Tom Waits

03-19-10 Tom Waits

CD BIG TIME ISLAND US 90987.2

1988 18 TRKS Live, 1st CD issue

LP BOUNCED CHECKS (Collection) ASYLUM NZ EF 7200

1981 10 TRK Collection, Asylum material

LP BOUNCED CHECKS pirate EXCITABLE 4502.1

1976? 10 TRKS pirate, Live '75

CD EARLY YEARS Vol. 2 MANIFESTO US PT3 40602

1993 13 TRKS ('71 recordings)

CD FRANK'S WILD YEARS UNIVERSAL JPN UICY-93710

1987 17 TRKS SHM-CD ('08 issue) kami sleeve #1629

CD5 GOIN' OUT WEST ISLAND UK CID 537

1992 4 TRK CD Single CD5

CD HEARTATTACK AND VINE ELEKTRA US 295.2

1980 9 TRKS Bones Howe, prod.

7" IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD / SINGAPORE (PS) ISLAND UK ISD 260

1984 4 TRK EP with pic sleeve, 7"x2

CD MULE VARIATIONS ANTI US 86547.2

1999 16 TRKS

CD NIGHTHAWKS AT THE DINER ELEKTRA US 2008.2

1975 18 TRKS Live, 2 on 1 (Cal Schenkel cover)

LP RAIN DOGS ISLAND US 90299.1

1985 19 TRKS U.S. pressing

CD RAIN DOGS UNIVERSAL JPN UICY-93709

1985 19 TRKS SHM-CD ('08 issue) kami sleeve #0762

LP SOMETHING ABOUT PARIS pirate PIRATE POP 5

1986? 8 TRKS pirate, Live '85

CD SWORDFISHTROMBONES ISLAND DE 255.774

1983 15 TRKS 1st CD issue ('87 issue?)

LP SWORDFISHTROMBONES ASYLUM AUS 60211.1

1983 15 TRKS original version, diff. cover

I think it’s strange that Tom Waits has never received the CD “re-master” treatment in the US. You know, clear trays, bonus tracks. In Japan not long ago, they did actual re-masters of several Island label albums – and released them as paper sleeve SHM-CD’s ( = Super High Materials ). I ordered all of ‘em, and only “Rain Dogs” and “Frank’s Wild Years” showed up. Drat – I’ll have to wait until I go to Japan again to find a used re-master of “Swordfishtrombones”!

So, no re-masters for any of his Elektra / Asylum albums, eh? And where’s a legit DVD for “Big Time”?

So far, I have not found too many of his Anti label CD’s. “Mule Variations” is all I have come up with so far, and I don’t think I’ve played it yet. Let’s see…1999 – on my “To Be Played” stack for 11 years now. I’ve certainly played CD’s of “Heartattack and Vine” and “Rain Dogs” in the last 11 years. And I am still open-mouthed at my variant Asylum (Australia) LP pressing of “Swordfishtrombones”.

Rather interesting / amusing that a non-US collection LP “Bounced Checks” (Asylum NZ, in this case) would appear to be named after a bootleg LP that circulated some years before.