Tom Jones International

Since few TJ fans have tickets for Glastonbury because they sold out almost as soon as they went on sale in October, months before his appearance was announced, if you are there, please let us know. And, Tom’s appearance will be broadcast on BBC 2 tomorrow. If you can record and send it, please drop me an email and I’ll tell you how. There should be a few set list changes and some interesting stuff. And Tom front of all those people has to be spectacular!

Orange is a UK broadband and mobile phone company. In the UK they do what Sprint does in the USA — they advertise before a film is shown and use the tagline, “Don’t let a mobile phone ruin your movie. Please switch it off.” In an effort to become part of pop culture they also have a blog that covers news, sports, music, film, etc. Below is their pre-Glastonbury interview with Tom, and it’s a good one: short, sweet with original questions and, just from reading it, you can tell Tom is pumped for the festival. (Notes: “Long-drop” is Aussie slang for a deep hole in the ground with a toilet set placed atop it that’s used for obvious purposes. The “stone circle” mentioned in the interview is like a mini-Stonehenge.)

Just how does a pop legend while away his Thursday afternoon? Why, by talking to us about Glastonbury, of course! I tracked down Tom Jones, the nation’s favourite sex bomb, to talk about Elvis, throat sweets and why all the kids can’t get enough of Delilah…

How does it feel to be playing Glastonbury 2009?
It feels great. I did it once before in ’92 – it was wonderful then, it was different for me then because it was the first time I’d played a festival of that sort, so it was really good. I was looking forward to finding out what was going to happen because it’s all young people and there are so many bands on, but the reception was fantastic.
What can we expect from your set?
Well, I haven’t decided yet, because I remember the last time I was doing some TV shows up in Nottingham and I was doing a lot of soul music, and I thought that would go down well – which it did, but I realised then that I only had Green Green Grass of Home and It’s Not Unusual in the set. John Peel was there and he said he never thought he’d be standing in a field with a bunch of kids shouting “we want Delilah!” And we didn’t have it because we hadn’t rehearsed it. Those things you need to have.
Who are your dream headliners?
Most of the people I’ve always liked were ‘50s rock’n’rollers
If you could bring one back?
Oh, Elvis Presley. That would be it, I think. He never played Britain, which was I shame, because I knew him well and he really wanted to come over – especially towards the end of his life. He wanted to do it, and he never did do it, so this would’ve been fantastic… and he would’ve loved it too.
Essential festival item?
Vocalzones.
What are those, Tom?
I’ve got one in my mouth right now – they’re vocal lozenges that were made for singers. A fella put me onto them in the ’60s. When [Stereophonics singer] Kelly Jones came to see me in Cardiff for the first time, he saw my Vocalzones and said: “Wow, I never go anywhere without these things!” And then the singer from Kings of Leon said: “Do you use Vocalzones? I do too!”
You obviously started a trend…
I don’t even have any shares in the company.
Port-a-loo or long-drop?
[Chuckles] That’s a good one. I can’t remember what I did the last time I was there. I think they’ve got toilets back stage for the entertainers.
What is your top campfire song?
That’s another good question again. Well, you know, some of the songs I’ve recorded would be good singalong songs. Delilah would be a good one.
Falafel or burger?
I love all food. There’s nothing I don’t like – that’s the problem with me.
Have you ever seen Jesus at Glastonbury’s Stone Circle?
I’ve never seen Jesus… in any circle.

—Kat Lister