Thank you …
For making the book happen: Andrew Corbin, late of Broadway Books; Gerry Howard, also of Broadway; Lee Brackstone and Angus Cargill of Faber; my agents Jonny Geller and Sarah Lazin. Thank you, too, to Doug Kean, David Watkins, John Burke, Katie Halleron, and Ian Bahrami.
For answering the questions: Bob Alcivar, Ray Bierl, Chris Blackwell, Paul Body, Mathilde Bondo, Denny Bruce, Ralph Carney, Herb Cohen, Ry Cooder, Sal Crivello, Lou Curtiss, Henry Diltz, Pat DiPuccio, Carey Driscoll, Rick Dubov, Todd Everett, Art Fein, Michael C Ford, Sadie Frost, David Geffen, Bill Goodwin, Kim Gottlieb, Carlos Guitarlos, Michael Hacker, Herb Hardesty, Martin Henry, Paolo Hewitt, Stephen Hodges, Randy Hoffman, Bones Howe, Jim Hughart, Harvey Kubernik, Bob LaBeau, Gary Leonard, Louie Lista, Robert Marchese, Mary McCaslin, David McGee, Mike Melvoin, Brendan Mullen, Tom Nolan, Ian Penman, Bill Plummer, Suzanne Reed, Elliot Roberts, Hannes Rossacher, Kate St. John, Bill Schimmel, Kirk Silsbee, Joe Smith, Ron Stone, Clark Suprynowicz, Jack Tempchin, Bobi Thomas, Fred Toedtman, Danny Trifan, Steve Von Lutes, Jeff Walker, Lenny Waronker, Bob Webb, Chip White, Jerry Yester.
For going way beyond the call of any duty by compiling session details for albums and responding to countless enquiries: Bones Howe and Ralph Carney.
For sharing recollections of their own Waits encounters: Johnny Black, Mick Brown, Richard Cromelin, Karl Dallas, Mick Houghton, Mark Kemp, Gavin Martin, Tom Moon, Sean O’Hagan, Ian Penman, Chris Roberts, Joel Selvin, Pete Silverton, Adam Sweeting, Paul Yamada. Plus thanks to the many other writers whose work I’ve quoted from.
For providing a home from home: Peter Wilson, Paula Cannon, and Jack and Ella. For being a true friend in LA: Susan Compo. For their help and hospitality in San Diego: George and Beth Varga. And for always being there in Hollyweird: Harvey Kubernik.
For creating and maintaining every Waits fan’s dream site and resource: Pieter Hartmans. This book would have been a whole lot trickier without www.tomwaitslibrary.com. Thanks also to the splendid Eyeball Kid blog at www.eyeballkid.blogspot.com.
For invaluable advice and feedback: Martin Colyer.
For sending and lending stuff, and for other incidental kindnesses: Greg Arrufat, Laura Barton, Sylvie Blum, Richard Bosworth, Dale Carter, Sharon Chevin, Richard Cromelin, John D’Agostino, Albert DePetrillo, Hunter Drohojowska-Philp, James Fox, Andy Gershon, Carl Gottlieb, Edward Helmore, Clinton Heylin, Rob Hughes, Jay S. Jacobs, Kari Johnson, Gary Kemp, Howie Klein, Philip McGrade, Jeb Loy Nichols, Tom O’Dell, Rob Partridge, Steven X. Rea, Xan Rufus-Isaacs, Tom Sheehan, Don Snowden, Dave Stewart, Sarah Stitt, Neil Storey, Oscar Thompson, Roy Trakin, John Van Zelm Trubee, Sheila Weller, Paul Yamada.
For occasional sustaining conversation (about Waits, or just about writing): Tom Fry, Martin Colyer, Mark Pringle, Mat Snow, Edward St. Aubyn, Christian Preston, James Fox, David Kamp, Jeb Loy Nichols, Tam Hoskyns, Brendan O’Keeffe, Alex Games, Peter Chapman, and everyone else whose support I’ve so unforgivably forgotten.
For patience: Tony Keys, Mark Pringle, and all at Rock’s Backpages; Michael Bonner, Allan Jones, John Mulvey, and John Robinson at Uncut; Caspar Llewellyn-Smith at the Observer Music Monthly. And anyone else who had to wait on Waits.
For being the best sons a man could ask for: Jake Hoskyns, Fred Hoskyns, Nat Hoskyns. For accepting me in their lives: George Slater, Freddie Slater.