Excerpt from NPR's Fresh Air Interview from October 31, 2011 entitled; "Waits: Paying Homage To Outcasts On 'Bad As Me'." Link to Full interview: https://www.npr.org/2011/12/26/144069269/waits-paying-homage-to-outcasts-on-bad-as-me Interview transcript: GROSS: Did you ever take singing lessons like, later in life, thinking, you know, the more styles of singing you wanted to do and the more voices you were comfortable using - that you wanted to just like, learn more about how the voice works, and how you could get the most out of yours? WAITS: Uh, my voice - do you think that I should be taking voice lessons, Terry? GROSS: Well, I think voice lessons are fascinating. I mean, I think - no, I think like, the human voice is such an amazing instrument - like, the more you understand it, the more amazing it becomes. WAITS: Well I have been to, you know, voice doctors, throat doctors on the road. Periodically, I'll go in and have them tune me up. And then I have exercises I have to do before a show. And I sound very peculiar on the other side of the door. I bark my voice out through a closed throat, pretty much. It is more, perhaps, like a dog - in some ways. (SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER) GROSS: But that's murder on the voice, isn't it? WAITS: I hope it's not murder, but it is - it does have its limitations. And - but I'm learning different ways to keep it alive, and it is hard on - especially on the road, when you're doing night after night after night, you know. GROSS: So what kind of - what do the exercises sound like that you do? (SOUNDBITE OF VOCAL EXERCISES) WAITS: Things like that. GROSS: That sounds great. (SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER) GROSS: And that, like, loosens up your throat? WAITS: Yeah, it just relaxes the muscles and all that, you know. That wasn't bad, was it? GROSS: No, that actually sounded great. It sounded... WAITS: Yeah, I thought so, too, yeah. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DwBC3_3KEY