Tom Jones International

I am told the TJI 2010 Calendars began arriving yesterday. When you get yours, please let me know what you think. You can post a comment or email me. To do it took more hours than I can tell you and your feedback is important. Please use the email link just above and let me know what you think. Thanks!

Finally! As you can see here, the MGM Grand has finished reorganizing their ticketing system and has posted Tom’s January gig. You can order tickets here. They’re working with a Ticketmaster system but it won’t cost any more to order online than it would at the box office.>(And isn’t the correct title in the MGM blurb below Tom Jones LIVE In Las Vegas!?) Note, too, that the dates in Las Vegas and In Dallas are still not on Tom’s official site, even when you scroll to “all” countries. Hopefully, they’ll fix this omission soon. Judging from private emails I’ve gotten, sadly, this is seen by a number US fans as illustrative of an attitude about the USA. Surely that cannot be right!

UPDATE!! I’ve been told by contacts at the MGM Grand that tickets are selling very well. In fact, that people are “thrilled” that Tom will be there, as he is one of their most popular shows. The online site for ordering is OK, but the “view seating chart” feature is not yet active. There are still good seats available.

Here is the cover and one of the inside pages — clearly a screen shot — from the new Tom Jones tourbook (program).

It was sold on his European tour and one would logically suppose it will be sold on other tour stops for the next year or two.

Including the covers, the book contains 19 photos. This number includes two photo montages and a double-truck center spread. The pictures are fairly evenly divided between Tom in the 1960s and 70s and Tom in 2009.

The photos — individually uncredited — are as a group credited to the “Tom Jones Archives (Wow! That’s formal and official, isn’t it?), “Emma Woodward (Tom’s granddaughter) and Carson Windhorst. The cover shot at left is clearly Windhorst’s, as it’s clearly from the same sitting as that photo originally used by LiveNation on that ill-begotten red poster that was discarded.

Except for a back-of-the-book list of credits (Management, PA, road manager, band/singers, stylist, etc.), as found in all of the other publications like this, there is — unless you count the words “Tom Jones” on the gold cover — absolutely no text in the book.

Wouldn’t it be terrific if this publication, along with any remainders of past books, could be sold in the shop on Tom’s official site?

Meanwhile, if you have this book, tell us what you think.

The Jimmy Kimmel Live! show website has posted photos of Tom when he made that terrific appearance on the show last December 9. One of the photos (ABC/Michael Desmond) is here. Of the relatively small amount of TV Tom was booked on in the USA to promote 24 Hours, this was probably one of the two best appearances. The other was Tavis Smiley but, sadly some markets never played that show because it was on PBS and it was pledge week where, for every hour of special programming, you get a half-hour of pledge noodging* and some regular programming falls by the wayside. Anyway, on Jimmy Kimmel there was a real chance for Tom’s wit and personality to shine.

You can see all the photos in TJI’s flickr set, Screen Shots.

And, for a revisit to that evening’s unique rendition of I’m Alive, along with the rest of Tom’s appearance, go to the TJI Video Library.

Something For West Coast Fans of Herman Matthews!

Timothy B. Schmit ( of The Eagles) and The Expando Band’s Winter Tour ’09

Hank Linderman • Guitar, Vocals — Chris Farmer • Keys, Vocals — Bobby Carlos • Bass, Ukulele
AND Herman Matthews • Drums, Perc., Vocals
With The Expando Singers: Mortonette Stephens • Lynn Fiddmon • Marlena Jeter

12/09/09 Triple Door Seattle, WA • 12/11/09 Crest Theatre Sacramento, CA • 12/13/09 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA • 12/14/09 Soho Santa Barbara, CA • 12/17/09 Troubadour West Hollywood, CA • 12/21/09 Belly Up San Diego, CA

(Note: Tom played a great gig at the Belly Up earlier this year. And, for history buffs, the very well-known Troubadour is where Lenny Bruce was arrested for obscenity; where Richard Pryor recorded his debut album; where the Byrds met at an open mic night and, later, debuted Mr. Tambourine Man — the list of notable events at this venerable venue goes on and on. You can check out the Troubador’s history here.)

*This year’s pledge week special is called Liza’s At The Palace. It was recorded at the Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand. I was fortunate enough to be there when it was taped. At the time, it was a pleasure, with Liza Minnelli tearing up the joint. As pledge week programming it’s kind of dull.

As of Monday, the 2010 TJI Fan calendars are in the mail and on the way to you. This includes the calendars ordered before 2 pm EST today. Newer orders will be mailed Saturday.
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More calendars were sold this year than in either 2007 or 2008 and I am very grateful for that.

Unlike in those years, too, the people at Print Pelican did a small print overrun. I discovered this when I was putting together the calendars for mailing. Thus, there are still a few available. You can order using the link at right.

Orders will close on Saturday, December 12 so they can be ready to mail Monday, December 14. So, no matter where in the world you live, you can still get yours in time for the new year. (Except, of course, I cannot be responsible for postal strike delays.)

The photo here is a low-resolution screen shot of just part of one of the pictures in the calendar. There are more than a dozen pictures of Tom at all stages of his career. They are, as far as I know, all fan photos — each given to TJI by fans — and you probably haven’t seen most of them before. (Must say that even that black and white swim suit he wore in Rhode Island years ago is featured in a picture I hadn’t seen before.) There’s the page that won the “fan favorite” vote and the back cover features a small, recent picture of Tom and Don Archell, along with 12 photos of Tom with fans.

I know it can — depending upon the postal service in the destination country — take up to two weeks for the calendars to arrive. When yours does, please use the contact link at the bottom of the sidebar at right to let me know what you think. If, after a reasonable time, your calendar doesn’t arrive, please let me know what, too. Thanks!

When this was opened in 2005, I thought it was great and ran a short article from the BBC. I came across this one I had filed and forgotten and, since the maze is long gone, wondered if any of you missed it. If so, it’ll surely bring a smile.And, if you managed to see it, please let us all know what it was like.

We always knew our Tom Jones was amazing but a maze…?

Jul 7 2005/Gareth Morgan/Western Mail

IT’S certainly a singer.

It might be Elvis.

But actually this delicately carved maze is a homage to Wales’ very own Tom Jones.

It has been carved into a maize crop in a quiet corner of Pembrokeshire to pay tribute to the Welsh star, who recently blew away audiences at a homecoming gig in South Wales.

It is intended as a tribute to Jones the Voice, to help celebrate his recent 65th birthday and his success as a singer.

The maze has been grown on a five-acre maize field at the Heatherton Country Sports Park near Tenby.

And it has even been given the blessing of Jones’s management in America.

This is the fourth year that the tourist attraction, which offers 20 sporting activities from paint-balling to golf, has created one of these mazes – but the first to feature the themed Tom Jones design. Ryan Giggs was one of the earlier incarnations.

As Heatherton entered the 21st century, Charles Davies, managing director, wanted to make eco-tourism an important aspect of developing the park.

With the family farm in mind, and its herd of 150 cows, Mr Davies also knew how important the maize crop was for winter-feed.

He then heard about Adrian Fisher, the world’s leading maze designer, who, in 25 years, has created more than 500 mazes in 23 countries. He knew this would be the beginning of something special for the sports park.

Today the maize field attracts tourists from all over, and in the winter is used as silage.

Click here to (more…)

In case you wondered how Tom came to work with Wyclef Jean and The Fugees on Mr. Jones, here’s the story from Entertainment Weekly, May 20, 2002, by Evan Serpick. The link to the video is below.

Wyclef Jean will record with Tom Jones

Wyclef Jean will record with Tom Jones. The ladies’ man will contribute to a Fugees remake of ‘What’s New Pussycat?‘

Wyclef Jean has recorded with some curious characters (Kenny Rogers, Mick Jagger, um, Steven Seagal). So, it’s no shock that Jean asked Tom Jones to sing on a remake of ”What’s New Pussycat?” for the Fugees’ June 18 album, ”Masquerade.” More surprisingly, Jean will coproduce Jones’ fall disc, which will include covers of Bob Seger’s We’ve Got Tonight and Leadbelly’s Black Betty. ”It’s a combination of hip-hop, R&B, and his regular pop sound,” says Jean. ”I always looked at Tom Jones as being half soul singer.” The odd couple met last year, though Jean has emulated Jones for a lot longer. ”He’s where I got my ladies’-man thing from. Ladies throw their bras at me because of Tom Jones.”

You can see Wyclef’s video of What’s New Pussycat in the TJI.com Video Library. (The New Yorkers among us may recognize some of the street signs.)

WOW! A Bit of Tom Jones has made it to London. I’d bet that, if he’s there and available, Sir Tom will attend. What do you think? (And, for the record, I wish they’d decide once and for all if it’s A Bit of Tom Jones or A Bit of Tom Jones?

South Wales Argus5:30pm Wednesday 2nd December 2009

A VALLEYS comedy filmed on a shoestring budget in Tredegar will get a red-carpet premiere in London’s Leicester Square before it hits the big screens in England.

A Bit of Tom Jones was released in cinemas across Wales last month, and has been so popular that cinema-chain Vue wants to take it across the border in the New Year and give its stars the red-carpet treatment on December 15.

The independent film, which was shot in just four weeks in the Valleys town, centres around a man who buys a body part belonging to singer Tom Jones in a bar, fights with a gorilla, breaks into a police station and is bubble-bathed by a pensioner.

It stars Torchwood’s Eva Myles, Loose Women host Denise Welch, Gavin and Stacey star Margaret John and many Tredegar residents as extras.

The film was more popular than Michael Jackson blockbuster This Is It at the Market Hall in Brynmawr, is starting at Vue in Cwmbran on Friday and Merthyr’s Vue cinema has extended showings to a fifth week to keep up with demand.

Writer and director Peter Watkins-Hughes, from Brynmawr, said he did not anticipate that the film would be so popular.

“I never dreamed we’d be going to a Leicester Square premiere with our little film.”

He will join the film’s stars and a host of unnamed celebrities for the premiere in a fortnight’s time.

For more information visit A Bit of Tom Jones.

From time to time — occasionally on this site and too frequently on other message boards and forums — fans get really emotional about various facets of Sir Tom. There have been discussions of his hair color, set lists, concerts, wardrobe and, just yesterday here, of a rivalry some fans feel exists between those in the US and those in the UK. Sometimes, it gets ugly. There has been, at various times and in various places, name-calling, rudeness and vitriol. Of course, much of it is on the maturity level of “My dad can beat your dad!”

So, the TJI Question of the Month for December is:

What is it about Tom Jones (or any other entertainer, for that matter) that causes all this emotion among fans? (IMPORTANT NOTE: The question deals not with the times people listen to his music or go to his shows, but with those other times when there’s discussion of other facets of his life.)

Tom will be recording in Europe in December and January. I sure hope we see him on American TV. Soon. Very soon.

From Music Week December 1:

Tom Jones, Dizzee Rascal and Lily Allen are among the guests for this year’s Jools Holland Hootenanny.

The traditional new year’s programme will also play host to Boy George, Roger Daltrey, Paolo Nutini, Shingai Shoniwa, Florence Welch, Paloma Faith, British guitarist Dave Edmunds, Ruby Turner, Rico Rodriguez and pipers from the 1st Battalion of Scots Guards.

As well as unique collaborations and covers, the night also promises many of the faces of 2009 offering their thoughts on the Noughties and the incoming year.

This will be the 17th Hootennany. It goes out on BBC 2 from 11pm on December 31.

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After a week of anger and frustration on the part of many fans about the US band, I found two clips of Tom singing with the Treorchy Male Choir in Wales. The clips serve as a reminder — without being Pollyanna — of why we are fans. The guy can do anything and has been for more than 40 years.

The first clip is a lovely Brook Benton song I’d never heard before. The clip is from This Is Tom Jones in 1970 when Tom and the Treorchy Male Choir sang the lovely The Lost Penny. It is clearly — based on the focus on the “In God We Trust” motto on US coins — an American song but like so much music it is universal.

The second clip is from Burt Bacharach’s TV show in 1971. Here, Tom surprises Bacharach by introducing him to a Welsh song he wrote.

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

Herman Matthews read the post and subsequent comments about Tom and the US band and sent the message below to us at TJI:

Well folks, I’m finding all of this very interesting.

The bottom line is this…The show will go on regardless who’s swinging the sticks behind Sir Tom. What you all will miss are the personalities that the “Old Band” had to offer. I for one have made many, many friends over the past seven years and all of you, young, old, black, white, British, Texan, rhythm, no rhythm, etc… have one thing in common — Tom Jones. Tom brought us together.

I’ve seen the new band on YouTube. Are they better? Are they worse? It doesn’t matter — they are now responsible for keeping it together for Tom. Gary Wallis does not play drums like I do. I don’t play drums like he does. And I guarantee you that he doesn’t play a shuffle like I do either… last I checked Tom doesn’t have many shuffles in his show.

The only thing that disappoints me is how Management handled the whole thing. I feel that Tom deserves better and if Management has a problem with what I’ve just said, they should contact me. (In fact I insist they do!)

I want you folks to continue to see The Voice. He is by far one of the greatest singers I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with.

— Herman

(Photo of Herman and bass player Ric Fierabracci, 2008, MGM Grand)