6 thoughts on “Make it rain

    1. I find some of Tom’s newer music off-putting, but I remain impressed by his skill with language and his willingness to experiment with musical styles and instrumentation (this last I attribute to his wife, Kathleen Brennan, who helped push him in new directions).

      What is that itty bitty guitar Tom is playing? I couldn’t make out a badge on the headstock. Looks like a parlor/travel model of some sort.

      Meanwhile, yeah, rain. Hoo-boy. A nice steady soaking, without the usual flash-flood intensity. Up here in the high end of town, anyway. God only knows what gravity’s doing with it further on down the road.

      1. I sometimes put the 2004 Crossroad Guitar Festival DVD on the tube and play along with the songs as best I can. You would be amazed what these guys do with 3 chord 12 bar progressions. Try Rock Me Baby.

      2. Robert Cray is good. He was fronting a bar band in Eugene, Oregon, back when I lived in Corvallis. He seemed destined for greatness even then.

        There was another good bar band up Portland way, if memory serves: Johnny and the Distractions, otherwise known as Johnny and the D’s. I have “Let It Rock” on vinyl. Jeez, one of these days I gotta get another turntable.

      3. After doing some internet search, it seems Tom Waits plays a 1930’s era Gibson L-1 guitar. It ha a parlor size body, as you noticed, and this model is associated with Robert Johnson. Since Waits loves the blues, it might explain the attraction to that model.

Leave a reply to Pat O'Brien Cancel reply