Tom Jones International

Tomorrow night Tom’s European tour begins with a show in Helsinki. We’ll have a review and, maybe, photos, from two fans. We all hope others who see him in Europe will do the same. All us fans look forward to these reviews and hope eveeryone who goes to the shows has a great time..

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To promote his UK tour, Tom did a new interview for the show broadcast on BBC Radio 2 Saturday night called The Tom Jones Story. Of course, several other people were also interviewed. With the exception of one person, they’re all interesting and good additions to the show. The exception is, I believe, writer Gwen Russell. Her assessment of Tom isn’t original or well-thought out, as she seems to have gotten it from old articles and other books, not from the source. Sorry, but I just cannot get past the fact that of a half-dozen or so awful bios of Tom, hers is about the worst. Seems to me that, unless you’re writing a biography of a truly venal, truly heinous person, you ought to at least try to like that person. Her contempt for her subject was clear in her book and, in this interview, she uses phrases like “to be brutal”and then gives opinions as if they’re gospel. Bad stuff. One might also quibble with some assessments (“The acclaimed Mr. Jones album”) but others are so totally true (“He’s the best stand-up comedian who never did stand-up”). In all, it’s so much fun to listen. And, below the interview, link here is a link to another video you may enjoy revisiting (or visiting). And I, for one, would love to see Rob Brydon play here in the US.

In its own post about the show, the BBC says, “Sir Tom Jones has been entertaining audiences since the 1960s and sold over 100 million records. As the man they call The Voice gears up for another UK tour this October, Rob Brydon tells the story of the Welsh sex-bomb who became one of the most famous singing voices on the planet. It’s an incredible story of how a factory worker from a Welsh mining town shot to international superstardom thanks to hits like It’s Not Unusual, What’s New Pussycat and Delilah. Idolised by women all over the planet, he became a huge star of Las Vegas making friends with Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra along the way. He’s now part of our national heritage but unlike his singing, success didn’t come easy. Featuring a new interview with the big baritone himself, this documentary follows Tom’s journey to the top and reveals how he overcame obstacles such as tuberculosis to realise his dream of becoming a professional singer. Friends and collaborators help tell his story too, such as arranger Les Reed who helped send Tom on his way to the top by writing hits like It’s Not Unusual. We also hear from legendary session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan who played on every Tom Jones record in the 1960s and early 70s. He was with Tom during the height of his career, playing to Las Vegas audiences and accompanying the world’s biggest stars on Tom’s hit TV show. Plus there’s fascinating insight from Tom’s early days in Wales and London, courtesy of former band mates Mike Roberts and Vernon Hopkins. Find out from them about Tom’s near misses with maverick record producer Joe Meek and discover how Tom sank into depression before he hit the big time. Since Tom Jones found international success his fan base has never really diminished. This documentary reveals how he has exploited musical trends, earning new fans while retaining his core following — something proven with another number one record earlier this year with Islands In The Stream. His co-singer on that single — Rob Brydon — finds out how he does it. Featuring brand new interviews with Sir Tom Jones, Wyclef Jean, Kelly Jones from Stereophonics, biographer Gwen Russell, Jimmy Tarbuck, Les Reed, Vernon Hopkins and Mike Roberts.”

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Although you can listen to the show on the BBC Radio Player, it will only be up until next Saturday. Here, it’s as permanent as anything in this temporary life can be. The radio show is posted in — a bit of cheating with the name, here — the TJI.com Video Library. There’s a photo to get it started, but then it’s the almost-one-hour of audio. If I’d posted it directly here there would have been seven parts so, I decided, to figure out how to do it and get it into the Video Library. I am very proud that I did and it’s ever-so-much easier to listen to in one file. Maybe the next time there’s audio, I’ll add more photos but I had too much other stuff to do. Hope it’s OK as is.

In addition, I’ve posted Tom singing Chills and Fever from the 1964 episode of The Beat Room that is mentioned in the radio show.

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AND! Rob Brydon, the host of this event, of course did the UK Comic Relief recording and video of Islands In The Stream earlier this year and if he wasn’t before, he became a huge fan of Tom’s. On May 1st he was on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross where he discussed Tom and did a terrific impression of him. He got the nuances of the speech pattern down perfectly. You can watch it in the TJI Video Library.

Well, tonight, as the song goes, Love Is On the Radio. Details of The Tom Jones Story are in the Listening Note!! in the post below. It’ll be posted on TJI as soon as I can do it.

Meanwhile, here’s a story from BBC Radio about Welsh rugby fans and “the song Delilah, most famously a hit for Welsh singer Tom Jones, has been adopted by Welsh rugby fans as a stadium anthem. Reporter Wyre Davies travels to Cardiff to find out why many are reluctant to sing along.”

Here’s the brief news story about the song. (Tom is only heard singing for a few seconds but the whole issue makes one wonder — even Tom has said it surprises him — at the fact that for a long while — and very often — people have completely ignored the lyrics.)

AND! If anyone is able to record Tom on any TV shows he’s doing and can send those recordings, please email me and I can tell you how to send it for everyone to share. Thanks!

Thanks, Dre.

To those of you celebrating, best wishes for a happy, healthy and sweet New Year. L’Shana Tovah!

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Listening Note!! Tomorrow, 10 pm in the UK, 3 pm EDT and 2 pm PDT, on BBC Radio 2 the very funny Rob Brydon will tell The Tom Jones Story. You can listen by going to the BBC Radio 2 homepage or after the show at their site. It features new interviews with Sir Tom Jones, Wyclef Jean, Kelly Jones from Stereophonics, biographer Gwen Russell, Jimmy Tarbuck, Les Reed, Vernon Hopkins and Mike Roberts. Except for Gwen Russell and one or two others, it should be a most interesting show. (Why? Because of all the awful, dumb bios written of Sir Tom, hers is the worst because she never spoke to him but implied that she did and also regurgitated every filthy rumor and lie around. She did no real homework, just took from other books and the UK tabloids. Sadly, some fans actually believed the garbage in her book. It is shameful and also surprising that the Beeb’d use her as any kind of authoritative source.) The interview will be posted here at some point tomorrow or Sunday.

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To promote the amazing 1994 CD The Lead and How To Swing It, Tom, of course, did his usual touring and sprinkled songs from the CD into his live appearance set list. In further support of the project he did lots of TV. One of those shows here in the USA was Live From the House of Blues.

The series debuted on January 28, 1995, playing at midnight ET on Turner Broadcasting System (TBS). As the title makes clear, the show aired from one or another of the House of Blues locations each week. Tom appeared at the HOB in LA on March 31, 1995.

Even though it’s not quite complete, as it starts a bit into the opening song (at least, I think it’s the opener) it’s a terrific show and runs 36:10 with all the commercials and promos edited out. At the end, Tom and Dwight Yoakam (“Two black lung babies,” Yoakum notes) duet on the Rolling Stones’ The Last Time.

This is also the show where producer Trevor Horn’s (If I Only Knew) quote about Tom’s singing is prominently shown, “He’s got a voice that is a cross between a saxophone, a trumpet and a wild animal in heat.”

And, while you’re noting the HOB-appropriate shades on the band, don’t forget to check out the long-haired guitarist.

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

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[Because I've gotten lots of questions about this topic lately, if you're interested, here's a note on posting videos: You may have noticed that the last two videos posted directly on this site, rather than in the TJI Video Library, were on a larger screen. To post on this site directly, a video has to be less than 7 MB in size. When a video is larger than that, it does into the library where a video can be posted at sizes up to 100 MB. When something is that large it sometimes has to formatted for the web and therefore things like the number of frames per second is larger. This is one example. If I had broken it up into two videos, the quality of each might have been better — remember, this is a transfer from a VHS tape — but it would have taken way too long. So, I sacrificed some quality to get it posted. Again, I'd suggest using whatever software you have (I often use RealPlayer Downloader, a free app) to download the video and, then, watch it on a larger screen. Meanwhile, if you have friends who are fans and who do not visit this site, please let them know about some of the things done on TJI.]

The next two days are very busy ones for me with several events (including one interview that’s a dream come true for me) and meetings. Thus, I must apologize in advance for not having enough time for a longer post.

At any rate, this way-too-brief (26 seconds) video from Artisan News is, once again, from the Outside Lands Festival. I was thrilled to find it because I believe it’s an almost-perfect Tom Jones song and it has rarely been recorded on video.

If you’ll recall, last October this song gained special significance for Tom when a rumor that he had died surfaced and moved quickly between LA, London and Las Vegas. Of course, all was well, but it gave this song a very special resonance. I’ve always liked seeing him perform it because it portrays a powerful man doing what he loves and doing it very well.

So, here’s a short clip* of Tom Jones singing I’m Alive.

As usual, if you cannot view it, please drop me note using the “Contact TJI” link at right and I’ll send it to you.

*And, yes, my friend in Coram, it’s large-format.

We Tom Jones fans — especially those who visit this site are — very, very fortunate because so many of this segment of the fan community are so generous with their time and resources.

Today’s case in point: Liz.

Liz went to the 02 on Friday, saw the show, recorded it and, after working to compress almost one gigabyte of raw footage down to a workable size, sent it to me to put together as one video.

In it you’ll see just about all of Tom’s performance: he and Joss Stone singing It’s Your Thing, Tom singing Sex Bomb and It’s Not Unusual and, then, the entire cast singing Let It Be, the finale chosen that evening by the audience who picked it that night over the other choice With A Little Help From My Friends.

So, with great thanks to Liz — and bearing in mind it was shot from the audience without professional video and/or sound equipment — please check out the video.

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

Note that the band in this video is quite likely the band that will be touring with Tom in Europe.

AND! Soon we’ll have video of Rockwell, along with one of the most charming reviews I ever read from Chas and Rosina.

Until then, Dre sent TJI this link to youtube video of Tom and Joss that shows his entrance. The problem, from my point of view and what kept me from editing this and posting it in the video library, is that it’s pretty much a shoot of the jumbotron screen so it’s like a video shot while watching TV. Hoping for better soon!

First, if you’re going to be in the neighborhood — Dublin —next Thursday and want to go to the show, you can enter to Win Arthur’s Day VIP tickets

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Walk On the Wild Side is a new half-hour BBC 1 show that is on Saturday nights. They show films of all sorts of animals and endow them with human voices that match the filmed antics.

Sir Tom Jones — or, rather, his voiceover, because that’s what the guest stars do on this show — was featured in Episode 5 last Saturday night. He was the “Special Guest Natural Treasure,” a penguin who (as an apparently self-appointed leader/savior) brings his fellow penguins a “Penguin Premium Performance Plan.”

“TJ’s Penguin Premium Performance Plan” is in five parts following an intro segment: “Stop Goofing About All the Time,” “No More Funny Walks!” “The Sky’s The Limit!” “Let’s Move Somewhere Hot!” and “Hollywood Loves Us, Let’s Take Over The Movie Industry!”

You can watch the it in the TJI.com Video Library. And, by the way, this is video #104 since August 4, 2008 to be posted in the TJI Library. If you’ve missed any, it’s worth the time to check them out.

Moderator’s Note: This video was actually available on Saturday night on youtube but, of course, it was the entire show, rather than just Tom’s less-than-five-minutes. Two days later, some misguided person posted links to each of the four separate parts on the TJ.com forum because, the explanation went, people outside the UK cannot access the BBC iPlayer, as if that makes a difference when it’s on youtube. The person even did an email blast with the post, perplexing some people who thought it came from Tom’s management. As noted, those were links to each of four parts that one had to launch individually and then wade through to find Tom. Unfortunately, with all the time-sensitive Rockwell stuff, I didn’t get to post this pared-down, edited Tom-only version until today. But it’s lots of fun and worth the wait. I left in the credits because, first, people deserve credit and second — and to me, most important — it’s an extraordinarily well-written show, witty and topical. Enjoy!

Also, you may have noticed that the brief ITN interview posted below was larger than most videos posted here. I think I know what I did to make it so and will try next time I have a video that meets the on-site constraints of 7MB or less. When something’s posted in the TJI Video Library the screen is always the same size. But, if you get the free RealPlayer Downloader app, you can download and watch any video posted here on your desktop at a larger size. Just remember that videos are real memory hogs.

If you missed logging on Saturday and/or Sunday, check out the videos and the new Tom at Rockwell flickr set linked to in the posts below!

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ITN did a barely-more-than-30-seconds interview with Sir Tom while he was rehearsing for Rockwell on Friday (screen shot at right). You’ll find it here.

As usual, if you cannot view it, just use the “contact” link in the sidebar at right to email me and I’ll send it.

And, someone has posted terrific video from The Donny & Marie Show from back in the 70s. There’s a lot of it and, unfortunately, the poster (who certainly doesn’t own the copyright), has plastered his name all over it it. Instead of choosing any one video to post, I’ve posted the results of the search at youtube.

Just scroll down and choose what to watch. I’d especially recommend the video entitled Zero, a spoof of Zorro with Tom and Loretta Swit from M*A*S*H guesting. A screen shot is at left. This is (at the moment) the sixth video down. Tom comes in at 5:46 and the whole thing’s just a lot of fun.

You’ll even hear him parody his massive hit Without Love, his take on the Clyde McPhatter classic we don’t hear often enough now.

Here’s some very nice video of Sir Tom during rehearsal Friday (screen shot left) for Rockwell, as well as video of a backstage interview (where he discusses the beginning of his career and Lulu, Joss Stone and how he was the first to play the 02 Arena) and then a wrap-up produced by the Rockwell producers.

(Looks like Sir Tom got a very nice haircut and is bundled up against the weather in London where it’s in the mid-50s — Fahrenheit, not centigrade. We’re having a “cold snap” here in Las Vegas where today it was “only” 99ª F. Poor, chilly us.)

The photo at right was sent to us by Chas and Rosina. They sent several and they’ll be put in the appropriate fllickr set when I have a moment. They’ve also said a review and video (perhaps of Tom’s duet with Joss and his other song?) is forthcoming. It was posted as a thumbnail here because it might be headed for the TJI Fan Calendar.

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

From her website comes this story of one backup singer on the European tour(note that it says nothing about what happens after this tour):

FLORENCE RAWLINGS TO *SUPPORT TOM JONES ON EUROPEAN TOUR

(*Note: “Support” in the UK means what we’d call “opening” So, he’ll have two opening acts in Europe.)

On hearing that she had been asked to support Tom Jones on his 33 date European tour Florence Rawlings crashed her car.

“I’d just found out that I’d been asked to support Tom Jones on his tour and was driving to see a friend. I was so excited and distracted that I drove into the back of a bus and wrote my car off” explains the 20 year old Londoner.

The soul singer has already enjoyed some high profile gigs including performances at Isle Of Wight Festival, Wireless, Stuttgart Jazz Festival, Guilfest and opening for Booker T in Shepherds Bush. This tour, with its audience of more than 300,000, will be Florence’s biggest yet and, the accident notwithstanding, Florence’s delight is immense “I’ve never been this excited, EVER”, a feeling that is shared by her family “My cousins in Scotland have all his records and were so impressed when I told them. They are going to come and see me at the Glasgow SECC so that will be a really special show.”

Another concert that will have a special significance is the night of 26th September in Malmo, Sweden “On my 21st birthday I’ll be performing in Malmo in front of 15,000 people. What an amazing birthday present”

Described as a “blue eyed soul singer set for big things” by Mojo Magazine, Florence will be performing songs from her debut album ‘A Fool In Love’, a collection of originals and well-chosen covers that “showcases Flo as a highly impressive UK soulster” according to the Daily Mirror.

And, according to a press release they sent out, the Cosmic Rough Riders (right), a retro Glasgow-based trio is also opening in Europe for Tom.

The band features Mark Brown on drums and backing vocals, James Clifford on bass and backing vocals and Stephen Fleming, lead vocals + guitar, are, the release says, “currently in the midst of a support tour alongside Welsh crooner Tom Jones, have just announced a headline tour, which intertwines with some of the TJ dates.”

Thanks, Dre, for the links to the musician info.

Friday was the big charity concert Tom did, along with Joss Stone, Robert Plant, Ronan Keating. Lulu, Razorlight, David Gray, Gabriella Cilmi and Supergrass, among others. With lots of concert photos, TJI has a new flickr set: Tom Jones At the Rockwell Concert. Check it out and we’ll add more photos if we get them. One photo, of Tom clearly acknowledging the crowd with Joss Stone, is at right. Check out the photos of Tom autographing the guitar (which every performer autographed). Wonder if it’ll be auctioned off to raise yet more money for the charity.

Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy is the UK’s largest music therapy charity, providing over 35,000 therapy sessions a year through its national center in London and over 40 outreach projects nationwide. It also runs postgraduate training programs in music therapy and a research program offering public courses and conferences.

Still waiting for better quality video/photos and, hopefully, fan and print reviews. Meanwhile, all that was available this soon after the concert is some poor — really poor — video taken from the side of the arena and from a vantage point that wasn’t too close.

Don’t know who is playing with Tom or who is singing backup. One can probably assume that it’s the people who will be touring with him. Whomever it is, no one is shown to advantage here. Almost didn’t post these videos but decided they’re better than nothing.

Stay tuned for (hopefully) more and better stuff, including Tom’s duet with Joss on It’s Your Thing.

Till then, here is Sex Bomb and It’s Not Unusual. And, finally, is the grand finale. You may recall that the choice of final song would be narrowed down to two by the public. Then, at the concert, ticketholders could vote on the winner. Thus, perhaps, the reason why Tom is looking at words/arrangement (screen shot above left). Anyway, be sure to check out Tom and the rest of the performers closing the evening by singing Let It Be.

As usual, if you cannot view the video, drop a note and I’ll send it to you.

Today, one cannot fail to notice, is 9/11. Earlier this year President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. Part of that legislation makes September 11 a National Day of Service and Remembrance in the United States.

Surely we all have our own memories and our stories of that most dreadful day. After the first bombing in 1993, I worked as a Public Information Officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency at the World Trade Center. At the time, very, very stringent security was put in place to check everyone wishing to enter the buildings.

As you may remember, that first bomb was delivered by truck underneath the Twin Towers, so every precaution was taken not to allow a repeat action. Who could have imagined what happened just over eight-and-a-half years later?

Anyway, my job isn’t to lecture or preach but I must admit that when I first learned of the concert tonight I thought, “A concert on 9/11?” But, after a great deal of reflection — and a listen to the CD from the oh-so-amazing America: A Tribute to Heroes, broadcast from New York and London on September 21, 2001 — I’ve realized that a charity concert is, in its very real way, an act of service. And I believe remembrance, even if one attends a public ceremony, is — like so many other things in life — personal.

So, cheers to Sir Tom, the other artists and the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Foundation. To all: “Break a leg this evening!”

We will have a first-hand report (and, hopefully, some photos/video/whatever) ASAP.

Glastonbury photo by Sarah Bowrey and, thanks, MSP.