A Conversation with Tommy Womack (continued)

PM: So which way do you see this wagon train rolling now?

TW: The Village Voice quote last week was great: "Think Spalding Gray if he grew up in Kentucky with a guitar and a vinyl copy of Black and Blue." I like the notion of evolving a show that goes from spoken word to jam band, where you're going to get a great bit of rock 'n' roll at the end. Like a Springsteen show, no matter how much angst and lecture he puts you through during the show, you know you're going to get your reward at the end with "Devil With the Blue Dress," and "Twist and Shout."

PM: [laughs]

TW: You know that's going to come. So I see a show like that coming--I'm already giving readings from Cheese Chronicles and other essays as part of the show. And we play my tunes, and we stretch them out a bit. And I see skits eventually as part of it. Because we already have a couple. We've got a couple of routines--like I said, during "A Little Bit of Sex," I tell stories. And Lisa, my harmony singer, has her parts that she throws in. She knows her lines. And my drummer is great with sound effects, just leaning down into a snare microphone which has reverb on it. And it turns out to be things like, well, Zappa's "Titties and Beer," little skits within the songs, something fun for the audience to get them to laugh, so that not everything is so heavy all the time.

PM: Right.

TW: And I see it going there. I'd like eventually to have the kind of show and audience that might come see me over and over again because my confessional songs make them realize they're not alone, and they get a big comfort out of that. So I could see doing a show where people come see me just to see, "What is Tommy going to say tonight?" Because I already have a bit of a rep as, "What will he do next? What will come out of his mouth next?" I'm a big Bill Hicks fan. I'm a big, big fan of that kind of honesty. I've found honesty is my stock and trade now, through having originally chronicled my breakdown on the website. And like I said, you can't put that genie back in the bottle. I am forever now "Tommy Womack, the open book."

PM: Right.

TW: So I can see that as always being part of the shows. And a mixture of spoken word, skits, entertainment, and a lot of great music, and really making people feel good about themselves when they leave.

PM: It's a beautiful thing. And you're the guy for the job, Tommy. I can't wait to see you play our show on Monday night. And I really, really appreciate you taking the time to talk tonight. I look forward to having you on the cover.

TW: It's my pleasure, Frank.

PM: Okay, Tommy, you take care. Hey to Beth. And I'll see you on Monday night, my man.

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