Tom Waits – Mule Variations

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Label:	Anti- – 86547-1
Format:	2 x Vinyl, LP, Album
Country:	US
Released:	Apr 27, 1999
Genre:	Jazz, Rock, Blues
Style:	Blues Rock, Contemporary Jazz, Folk

Tracklist

A1		Big In Japan Bass – Les Claypool Drums – Brain Mantia* Guitar – Larry LaLonde Guitar, Vocals – Tom Waits Saxophone, Trumpet – Ralph Carney
A2		Lowside Of The Road Cümbüş [Chumbus], Banjo [Dousengoni] – Smokey Hormel Guitar, Organ [Optigon] – Tom Waits Programmed By – Jacquire King Recorded By – Gene Cornelius Trumpet – Chris Grady
A3		Hold On Bass – Larry Taylor Guitar – Joe Gore, Marc Ribot Guitar, Organ – Tom Waits Percussion – Stephen Hodges
A4		Get Behind The Mule Bass – Larry Taylor Guitar – Smokey Hormel Harp – Charlie Musselwhite Percussion – Stephen Hodges Vocals – Tom Waits
B1		House Where Nobody Lives Bass, Rhythm Guitar – Larry Taylor Lead Guitar – Marc Ribot Piano – Tom Waits
B2		Cold Water Bass – Larry Taylor Drums – Christopher Marvin* Guitar – Marc Ribot, Tom Waits
B3		Pony Dobro – Smokey Hormel Guitar, Pump Organ – Tom Waits Harp – John Hammond*
B4		What's He Building? Percussion – Jeff Sloan Reeds – Ralph Carney Turntables – DJ M. Mark “The III Media” Reitman*
C1		Black Market Baby Drums – Andrew Borger Guitar – Marc Ribot Guitar, Percussion, Chamberlin – Tom Waits Reeds – Ralph Carney Turntables – DJ M. Mark “The III Media” Reitman*
C2		Eyeball Kid Bass Clarinet – Ralph Carney Bassoon – Larry Rhodes (2) Guitar – Marc Ribot Percussion – Greg Cohen, Tom Waits Turntables – DJ M. Mark “The III Media” Reitman*
C3		Picture In A Frame Alto Saxophone – Ralph Carney Baritone Saxophone – Nik Phelps* Bass – Greg Cohen Piano – Tom Waits
C4		Chocolate Jesus Bass – Greg Cohen Guitar – Tom Waits Harp – Charlie Musselwhite
D1		Georgia Lee Bass – Dalton Dillingham III Piano – Tom Waits Violin – Linda Delucia-Gbidossi*
D2		Filipino Box Spring Hog Drums, Percussion – Andrew Borger Guitar – Marc Ribot Guitar, Bass – Larry Taylor Harmonica – Charlie Musselwhite Programmed By – Jacquire King Trumpet – Chris Grady Turntables – DJ M. Mark “The III Media” Reitman*
D3		Take It With Me Bass – Greg Cohen Piano – Tom Waits
D4		Come On Up To The House Baritone Saxophone – Nik Phelps* Bass – Larry Taylor Drums – Andrew Borger Guitar – Joe Gore Harmonica – Charlie Musselwhite Piano – Tom Waits Saxophone – Ralph Carney

Companies, etc.

Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Anti, Inc.
Copyright © – Anti, Inc.
Manufactured By – Epitaph
Distributed By – Epitaph
Recorded At – Prairie Sun Recording Studios
Recorded At – Sputnik Sound
Mastered At – Bernie Grundman Mastering
Pressed By – Rainbo Records – S-40262
Pressed By – Rainbo Records – S-40263
Pressed By – Rainbo Records – S-40264
Pressed By – Rainbo Records – S-40265
Designed At – Supernatural Design

Credits

Design – Christie Rixford
Engineer [Pre-production Assistance] – Darren Kramer, Holly Ferguson
Engineer [Production Assistant] – Heather Fremling
Engineer [Second], Supervised By [Production Coordinator] – Jeff Sloan
Lacquer Cut By – CB*
Mastered By – Chris Bellman
Photography By [Album] – Matt Mahurin
Producer – Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits
Recorded By – Jacquire King (tracks: A1, A3 to D4), Oz Fritz (tracks: A1, A3 to D4)
Vocals – Tom Waits (tracks: A1, A2, A4 to B3, C2 to D4)
Written-By – Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits

Notes

Recorded at Prairie Sun Recording Studios except 'Lowside Of The Road' at Sputnik Sound.

Major parts of this album were produced in a hen coop which was rebuilt into a production studio somewhere deep in the backwaters of California.
"Chocolate Jesus" features some of the chicken folk that was obviously around.

℗&© 1999 Anti, Inc. Manufactured and distributed by Epitaph.
All songs © Jalma Music (ASCAP)
Comes in a gatefold sleeve.

Pressing plant and lacquer cut engineer from matrix.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Barcode (Text): 0 4577-86547-1 0
Matrix / Runout (Side A runout etched): I-86547-A S-40262 CB.
Matrix / Runout (Side B runout etched): I-86547-B S-40263 CB.
Matrix / Runout (Side C runout etched): I-86547-C S-40264 CB.
Matrix / Runout (Side D runout etched): I-86547-D S-40265 CB.
Rights Society: ASCAP

Other Versions (5 of 54)

View All

	Title (Format)	Label	Cat#	Country	Year
	Mule Variations (CD, Album, Digipak)	Anti-, Epitaph	6547-2	Europe	1999
	Mule Variations (CD, Album, Digipak)	Anti-, Epitaph	86547-2	US	1999
Recently Edited	Mule Variations (Minidisc, Album)	Anti-, Epitaph	6547-3, 86547-3		1999
Recently Edited	Mule Variations (2×LP, Album, 180 Gram, Gatefold)	Anti-, Epitaph	6547-1	Europe	1999
	Mule Variations (Cassette, Album)	Anti-, Epitaph	86547-4	US	1999

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Reviews

jwwiii1982 Nov 15, 2023
Oddly enough, I got this by accident. The seller had this as the RSD copy. To my surprise when I checked the matrix number I realized it was this pressing. It sounds great. I get some pops here and there, but nothing too bad. Bellman did an amazing job mastering.
aegert Mar 18, 2023
Great recording my side 2 and side 4 suffers from the noise. Sounds almost like a crushed groove static. the noise is not
Consistent pops in and out like a mark but not with any pattern. Tom is really all about these sounding great surprises there was not a recall
h.drauschke Apr 4, 2022
My copy: 2nd disc suffers from heavy distortions, side C in some songs, side D throughout. Also the first disc is crackeling quiet heavy in some songs, but is o.k. I wonder what happened. It's a pity, since, as others stated, the sound itself is great.
rchallen Feb 10, 2021
This is the pressing mastered by Chris Bellman. Sounds fantastic, and quite a bit better than the newer reissue. (Which confusingly, has the same barcode but NOT the same matrix.)
Wreckard Oct 29, 2020
Edited one year ago
Outstanding sound on this pressing - lush, warm, quiet. Waits sounds like he’s right in front of you. Editing to add: According to the liner notes on the back this record is all analog - it definitely sounds like it as well.