Tom Jones International

The photo here is one of many that people have been kindly sending of Tom in Las Vegas. Some will be posted and others will be saved for the 2011 TJI.com Fan Calendar (almost that time of year again!). Enjoy them!

Tom’s just-closed show in Las Vegas was unusual for several reasons. It wasn’t unusual that Sir Tom sounded great. The stage looked terrific (even though a few people in the audience complained about the brief use of lights that, for obvious reasons, are called “audience blinders”).

Fans, including many who were strong partisans of the previous group of musicians, seemed satisfied with the musicians and with those among them who doubled as background singers. The two female singers were more of a flash point of controversy. While only one fan was very vocally upset that Tom added songs from Praise and Blame after the first couple of shows, most were very pleased. The song that was an almost-unanimous choice for elimination was Too Many Lovers. It seems no one wants it in he show.

Elsewhere here there as been comment on other facets of the two weeks and I am not going to comment now. I will, however, ask you what you thought of the show if you saw it at the MGM.

Please use the comment section to voice your opinion. I’ve been getting lots of emails requesting we share our thoughts/experiences.

Tom finished his run at the MGM Wednesday night — with a sold out show! That bodes well for his return. Now, it is only a rumor — and remains a rumor until tickets go on sale and/or it is confirmed on the official site — but lots of people who might know are saying Sir Tom will be back in early November. But, please remember, rumors are not confirmed. If and it is confirmed, a rumor becomes fact. Until then, don’t do anything — like make reservations.

To give everyone who was in Las Vegas a chance to travel home, TJI will ask everyone’s opinion of the Las Vegas experience this time in a few days. Please hold your opinion until then.

At the bottom of this post is a rather refreshing radio interview recorded weeks ago but broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on Monday, August 16. Host Janice Long and Sir Tom talk about his new album (of course) and he talks more than usual about his management team — son and daughter-in-law Mark and Donna Woodward. There’s only a little bit but of fun made of Americans and Long does note that older performers are treated somewhat better in the US than in the UK. That was a surprise.

Praise & Blame | Tom Jones
(3.5 out of 5)

by Christopher Toh/05:55 AM Aug 19, 2010/TodayOnline (Singapore)

SO THE dude didn’t get to play in Singapore. But perhaps this album might assuage the fans’ feelings a little. Unlike some of Tom Jones’ recent recordings, this one is actually free of a lot of production pomp.

For one thing, the band plays live – just like in the good old days – and you can’t help but picture Tom and the band just standing or sitting in a circle in the studio, egging each other on with their performances.

Sure, those in the know will probably compare this to Johnny Cash’s latter day American recordings, especially on The Man Comes Around – both have stripped down arrangements, both are filled with gospel-tinged blues-based styles. And on the album opener What Good Am I?, he also lets his bass tone growl menacingly, just like Cash.

But it’s exactly what makes the album more listenable than some of his previous offerings. The raw delivery has Tom Jones giving a gutsy take on all the songs, although it’s on the faster tracks like Don’t Knock, Lord Help and Burning Hell that Jones allows his vocals to shine.

However, this album isn’t for everybody, and, yes, if you’re not in the mood, this album can be a chore to sit through. While there are some gritty performances, some of the other tracks come across as too lightweight, with not enough gravitas to make it work. Nevertheless, it’s still a sign that the dude isn’t about to hang up his mic just yet.

You’ll find the 28+ minute radio interview it in the TJI.com Video Library. Please note that the very end of Burning Hell which comes at the very end of the interview, is cut off. Sorry but, since the song is so readily available, I chose not to take the time to go back and redo it. Surely you understand. BTW: The program is referred to (but left unexplained) in several places as the “Maida Vale,” the section of West London where those studios are located (and where at least one Agatha Christie novel was set).

Tonight was a good show, nothing much changed but, as he entered the restaurant for his usual late supper, Tom finished something he was unable to do during the show when the Sharpee went dry — he signed the dragon on Chris’ back and at 12:30 a.m. she had the dragon and signature tattooed….More in a day or so. Then, as he left the restaurant, he was given a bottle — really, a Mason jar — filled with that special brew, Kentucky moonshine (“white lightening”). He seemed delighted to receive it. The fan who gave it to him is someone you know already. More about that, too, in days to come. I got to go to an after-premiere party at Lagasse Stadium, Emeril’s sports book at the Palazzo. The film was Takers, starring Matt Dillon, Hayden Christensen, Chris Brown, TI, Michael Ealy, Idris Elba, Steve Harris, Paul Walker and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Film reviewers weren’t invited, so I’ll have to wait for the movie to open, but the party was nice, the food was great, we met TI and I had the fun of showing two TJ fans from the midwest a bit o’ Las Vegas nightlife. I appreciate them coming to the party with me.

News from Sunday, August 15: In this, it’s third week on the UK music chart, Praise and Blame has fallen two notches to #7.

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Praise and Blame has fallen in the Billboard charts this week. It is #134 in the Top 200 (down from #79); #9 on the Christian chart (down from #4) and #11 on the European chart (#4 last week). It is certainly to be hoped that US promotion of this quintessentially American music will help it rise in the charts to get the recognition it deserves. Word is that the US promotion should begin next month, if not before. (BTW, is this Sir Tom’s first showing on the Christian chart?) Check back later Sunday for UK chart showing.

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Saw Tom Friday night and, as usual, it was a good show. He eliminated Burning Hell and Too Many Lovers (Just judging from random comments by fans, if you polled the audience, Too Many Lovers would be eliminated permanently.)

Tonight, instead of Tom Jones, Mary — who finally agreed to see something other than a TJ show a time or two here in Las Vegas — and I went to the celebration that passes for an Al Green show. He was at the Hilton, in the same theater where Elvis played back in the day. Green sang all of his hits, as well as some Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and lots of others. We had a great time. (Green, the Reverend, confided in the audience that he’d agreed to eliminate the statement that “gamblers don’t go to heaven.” At least, he said in Las Vegas.

If you have an opportunity, check him out. You can see some of Tom’s style in Green’s because, even though Green started performing after Tom did, their musical roots are closely intertwined.

Friday’s show, still short a song or two, was very different in feel from previous shows. Tom did acknowledge old friends in the audience with a direct smile or a nod. He was in a great mood, had lots of fun.More and more familiar faces were there, too. I was pleased to see good friends from New York and meet new friends from California, Florida and two from New York who are entertainers here. Sorry to see some of you leave. Taith ddiogel. Gweld chi cyn bo hir.

Tom Jones music review

We’re generous souls, and we like to allow people the benefit of the doubt. Can the Welshman pull off another cracker?

By Alexi Duggins/Time Out Dubai/ 11 August 2010

Praise & Blame (rank) 4/5

We’re generous souls, and we like to allow people the benefit of the doubt. So we’ll assume that the email supposedly leaked from an Island Records vice president, in which Mr Jones’s latest album was referred to as a ‘sick joke’, and which yearned for ‘a record of upbeat tracks along the lines of Sex Bomb was some kind of publicity stunt. Because otherwise, said VP may as well remove his ears, for the throaty Welsh warbler has just produced his best effort in years.

Out go the paeans to erotic incendiary devices, and in come spirituals apparently inspired by Johnny Cash’s American recordings. Where he goes wrong is in covering two numbers from Cash’s Rubin-produced back-to-basics sessions. Jones just about gets away with the banjo-strafed Ain’t No Grave. But in Run On (aka God’s Gonna Cut You Down), where Cash sounded like the stamping feet of undead warriors, Jones just comes over all club singer.

But once he steps out of Cash’s shadow, he delivers an impressively accomplished album. Jones’s delivery has rarely been so convincing. His vocal is so smoulderingly smoky it sounds like a cigar factory inferno, and the soaring banjo gospel of Did Trouble Me is the most affecting he’s sounded in years.

Thursday morning update: Hard To Handle, Too Many Lovers, Burning Hell and If I Only Knew were eliminated from Wednesday night’s show. The prevailing opinion (among fans) seems to be that the dryness got to The Voice. But he doesn’t seem ill, as TJI got an ecstatic note from a fan who met him in a restaurant. Also he ignored the pair of panties and the stuffed animal thrown onstage. (Sure hope that woman who showers the stage with all form of stuffed cats — from kitten to tiger — doesn’t do that this time if she’s here. Seems fans find it annoying even when Tom’s acknowledging this stuff, as she’s come thisclose to winging him. Well, hope all is well for the rest of the shows.

Praise & Blame not only debuted at No. 2 in the UK, it has earned the icon some of the greatest reviews of his career, with Jones pointing out that one reviewer even said he never was a fan of the Welsh singer until this album. For Jones, who grew up on gospel and says this is an album he always wanted to make but was just never allowed to, the reviews and fan response have been some of the most rewarding of his 45-year career. But at 70, Jones is reinventing himself as an elder statesman of music, a title he’s happy to take, as he shares stories of hanging with Elvis Presley, meeting the Beatles and the so much more he’s seen in his storied run.

The early reviews for the record have been phenomenal. Given this is a record you wanted to make forever, how gratifying has the initial response been? It’s great; it’s more than I expected. Some reviewers have said it’s the best thing I’ve done in 20 years, and one guy said he didn’t particularly like me before but finally I’ve recorded songs that are worthy of my voice. I knew it was going to be a good record because I knew most of the songs and I wanted to do them for a long time. And Ethan Johns, who’s a great producer, produced it, the musicians we used were great, and we did it in Real World in Wiltshire[, England], which is Peter Gabriel’s studio. So all the ingredients were there, but it really turned out better than I expected. I love the sound.

The photo at top right was taken in London a few weeks ago. It is Sir Tom with radio host Ricky Ross, who has a radio show in Scotland featuring American country and roots music. What makes it better than most is that, in talking to Sir Tom about Praise and Blame, he plays bits of the original music. So, for the rest of this interesting print interview and a top-notch 55-minute + radio interview, please click here to (more…)

A provocative article from a London tabloid, which will not be posted here because it is way too personal as it treads into Sir Tom’s private life and I, for one, know that’s not my business, did have a provocative point.

The shows at the MGM Grand the last six days have shown a sort of new Tom Jones, It must be said that this is the best show I’ve ever seen him do….and I’ve seen a lot of his shows. The stage looks terrific, most everyone there is talented and having fun. The set list (except for Too Many Lovers and that other song regular readers of this site know I would like to see disappear) is exceedingly well-received, especially he new old version of Green Green Grass that became part of the show in Europe last year.

What’s different is that there is little, if any, eye contact between Tom and the audience. Is this bad? No. It is just strange. Not one person at any of the six shows thus far has tossed one thing on stage. The first night Sir Tom took a birthday card early on from a fan and a gift bag from another as he left the stage. That’s been it for the entire week.

As noted here, on opening night, Tom seemed — after a couple of months of singing only songs from Praise and Blame — elated to be back to the pre-P&B set list. Now he’s added four songs from the album to the show and they are very well-received. In fact, the CD is not on sale with the other memorabilia outside the theater and I was asked twice by people looking for it when it “will be released.”

Sir Tom’s new image has yet to extend to the lobby photo (still dark-haired on the 24 Hours cover) or the video shown (still Live at Cardiff Castle). Surely there are newer, more attractive, photos and up-to-date video.

Anyway, this South African article quoted Robin Eggar, the third-worst Tom Jones biographer. (The second worst are those two women and the very worst is Gwen Russell. It was obvious that none of the last two books were written with any interviews of Sir Tom….Like Eggar’s (and he did speak to Tom during the writing) they’re just gossip and, to be honest, crap.) So, Eggar told the writer of this article that all of this is a “ploy,” part of a plan by his management to see that Tom Jones is recognized for his voice and nothing else. Since a “ploy” may be defined at “a cunning plan or action designed to turn a situation to one’s own advantage,” I think the word is wrong. It is not cunning. It is simply a career decision (like Kiss was a career decision).

I certainly believe we can all agree that Tom Jones should clearly be recognized for his voice……but that doesn’t negate his attractiveness and charisma. And it shouldn’t.

The problem is that one cannot undo 45 or so years of stored memories, impressions or good times with just like that. People have loved Tom Jones’ music, voice and persona for a long, long time and, because those years were pretty much all good, even while embracing the new, people will still be influenced by happy memories of the past.

Tom Jones is a gifted man who has, apparently, loved employing his gift to entertain audiences for more than 45 years. If he wants to change his image, it’s his right. But it is not a necessity.

There was a half-hour radio interview Tom did in London that was played in the UK last week. Click here to listen to the Tom Jones Interview July 27, 2010 by Marsha Shandur of XFM London

The photo above is of Tom singing Never, a song no longer in the show. It is posted here again because I think I heard un amie say she likes blue-toned photos. And, even if it wasn’t she who said it, I’d like to say, “Joyeux anniversaire, mon amie.”

In the next several days, depending upon time constraints, TJI will post a half-hour interview Tom did on BBC radio and video of Tom on two TV shows in the UK. In addition to my regular work, I am working on three special projects which you may hear about soon.

The Official UK Charts Company now has Praise and Blame at #5, down three from last week’s #2 debut. The album is also #5 on the Scottish charts. The promo work for the album in the UK was terrific. Looking for the same in North America.

Now, to the most important thing to everyone in the MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theatre: the show:Sir Tom Jones is a master. With a near-capacity crowd cheering everything he did, with the retention of the material from Praise and Blame added last night and with Mike Tyson in the audience, this was a night to remember.

First, the set list: Sugar Daddy, Give A Little Love, Thunderball, In Style and Rhythm, If He Should Ever Leave You, Delilah, Mama Told Me Not To Come, Hard To Handle, Too Many Lovers, I’ll Never Fall In Love Again, What Good Am I?, Burning Hell, Don’t Knock, Didn’t It Rain, What’s New Pussycat?, She’s A Lady, You Can Leave Your Hat On, If I Only Knew, Sex Bomb, It’s Not Unusual and, for the encore, Kiss and Take Me Back To the Party.

The audience was thrilled with the performance and people danced — by themselves or with a partner. And that partner, like the fan who danced with Tyson, could be someone who just happened to be there. (Tyson, by the way, was there with a few adults and his son. Of course, they went backstage immediately after the show.)

For the rest of the review and a brief radio clip, please click here to (more…)

Tom has hit the Billboard US charts in a huge way with Praise and Blame! The album is in five (!) separate charts! Simply amazing!

Just check it out!

He debuted at #79 Billboard 200!

He’s #4 on the European album list which is “the week’s most popular albums complied from the official sales charts of 19 European countries, ranked on a weighted-point system based on IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) World Rankings and country size.

Digital download sales are included in certain European charts provided.” This is separate from the UK chart.

And in tallying the albums that made the biggest jumps on the chart, Sir Tom is at #4, as he leapt over 121 other albums for that #79 debut.

For the other two charts and the set list from opening night, please click here to (more…)

It was, as mentioned here yesterday, a sold out house. That was wonderful to see. Tom looked great, the stage looked great (the lighting is terrific!) and the band was in great form. But, you ask, what about the set list?

First, please understand that this will be a short post…..It’s after midnight here and I have to be up early to do an interview. More tomorrow and, perhaps, a photo or two.

The fans TJI has known for awhile were divided. Some wanted Praise and Blame and others said they’d be just as happy if it was left out — as long it the reason for any omission was not that fans in Las Vegas (who tonight came from many states and several nations) couldn’t appreciate the music. Of course, that’s nonsense.

So, what happened?

Sir Tom entered to a roar of approval. Dressed in black pants (er, trousers), a merlot-colored — later changed to blue shirt — and black leather jacket, he looked fabulous. From the first notes, those of who knew the the song, were sharply aware that we were about to hear Sugar Daddy, “holy Schmoly” and all.

There were, in short, no songs from Praise and Blame. Why?

Well, you moderator was told several days ago that, since his regular show band hasn’t been promoting the CD in the UK, they’d need time to rehearse the new material. It seemed eminently reasonable to me.

So, the set list was not new. (I’ll detail it tomorrow.)

No one has told me this — really — by I’d guess that, since the CD will at some point soon be promoted in the US, they might take a few days to rehearse and, maybe slowly over a few days, add some of the new material and, hopefully, some of it will be performed at the MGM Grand. We’ll have to wait and see and those of us who look forward to it, can continue to hope.

BUT! Gotta tell you that Sir Tom Jones looked as if he was having at least as much fun as the opening night audience that showered him with love. After all, for three months or so, all he’s been singing in concert, on TV and having played during interviews, are gospel and spirituals. He looked like it felt very gooooood to return to such as Sex Bomb, You Can Leave Your Hat On, Green Green Grass of Home and all those others. Perhaps because of his age (how old?? can’t remember) he changed one move in Kiss. No more shirt lift. Instead there was a very brief pantomime of an appropriate action for the line, “I know how to undress me.”

Opening night he just sang….and sang….and sang with only one brief interlude to chat with one person in the audience. And, for the record, not one article of any kind of clothing was tossed on stage.

If you haven’t done so, please answer the Question of the Month and Question of the Month Part II. They are both posted below. And, don’t forget to check out my interview with producer Ethan Johns in the Huffington Post.

Tonight is the big night in Las Vegas! After seven months or so Sir Tom Jones is back at the MGM Grand tonight for the first of 14 shows.! If you are visiting from another city/state/country, you be aware that the average temperature here is more than 100º (37º+ celsius). So, bring lots of sunblock and don’t plan to sit in the sun all day. The good news is that there are no tickets for sale for Tom’s opening night. All that’s left are casino comps (free tickets given to high rollers). Great news for him!

Pat was kind enough to send this article. It’s from 2008 but it’s also a very slow news day in TJ Land. It’s from the (rather odd, don’t you think?) series called How I Get Dressed. One might assume that everyone gets dressed one leg at a time….but….

How I get dressed
How to wear tight leather pants, by singer Tom Jones, 68

The Guardian/Adam Matera/Sunday, 10 May, 2008/
Photograph left: Christopher Owyoung /Rex Features

When I started out I’d wear a blousy, Edwardian-type shirt – a jacket was too restrictive – and tight pants. Everyone wore tight pants, but maybe not quite as tight as mine. I perspire a lot on stage, so the pants had to be black, otherwise the sweat would show. I liked to look smart on stage. But what I wore had to be practical too.

We didn’t have stylists then. You could get a shirt like mine in Carnaby Street, and the Cuban-heeled shoes were from Anello & Davide in Kensington; the Beatles wore them, too.

I remember being resident singer in a club called Beat City on Oxford Street in 1964, and the Rolling Stones were booked one night. I would always wear jeans to the venue and change when I got there. They arrived all suited up, then changed into jeans and T-shirts. And I see that with bands today. Some of them go out of their way to look scruffy. But they’re still aware of how they want to look.

I’d grown up watching black-and-white rock’n'roll movies and people like Elvis – he always wore his shirt collars up. I saw Jerry Lee Lewis in concert once and he came out in red pants and a plaid jacket, and then Gene Vincent, who would always wear black leather. Those guys had a great sense of style.

By the 70s I’d moved to Los Angeles, and by then it was all silk shirts, flared pants, platform shoes. I remember doing the cover photo for Rescue Me where I’m sat under these girls’ legs with tight jeans and my shirt open, showing off my chest and grinning. But it was all done with a sense of humour.

Once I was singing Kiss at a TV special in Cardiff and I came to the part where I do a squat, and these leather pants I was wearing split up the back. So I said: “This is for people who don’t believe I wear underwear” and bent over so you could see the red briefs I had on. I’ve stopped that move now. You can’t always count on the pants holding up.

If I’m going out around LA in the day, I’ll wear a tracksuit or something comfortable, but if I’m out in the evening I’ll dress for the occasion. I like to dress smart. Now I do have a stylist, Peter Hawker, so he’ll get suits for me – Oswald Boateng, William Hunt, Gucci – and I pick out what I want.

The first thing I had done when I started to make money was have my teeth capped ’cause they were in bad shape. Then I had my nose fixed because it was broken through all the fights I’d had. Then a lot later I had some fat taken out from under my chin – hence the goatee. I haven’t had my face pulled or anything. The guy I saw in LA said you’ve got to be careful. You want to look like you.

Every Christmas I take five weeks off and stop dyeing my hair. It used to come out as a dirty grey, but this year it was more white and it looked pretty good. So for my first engagement I tried it out and people were shouting: “You look great, Tom.” So I thought: “Thank God, now I don’t have to dye it any more.”