We're All Mad Here: A Conversation With Tom Waits 

I wish Tom would write a book about his aventures and thoughts in life and then turn it into an audio book with him reading it.

I held the door for Tom and Kathleen last year at a little restaurant in Northern California. It was one of the best moments of my life. He said to me “Oh... well thank you there.” I was so star struck I was barely able to respond, I wanted an autograph so bad but did not want to bother him. This man literally had shaped much of my 20s-30s musically and is to this day my Elvis Presley. A true American Treasure.

"The public is fickle and I can't be responsible for their feelings ya know".

I always feel like a freak. But Tom just reassures me I'm not a dumbass. Your music gets me through everyday life. Thanks Tom. 😊

I love how happy and comfortable Tom is in this interview. Rare that we get to see this side of him.

This interviewer is gold. I miss seeing Tom and his son buying books 4x a week at my bookstore. Lovely strange interactions I’ll never forget ❤️

One of the most fascinating things about Tom is how you sometimes can't separate what seems to be fiction from reality. Tom loves his tall tales, and you can't really tell whether he's telling the truth or a funny lie, and honestly its better this way.

The intellectual depth of this man is awesome.

"We're putting out two records" I got really excited. Then I looked and realized this is from 2003. God Damn it.

"... you might as well make more than one pancake."

The man is a seamless mosaic of quotable one-liners and unquotable anecdotes.

Only a shy man can write such beautiful melodies. This interview confirms it. Love your work, Tom!

Always think of Tom as who I would put up in the defendant box to stand for mankind if God woke up after his long nap.

Warning: the side effects of this video may include smiling for the rest of the day (and a bit in the morning) and wanting to become a better person.

About a half an hour ago, I was in a bit of a hung down brung down shitty mood...now I've gotta hearty little chuckle goin. Thanks Tom as well thanks to the folks who conducted this rare jem.

As a boy who left home at 14 and am 40 years old now, there is nobody that spoke to me more than Tom literally and figuratively speaking. Best travelling companion ever. Love to you Mr. Waits. Thank you.

Feels like this was yesterday, yet it was over 18 years ago. That's how you know you're timeless.

"When your stove is heated up, you might as well make more than one pancake" 😄 good one!

“The public is fickle and I can’t be responsible for their feelings.” Jesus Christ this man is poetic in everyday life, not just his music.

This is the best interview I've seen of Tom. He's relaxed and seems to be enjoying himself.

Never watch interviews with your heros they say. While good advice overall, Tom is definitely an exception.

Got to work with Tom on a music video and scene for Jim Jarmusch Coffe and Cigarettes about 20 years ago. 2 long days of great collaborations. Ran into him at a small country store about 10 years ago and we had a chat standing over the coffee dispenser in back of the store. So great to see this interview with him.

"You know, scales were really feathers, before they were feathers, ya know. If you look at a scale you can tell it's about to become a feather, in about 2 million years." I love this guy.

When someone wants to date me I ask them what's your favorite Tom Waits song and if they know who he is then we can continue the conversation lol.

This man knows “things”

It's entirely possible that God who's away on business is interviewing for a better job.

Tom Waits is captivating. His ideas are fast and clear leaving no doubt of the brilliant and plainly decent man he is.

This is outstanding. Great interview. " today you play jazz, tomorrow you betray your country " Who knows that stuff? 👍🎶😎

I had a suspicion the crows on anthills was true, SO I LOOKED IT UP ,,YUP. THEY DO. Tom sprinkles truth with whimsy, a wonderful way to look at the world.

God his interviews are always priceless, every time. The guy is so funny it’s beyond belief, a true wordsmith. Long live tom

I’m fairly certain that Tom Waits was born 57 years old

I had the pleasure of seeing him in concert and I had no idea who he was. It was the most captivating, emotional and riveting experience I ever had. Truly an amazing and gifted man.

I wish he would host a show called "Tom's Animal Kingdom" where he just talks about crows and dung beetles for an hour every week.

Extremely intelligent and grounded men are rare. Thank you for sharing.

I googled bumblebee bat. God dammit he's right!

I love this man and everything about him.

..."you wash I'll dry". Relationship wisdom, love this Dude.

I Met Tom Back In 77..He Was Playing The Capital Theatre Here In Salt Lake City Utah. Before The Show He Was In The Green Room Sipping Whiskey And Bummed About 5 Marlboro's From Me . I Was 17 And Had No Idea I Was Sitting With A Legend 🙄

I love this interview. Near the end last question he explains music to be treated almost like the Holy sacrament. Like going to church the musicians are asked to not listen to any music before recording with Tom. A complete empty vessel if you will. For that when we do play it is from complete and clean invention.

I worked as a PA on this shoot. We shot the “God’s Away On Business” vídeo the same day, at that now “gone” hotel. As a fan, I was in heaven.

At such a low, terrifying point in our collective existance, i cannot concieve of a better person to hear from. Thank you. I feel slightly less doomed. P.S: i apologize for misspelling ‘conceive’.

Props to recording this at the Ambassador before another piece of Los Angeles history was ripped down.

What a great laugh. It tells me everything I need to know about him.

HHHHHHHEEEEEEEERRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He stands alone and is true to himself. For that alone, he is a huge inspiration. Its amazing to still have you with us, Tom. A musical legend.

I attended a taping of the Match Game ‘77 at CBS Television Studios in Hollywood and met Tom Waits in the waiting line, where He looked at the Hollywood hills and said “That’s where Queen Jane lives-I think I’ll visit her again”: A Dylan lyric. He tagged with me, and sat next to me during the taping. This was before I knew who he was. He only attended for the ticket raffle at the end of the taping, with his elbows on his knees he lurched forward clutching it with both hands and stared at through the entire taping to rise only when it was announced the raffle numbers to be read. When his wasn’t called he theatrically threw his ticket to the floor and rose up to leave the studio. On the way out it was drizzling so I offered him a ride home. He declined-said “No thank you” and laid down on a bus bench in full view of the the crowd of people walking out to the parking lot.

Best Tom Waits interview I've seen, so relaxed and funny, interviewer has a great sense of humour too which Tom obviously appreciated.

Tom, you tend to take that fine line between genius and insanity, and play hop scotch. One of the few that sees that line like a wav form and simply strolls thru it in a drunken stagger. You're crazy brilliant. Stay you. For the love of God, in this ever changing world, please... stay you.

Music is LIFE. He is DEFINITELY part of the soundtrack of my life ♡

I guess the implication is that if you go looking for God you'll be lucky to find an emu instead.

before I clicked, I thought, "wow, he looks great for his age!" and then naturally, this is 2002.

Gibberish is more than what it sounds.... I first heard Tom Waits when someone played his album Blue Valentine, around 1980. I've always felt that it was a subliminal piece of musical and lyrical artistic work.

This is one of best Waits chats online. It’s a gem.

Still one of my absolute favourite musicians!

Now everyone go google the bumblebee bat

Tom Waits is the only person on Earth who could play a live-action versions of both Popeye and Moe from The Simpsons

He's been with the same woman since 1980! Wow that’s amazing and he still sounds so in love and proud of her 😍 Goals.

Instantly put me in a good mood, thanks Tom!

I've always loved his fingers...and his smile and laugh. Such a brilliant artist.

😢 at 14 minutes in I realized I was on a psych ward and I'd never get the 14 minutes back so i quickly stopped watching. Thank you Tom.

Tom as I understand it, crows can often be found congregating with chicken fish...chicken fish which you discussed at some length with Leon during your River Of Men journey while fishing with John. Thanks for posting these interviews and such....always entertaining yet insightful! ;)

Congratulations to Tom, that he survived so many stupid questions :(

Toms an amazing artist,good to see him enjoying life.

I like Tom, it's very talented, as a musitian, actor, and he is a kind of nut, but he is very funny a very inteligent. LOVE his music. Very dark to Newyorker. My greetings for Him. Juan Toro from Caracas, Venezuela. 🎉😂❤

The cut part of this interview goes like this: RL: Tom! TW: Robert. RL: Thanks for asking us into your house.(1) TW: (laughs) RL: It's a rare treat!

There will never be "Too Many" Tom Waits Records. There are only "Never enough." Tom Waits for President.

What a pleasant and witty conversation. Thank you for this gem. And Tom blushing and giggling is very endearing.

“If you can get him out of your medicine cabinet” I’m absolutely dead hahaha

Great interview. God's away on business and emus are dinosaurs. True. Some of the questions the guy is asking are kind of silly, but it's still cool to see Tom. I'm still a fan of Closing Time after 40 years I guess. And Mule Variations. What's he making???

You got the stove on, so you might as well make two pancakes. Everything that comes out of Tom Waits's mouth is poetry!

He talks just like he sings. I also like the framing on the video.

Great interview of which actually captures the contemporary spirit in Tom… I’m a big fan of his work. Simply put he’s awesome

What a great interview, Tom is clearly enjoying the experience and more relaxed than I've ever seen him. Good interviewer, liked his tone.

You are looking at America's greatest poet. there is only one tom waits.

This is trully the only interview I've seen him laughing and being so clearly happy. He must've had a great day

Tom Waites is an acquired taste like fine wine. I appreciate him and his music more and more as time passes.

thanks Tom. your music is something both my wife and I share.we are different ages and your music alone is a place we can both enjoy equally. bring your family to NZ for a holiday!!!!

He already has. It’s called ‘Innocent When You Dream.’

WHAT A DELIGHTFUL INTERVIEW. SYMPATICO, ARTICULATE AND FLUIDLY WACKY. TEN STARS! WORTH LISTENING TO EVERY MOMENT

Shakespeare introduced the fool, that intelligent character that was believed to be a funny idiot but in fact was the only sane and intelligent in the crowd... Always joking making fun of things but very sad about the state of things... But never able to say his heart´s truth and meaning and always had to hide it behind jokes, being sad on his own in the chamber... I just hope that you don't have had more sadness for telling your "truths" to us than we that listen have. Thank you for taking the "other road"!

Waits is all caught up with fantasy and metaphysics and anything anti-hegemonic you can imagine. And I'm that much richer for discovering him. Wish I could share a drink or a smoke with the bloke.

This guy is a national treasure. What a mind. Might be my favorite weirdo. (it's a compliment)

The most "at ease" interview I've seen TW do. He's actually having fun.

They've made their choice, the giraffes.

This interview is 18 years old .. what an amazing person ! I remember him in a few movies, he’s a great actor .. as well as a true musicians ..

I grew up in Poland in the 80s and 90s and Tom Waits has always been a hero for me. I was shocked after moving to US that almost nobody here knew who Tom Waits was... while everyone knew Katy Perry and Justin Bieber

I have a Cassette tape with your name on it that belonged to Eliot Wolff at one time it is a recording he did of you I believe Tom. Id it true that you worked with him? I watched a movie you were in on Vudu a comedy and thats how I found you.. Loved you in Seven Psychopaths BTW...

Q. Tom, what would you do if you weren't a songwriter? A. Well, I had a mail-order nightcrawler business when I was a kid so maybe I'd go back to that. LOL

Well y'know he's an absolutely incredible person n we love him for a long long time. Thank you very much, mr. Waits! Appreciate you sir!

Met him a longtime ago at a book/record store in Petaluma area. I dropped the record I was holding and totally blew it.... Your your your you're Tom Waits. Gee fella that's what they call me. Really really nice guy

"Too early for flies"....Looks at his watch.

I love what the interviewer was trying to do with the shot on those door frames, it's a pity it's overexposed, it's a brilliant image for something so rare.

Robert sounds a close, personal musician friend of Tom's. Can't wait to try that subvocalizing thing.

What a great conversation, I'm so glad it found me right now, whoa la malla foo la pahla...yah!

I really like the kinda weird and interesting element to both their music, but crikey he's much more interesting in an interview than Billie Eilish.

I learned more about nature from this clip than from a whole season of Nature on PBS.

I painted him eating Tacos. Go to Instagram and follow a page called "People Eating Tacos"

Tom I so relate/ giver till you run out of material we love you from a far cause that’s how you like it... 💋🇨🇦

Back in the 70's.. KSAN in SF, would play Tom Waits late at night it's how I first listened to him.. Night Hawks is in my top 10..

Happy birthday my man I guess that I just fell in love with you 👌🏼🎧👍🏼

its been way to long.hopefully he will put out some new music soon.70 yrs old.just like hendrix and morrison there will never be another tom waits.catch him while you can..