TOM WAITS - WAITS HASN'T HAD FUN SINCE 1962

Moody TOM WAITS admits the last time he had "fun" was 40 years ago - at a JAMES BROWN concert.

The gravel-voiced American singer prefers to occupy his life with educational activities rather than indulging in childish behaviour - but he did allow his standards to slip on one occasion.

Waits says, "I don't have fun. Actually, I had fun once. In 1962. I drank a whole bottle of Robitussin cough medicine and went in the back of a 1961 powder-blue Lincoln Continental to a James Brown concert with some Mexican friends of mine. I haven't had fun since. It's not a word I like.

"It's like Volkswagens or bell-bottoms, or patchouli oil or bean sprouts. It rubs me up the wrong way. I might go out and have an educational and entertaining evening, but I don't have fun."