Tom Waits spent a few weeks living in Ireland (mainly Kerry) with his wife before setting off on his European tour in early 1981. This interview with John Little took place in February,1981, over a bottle of Blue Nun at the South County Hotel, Dublin. (hence advert at bottom of page). Waits would return to Ireland to perform in Cork, Galway and for 3 nights at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin at the end of March.

Paul D
30 Mar 2012From what I remember Waits ’emerged’ from underneath an umbrella for the second half of the show!
luki
17 Apr 2014Wrom what i remember i was born on 15 march 1981
europhile
30 Mar 2012John Little went on to write horoscopes for the Sunday World or the Sunday Tribune. Who could have anticipated that?
dubdoug
30 Mar 2012Zodiac Mindwarp!
Tazzle
30 Mar 2012He also wrote the fantastic ‘Irish Wildlife’ column for Phoenix magazine in the early 1980s – Doug, have you any scans of those?
dubdoug
31 Mar 2012Tazzle, yes I do. And I will scan and post the few I have sometime soon.
Conor
31 Mar 2012A rendition of “The Piano Has Been Drinking” from one of the three Dublin shows in March 1981 appeared on the album “Bounced Checks”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bounced_Checks
David.
11 Jul 2012John Litlte also wrote TV reviews for the Sunday World.He died in the early 90’s I think.
dubdoug
14 Jul 2012David, sadly John passed away in 2002.
Noel
17 Dec 2012You might be interested to know that the book that John Little wrote ‘Irish Wildlife’ has made its way onto the web via a blog I came across recently called Eclectic Picnic (check it out here: http://eclecticpicnic.tumblr.com/ ). It’s good to see somebody is still spreading the humour of the late John Little and his observations of 1980’s human behaviour. It’s quite remarkable how little the species on this island have changed in all these years! Regards, Noel Kelly.
dubdoug
17 Dec 2012Thanks Noel, I didn’t know that was there. Great stuff. I know a few others who’ll be interested in too.
oscar
17 Dec 2012i recall rumours that Waits got married in Tralee. I saw a short doc exploring the subject at the Kerry Film Fest a few years ago, but the results were inconclusive.