Lowside of The Road: A Life of Tom Waits by Barney Hoskyns
In 2009, I interviewed Barney Hoskyns after his book Lowside of the Road: A Life of Tom Waits was published.
…
“Take an eye for an eye
Tooth for a tooth
Just like it says in the Bible
Never leave a trace or forget a face
Of any man at the table…”
–Tom Waits
“Black Wings”
The Barney Hoskyns book–Lowside of the Road: A Life of Tom Waits–proved difficult to write. Waits, known for his privacy, persuaded his friends including Keith Richards, Jim Jarmusch and Rickie Lee Jones not to speak with Hoskyns.
In Lowside‘s prologue, Hoskyns wrote about his dilemma: “At various points during my two years of researching Waits’ life and work I had to stop and ask myself, ‘Do I actually have the right to write a book about Tom Waits?’ It’s tough not to personalize the rebuffs, not just from the Waits camp but from certain acquaintances and collaborators. Tough, too, not to see their polite requests that such people not consort with me as covert censorship.”
Hoskyns, a seasoned literary professional, wrote for publications such as MOJO, Melody Maker, New Musical Express, The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Observer, Arena, Harper’s Bazaar, Interview, Spin, Rolling Stone and co-founded the music site Rock’s Back Pages. His other books include Across the Great Divide: the Band and America, Say It One Time For The Brokenhearted, Hotel California: Singer-Songwriters and Cocaine Cowboys in the LA Canyons, Glam!, Beneath the Diamond Sky: Haight Asbury 1965-1970 and Waiting For the Sun: A Rock and Roll History of Los Angeles.
Lowside of the Road traces Waits’ childhood in San Diego, his fascination with music and the Beat Writers up through his early recordings and performances, relocation to Northern California, music deals and Waits’ latest tour behind Orphans. Hoskyns managed to speak with Bones Howe who recorded Waits’ earliest album and various other associates that had nothing to lose by talking. Hoskyns covers Waits’ career in movies—like Ironweed, Shortcuts, Down By Law, Candy Mountain, Night On Earth and Dracula.
The book highlights Waits meeting his wife–at Francis Ford Coppola’s Zoetrope studios–Kathleen Brennan, marking a distinct change in direction and method to his music making. Hoskyns chronicles Waits’ albums and professional maneuvers through the years with honest fact. Here’s an email response Hoskyns included in the book from Keith Richards’ personal manager Jane Rose revealing how the process transpired:
“Thu, Feb 8, 2007, Dear Barney, Keith has asked me to check with Tom to confirm that this is authorized before doing any interview. Will get back to you once I speak to Tom or his representative.” Later that day, Hoskyns received this electronic mail: “Dear Barney, Keith will not be able to do the interview. Another time, another situation. Kind Regards.” Richards played guitar on the Waits albums Rain Dogs and Bone Machine. Other close associates of Waits who refused to be interviewed for the book included Prairie Sun Studio Founder Mark Rennick, musicians Smokey Hormel, Greg Cohen, and Matt Brubeck.
Hoskyns mines Waits’ influences such as Dylan, Ray Charles, Son House, Charley Patton, Howlin Wolf, Sinatra, Kerouac, Bukowski as well as Waits’ dislikes such as the California Laurel Canyon scene with his label-mates the Eagles. Hoskyns does an excellent job of dissecting each Waits album. Hoskyns covers Waits’ business deals, dilemmas and musical choices without judgement or scandalous innuendo. Even Waits’ lawsuit against Frito-Lay is elaborated on in the book.
Hoskyns, despite all the resistance from Waits’ camp, manages to portray and prove Waits as one of America’s great songwriters. Hoskyns interviewed Waits on several occasions, and admitted Waits proved evasive. The writer elaborates on songwriters such as Rod Stewart, Bob Seger, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Bruce Springsteen covering Waits’ songs. In our interview, Hoskyns provides insight to his brutal journey writing about Tom Waits.
James Calemine: How did with you grapple with “Do I have a Right to write a book about Tom Waits?”
Barney Hoskyns: You resort to the old clichés about “public figures”, for example, anyone’s life is fair game if they stick their head above the parapet of fame. After I finished the book I thought of another tack: asking Tom Waits if he himself had ever read a biography of a living musician. I very much doubt the answer is no.
Most important thing to remember about Tom Waits?
BH: He’s a fish in the jailhouse and all heart.
Elaborate and verify why Tom’s an artist’s artist…a songwriter’s/songwriter…
BH: He’s an artist’s artist in that he’s virtually never accommodated or second-guessed his market. He’s a songwriter’s songwriter in that several great writers have sung his songs.
His movie career augmented his musical persona. Did it help?
BH: I don’t know if movies helped his career but they helped him develop new “characters” for his songs. They also, eventually, made him impatient with waiting around in movie trailers – and so got him properly back on track with his music.
Significance of Kathleen Brennan?
BH: Kathleen allegedly saved Waits’ life. She also allegedly pushed him outside his comfort zone and helped him jettison his ’70s props. It’s unlikely there would have been a Swordfishtrombones without her. There certainly wouldn’t have been a Waits homestead and progeny.
Artists such as Keith Richards admired & collaborated with Tom. Keith’s email declining to go on the record indicates Tom’s power of persuasion. Yes?
BH: It’s possible that even Keith Richards is a little afraid of Tom Waits, whose bite can be worse than his bark. For me, the Waits’ overstepped the mark by censoring the likes of Richards, who only wanted to say glowing things about him. I tried not to hold it against them.
Safe to say Waits is a master of controlling his environment?
BH: One spin on the Waits’ modus operandi would be say that they are control freaks to a fault.
Most difficult part about writing this book? Waits’ stonewalling?
BH: The hardest thing about writing a biography is leaving no stone unturned. You get paranoid that you might miss the “key” to your subject.
If you could take only one Tom Waits CD on the road with you, what would it be?
BH: Probably Mule Variations. Maybe Foreign Affairs.
Any feedback from Waits or his people on Lowside?
BH: They would never stoop so low.
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