A 60-minute film about one of the most fascinating & complex musicians of the last 4 decades. Using rare archive and audio recordings, this programme is a fascinating trip through the musical worlds that Tom Waits has created over the years. With the help of contributors – film director Terry Gilliam, author Ian Rankin, and musicians Guy Garvey, Lucinda Williams, Jim Sclavunos of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, amongst others – it explores the sonic, cinematic, theatrical & literary influences that sparked his imagination.

It’s been a life of intriguing reinvention, with Waits seemingly blurring the lines between himself and an ever-increasing collection of fantastical stage personas. The film investigates the various roles Waits has embraced and what motivated them. TOM WAITS: TALES FROM A CRACKED JUKEBOX is a bewitching afterhours trip through the surreal, moonlit world of one of America’s most original musicians, a man who has created a unique, alternative American soundtrack all of his own.

DIRECTOR & PRODUCER: James Maycock

BROADCASTER: BBC TV / BBC Four

PROGRAMME DURATION: 60 minutes

PRODUCTION COMPANY: BBC Studios