I was talking with a friend about Frank’s Wild Years, the Tom Waits album, and he told me that the album was performed as a stage show in Chicago, with Waits as Frank. There is a brief note to that effect on the tape cover. Has anyone seen this show? Was there a book to accompany the music? Listening to the album, you can pick up the outline of a plot, but it’s pretty vague. Has it been performed since?
Never seen it, but I have been under the impression that it toured Europe rather extensively, that it was born from the cut “Frank’s Wild Years” on Swordfishtrombones (Duh, I suppose, but the idea contained in the song was a jumping off point for the whole album,) and that it chronicles Frank’s descent into utter batshit madness after having murdered his wife and the dog, and burned down his house, while chugging Mickey’s Big Mouths. Um…not that he wasn’t batshit before that, but I suppose FWY is a more extended look into his warped brain.Beyond that, I know nada.
I saw it. I met Elvis Costello backstage.
I was less than terribly impressed with the play; seemed thin and a bit amateurish.
I can see that being the case. I believe it was Waits’s first outing in the medium. The album is pure, shining genius though.
I agree about the album. I was wondering if the play might be revived, considering the popularity of revivals, lately. I guess it’s just as well no one’s thought of that.