• Waits to appear in film "Mystery Men". (14 January 1999)
• Tom Waits has been cast for the role of Dr. Heller in the upcoming film "Mystery Men". This film, being directed by Kinka Usher, is based on the Dark Horse comic of the same name. Other actors involved are Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, William H. Macy, Paul Reubens, Janeane Garofalo, Geoffrey Rush, Greg Kinnear and Pras. This film is be released by Universal Pictures Summer 1999.

• 'Mule Variations' has been delayed. (14 January 1999)
• I don't know if the album really has been delayed or I had bad information below. Anyways, Epitaph Records has now stated that the album is tentatively due out in Late April 1999.

• Tom covers Kinky Friedman. (15 December 1998)
• Tom Waits has covered the song "Highway Cafe" on a tribute album to Kinky Friedman. This album is not yet being sold at all music stores. The Kinky Friedman home page lists a phone number and local retailers that should be carrying this album. You can also download part of the Tom Waits song at the same site. This album features many artists from Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, and Marty Stuart to Lyle Lovett, Chuck E. Weiss and Tom Waits.

• Tom covers Kinky Friedman. (15 December 1998)
• Tom Waits has covered the song "Highway Cafe" on a tribute album to Kinky Friedman. This album is not yet being sold at all music stores. The Kinky Friedman home page lists a phone number and local retailers that should be carrying this album. You can also download part of the Tom Waits song at the same site. This album features many artists from Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, and Marty Stuart to Lyle Lovett, Chuck E. Weiss and Tom Waits.

• "Mule Variations" to be released in March 1999. (12 November 1998)
• Tom Waits' first album with Epitaph Records is tentatively named "Mule Variations" and will be released in March 1999. Waits, in an interview with MTV Online, has stated that this album will contain some of the 25 new songs he has recorded. These songs are "real dirt simple" and some of them were even recorded outside. Waits promises that "When you go outside dogs, kids on bicycles, chickens and airplanes seem to wait until you finish singing a line before they make a sound." Anyone that got to listen to his KCRW appearance last March should have a good idea of where this new album came from. During this radio interview, he played Leadbelly and other songs that were inspiration to him for this latest venture. Some of the songs that may be included are "Clap Hands", "My Baby's Leaving on the 2:19" (which features a guest appearance by Les Claypool of Primus), and "The Eyeball Kid".
  Other guest musicians include John Hammond (a Bluesman that Tom toured with early on in his career), Charlie Musselwhite (a guest artist at the Don Hyde Benefit in February 1996), and Marc Ribot (who appeared on 'Swordfishtrombones' and 'Rain Dogs'). For more information please go to MTV.Com web site.

• Waits produces album for old friend. (11 November 1998)
• Chuck E. Weiss will be releasing a new album produced by Tom Waits in February 2, 1999. This album, "Extremely Cool", also includes a duet with Tom Waits and Chuck E. Weiss on "It Rains on Me". That track and one other were co-written by the pair. For more information please go to the WallOfSound.Com web site.

• "Rare on Air, Volume 4" to include live Waits track. (1 September 1998)
• KCRW's radio program "The Morning Becomes Eclectic" has released the fourth in its series of outtakes from the program. This album to be released October 6, 1998 will include a live version of "Fall of Troy". This was taken from Waits recent appearance on the radio program March 31, 1998. The album was produced by Mammoth Records and can be purchased there or any of the music stores.

• Tom signs on to Epitaph Records. (19 June 1998)
• Waits signed on to Epitaph Records after two years of courting the company. He is currently at the Prairie Sun Studio and will hope to release an album in early 1999. Recording with him are current/former bandsmen Marc Ribot, Larry Taylor, Greg Cohen, and Steven Hodges. Primus has also been in the studio to assist with some of the tracks.

• Island records releases a compilation album 'Beautiful Maladies'. (16 June 1998)
• This album does not contain any new tracks, but it does feature several songs from each of his records released while he was at Island Records.

• Tom leaves Island Records. (1 May 1998)
• Tom has not had a contract with Island Records since his seven album deal was completed with the release of "Black Rider". He has now decided to leave Island Records and will try to find a new recording company. Island Records will also be releasing a compilation album called 'Beautiful Maladies'.

• Tom Waits was on the radio waves on March 31, 1998. He talked with Chris Douridas on KCRW out of LA at 11:00am Pacific. This was the final show for Chris Douridas' hosting of 'Morning Becomes Eclectic'. The program was heard over the internet at the KCRW Live section of their web site. In the interview, Tom stated that he would be leaving Island Records and that he was recording a new album some time in May or June. He also played a couple of songs--"Filipino Box Spring Hog", "Fall of Troy", and a little bit of "The Other Side of the World". (31 March 1998)

• Tom has been ranked 90th in the VH-1 Top 100 Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll. I know must of you do not agree with this, but the benefit is that VH-1 will be airing features for each of the artists listed. This countdown of the top 100 will begin Tuesday March 31, 1998. Tom Waits feature will supposedly be aired during the 10:00pm hour on the first day (Tuesday March 31). The VH-1 schedule shows that artists ranked 100 through 81 will be aired from 10:00pm - 11:00pm Pacifc. (30 March 1998)

• Tom Waits had a superb performance tonight. Not only did many people get to watch it over the internet (with only a few problems during his piece), but he was the driving force behind the concert. He performed 7 songs with one encore during his set and at the end of the concert, he led all of the artists in a rendition of "Innocent When You Dream". I will not lessen any of the performances, but I know there was a lot of people there that wanted to see even more Waits than what they got. You should have heard the applause. Hopefully this will get him going for a full blown concert (in several cities even!). (29 March 1998)

• Tom Waits will be included on a new album by Ramblin' Jack Elliot due to be released March 17.
• Wall of Sound has found that Tom Waits will be included on a new album by Ramblin' Jack Elliot. The album "Friends of Mine" to be released by Hightone Records March 17 will include two tracks with Tom Waits. "Old Time Feelin" also includes Guy Clark and "Louise" was written by Tom Waits specifically for this album. Other artists on the album are Nanci Griffith, Arlo Guthrie, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Peter Rowan, Rosalie Sorrels, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Bob Weir. (25 January 1998)

• Waits might have a song on a new Kinky Friedman tribute album.
• His addition on the Kinky Friedman tribute album "Pearls in the Snow: The Songs of Kinky Friedman" is not for sure, but the album should also include Willie Nelson, Lee Roy Parnell, Delbert McClinton, Dwight Yoakam, Asleep at the Wheel, George Jones, Tompall Glaser. This album is supposed to be released around year's end, but it will initially be released exclusively by Don Imus. (4 November 1997)

• Waits will feature a new song in the movie "The End of Violence".
• German director Wim Wenders, of "Paris, Texas" and "Until the End of the World", is directing a new movie "The End of Violence". This movie, starring Gabriel Byrne, Bill Pullman and Andie MacDowell, will feature a new song by Tom Waits called "Little Drop of Posion". It will also include Los Lobos, the Latin Playboys, and a joint collaboration between Sinead O'Connor and Bono of U2. The soundtrack should be released September 26, 1997 and the movie will be released in October. (16 May 1997)

• Can you believe it?
• A spokesperson from Island Records has stated that "Tom would love to have an album out next year. The will is definitely there, where it wasn't maybe a year ago." The spokesperson also added that Waits and Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, recently met in Jamaica to discuss recording possibilities. More can be read about this at Wall of Sound. (29 April 1997)

• Waits has narrated a documentary called "Guy Maddin: Waiting for Twilight".
• Tom has narrated a documentary on filmmaker and friend, Guy Maddin. This film "Guy Maddin: Waiting for Twilight" produced by Marble Island Pictures was aired on Canadian Bravo October 17 at 8:00pm ET. Tom was supposed to be in one of Mr. Maddin's films "Twilight of the Ice Nymphs", but could not arrange it due to scheduling conflicts. (29 April 1997)

• Tom Waits will include his music on a Jack Kerouac tribute album.
• Geffen Records will release a Jack Kerouac album in early 1998. This album will feature rare recordings by Jack Kerouac, but it will also include the song "On The Road". The music to this was written by Tom Waits and will feature Jack Kerouac with Tom Waits and the members of Primus performing the music behind it. This track was recorded earlier this year at Prairie Sun Studios in Northern California. (7 April 1997)

  
  
  

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