleen is an abstract thinker, if you consider a 'church' and a 'nun' and 'waking someone up' metaphorically she really did amazing things to transcend his consciousness
@@kricorg The presenter is Gay Byrne. He's a legend in ireland and much loved.he died recently leaving the country in mourning. The hand on the leg might look bad but he's not been a creep I can assure you. He was not that way inclined. This was also a different time when such an action would not have been considered creepy.Gya Byrne was a gent in every sense of the word.
@@brendanfarrell5119 I never liked Gay Byrne,he never seemed like a genuine person and has no personality. The only reason he was a legend in Ireland is because he was the first presenter of that show and Irish people had nothing to compare him to
This period of Tom’s career marks a pivotal turning point with his style. This version of The Piano Has Been Drinking was him dabbling with the avant-garde.
@@jacksondemarre8057 i agree. he is a national treasure, an american but he really is a universal , a gift to the planet, 'cause He's BIG IN JAPAN! What is truly special about musicians liike Tom is that he doesn';t need or want some executive producer to tell him what to do who to bee... he's a good man, quiet, cool, witty, doesn't suffer fools. And his music, his own style are loved by all the best space cadets and true music lovers the world over.
Poor Tom one of the cooooooooolest guys ever, having to endure getting interviewed by a plank. Tom is one of the most genuinely unique artists of all time. A friend of mine was playing in a band in a pub in Tralee back in the day and he looked over to see that Tom Waits and Kathleen had just walked in sat down with their drinks and stayed the entire evening enjoying the music. An extraordinary man, a quiet drink, happy playing a bit part role .
@@dyla-gent6090 He might be a great interviewer for some (maybe even most) people, but not for someone like Tom Waits. It was a HUGE mistake to end with a specific request for "The Piano Has Been Drinking" (a request I'm sure is getting old for Tom, and a poor choice for introducing Tom to a new audience as something other than a freak novelty act) rather than simply asking him to do another song, which Tom would choose, or a classic Tom song like "Martha" or "Somewhere" that would show the audience the depth of the man's talent.
@@patcon314 I watched this on the night and on the strength of The Piano's Been Drinking I went out and bought Small Change either the next day or the day after. Without that performance I may never have discovered Tom and his wonderful catalogue of songs.
That was one of the most uncomfortable interviews I have ever seen. The interviewer's pompous, I'm better than you attitude totally sucks. Tom Waits had a great rapport with David Letterman, those interviews are joyful, informative and fun. I know was a different time, but that's no excuse. His hand on Kathleen's knee was totally inappropriate too and for so long! I couldn't believe the audacity of this guy. Just wow!
The whole time she was talking I'm thinking, "When is he gonna take his hand off her knee? Can't believe that kind of rot was still acceptable then, and I'm pretty sure Tom wasn't too please about it.
Tom Waits writes for people who have been broken! Who know what it is to slowly back away from hell! I loved his voice and music since I first heard "Closing Time" about 35 years ago!
tom is so special to me, his talent is immeasurable, he has created a whole mythos of his own populated by characters he has birthed from his precise experiences, hobos, bartenders, gangsters, pimps, thieves etc. long live tom.
All to need to know about Kathleen Brennan is she's the beautiful Jersey Girl who introduced Tom to Capt. Beefhearts' music and rescued Tom at a time he needed resucing. Two beautiful souls still together after all these years . Thank you both, you deserve each other .
I've never seen this before, and I've never seen an interview with Kathleen Brennan before! And I can confidently say that I've seen most of the clips out there with Tom Waits in them. This was a treat, even if the interviewer wasn't the best. Love how he inserted a bit of "Tango Circus Girl" in the middle of this version of "The Piano Has Been Drinking". 😁 Kathleen is beautiful and bright, and has a sense of humour compatible with Tom. I can see why they have had such a long and successful marriage, and musical collaboration.
Waits does a performance of Piano Has Been Drinking much closer to the original (found on his Small Change album) on Martin Mulls brilliant fictional variety show Fernwood Tonight, as well as a great turn as guest. Here he looks like he just wants to get it over with and purposely abstracts the piano part for his own amusement, or maybe to piss off the creepy host. But he shows off some excellent piano chops which I haven’t seen before.
@@Studio-62 yes! I'm impressed with his piano chops! Didn't know about that! And I think it only goes to show how artistically oriented this man is. If it doesn't fit the song...don't do it...even if you can! Know what I mean?
Kathleen, you come across as as a colour somebody yelled in their sleep without dreaming about it. Tom, you are the luckiest bottle I've never drunk. I'm trying to come up with a smart quip but I'm way out of my league. You are both so lovely. You really are.
Tom and Kathleen went to see Dr.Feelgood in the Parkway Motel in Limerick on their Irish visit that year. Another rare sighting for Limerick music fans. Thanks for sharing.
I must stand up here for Gay. Watch the interview carefully, he is REALLY excited to have Tom on his show and to introduce his talent to the people of Ireland. He had already been to see Tom the previous year when he played in Dublin. This wasn't a host interviewing a guest on the information provided by a researcher, Gay was a fan and wanted the rest of Ireland to be equally smitten. The hand on the knee was not sexual, it was very common back then. In fact it was the opposite of sexual, it is saying publicly "I am a kindly uncle figure and I want the best for you". It was common gesture in the Ireland of the time. Anyone can be a critic of Gay Byrne, but nobody can call him a creep or a pervert.
Well said man, and the other great people he ws able to get onto the show like muhammad ali, neither of the two planks presenting the show since him are nearly as good as he was
Maybe he should have done some homework instead of asking for an old novelty song. He reminded me of Martin Mull, But Mull was performing a satire when he had Tom on his silly show.
@@MrCook1227I’m sure the song will have been agreed upon before they started filming. It’s a novelty, sure, but it’s not like he’s requesting a song Waits didn’t write. And it’s not like it’s a tune from thirty years before, this is ‘81 and the tune came out in ‘76 - that’s pretty recent all things considered
What a genuinely deep individual. The interview unfortunately had Byrne way out of his extremely narrow comfort zone. Plenty of great performances and proper interviews from Tom on Letterman on YT.
I love the transition from "The briar ande the Rose" to "Russian Dance". And of course I've loved Tom Waits since 1989, when I first heard "Downtown Train". I grew up in the GDR and my great German teacher introduced me to Tom. Just me, the others thought Tom sounded like he was throwing up in a barrel. Well, my only wish in life is to see Mr. Tom Waits in person. He is the best and greatest artist in the whole world!
“We were staying in a cottage near Tralee,” Waits told journalist John Little, “and we travelled all through Kerry - we went around the Ring three times - up to Galway, around Dingle. We’d just get up in the morning, get in the car, and drive somewhere for the day.
“I like the fact that you can feel the distance between cities. There’s a crisis around every corner... sheep, cattle, and all that. I love seeing sheep on the road. I’ll never eat another lambchop again!”
Gays Byrne is Mr Gays Byrne
Gay not Gays. Not that it matters
@@garethpossinlylawless4928: You can edit your comments. There are three dots to the far right of your comment. Click on it.
Spot on, he was the Irish Alan Partridge
@@murdzstang2777 'cept he didn't live in a roadside motel like Alan..... Ah-haaaa !
Every interview with Tom Waits feels like watching someone on the street, trying to enjoy their cigarette in peace, and some guy just won't leave him alone.
Hahaha! so true
Well you say things like your art is seedy and it sort of makes him feel introverted. He isn't performing just for the high class folks he wants to give a voice to the streets he keeps it real and people try to shame him about it. It's insulting to some of his friends.
"Well, I was born at a very young age."
@@Finn_Lawless Greet line, indeed! Of course, attributed to Groucho Marx, of which Waits was certainly a fan. Multifaceted genius, patron Saint of the arts, all.
@@AnnaLVajda The “Nickle” refers to 5th Street, in downtown Los Angeles, which used to be ground zero for skid row.
“I was born at a very young age.”
EN M......... The line was " borrowered" from Groucho Marx who may ( or may not ) have borrowered it from someone else😉
@@wynnssecret8584 It does sound like a Groucho line, or rather, S J Perelman line, but the gag was coined by Gerard Hoffnung in the late 50s, in the Charles Richardson interviews. It's the beginning of a whole comic meditation about his childhood.
..or is it that those in the wits on occult call normies "unborn". you know.. tarot.. path of the fool etc
I heard an interview with him where he said that one of his kids is older than him. 🤣 I don't know how he could sit down and just kill Tom Traubert's Blues after that piece of shit interviewer who I want to fucking send to some BlackOps site in an abandoned factory full of thugs on crack.
@@musicloverkathy Jeez, he wasn’t THAT bad...
Tom is like a living ghost you feel privileged to have haunt you
Kathleen is a beautiful and witty. Its obvious how she grounded Tom in his health and happiness while opening up his creativity in her collaboration with his writing and its a two way street. You should always be with someone who helps you reach your potential like these two.
Kathleen's an absolute stunner and so honest, earnest, warm and funny. Tom must've realised he was on to a keeper there.
Can you get your hand off Tom Wait's wife's leg?
Lol right. I think when Tom first started talking with him he was trying to go sit with Kathleen. Pretty awkward haha, but Kathleen was cool.
Hahahaha! the guys all notice and know what was going on, except the one it was "going on, on!" And she acts like it's nothing and it ain't happening... boy, I would have knocked his hand off me in a second! This jerk-off interviewer wouldn't get away with it today. LOL!
Ya i noticed that...thats low class...i wouldve said something if i was Tom, but maybe he did after..
A living legend thank God..
I agree.
Tom Waits what an artist and a beautiful love story. He and his lovely wife, a perfect combination. Thank you ❤️ 😊 The Piano Has Been Drinking. Amazing.
There is a lot of James Dean in his mannerism. Whenever I listen to him I feel the static in life dissipate for a while and the essence of simple beauty show itself for a moment. It’s a grounding experience.
I like the comment of Kathleen on meeting Tom: I was a nun and i woke him up, because he fell asleep in the church. :-)
I was born in Pomona then ended up in Whittier for many years as well! I did take a detour to Compton for a few years though but that’s pretty badass to learn about Tom.
There's nobody like Tom Waits ❤
wow - Kathleen every bit as brilliant as I suspected she would be; Waits makes on secret that she has been a huge part of his success.
Tom makes no secret...
I love Kathleen trolling this guy just as much as Tom tends to in interviews.
"That's not true, is it?"
"...it depends."
She was spinning him a yarn in a very Irish way, him being Irish,well he would have saw it coming a mile off..
Three jesters crossing wires..
You can't help but to Love The Man!!!I know I Do
His place in the post beat poet era gained him the praise of Jack Kerouac, Harry Dean Stanton, and Dennis Hopper.
Also loved his seedy character in Mystery Men😂😂
Tom is a unique talent, and a unique individual. For me his music is very hit and miss. It can be sensational and I love it. This is the first time I’ve seen him interviewed and he seems incredibly shy and nervous. An amazing guy in lots of ways.
These two must have had an interesting backstage interaction before filming, cause this host has it out for Tom.
No, that was normal for Irish TV, a lot of the had a inflated sense of self-importance and an arrogant, witless, unfeeling way of delivering questions. I think it's more likely that the host hadn't bothered to spend a moment building a rapport with his guest before the show.
@@jontk @evannakamura637 Gay Byrne appeared to like and enjoy Tom, in my opinion. That was his style. I was never a GB fan but he was hugely popular in Ireland.
Beautiful man indeed Blessed be tow legend by birth
So glad Tom messed with the host after lol 🤣🤣 Legend.
He’s beautiful
worth it for waits and brennan
Kathleen Brennan is absolutely gorgeous
Lightyears ahead of the game.
@6:50 perfect "wtf" face
timeless awesomeful
The Marlon Brando of singing
You nailed it!
Maybe Lee Marvin?
Always loved this song
Always could wear a hat, our Tom.
Imagine a full album with songs by Shane MacGowan and Tom Waits, working together. That would be something wouldn't it? Two of the best song writers in the world, with the two grittiest voices in the world.
Wow this is beautiful
At his best he is my all time favourite singer, at his worst he is unlistenabley bad.
His poetry and piano are like a narrator describing the seen around the story. He uses tricks like advert jingles to further illustrate the mood of a place.
Close your eyes and you are not just listening to a love story but one being told in a bar with its regulars and the Jute Box playing a familiar Barr or two from an Iconic tune. His art is the most Visual music I have ever heard.
SO MUCH CHARACTER, I AIN'T SURPRISED HE BECOME ONE THE MOST ICONIC INSPIRATIONS TO A METHOD ACTING CHARACTER (THE jOKER / LEDGER)
hosts always have a way of doing themselves a misjustice years down the line looking back...go on Tom lad... much love to you
The way he demanded Tom to play the song rather than ask normally was quite embarrassing
What a terrible host. How did he land this job?
Jesus, it was 39 years ago, in Ireland, and it was TV! Give the guy a break.
@@Anthony-hu3rj live tv too. Tom waits is hard to handle let’s be honest.
Who knows
@@thrillofbattle3801 everyone knows. he is an eccentric. absolutely nothing wrong with that but it's not easy to handle on live television
It's who ya blow
The only upside to this interview is knowing that the host is probably dead.
He is
Cold, really cold, much like your heart I imagine.
@@conmcgrath7502 you know, I was thinking the same thing. I looked him up and although this interview was a nightmare, he apparently wasn’t evil and I could at least be grateful for this view of a great songwriter and his muse. Rest In Peace old Irish dude, may the wind be at your back and may you have 100 virgin knees always there to touch to eternity ☘️🇮🇪
@@dave623 Yeah, may there be several crocodiles employed to shed tears at your passing from this earthly sphere.
Rest in peace gaybo
who is "gaybo?"
He was Ireland famous chat shows host 🇮🇪☘️👍
@@CatherineSTodd Gay Byrne, the interview. He was like an uncle to a few generations of Irish people. I'm a little young for that but for folks over 50, he was a staple of Irish TV & radio for about 50 years.
Creepy host.
Like watching folk getting interviewed by a Garda from RTE
♥️♥️♥️🔥♥️🕊️♥️🔥♥️♥️♥️
I loved seeing Tom's expressions while Kathleen was talking. He is so proud of her and so comfortable and confident in their relationship.
Sweet. Yes.
When he was inducted into the R & R Hall of Fame he referred to her as "incandescent ". It was beautiful.
She's brilliant
like you know anything.
A very attractive couple too. People rarely say that about Tom but I think he was a looker I would have loved to paint the town with him get my hand stuck in that thick head of hair she's a lucky lady he's a creative genius too.
They are still married. rare for entertainment folks who met in Hollywood.
Gorgeous twin sons
Not hollywood. Northern California.
They also write and produce Tom's albums together too.
I mean, it's Tom Waits's wife
She is perfect for Tom. His work took a dramatic leap forward after Kathleen and she is a huge part of that in writing and inspiration.
A perfect pairing. She's the best thing that ever happened to him.
I know i talk about that all the time. she is credited as a co writer in almost every song after 1983. so cool to get to see her there are hardly any pictures of her anywhere.
I really doubt his very best songs would be what they are but for her. So she could claim to be among the best songwriters in the world but who would immediately come up with her name when he was asked: name some real great songwriters.
I really am not a fan of his stuff pre-brennan, although I didn't know of her for awhile, just happened to notice on the liner notes at some point and incidentally, she shows up right when he becomes the pirate and appears to come into his own, which is ironic. I guess that really he came into her 😂
@@rebeccafrankenstein3575 I adore Blue Valentine.
I can finally see why Kathleen inspired so much music in Tom. She's beautiful, bright and interesting. They are a great couple and I wish them many more years of happiness together.
Johnsburg, Illinois is an even more perfect song than I realised, now that I have seen the girl who grew up on a farm, there.
She more than inspires him she writes a lot of the actual music and he writes the lyrics.
@@kellymuse9333 I had no idea. Thank you for that!
he really is a disrespectful prick. the way he puts his han on kathleens knee and the way he then commands Tom to playthe piano has been drinking.
The way they look at each other🥰
I love how Tom’s wife is just the other side of the coin. same humor, same free spirit, same relaxed vibe.
This was at about the time when she introduced Tom to exotic music, like Bulgarian gypsy (On the streets in Frankfurt, Germany, you can hear there outside the Kaufhaus a band playing a gypsy song, the direct source of the titles music track "Jockey full of bourbon" from "down by law", 95% identical chords, rhythm, melody). She expanded his musical horizons, got him out of his ruts, musical and otherwise. the self destructive Kerouac/Cassiday/Bukowski/RImbaud nihilist Beat drunk poet emulation- downtown L.A: lifestyle.
One of the best artists.
So uncomfortable though, to see this dude’s hand gripping on Kathleen Brennan’s knee!
Clearly he deserved to hear that she'd been a nun.
I felt the exact same thing. I really wonder how Kathleen (and Tom) felt about that
Can't believe how nobody seems to notice how waits (clearly anoyed by Gay) was so many levels ahead him and the audiencie that he managed to do a musical gag at them: doing a semi atonal rendition of "The piano has been drinking". A polite way to both oblige and say "fuck You" to Gay
was literally JUST thinking that
I've seen a few interviews by this Gay Byrne character, not always as obnoxious as this, but he does often seem to have a condescending and smarmy attitude even when he's not deliberately trying to get up someone's nose like here
Atonal music isn't about saying fuck you to people lmao
@@eduardoramos5792 who said that?
@@eduardoramos5792 That's not his point. The original song isn't played anything like that. The host was being really rude, so when he requested that particular song, playing it in a much more dissonant way was a way of saying F you. Exactly like the OP said, obliging and spoiling his request at the same time. The way Tom plays it, it might as well be a different song.
Tom's sense of humuor is dry, intelligent a bit like his music. He has a unique delivery and unusual way of writing.
And that's why we love him!
some of his humor is dry but he has all angles. making songs about vaginas and people burning their families I wouldn’t say is dry, but it is great humor lol
I can almost bet you dollars to donuts,,, Tom Waits deliberately plays the inferior intellect, all the while being above the majority of folks,,, because he doesn't want to appear over-intelligent, which he surely is!!! That's a beautiful sentiment!!!!
Tom gives me the oddest, warmest comfort mixed with awe...every time. Such a gifted storyteller.
Kathleen shows why she is Tom's soulmate and partner in crime with her answer of how they met.
I believe the story about the church
I want to know what Copella movie Toms music is in.
This bloke has been drinking
@@AnnaLVajda One From the Heart
@@AnnaLVajda One From The Heart-- which features a number of performances with (if you can believe it) Crystal Gayle. It works well...
So wonderful to see and hear Kathleen Brennan (Mrs Tom Waits) I understand she contributes a lot to Toms music / lyrics. The fact they have been married all these years warms my heart.
She's co-written almost every song of his since '83.
Kathleen is as much of a grinning liar as Tom is! LOVE IT!
what does grinning liar mean?
@@natalies1624 a liar who grins I assume?
Did she lie?
He meant how she made a joke about being a nun and waking him up in church. It was made up, as a joke.
@@dark_sunset it was a joke, but also an analogy. So not really a lie.
I don’t think Tom gets enough credit for his skill on the piano - the recorded version of the piano has been drinking is discordant and all, but you could believe it was painstakingly built and practiced over and again, but this performance shows his deep understanding of the instrument and his incredible improvisational skill - a rare, talented man ❤
Agreed. As a pianist myself I was pleasantly surprised to see how he found little pockets of things to play with throughout this impromptu performance.
I love the way she looks at him when she starts to reminisce or think about him. So heartbreakingly lovely
This is one of the most awkward interviews of his I've seen. It's like the interviewer was intentionally trying to being a jerk.
No, Gaye Byrne is just a "superior" smarmmy git who would see Tom as Beneath him.. Yet Tom is worth (not $ but as a person) more than him
@@sysiphuscorinth That's precisely it. Nail on the head. I never liked Gay Byrne. He always seemed to come across as a patronising little shit towards people he didn't understand. Zero empathy I would imagine.
Nope. I'd guess he was born that way. It's hard to manufacture that level of douchebaggery.
You are so right. Whoever the interviewer is, he had no ability to interact as a human with Tom or Kathleen (wow is she lovely), I think he might have had a personality disorder or something. What a tool.
When you start the interview with telling him he leads a seedy life, for fuck sake! Gay Byrne is a fucking patronising judgmental prat.
The Piano Has Been Drinking, as if arranged by Schoenberg.
That's what he gets get for making requests.
Tom was in character, misplaying, rambling, "drunk" , at the time it was needed to be these shows.. and Little Kathleen the wife... when in g=fact she DROVE his career from the first three albums to him still being here and brilliant..
My favorite version!
I thought exactly the same thing, having listened somewhat to Schoenberg 30+ years ago. Tom has the Serialism down pat, amazing improvisation…
I love the ride he took that audience on with the second song. You could feel the anxiety growing in the room with his demented carousel music. Pushing it to the point of outright contempt for all of them and reeling them back in sweetly with a nice melodic ending, allowing them to breathe again. Perfect.
I swear, he beats the keyboard with LEG at 12:28 ヾ( ͝° ͜ʖ͡°)ノ♪(＾∇＾)ﾉ♪
Lol , so true, what a character. An old soul, loves to play with people minds
Yeah. He actually plays a sort of montage of a number of his songs all at once. and mostly in a minor key. I think I can ID at least 3 Waits songs in there.
This host is a total creep. Tom secretly mustering strength not to punch him...
Marshal Law I never would of touched another man’s wife the way he did. I guess it was part of his “Irish Charm”
@@dylangraf7626 You're obviously not Irish , that is normal here ..
@Marshal Law This is so true. I never liked Gay Byrne. He had a rare gift of making awkward feel awkward.
I suspect that the host inspired that Schopenhauer style rendition of the piano has been drinking
Patrick o Donovan placing your hand on another man’s wife’s thigh is Irish?.... wow, no wonder you guys didn’t let that character trait go public. Also he was subtlety rude towards Waits almost the entire interview if you hadn’t noticed. I heard he’s popular over there, but I definitely can’t see it from this interview. All I see is a playboy past his prime trying to go Alpha on Tom
A rare sighting of Kathleen Brennan. This would have been when they were newlyweds. They both look very happy.
They're still married!! That's so awesome.
@Yeah right! They're still happy, but they get used.
He always looks and talks like a man enamored of his wife.
Still together and madly in love!
She stayed a big part of his song writing process, they’re collaborators, which is a rare and beautiful thing. That’s like going to work everyday with your spouse haha, tricky. Wish them all the best
Kathleen is an abstract thinker, if you consider a 'church' and a 'nun' and 'waking someone up' metaphorically she really did amazing things to transcend his consciousness
"That's not true.."
"It DEPENDS....."
Nice point of view. Didn't go there.. Surrealistic for sure.
Be well mate.
Well done 👍
Trippy stuff for sure. Wonder what their sex was like that night after this interview...
@@tronsnow4763 Um.
Tom is a genuine, intelligent and funny man. The presenter is fake as hell. And for God sake why does he put his hand on her knee
He's ridiculous..... a ridiculous fool who tries to change everyone he meets to suit the audience he tries to please.
@@kricorg The presenter is Gay Byrne. He's a legend in ireland and much loved.he died recently leaving the country in mourning. The hand on the leg might look bad but he's not been a creep I can assure you. He was not that way inclined. This was also a different time when such an action would not have been considered creepy.Gya Byrne was a gent in every sense of the word.
@@brendanfarrell5119 he was a prick fuck him
Genuine? Waits is playing a character. He's literally and figuratively putting on a show.
@@brendanfarrell5119 I never liked Gay Byrne,he never seemed like a genuine person and has no personality. The only reason he was a legend in Ireland is because he was the first presenter of that show and Irish people had nothing to compare him to
Clearly not interested in playing The Piano Has Been Drinking. Haha.
It takes a lot of practice to play that bad.
This period of Tom’s career marks a pivotal turning point with his style. This version of The Piano Has Been Drinking was him dabbling with the avant-garde.
Tom Waits is an American Treasure.
A treasure of this universe. There will never be anybody else like him.
@@jacksondemarre8057 i agree. he is a national treasure, an american but he really is a universal , a gift to the planet, 'cause He's
BIG IN JAPAN!
What is truly special about musicians liike Tom is that he doesn';t need or want some executive producer to tell him what to do who to bee... he's a good man, quiet, cool, witty, doesn't suffer fools. And his music, his own style are loved by all the best space cadets and true music lovers the world over.
Poor Tom one of the cooooooooolest guys ever, having to endure getting interviewed by a plank. Tom is one of the most genuinely unique artists of all time. A friend of mine was playing in a band in a pub in Tralee back in the day and he looked over to see that Tom Waits and Kathleen had just walked in sat down with their drinks and stayed the entire evening enjoying the music. An extraordinary man, a quiet drink, happy playing a bit part role .
Do ye remember which pub it was?
@@TheGombeen I'm almost sure it was the old Abbey Tavern.
Bro, Gay Byrne is one of the greatest Interviewers there has been, you should look into him.
@@dyla-gent6090 He might be a great interviewer for some (maybe even most) people, but not for someone like Tom Waits. It was a HUGE mistake to end with a specific request for "The Piano Has Been Drinking" (a request I'm sure is getting old for Tom, and a poor choice for introducing Tom to a new audience as something other than a freak novelty act) rather than simply asking him to do another song, which Tom would choose, or a classic Tom song like "Martha" or "Somewhere" that would show the audience the depth of the man's talent.
@@patcon314 I watched this on the night and on the strength of The Piano's Been Drinking I went out and bought Small Change either the next day or the day after. Without that performance I may never have discovered Tom and his wonderful catalogue of songs.
What a wonderful woman Kathleen is! Just the warmth in her eyes. Tom was very lucky to meet her.
Nice little Waltzing Matilda vignette @ the end .....my favourite artist of all time !! Oh my, what a perfect rendition of “Piano”.......
I think it was Broken Bicycles as kind of a nod to the story of how he met Kathleen.
Definitely waltzing Matilda
That was one of the most uncomfortable interviews I have ever seen. The interviewer's pompous, I'm better than you attitude totally sucks. Tom Waits had a great rapport with David Letterman, those interviews are joyful, informative and fun. I know was a different time, but that's no excuse. His hand on Kathleen's knee was totally inappropriate too and for so long! I couldn't believe the audacity of this guy. Just wow!
Maybe the interviewer had some history of grabbing, and Trump jumped onto the wagon.
TOM WAITS...wonderful and ONE OF A KIND.
The whole time she was talking I'm thinking, "When is he gonna take his hand off her knee? Can't believe that kind of rot was still acceptable then, and I'm pretty sure Tom wasn't too please about it.
this is the first time I've ever actually seen her face after years of listening to tom waits. always was curious if she ever appeared in public haha.
Tom Waits writes for people who have been broken! Who know what it is to slowly back away from hell! I loved his voice and music since I first heard "Closing Time" about 35 years ago!
This is 1 of the craziest comments Ive ever read and really makes me want to explore this dudes stuff finally.
tom is so special to me, his talent is immeasurable, he has created a whole mythos of his own populated by characters he has birthed from his precise experiences, hobos, bartenders, gangsters, pimps, thieves etc. long live tom.
Don't forget sailors and rain dogs
@@desanctisapostata ...and the whores..
The Piano Has Been Drinking version here is great
One of the few people who's songs will be played 100 years from now...and still sound fresh.
All to need to know about Kathleen Brennan is she's the beautiful
Jersey Girl who introduced Tom to Capt. Beefhearts' music and rescued
Tom at a time he needed resucing. Two beautiful souls still together
after all these years . Thank you both, you deserve each other .
Beautiful and insightful…and Tom Waits is good too!
I've never seen this before, and I've never seen an interview with Kathleen Brennan before! And I can confidently say that I've seen most of the clips out there with Tom Waits in them. This was a treat, even if the interviewer wasn't the best.
Love how he inserted a bit of "Tango Circus Girl" in the middle of this version of "The Piano Has Been Drinking". 😁
Kathleen is beautiful and bright, and has a sense of humour compatible with Tom. I can see why they have had such a long and successful marriage, and musical collaboration.
I was going to comment most of the things you've already said here. What an inspiring clip and very lucky to be able to see this rare footage.
In my opinion its Gay Byrne who's most unusual.
That piano has been drinking really was something else, I've never heard this version before. Thank you for sharing.
it was only for this show, I think his was annoyed by Gaybo.. so he did the disonent version..
Totally brilliant version!
Waits does a performance of Piano Has Been Drinking much closer to the original (found on his Small Change album) on Martin Mulls brilliant fictional variety show Fernwood Tonight, as well as a great turn as guest. Here he looks like he just wants to get it over with and purposely abstracts the piano part for his own amusement, or maybe to piss off the creepy host. But he shows off some excellent piano chops which I haven’t seen before.
@@Studio-62 yes! I'm impressed with his piano chops! Didn't know about that! And I think it only goes to show how artistically oriented this man is. If it doesn't fit the song...don't do it...even if you can! Know what I mean?
There are no two versions of one song that are the same when played by Tom, that's part of his emotional magnificence.
Take your “friendly” hand of Kathleens leg!
Interviewer seems a bit 'handsy'...
My dislike for Gay Byrne grows every time i watch a video he's in
My goodness, but Tom will let you know if he's not fond of you, huh? Woe betide the interviewer who patronizes him, or heaven forfend, his partner.
She's so precious. ❤️
This interviewer seems pretentious, arrogant, and judgmental to me. Mr.Waits was exceptionally kind and patient with this less than desirable person.
Gay Byrne is often considered one of the greatest talk show hosts of all time
Kathleen, you come across as as a colour somebody yelled in their sleep without dreaming about it. Tom, you are the luckiest bottle I've never drunk. I'm trying to come up with a smart quip but I'm way out of my league. You are both so lovely. You really are.
Tom and Kathleen went to see Dr.Feelgood in the Parkway Motel in Limerick on their Irish visit that year. Another rare sighting for Limerick music fans. Thanks for sharing.
@Cornpop A British rock and blues band
Tom Waits jnnn
Ahhh, yeah, no surprise. Tom has good taste
I almost feel he played that version of " ThePiano's been Drunk" as a fuck you!! LOVE IT SO MUCH
I think you're right!
He’s brilliant.
A fuck you to who? The host? I wasn’t a fan of his hand on her leg for that long of a time
@@pgaquigz1125 yeah the host was a bit of an ass the whole time im surprised more people havent commented about it
@@pgaquigz1125 yeah defo the host!
"I was born at a very young age." Love this fella.
horrible interviewer in every way possible. i am surprised they all go along with it
Fascinating guy. A huge amount to stuff to listen to and watch. I'm here in 2024
His wife says it all..Tom scored.
Wish we all could too!
I must stand up here for Gay. Watch the interview carefully, he is REALLY excited to have Tom on his show and to introduce his talent to the people of Ireland. He had already been to see Tom the previous year when he played in Dublin.
This wasn't a host interviewing a guest on the information provided by a researcher, Gay was a fan and wanted the rest of Ireland to be equally smitten.
The hand on the knee was not sexual, it was very common back then. In fact it was the opposite of sexual, it is saying publicly "I am a kindly uncle figure and I want the best for you".
It was common gesture in the Ireland of the time. Anyone can be a critic of Gay Byrne, but nobody can call him a creep or a pervert.
Well said man, and the other great people he ws able to get onto the show like muhammad ali, neither of the two planks presenting the show since him are nearly as good as he was
Maybe he should have done some homework instead of asking for an old novelty song. He reminded me of Martin Mull, But Mull was performing a satire when he had Tom on his silly show.
@@MrCook1227I’m sure the song will have been agreed upon before they started filming. It’s a novelty, sure, but it’s not like he’s requesting a song Waits didn’t write. And it’s not like it’s a tune from thirty years before, this is ‘81 and the tune came out in ‘76 - that’s pretty recent all things considered
I agree with all Connor O'Leary said.
What a genuinely deep individual. The interview unfortunately had Byrne way out of his extremely narrow comfort zone. Plenty of great performances and proper interviews from Tom on Letterman on YT.
"Oh how we danced with the Rose of Tralee
Her long hair black as a raven
I know how we danced
And she whispered to me
We'll never be going back home"
Yes, and Kathleen is that rose, we all know now. She is so lovely. What a beautiful love story!
Tom is priceless and Kathleen is absolutely amazing. Look at this woman. What a charming, and the way she talks. Beautiful.
I love the transition from "The briar ande the Rose" to "Russian Dance". And of course I've loved Tom Waits since 1989, when I first heard "Downtown Train". I grew up in the GDR and my great German teacher introduced me to Tom. Just me, the others thought Tom sounded like he was throwing up in a barrel. Well, my only wish in life is to see Mr. Tom Waits in person. He is the best and greatest artist in the whole world!
That version of The Piano Has Been Drinking feels like a "get lost" to the host for about 10 reasons. Wonderful.
I love how the host is like "ah maybe the wife will be more amenable" and she's like nope