Tom Jones International

(*American readers will hopefully recognize (and applaud) the restraint it’s taken not to pun about the words “Tom” and “Turkey” since this first began.)

We’ve learned that the “last word” will seemingly never come, as whenever Mardan Palace is mentioned, the opening cast will surely come up. So here’s some of what Irish Times reporter Quentin Fottrell had to say about Sir Tom in the midst of a longer article:

“We were here for the three-day launch party, last weekend. Sharon Stone, Paris Hilton, Richard Gere and Monica Bellucci walked the red carpet, Mariah Carey and Tom Jones sang at a black-tie ball on Saturday, and Seal rocked a barbecue by the beach on Sunday – a beach filled with 9,000 tons of sand imported from Egypt. Jones was reportedly paid more than €1 million to sing, and Gere received a “generous donation” for his foundation. “Rent-a-crowd,” one attendee remarked. Ismailov said: “Everyone is interested in money, but I’ve asked people here as my guests.”…the three-storey Jungle Club, which has live monkeys in a cage at a bridge leading to the exit. How awful for them: one minute up a tree, the next stuck next to a group of wealthy Russians bumping and grinding in revealing Versace floral-print gowns. At least their antics had something in common with the scantily-clad erotic pole dancers.

“Tom Jones came to the Jungle Club and took a booth. I liked that he didn’t disappear to some hidden VVIP inner sanctum. He chatted about his time playing in Las Vegas at the same time as Elvis, and I told him he could stay in my box room in Dublin the next time he plays the O2. He seemed to appreciate the gesture. “We Celts have got to stick together,” he said. In an effort to keep him up to date with the latest hand gestures I insisted not on a handshake but on a 21st-century fist bump.”

This is also, by the way, the first report that placed Seal at the beach barbecue, not on the main stage with Tom and Mariah. And, I don’t know what’s going on in Ireland, but Sir Tom and Kenny Anderson used to bump fists after every performance of What Am I Living For. The fist bump’s been around the US at least for a loooong time. The photo is of the snow room at Mardan Palace guests may use to cool down after using the sauna or steam room.

I have to admit, I agree with this blogger about Tom’s version of the song. But, he should definitely see Tom at the MGM….or anywhere.

Check out She’ll Grow Back, a music blog out of Las Vegas. This week the blogger takes on Tom Jones’ version of Lloyd Price’s great classic Stagger Lee.

You can download the song from the blog.

And, as an added bonus, he links to the trailer for Mars Attacks! What’s better than that?

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Plus: If you care, Susan Boyle, Shaheen Jafargholi (and a press-made controversy involving Sir Tom) along with the others on Britain’s Got Talent: Now it’s over. For those not in Britain, see the winner here.

This is kind of amusing — father vs. son. And, one might say that these particular dinosaurs are still roaming the earth because of the Darwinian principle of survival of the fittest. You go, old guys! But, one might also wonder if this is revenge for naming the kid Otis.

Glastonbury’s golden oldies offend Otis Ferry

Already nicknamed Glastonbury’s year of “dinosaur rock” with such wrinklies as Neil Young, 63, Bruce Springsteen, 59, and Tom Jones, 68, topping the bill next month, the annual festival has now been lambasted by Otis Ferry – the son of Bryan – for not giving younger performers a hearing.

Tim Walker/Last Updated: 6:05PM BST 29 May 2009/The Telegraph

“These older guys are hogging the main stage for the finale and blocking it to the newer, younger acts,” says Otis, 26, the well known hunting enthusiast and festival-goer. “When you get some old duffer ending the weekend you feel like going home. Honestly, if I had to listen to Tom Jones for an hour and a half on the main stage I’d be asking for my money back.”

As for Bryan Ferry, 63, he has said that he would never perform at Glastonbury with his band Roxy Music because he felt it was not a “sophisticated enough venue”. In a somewhat unfilial aside, Ferry junior adds: “Dad’s just cross because he’s never been asked.”

For all that, all 137,500 tickets for this year’s festival sold out in April, although, when they went on sale it wasn’t clear precisely who would be performing.

Bryan and Otis Ferry Photo: Andrew Crowley

Gene Vincent recorded Be Bop A Lula in 1956. It was released on Capital Records and was a huge hit, later covered by Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Beatles, David Cassidy, The Everly Brothers, Foghat, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Carl Perkins, the Stray Cats and Queen, among others. It is one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll songs ever.

In March, as the first person to put together an iTunes Celebrity Playlist, Tom included the song among his 12 choices. Introducing it, he talked about the first time he heard it. (The Girl Can’t Help It starred Jayne Mansfield.),

On Jools Holland’s 2003 New Years Eve Hootenanny special, Tom performed the song with Jeff Beck on guitar. Of course, he later worked with Beck on Red White and Blues.

You can watch it in the TJI.com Video Library.

You can see Gene Vincent singing the song in a 1958 appearance on a Town Hall Party here.

Be sure to check out the brief video clip from Mardan Palace in the post below

Tom’s in London on his way home from Turkey and this morning Kam and Sally (left) on Wales’ Red Dragon Radio in South Wales interviewed him.

They talk a bit about Shaheen and, for those who don’t know, here’s the scoop: On Britain’s Got Talent 12 year-old Shaheen Jafargholi — whose voice has yet to change — sang And I’m Telling You from Dreamgirls and judge Amanda Holden placed him among the pantheon of Welsh singers “above Tom Jones.”

Tom was asked about that in the interview and his response — the very sensible opinion that these kids are pushed into “the deep end” early on and they need “more experience” — made headlines in Wales, as if Tom were trashing the kid. (Quelle surprise!)

Anyway here’s the interview in two parts: Part 1 • Part 2

Thanks to Tisha, we have a brief clip of Tom at the press conference in Turkey on Saturday.

After listening to him, I can’t help wondering this: When he first sang the songs the host requested — some of them almost 45 years ago — if he ever thought he’d be getting a cool mil to sing them in 2009. Bet he couldn’t begin to imagine that. Could anyone?

You can see the video here. As usual, if you cannot view it, send an email using the contact link at right and I’ll send it to you.

From Mr Jones, here’s Tom and the amazing Sharon Hendrix singing The Letter. She has a tremendous voice — as do the other back up singers — and it’s always a pleasure when the people onstage with Tom get their times to shine. This is clearly one of those times.

(I, personally, really like this song except for one small thing: the lyric “I’m on my way, I’m gonna meet you at JFK.” In the middle of a great love song, to throw in the name of an airport? Oh, well, it’s overall quite beautiful, isn’t it?)

You can watch the video in the TJI.com Video Library.

Thanks once again to LTC!

Late Night Note: The good ol’ Western Mail has done it again. Almost a day behind everyone else — even this site that is eight hours behind Wales — this Welsh paper of record reports on Glastonbury. But, instead of lauding Sir Tom for being asked to appear (which, unlike anyone else who follows this stuff, it seems they are way too surprised about) they demean him, as well as Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen. (They forgot to rag on Spinal Tap but, maybe, it’s because they have no idea who or how old Spinal Tap is.) Talent is talent and we should be grateful that these men are still able to create and perform. Does this crap really sell more newspapers? If so, I guess we deserve what we get.

In part, they say: “Tom, 68, to join Neil not-so-Young at Glasto festival

“LEGENDARY Welsh rocker Tom Jones is one of the surprise inclusions on the line-up for this year’s Glastonbury Festival.

“The veteran singer, 68, joins other ageing stars such as Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen on the bill….”

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Tuesday’s NY Post Popwrap blog suggests some of the money the entertainers got for being there be donated to charity.

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In the Tuesday, May 26 edition of the Daily Mail reporter Ashley Pearson (at left with Sir Tom) tells of her adventure in wonderland — the Mardan Palace Hotel opening in the article called Hotel Hubris: Rich and famous turn out to opening of most expensive hotel in Europe where champagne is a snip at £25 a glass.

And, although she says Tom is a very nice guy, she also says, “Clearly more comfortable singing than chatting, Tom Jones is happy to talk to anyone and everyone, but rather awkward at actually coming up with anything to say. At least he’s still got his swagger, even at 68; when I ask him for a photo, he pulls me in close and growls something suggestive in my ear.”

(Moderator’s Note: Really, Tom Jones has never been known for being at a loss for words. He’s a terrific storyteller. And she does look a bit like Mariah Carey.)

If you aren’t ready to be amused (even by her description of The Voice) and like your dreamy illusion about the rich and famous preserved, don’t read it. The only photo of Sir Tom is posted at left. If you want to see pictures of the other celebrities follow the link to the newspaper’s website above. Otherwise, the entire article is below. (I found it amusing and quite telling — fun to read.)

She writes:

It takes half an hour to cross the pool (by gondola, naturally). The spa has a room full of real snow. The bathrooms have gold-plated mirrors on the FLOOR. As Sharon, Paris and Mariah open Europe’s most shameless temple of excess, can anyone afford to stay there?

Sharon Stone strides confidently onto the stage a few feet in front of me, and you can hear an appreciative murmur pass through the well-heeled crowd. Dressed in Roberto Cavalli couture, the 51-year-old star looks thinner than ever and with not a blonde hair out of place.

She is here in Antalya, Turkey, for the launch of what’s being billed as the grandest and most expensive hotel in Europe – the Mardan Palace.

As the normally articulate actress begins her hosting duties, she stumbles over a word on the teleprompter.

‘What is that? I can’t pronounce this!’ she shouts to the crowd, which is teeming with Russian and Turkish dignitaries.

The word is Azerbaijan. Clearly embarrassed, Stone immediately and inexplicably yells out ‘Chaka Khan! ‘Chaka Khan!’ in a singsong voice to the startled crowd. Oh dear.

(more…)

This years’ Glastonbury Festivals lineup was announced today in the UK and all that speculation has proved true — Tom Jones will be there Sunday, June 28.

Other acts during the four-day event include Neil Young, Lily Allen, Regina Spektor (Friday, June 26); Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Spinal Tap (Saturday, June 27) and, with Tom on Sunday, Blur, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Status Quo (remember Rockin’ All Over the World? and Tony Christie. Although he should, in the Glastonbury way of doing things, open the show, Tom appears fourth of eight acts that day. And that’s just part of the lineup on one of several stages.

On other stages will be, among 350 acts, Franz Ferdinand, Jason Mraz (two shows/two stages), Lady GaGa, and The Black-Eyed Peas.

Clearly, something for everyone.

The 137,000 tickets went on sale October 5, 2008 and are completely sold out. Hope you Tom fans there heeded the rumors and bought yours. (Sadly, it’s true: you snooze, you lose!) Should be an amazing show — all four days!

From various news sources: The $1.65 billion luxury resort Mardan Palace was unveiled last night at a spectacular opening party in Antalya, Turkey.

A glittering crowd of 600 dined atop the Mediterranean’s largest swimming pool, enjoying performances from Mariah Carey and Tom Jones. Guests included Sharon Stone, Richard Gere, Paris Hilton, Seal and Monica Bellucci.

Laser light shows and incredible fireworks lit up the hotel and surrounding Taurus mountains as a backdrop to the feast including 45kg Beluga Caviar from the Caspian Sea, 950 Atlantic lobsters and 5kg of ‘Black diamonds’ (Italian black truffles).

Mardan Palace is Turkey’s first five-star Destination Resort, hailing a return to the opulent, golden age of the Ottoman Empire. It is the vision of Telman Ismailov, Chairman of Russia’s biggest property developers AST, who fell in love with the region.

Surrounded by the dramatic Taurus Mountain range, the palatial resort comprises 560 rooms, including two Royal Suites with private pools. With Turkish heritage in mind, the architecture reflects distinctive landmarks of Istanbul – the main hotel resembles ‘The Dolmabahce Palace’ and bridges across the pool are based on original designs of the ‘Da Vinci Bridge’.

Gondolas will sail guests around the Mediterranean’s largest swimming pool, five giant aquariums reflect the Earth’s oceans in the hotel’s restaurants and spa, Europe’s only swimming reef provides a haven for aquatic enthusiasts to explore and a dramatic amphitheatre seating 900 will host world-class entertainment and spectacular light shows.

The resort also boasts the 80,000+ square-foot ‘Mardan Spa’, 17 bars and 10 a la carte restaurants including French, Japanese, Russian, Thai and traditional Turkish.

Rooms range from approximately $500 per night for a Superior Room in low season to $19,600 per night for a Royal Suite with private pool in High Season.*

The team behind Mardan Palace are creating one of the world’s finest luxury destinations, an incredible resort set to become a modern day wonder of the world and a must visit destination on the Turkish Riviera.

*(Sadly for consumers these rates cannot compete with some of the astronomical rates in Las Vegas. The Mansion at the MGM Grand is much more, as are the Palms Fantasy Suites, to name just a couple. And even the MGM has more rooms. Of course, the Mardan Palace is located in a much more exotic place than Las Vegas, isn’t it?)