Deja Blooze: My 1976 Tom Waits Interview

Blues Terminology

The "blues" as we know them today are in essence a musical account of the lives, the loves, the trials and the concerns of black people during the early years of the 20th Century. Even though the roots of "the blues" can be traced back to the mid 19th Century, this modern style of music is considered a blend of field hollers and the gospel music heard in black church choirs. Blues music concerns, at its core, stories told over a simple chord progression where emotion is the key ingredient fueled by a steady beat that repeats the chant of sorrow, inequity, hard living and the plight of lost souls. The poetry and format of the blues first came into view around 1910 and gained broader popularity in 1912 with W.C. Handy's "Memphis Blues".

During the twenties, the blues became a national craze. Records by leading blues singers like Bessie Smith and later, in the thirties, Billie Holiday, sold in the millions. The twenties also saw the blues become a musical form more widely expanded on by the likes of Son House, Blind Willie McTell, Charlie Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Robert Johnson. Johnson has gained mythological status over the decades and is considered the man whose music and persona broadened the influence and appeal of the Delta blues. Legend has it that Johnson, so badly wanted to play blues guitar, that he sold his soul to the devil one night on a dusty Mississippi crossroad in return for acquiring guitar mastery.

During the decades of the thirties and forties, the blues spread northward with the migration of many blacks from the South and entered into the repertoire of big-band jazz. The blues also became electrified with the introduction of the amplified guitar. In some Northern cities like Chicago and Detroit, during the later forties and early fifties, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, and Elmore James among others, played what was basically Mississippi Delta blues, backed by bass, drums, piano and occasionally harmonica, and began scoring national hits with blues songs. At about the same time, T-Bone Walker in Houston and B.B. King in Memphis were pioneering a style of guitar playing that combined jazz technique with the blues tonality and repertoire.

Regardless of the truth of the Robert Johnson legend, the blues emerged into the mainstream of popular music as a result of Johnson's recordings and still influence players today. Deja Blooze is just one example of the long lasting effect of those early delta players and the potency of their musical creations.

Below are some traditional blues words and phrases that you will hear in the lyrics of songs in the Deja Blooze song bag. They are traceable to African American tradition and experiences in the southern U.S., primarily in the delta region of Mississippi.

Barrelhouse: A cheap drinking spot and more often than not a place for dancing. The term "barrel house" originally referred to buildings where barrels of alcoholic beverages could be found. The meaning of the term later changed to refer to the rowdy style of music that was played at such places.

Biscuit or Biscuit roller: Food themes and metaphors are very common in rural blues music. An attractive young girl was called a biscuit and a good lover was referred to as a biscuit roller.

Easy Rider: The term easy rider is a blues metaphor for a sexual partner. Originally it referred to the guitar a traveling bluesman hung on his back . The term "easy" refers to women and men lovers differently. In reference to a woman it is usually an expression of admiration; with a man it generally carries a negative connotation i.e. reckless or unfaithful.

Hoodoo: A term referring to something that brings bad luck; it was common among southern blacks who preferred it over the word voodoo.

Monkey: Generally refers to a desire for or addiction to drugs or less frequently in reference to an on-going encumbrance or problem.

Nation Sack: "Nation" is generally considered short for "donation". Nation sacks were worn on the belts of traveling preachers to hold the donations they collected. Prostitutes along the Mississippi River eventually adopted this accessory, wearing it under their skirts and between the legs. The jingle of coins worked as a sort of calling card for potential customers.

Rambling: To roam or wander aimlessly from place to place.

Rider: A girl friend, or a sexual partner. Riding is one of the more common metaphors for the sexual act in blues.

Riding the Blinds: The passageway between two railway cars covered wither with canvas or leather in an accordion design. Wandering musicians or hobos sneak onto a passing train and ride for free. That was riding the blinds.

Salty: Generally refers to having "a strong sexual drive" for someone.

Spoonful: This term is considered to have two separate meanings. The first is related to a "spoonful" of liquefied heroin. The second is a sexual reference concerning the amount of a man's "seed."

Stingaree: In blues music this term is a euphemism for the sexual organs, usually applied to women. It is believed to originate from the aquatic stingray with its large sharp barbed dorsal spines near the base of the whip like tail capable of inflicting severe wounds.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

My 1976 Tom Waits Interview

For my last two years in the journalism program at the University of Washington, I wrote for the Entertainment Section of UW Daily Newspaper. I had a piece in most every issue from a photo essay, jazz review, rock concert, an interview with a visiting musician to any event with some entertainment value. During my winter break in 1976, I accepted an invitation from an artist's manager in L.A. to visit the southland and spend a week meeting and interviewing some of his clients. His roster of talent included Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa and a rising talent named Tom Waits. Tom's third album Nighthawks at the Diner had recently been released on the heels of The Heart of Saturday Night. I loved both efforts and jumped at the opportunity to spend some time with the singer with the gravelly voice. The result was a long piece in the February issue of The Daily, which I have linked below. I spent time with Mr. Waits on two occasions: he invited me to join him for a taping of his appearance on the Dinah Shore Show and then I met him in a bar on Hollywood Blvd where we just talked one-on-one. No attitude, no entourage, no handlers, no bullshit. Just a breath of fresh air. Enjoy.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/44992205/Tom-Waits-Daily-Article-Pt-1

http://www.scribd.com/doc/44992197/Tom-Waits-Daily-Article-Pt-2

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My 1976 Tom Waits Interview

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Thursday, December 9, 2010

My 1976 Tom Waits Interview

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