well, i can't say that you should know him, as i think everyone should know everyone i know. he's famous, but not popular. you never hear him on the radio anymore, and i'm not even sure you would have heard him a lot in the '70s/'80s. but he is cool.

he's got a gravelly deep voice and weird songs like "christmas card from a hooker in minneapolis."

oh! did you ever see mystery men, the movie about the lesser superheroes with ben stiller and william h. macy? tom waits played the crazy inventer guy.