Tom Jones International

As they often do, walesonline.com offers a slightly sensationalized rehash of the article posted below that cheapens the original. It’s really bad — and, apparently there’s no journalistic law or unwritten rule in Wales that they give credit to the source — but there is a fun photo gallery to go with it.

Here’s the cover and the two new photos that appeared with the article posted just below from The Guardian Weekend Magazine. That doom-and-gloom photo at right is so in keeping with the mood of the song 24 Hours that it’s really kind of amusing, isn’t it? It may be considered artsy and smoldering but, it may be that the poor guy clearly just finished sweeping and he’s annoyed and exhausted. But it’s a new look at Tom, so we love it.

Thanks so much to Pat for sending them.

New photos by Zed Nelson.

WOW! What can we say? Over several days, reporter Simon Hattenstone talked to Tom — who loves to talk — and turned in this almost-5,000-word profile in which he perfectly captured his subject. The writer even got the “songwriter Tom” stuff correct, saying this CD is “the first for which he has a joint writing credit on most of the songs,” rather than the untrue statement that seems to be everywhere that this is the first time Tom’s ever gotten a songwriting credit. And, sadly, the youtube videos of Tom and Tina Turner are “no longer available.” Everything about the interview is terrific, except the photo. But we forgive that because, though a picture may be worth a thousand words, in this instance, the words are so much more valuable. (But The Guardian should get the new photos taken for 24 Hours.)

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On song

Tom Jones can’t believe his luck. He’s a belting balladeer rediscovered as cool, he’s a womaniser with a lifelong happy marriage, and then there’s the voice — good enough to tussle with Elvis. As the martinis flow, he tells all to Simon Hattenstone.

The Guardian/October 25, 2008

Tom Jones has two recurring nightmares. In the first, he is wrongfully accused of murder. In the second, he has hidden a body in the attic, the house has just been sold and the body is about to be discovered. He wakes up in a bath of sweat. The nightmares confused him for years. “I haven’t killed anybody. I’ve never wanted to kill anybody. I’ve tried to analyse it, and I think, since I started making hit records, I’ve thought, ‘Jesus Christ, this is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.’ But always you think this is going to fall apart. Something will happen. There is a skeleton in the closet.” He stops. “Which there isn’t. But in my mind I think they’re going to find that out, and that’s going to finish me.”

Jones, now 68, has a lovely way of telling stories, as if every thought has hit him for the first time.

Perhaps there’s another reason for the nightmares. His biggest hit, Green, Green Grass Of Home, was about a man facing execution. Another huge single, Delilah, tells the story of a jealous boyfriend killing his girlfriend. His new album is called 24 Hours and the title track is about another man on death row — though it can just as easily be read as the sombre reflections of an elderly man looking into the abyss. It’s a landmark album for Jones — his most personal, and the first for which he has a joint writing credit on most of the songs.

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From the UK’s Channel 4, here’s a 17-minute interview with Sir Tom. It is a good one. This is datelined today although, if it was shown today, it was pre-recorded, as he’s back in LA now. In it, he discusses his music, his personal life, his hope for the CD, Give A Little Love and the title song from his new CD.

If you cannot watch the interview on this page, you can see it on the Channel 4 website.

And, please don’t forget: You can pre-order 24 Hours by clicking the link at right. (It’ll also make a great holiday gift.)

Channel 4 also posted written excerpts from the interview. We posted them. We can click here to (more…)

Single: If He Should Ever Leave You (25th Nov)

S-Curve Records is proud to announce the return of legendary singer Tom Jones with the first single from his new album, 24 Hours. Entitled If He Should Ever Leave You the single showcases the sophisticated and soulful pop music for which Tom has been renowned throughout his career.

However, this time Tom is not just the great interpreter of a classic song, but has for the first time ever played an active role in the songwriting and If He Should Ever Leave You is the first taste of his new-found fire to sing his own songs and tell the story of his own life.

Intimate, personal, moving and yet playful and reminiscent of the sound he first came to prominence with in the ’60s, If He Should Ever Leave You demonstrates that Tom’s voice is better than ever and shows how influential his sound has been on today’s crop of talent.

Produced by Future Cut, who have previously worked with Lily Allen, Dizzee Rascal, Estelle and Kate Nash, If He Should Ever Leave You is released on November 25th as part of the new set.

The album 24 Hours follows on November 25 and ranges through the shirt button-popping cover of the Tommy James and the Shondells classic I’m Alive, the cool Latin beats of Style and Rhythm, and the pop genius of Give A Little Love, before leading into more intimate moments such as “The Road,” a remarkable cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “The Hitter” and the already much-talked about title track “24 Hours” which is –a spine-tingling gaze into the abyss, delivered with sublime gravitas.

Music Week (UK): “[24 Hours] delivers his most honest and contemporary sound in years… A stunning return”.

24 Hours — album released 25th November on S-Curve Records

Photo: Soren Solkaer Starbird

Putting together the TJI.com Fan Calendar involves more than selecting photos. Because our calendar features significant dates in the career of Sir Tom Jones, we also do a lot of research: When did he get an award? When did he appear in a certain venue? Or on a TV show? In doing this, we’ve come across scores of vintage articles and have saved them to post. Here is a review of Tom’s first TV special in the US, broadcast before the This Is Tom Jones series went on the air. (“Nationally syndicated” means that, as happens today, a large national agency covers the story and smaller papers, that subscribe to the agency’s services, pick it up to publish. Saves them money on hiring more staff.)

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TV In Review — Nationally Syndicated Column

By Rick Du Brow/Hollywood (UPI)/January 10, 1969

The mother country sent us a Welshman Thursday night.  Tom Jones, the pop singer, arrived on ABC-TV in an hour musical-variety special taped in London, a preview of his series that begins on the network Feb. 7.  And the introductory hour was strictly a heavyweight show business production.
 

In fact, one wonders whether Jones’ series can live up to Thursday night’s special, or whether he has anything left over for a substantial encore.  If he does, he and his show may be a force to be reckoned with American television, for his special expended many of his hit songs, among them:
Delilah, It’s Not Unusual, Hard to Handle, My Elusive Dreams, Bright Lights and You Girl, Good News, I Can’t Stop Loving You and Land of a Thousand Dances.

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This comes from makemajormoves.com, the Philadelphia Weekly music blog.

Good words (“Tom’s golden.”) — all true — and good photos:

From a UK television show in 1966 when he was just starting out, here’s film of Tom Jones at home.

The picture isn’t good and the soundtrack is corrupted, but Tom talks about his life before fame. It’s fun to look back, isn’t it?

And, check out Tom, also in 1966, on Sammy Davis, Jr’s. NBC-TV show. You’ll find it at the TJI.com Video Library. The quality of the video and sound — like this one — may be poor, but the performances are very rich. To have seen Sammy Davis, Jr. and Tom Jones in person means you’ve seen the best. They clearly appreciate each other and are having fun. Too bad the old technology made preservation of such performances so iffy. Looking at this and, then, the performances on DVD from This Is Tom Jones i 1969, it’s clear how quickly technology moves along. What a difference just three years made!

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And, back to today, TopTJFan does it again….if Apple Corps doesn’t mind — with Give A Little Love. The opening oom-pah begins a perfectly joyous, best-of-the-60s retro sound that is captured perfectly.

Today in the Rolling Stone blog there’s a bit about 24 Hours and they posted If He Should Ever Leave You.

Here’s what the unsigned paragraph says:

Ladies and gentlemen, Tom Jones is back. The smooth new tune If He Should Ever Leave You is the debut cut from 24 Hours (S-Curve Records), due November 25th and you can hear it right here. The track, produced by Future Cut (Lily Allen, Estelle), will appear alongside a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s The Hitter on the crooner’s first fresh studio set in 15 years.

We are operating under the assumption that there’ll be a lot more about Tom in the near future in this and the most necessary similar music/entertainment pubs.

Photo: Soren Solkaer Starbird

Don’t forget to check out the interview in the post below!

We usually deeply dislike videos that have voice only with some random photos. But, our good friend “TopTJFan” did this fanciful, lovely, video for If He Should Ever Leave You. Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and other assorted pin-ups decorate the video and they capture perfectly the mood of the piece. It is rare that lyrics and pictures go together so well. Outstanding job, TopTJFan!

The video was picked up by modculture.com, a site that celebrates the 60′s mood, that posted a terrific review:

Tom Jones returns to musical roots

A reason to celebrate in these times of economic crisis — old working-class mod hero Tom Jones has produced a soulful and sensational new single to make us forget our troubles.

Not since 1967 has Mr Jones sounded as good as he does on his new single, the shimmering If He Should Ever Leave You, out November 10th in the UK…We here at Modculture can imagine you all sashaying and spinning around your front room as we type…

This speaks for itself. Filmed very recently, it is Sir Tom the real person. Enjoy and thanks to Oqi wbo first saw it on youtube and to BeBe for calling it to our attention.

Tom Jones — We Want Answers.

This is from channelbee.com, a site that posts video — some of it really terrific — every day on youtube.