Tom Jones International

Today we have more vintage video. This time it’s Tom on Breakfast TV in April 1987. The interview is a nice one (but is missing the very beginning where she’s asking Tom about what drew him to Matador and picks up in the middle of his response). I think it’s striking that he is always soft-spoken, gentle and has a good sense of humor. And— for better or worse — he’ll always answer any question he’s asked. (There’s no “worse” here; the thought just occurred as I was writing.)

All this promo material for Matador makes me wish more than ever that A Boy From Nowhere stays in the show past the European tour. Frequently — and sadly — songs don’t make it to the US stages because whomever makes those decisions think fans don’t know them and the audiences here won’t like ‘em. Wrong on both counts and that policy deserves a revisit.

I was fortunate enough to be in the audience when he sang the song — in response to an audience member’s request — in 2005 at the MGM Grand and it was absolutely breathtaking. Every fan deserves to hear it. That time, Tom and his musical director Brian Monroney were alone on stage and they were about to do What Am I Living For (another great song). The audience member asked for A Boy From Nowhere and something struck Tom. He thought quickly and asked Brian, “Can we do it? Do you know it?” Brian nodded and Tom explained that “Matador is the story of the Spanish bullfighter El Cordobés (in his best accent, Tom pronounced it “El Cordo-bey”) and Brian played those first five very haunting notes and Tom began to sing. As he got into the song, the rest of the band and the singers drifted back onto the stage and joined him so that, by the end, there was a heartbreaking swell of sweet music until Tom sang the last few words very, very quietly. It was, in the original meaning of the word, absolutely awesome.

Meanwhile, you can watch this quietly charming interview in the TJI.com Video Library.

For a newly published interview with Sir Tom

From BroBible.com comes this interview with Tom on Arthur’s Day.

Tom Jones Tells BroBible About Drinking Guinness as a Kid, Changing the Lyrics to Sex Bomb, and Why He’ll Never Stop Singing

Tom Jones, the Welsh singer who has sold over 100 million records with such hits as It’s Not Unusual, What’s New Pussycat?”, Thunderball and Green Green Grass of Home (1966), was one of the headliners of last week’s Guinness 250 festival. Just before his Toast to Arthur and live performance, Jones sat down with BroBible for a chat over a pint of Guinness.

BroBible: As a Welshman, what kind of role has Guinness played in your life?
Tom Jones: Well, they sell Guinness in Wales so, um, I’ve been drinking Guinness ever since I was a child. We used to have it on Sunday lunch when my father used to come from the club that he used to go to and work in and then he would bring warm bottles of Guinness and we’d have them with lemonade — it was like a shanty [sic[, you know...

BB: Guinness and lemonade?
TJ: Yeah! Well, lemonade like a seven-up, lemonade — not lemonade — so that's how far back I go with it.

BB: Do you remember your first pint?
TJ: Well as I said I used to have it as a child, but the first pint? Now that's a good question. I've drank a lot of different kinds of beers and Guinness is a stout -- that's what we call it in Wales. But I think it's a different taste in Ireland. When you have a Guinness in that States or in Wales, it's good, but it doesn't taste as good as it does in Ireland.

BB: Do you consider yourself a good beer taster?
TJ: Yeah! Yeah, yeah. Coming from Wales you see, that was our drink, you know? It's not a wine country like a lot of other European countries. In Wales, it was beer and that was the first alcoholic drink I ever had. I liked tasting different things and didn't get into wine until later. When I lived in Wales and I was in a club, I could tell if the bartender mixed up the pints -- so yeah, I've always been pretty good at tasting alcoholic beverages [laughter].

BB: Do you have to watch what you drink nowadays?
TJ: Yeah, with singing, it’s not good because it’s dehydrating. I enjoy having a drink and it’s something I like, but I never drink before a show. It’s more rewarding when you’ve done a show and can have a drink when you’re done.

BB: I understand you’re preparing a new album, can you tell us about that?
TJ: Yeah, I am, and it’ll be out in the beginning of next year, hopefully. I can’t really talk about it much because there is a format to it, but it’ll be different from what I’ve done before, which I like. I like to try new things — sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t

BB: Going back to some of your previous stuff, in your own words, what is a sex bomb?
TJ: Well I actually changed the lyrics on that song. When it was written, it was like I’m the sex bomb and I can do this and I can do that, but I mean, I thought it would be better if the girl was the sex bomb, you know what I mean — to turn it around. I think it has more appeal than — you know, you’re not bragging — you’re saying you’re the sex bomb. So a sex bomb is a sexy person and I don’t think there’s one particular look for people and that’s what’s interesting about um… sex [laughter] — is that there’s all different kinds of people, which makes it interesting. So what’s sexy to one person isn’t necessarily sexy to another. A lot of songs that I do have to do with relationships between men and women, you know, and there’s always a certain amount of sex involved with music — even if it’s not spelled out as blatantly as the record, “Sex Bomb.” I think there has to be a level of sex appeal in all songs — even in the green, green, grass of home — it’s still about life and living and so sex is in there.

BB: I understand you’ll be moving back to the U.K. after living in the States for a number of years…
TJ: …Well not really, no.
BB: No?
TJ: No, that was a misquote. I said there’s always a possibility, but then somebody said yes, I am. I love living in Los Angeles. But I go to Britain a lot when I travel so it’s like I’ve never really left and not like “oh my god, I’ve moved.” I can go back and forth.

BB: What’s your secret to keeping yourself young?
TJ: Well, for me, it’s the music itself and being able to sing. It’s a great release and you can get a lot of emotion into singing and it’s a part of life that I wouldn’t want to give up. You know, I don’t look forward to retiring — I wouldn’t want to. I mean, I might not do as many shows, but as long as my voice is there, which it is, thank God [knocked on wood], then I’ll do it because I love to sing. People have to shut me up and I have to be told not to sing sometimes. I love it and I’ll continue to do it for as long as I possibly can. And I love listening to new things. I love listening to new bands, new singers, new recording techniques, and the sounds of records. Hopefully that will continue because I love it.

BB: And how about in your daily life?
TJ: Well I try not to eat too much or drink too much. And I work out, I get in the gym, get on the elliptical so I try and stay as fit as possible to get on the stage.