Whole Hog: Gratitude Attitude And Triskaidekaphobia

Happy Thanksgiving folks! Bill, James and Cheryl move a couple rungs up the spiral as they begin Season 2 and explore beginnings, family, culinary celebration, the Nobel prize and of course, the perfect Tom Waits Thanksgiving songs.

Real Satisfaction: Flying High On Tom’s Collaboration With Keith Richards

What can we say about this episode? Denny Crane. Oh, and then there’s The Human Strum, the scribe, the little red rooster howlin’ like a wolf, Son Of Rogues Gallery, Under The Influence and Last Leaf On The Tree..that’s right, folks: loads of family fun. AND in the center chamber....THE HUMAN GUINEA PIG quivering in the corner after weeks of being confetti-boarded with Heart Attack and Vine. PLUS, Bill is rendered speechless in the Season 1 Finale...AND Retractions & Corrections. Long live Jerry West!

Bear With Us: The Alien Is On The Spectrum

Hey folks! Dust off your Saint Christopher and hang on to your hats because Jack and Neal are behind the wheel. On our wildest ride yet, we threw away the map, turned off GPS, revved up Zencastr, and barreled down the wire through a ring of fire without a net. You may not learn a lot in this episode, but you sure will be amused or amazed...the choice is yours. But first step this way for Bill and James' spontaneous Top 3 songs for aliens. Ta-Da! 

Zeitgeist: Monkeys With Money 'N Guns Devouring Breakfast Cereal

The erudite Cheryl King joins us for a deep dive, this time plunging into a brilliant essay, "Eluding The Authorities" by Tim Scherman on popmatters.com. A well intentioned but half-baked, feckless, fumbling conversation ensues about the author's mind-bending examination of the positive effect left behind by Tom Waits' music.

Illustration by Peter Ferguson

Tim Settimi: Truth And Beauty In Silence

The Great Settimi: musician, clown, and roller-skating comic, who's opened and worked with music legends like Gloria Estefan, Kenny Loggins and Willie Nelson, shares tales of falling off stages across America and ruminates on Tom Waits' physicality. With a soulful rendition of 'Invitation To The Blues' on baritone ukulele, this episode will melt your heart as Tim and Bill open up about clowning for children in Hospitals with Humorology Atlanta, HA! Poignant, heartfelt and hilarious.

Marx Brothers: A Zany Dance With The Rose Of Tralee

A special guest drops in to explore whether Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Tom are brothers from another mother, subversive slapstick singers caught in a time warp, or just holding up a lamp post. In our most bizarre episode ever, we feature strange and zany renditions of "Hello, I Must Be Going"" and "What's He Building In There". If you're a die-hard anarchist, or just like to take a little poke at authority now and then...this one's for you. Hello, We Must Be Going!

Sudama Kennedy: Big Foot Buddha Diamond Mind

Musician, healer and good friend, Sudama shares his viewpoint on the unique power of Tom Waits creative spirit. A funny high-minded conversation that ends up with the spell-binding story of his Father's experience as a hostage for 444 days in Iran and the effect it had on the entire family. Plus, our Human Guinea Pig experiment is back, this time covering Small Change. Feel the love!

Cheryl King: Calling From A Phone Booth Under The Hollywood Sign

Bill and James go way back in Part 2 with Cheryl King and tell the crazy tale of being called to Hollywood and The Comedy Store by a mystery wrapped in an enigma. We're talking Baby And The Pacifiers, Burt Reynolds, and gun store price tags blowin in the wind. It's the story no one's been waiting to hear, and everyone's been begging for - how our intrepid trio lost their dreams, innocently. Plus, the grand experiment with The Human Guinea Pig finally begins!

Struggle & Transcendence: Over Our Heads In The Deep End

Bill and James take a plunge into the theme of struggle and transcendence, discussing lyrics that had a powerful impact on them. Becoming drops in the ocean and covering a vast array of songs from the Tom Waits catalog including: Make It Rain, Mr. Seigal, Walk Away, Come On Up To The House, Lucinda, Chocolate Jesus, and Day After Tomorrow, they bare a bit of their souls for your amusement, edification, and/or contemplation.

Cheryl King: Jack Knife My Legs With Stacy Adams

Old pal and Itinerant NY theater director Cheryl King joins the podcast for a long awaited reunion with Bill and James. A robust conversation on Tom Waits as truth teller, acting, writing and love ensues. With a surprise guest in pursuit of mystery within a song, a trip down memory lane at the Steppenwolf in Chicago and the return of retractions and corrections. Feel the Love!

Suddenly Now: Down There By The River

Bill and James record an episode face to face for the first time in the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On the road in search of Mayor's Income Tennessee, they end up sitting on mossy rocks by a rushing river discussing two great Tom Waits songs: Misery Is The River Of The World and Down There By The Train.

Shane Conroy: Waltzing Matilda Down Mexico Way

Australian artist Shane Conroy tells his wild tale of attending the same tour in Melbourne and provides a bit of fascinating history on Waltzing Matilda. With a surprise cameo from fashion guest Tad Gunn, and more on how the podcast was inspired by a chance encounter with W. Kamau Bell of CNN's hit show, United Shades of America.