Tom Jones International

Check out Herman Matthew’s journal entry about Elton John’s party. And at right is a photo of Tom with Elton John and over John’s right shoulder there’s our favorite drummer.

As he does with his annual Oscar party in the US every year, Elton John throws a huge annual fundraiser for his Elton John AIDS Foundation in the UK.

This year the party had a Las Vegas theme and was held on June 29 at John’s 37-acre estate. A boatload of famous people was in attendance and the entertainment was courtesy of Sir Elton, Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir Tom.

The event was sponsored by several corporations, including the publishers of OK! magazine (which got the exclusive and that explains why this report is far after the fact — the UK edition of OK! takes awhile to get to the US ) and Chopard, the very luxe jeweler. All the guests glittered in Chopard accoutrements, including Tom who, according to the magazine, wore a “diamond-encrusted Chopard Strada watch.” (But, we believe, the magazine was wrong, as that seems to be a woman’s model and we’d bet he was most likely wearing a special Elton John AIDS Foundation timepiece like the gold and diamond one at right. “Call For Price,” the website says.)

But we digress. The point is that lots of money was raised in an unusual auction.

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Some good news for people outside North America who are waiting for the This Is Tom Jones DVDs to come out in PAL format.

Four people from Europe have told us that the NTSC (Region 1) set will play in their DVD players. These are new players that seem to be region-free. Of course, they’ll most often play in computers, too.

So, if you can’t wait to get the set in PAL format, you do not necessarily have to wait and can order the set now. Just make sure you have a relatively new DVD player and it should work.

Time Life does not ship outside the US, but amazon.com does. You can click here to order your This Is Tom Jones DVD and, when you get it, let us know what you think.

Thought you’d like to know.

Check out these two brief clips on youtube.

Here, Tom returns to the UK after 10 years and, in an interview on The Late Late Breakfast Show (a nighttime talk show) on September 10, 1983, and tells Noel Edmonds about all the changes he’s noticed. Just remember as you listen, it was almost a quarter-century ago (photo at right).

In the second clip (looks like it was done at the premiere of Intolerable Cruelty in 2003), Tom talks about the most important lesson he’s learned in his years in showbiz. The chick doing the interviewer for some reason sounds puzzled at the end.

The thing that shines brightly through both of these clips is what a nice guy Sir Tom Jones is. There’s an earnestness that’s kinda sweet. And we clearly remember those stage suits with the bolero jackets — good times.

And, because we all needed a “scientific” explanation, here’s an unnamed shrink discussing Tom’s “Intimate Contact With The Audience.”

For the TJ historians among us, here is a list of all of Tom’s appearances on the BBC, both radio and TV. Note that the first “Tom Jones” listed on that page was on the BBC in April 1940, so he’s clearly not “our” Tom Jones.

[At the end of the 1983 clip, Edmonds says to Tom, "You've been very involved with the mini-..." Sounds like he said "rugby." Is that right? What was it? Let us know if you know. Thanks to mharding for the older clip.]

Sorry, but Ain’t It Funny How Time Slips Away? Here it is July 8 and we just realized we forgot our Question of the Month. So here it is:

If you could choose just one now-obscure song of Tom’s — you know, one song that out of the thousands he’s already sung that no one seems to know he’s done — to be added to his show, what would it be? And why?

For the record, both moderators instantly named the same tune — Anniversary Song. Again, for the record, this was co-written by one of Tom’s early influences, Al Jolson, and is alternately called The Anniversary Waltz. When Tom sings it, there are no vocal calisthenics, just a straight-out beautiful performance that is quiet, moving and well worth cherishing. If you haven’t heard it, try to get a copy. You can find it on the albums Tom Sings the Ballads and Say You’ll Stay Until Tomorrow.

Please note, and we don’t mean to be cranky, we’re asking for one (1) song only. Otherwise, if we’d asked for a list, it would be too easy and there’s no fun in that, is there? So, please read the rules. Thanks!

The Times Online keeps up the UK tradition of trashing their own.

Giving the Concert for Diana three out of a possible five stars, the reviewer noted (correctly, we think) that “…there are probably some good reasons why Diana isn’t remembered for her record collection.” He singled out Duran Duran’s Simon LeBon.

In the next paragraph (incorrectly — but with wit — we think) he said, “Tom Jones — a man who covers other people’s songs in much the same way that bears cover other bears’ territory — told us that the Princess loved his version of Kiss. Sounding like a Blues Brother with bronchitis, he then flattened Arctic Monkeys’ I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor. ”

We love the UK fans who visit our site….they are loyal, devoted and smart. And we love the UK. But, tell us, what’s the deal with your press? They can trash someone better than the New York Post can. And the Post is no slouch in that area. (After all, it is the New York Post that regularly and unapologetically persisted in calling Paris Hilton a “skank” and “a pig in a pokey.” And that’s about the worst we’ve read in the US.)

Photo (from left) Prince William, Natasha Bedingfield, The Most Gifted Singer at the Concert, Joss Stone and Prince Harry.

TMZ.com — the notorious US gossip site — has asked a legitimate question in a story filed under two categories — “Music” and “Beauty” (We love that “beauty” part!): “Who Wouldn’t Throw Panties At This Man?”

They say: “Ageless sex symbol Tom Jones turned up in London at Sunday’s Concert For Diana — looking ever the Welsh hunk. Gorgeous!”

The Getty© photo is from the Concert for Diana red carpet before the event. The caption reads, “The 67-year-old heartthrob just gets better with every passing year! It’s not unusual! Is it?”

Nice jacket. Nice shirt. Nice man. Great photo!

Moderators’ Note: Now, this is getting good — great! Even though they cannot resist a snide remark in their photo caption, New York Magazine leads off its blog coverage with Tom and the Arctic Monkeys. (Why so excited about this? Because NYM is one of Ellen’s holy books and she thinks if you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere.)

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Tom Jones Shocks the Arctic Monkeys




Posted Jul 2nd 2007 3:34PM by Gaylord Fields/Filed under: News, MP3/spinner.com




It took a bit of rock & roll nobility in the form of Sir Tom Jones to show those young whippersnappers how it’s really done, in his performance at the Concert for Diana, which took place Sunday at London’s Wembley Stadium. At the star-inundated event, a benefit organized by Princes William and Harry to honor their late mother, Princess Diana, the 67-year-old Jones showed why all must bow down and call him “Sir,” after delivering a full-throttle version of the Arctic Monkeys’ I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor that obliterated even the slightest whiff of preciousness from the song.




Download what is now officially the definitive version of the song the Welsh crooner snatched from the lads from Sheffield like a gorilla grabbing a rattle from a sleeping infant.

Here’s a Gillian Anderson introducing Sir Tom Jones at the concert. Then here’s Part 1 of his performance, followed by Part 2. The sound on these clips — unusual for youtube — is terrific. Hurry and see them before they’re removed like other clips from the concert were.

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For a few moments Sir Tom Jones was where we think he belongs, at the center of the entertainment world, when he stepped onstage at Wembley Stadium with 500 million people tuned in at today’s Concert for Diana.

He got a grand introduction from Gillian Anderson who paid tribute to his longevity in the music business.

He began his three-song set with one of Diana’s favorites, Kiss and then did the Arctic Monkeys tune I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor. He closed with a duet of Ain’t That A Lot of Love with Joss Stone.

We loved seeing Tom, were undecided about I Bet You Look Good….. and the choice of Ain’t That A Lot of Love. We enjoyed seeing Joe Perry but, of course, we missed Tom’s regular crew.

As they usually do, wireimage.com has terrific photos of Tom on their site.

We posted one screen shot (above) and the thumbnail at the right but there are lots more (including this one of Tom with Joss Stone full-size) in our screen shots set.

And, tonight at 7 EDT and PDT NBC will devote two hours to a special about the concert hosted, undoubtedly, by Matt Lauer, the Princes’ new BFF in the US.

MODERATORS’ UPDATE: Now, eight hours after the concert ended, we’ve gathered our thoughts about the event. As we noted above, it was great seeing Tom in that venue today. He was gracious and clearly pleased to be there. It was nice that he sang Kiss since, he said, it was a favorite of Princess Diana’s. The more we listen to him do I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor the more we like it (but since when is “dancefloor” one word?). And, we suggested several months ago he duet with Joss Stone, so we’re particularly happy he did so. We might not have chosen that particular song, but it was fun to see them together.

However, we just wish he’d dressed more like, say, P. Diddy or, even, as he does onstage — a beautiful summer suit, vest — the whole works with shoes and belt to match. He is such a great-looking man and he should dress commensurately with those looks. As for that wedding ring that seems to be drawing comments elsewhere, we can only say that the man is married and, if you look carefully, you’ll see he wore it in the DVD interviews. This isn’t the 1960s — he doesn’t have to hide who he is, does he?

All in all, a fabulous day for Sir Tom! Congratulations to him!




A round-up of comments on the entire concert in the British press is in today’s Guardian. The question being asked is, “Cheery or Cheesy?”




Now, what did you think?