Tom Jones International

The Pepsi Kona ad (in the March 8 post below) was shot on a soundstage in West LA in 1996 or 97. It was directed by Joe Pytka who started in documentary films and went on to direct more than 5,000 commercials, including “this is your brain on drugs…” (Remember that?) He also directed spots for products including Nike and McDonald’s. To encourage the economic redevelopment of New York City after 9/11, he directed four of the so-called “New York Miracle” ads, including spots with Woody Allen skating, Henry Kissinger sliding into home plate, and Yogi Berra* conducting the Philharmonic. Pytka also directed music videos by many artists including Michael Jackson. Along the way he directed two feature-length films. Let it Ride (1989), with Richard Dreyfuss and Space Jam (1996), with Michael Jordan and others from the NBA. To get the horn sound Pytka wanted in the spot, the TJ band was augmented with a few more musicians.

Shortly after that ad was done, Tom worked on, and released Reload. To promote it he made lots of TV appearance in the UK (CD wasn’t released in the US. (Perhaps it was believed we wouldn’t get it?) At any rate, among the promo appearances was the usual one on the Jools Holland BBC show, Later.

TJ has almost 10 minutes of video from that appearance where, accompanied by the tremendous Jools Holland Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, Tom sang solo and with Cerys Matthews, performed Baby, It’s Cold Outside. (The cover of their single is at left, in case you didn’t guess. That is not them in the picture.)

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

*Yogi Berra, a beloved figure in New York, is a former catcher for the NY Yankees and, after he stopped playing ball, was a broadcast commentator and a manager. He is famous also for his unique turns of phrase. There are many, many examples, including: “It ain’t over ’til it’s over,” It’s like déjà vu all over again,” When you get to a fork in the road, take it,” “Nobody goes there anymore because it’s too crowded.”

If you missed it yesterday, please scroll down to see the video of Tom and Sammy Davis, Jr.

Several years ago Pepsi briefly marketed a product called Pepsi Kona. As the name tells us, it was a combination of Pepsi and Kona coffee.

The product, produced in a Pepsi plant in the Philadelphia area, was test-marketed in a few places on the east coast. Couldn’t find an exact date but, if this really was a commercial, it looks like the late 1990s or early part of this century.

Pepsi Kona was pulled as, apparently, the consensus was that it tasted terrible. But the commercial is clever and fun.

If anyone knows about this, please email me using the contact link at right so I can post the info where all can see it.

You can watch the commercial here.

As usual, if you cannot play it, drop me a line using that same “Contact TJI” link at the bottom right that I referenced above and I’ll email it to you.

Sorry! I apologize if you tried to see the video earlier and it wasn’t there. It is now! Late night last night and I had done it early in the day and forgot to publish it until this morning.

There can be no argument: Sammy Davis, Jr. was one of the greatest entertainers we were ever fortunate enough to see. Dancing, singing, acting — he did it all. I saw him in person a few times, the first when I was nine years old. I will never forget it.

Las Vegas also, indirectly owes Davis a debt. When the Rat Pack — Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford — played here originally, Davis had to stay on the “West Side,” that part of Las Vegas where black entertainers — who had to go in and out of the casinos through a kitchen door — stayed. They couldn’t stay where they were playing. (At the time, very segregated Las Vegas was known as “The Mississippi of the West.”)

Well, one day around 1960, Frank Sinatra had had enough of that. He told the management at the Sands Hotel, “If Sammy can’t stay, I can’t play.” Thus, for the first time — and always from that day on — a black performer could stay in a hotel on The Strip. Davis — with and without the Rat Pack — continued to play here for another 30 years or so.

That’s why, when Dre sent links to some 1966 video of Tom on the Sammy Davis, Jr. Show, (March 18th) I got caught up in nostalgia and looked for more of them together, found it and put them together in a video.

The first two clips, in black and white, are from 1966, Davis’ TV show. The first song they do is the beautiful Scarlet Ribbons. Check out how Davis sort of imitates Tom while they’re singing. Then they do a unique version of What’s New Pussycat.

The last three clips are from two episodes of the second season of This Is Tom Jones in 1970 (season #2; episode #s 2 and 26). They sing Thanks For the Memories, A Little Help From My Friends, A Boy Named Sue, Oh, Sweet Blindness, My Way, and And When I Die, Next up, from that same show, is the very moving Mr. Bojangles, which is included on one of the TITJ TImeLife DVDs. And, finally, Sammy — dressed in a 1970s-defining jumpsuit, sings one of his maay hits, For Once In My Life.

The clips from Sammy’s show are very old, transferred from a movie camera to video, but I still hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

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

Between February 6th and 10th, Tom played three dates in Chile where the audiences were ecstatic to have him there. On February 6, he played Viña del Mar, a beach resort on the ocean. The next day February 7, Tom played in Talca, Chile and on February 10th he was in Santiago. By now you know that, on February 27 at 3:34 am, an earthquake hit the country. Talca is just 65 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake that shook the city as if it were a small toy in a giant’s hand. Santiago and Viña del Mar, were also hit very hard. How big was the quake?

According to the Wall Street Journal, “Data from the U.S. Geological Survey suggests that this morning’s Chile quake tied in fifth place with an 8.8 quake that hit Ecaduor and Bolivia in 1906. Only four quakes have been bigger since 1900. The largest was a 9.5 magnitude event that struck Chile in 1960, causing 1,655 fatalities, leaving 2 million homeless, and triggering a tsunami that killed people in Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines.”

For this post TJI posted video of Tom at the Festival Antofagasta that hasn’t been posted here before. The quality isn’t terrific but it leaves o doubt about the crowd’s response. Watching the audience one cannot help wondering where they are today. Hopefully, those joyous people loving the show are all safe.

How You Can Help:

The Huffington Post (a wonderful website that features great writers) offers constantly updated information on relief efforts.

• American Red Cross —The Red Cross has made an initial pledge of $50,000 from their International Response Fund, which you can contribute to to further assist.

• Save The Children — Save The Children is sending an emergency assessment team to Chile, and they are asking for contributions to their Children’s Emergency Fund to aid these efforts.

• AmeriCares — AmeriCares Vice President of Emergency Response, Christoph Gorder, says AmeriCares is sending medical supplies and humanitarian aid to Chile. Make a direct contribution to AmeriCares’ Chilean earthquake fund.

• World Vision — World Vision is sending emergency relief supplies and staff to Chile to help injured survivors. Donate to World Vision’s Disaster Response Fund to directly contribute to aid heading to Chile.

And, of course, let’s not forget the British Red Cross.

You can watch Tom singing It’s Not Unusual and Kiss at the Festival Antofagasta on February 7…

…AND, right below that video, you can hear the 20+ minute radio interview which contains one of the few times he’s discussed his bands. You will find them both in the TJI.com Video Library.

First, the art: Welsh fan Melvyn Chircop is a talented artist. He works in a variety of media: acrylics, oils, pencil and watercolor. You can see his work, including this and other portraits of Tom here. You’ll recognize Tom, Enge, George Michael and Robbie Williams. The other subjects are all British snooker champions.

Next, the commerce: (Note: One US dollar = 89.5 cents Australian) Tonight (February 27 there) Tom performed his first winery concert in Australia. The promotion material notes, “In a very special offer to celebrate the release of 24 Hours, everyone who purchases a ticket to the Bimbadgen Estate concert will receive a free copy of the album!”

It was an interesting day in New South Wales: One newspaper forecasts the events:

$10m boost for vineyards as Whitney Houston, Tom Jones head for wine region

BY TESS CAMPBELL/27 Feb, 2010 04:00 AM/The Herald, Australia

THE Hunter Valley is gearing up for one of its biggest concert weekends, expected to inject more than $10 million directly into the wine country region.

New data has confirmed that outdoor concerts are a major money-spinner for wine country, with each show generating tens of millions.

About 15,000 fans will flock to two separate concerts today featuring Whitney Houston at Hope Estate Winery and Tom Jones at Bimbadgen Estate.

For the rest of this article and to see the TV commercial, click here to (more…)

If you haven’t checked in for a couple of days, scroll down to see the video that was posted. It’s all very good.

This commercial was released last November to advance Tom’s March 4 show in Wollongong, New South Wales. It is advertising tickets to see the man who, “for over four decades has been the ‘King of Cool.’”

You can watch it here (on a nice, big screen).

Reflecting on the fact that Russian figure skater Yvgeni Plushenko won silver in the Olympics the other night, rather then the gold he believed he deserved, many writers have recalled his version of Sex Bomb at the 2001 World Championships.

In fact, the video seems to have almost become viral since Thursday night.

A few news stories say Tom “approved” the routine. Don’t know about that but I do know a few people requested that TJI post it.

So, if you want to see Plushenko’s unique take on Sex Bomb, you’ll find it here.

As usual, if you cannot play either or both of these videos, drop me a line using the “Contact TJI” link at the bottom right and I’ll email it to you.

Moderator’s Note: Tonight, after hearing about it for years, the new Cirque du Soleil show Viva Elvis officially opened. Since so many of Tom’s fans are also Elvis fans, I thought I’d share. My review is here. I have to add that it was a lot of fun — more than these things usually are — being there during the blue carpet. (That was Elvis’ favorite color, so they didn’t have a red carpet for celebrities to walk.) It was an eclectic crowd of celebs. Among those present were Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed, Wynonna, Chris Noth, Neil Patrick Harris, Regis and Joy Philbin, Priscilla Presley and her grandson Ben (who has those Elvis/Lisa Marie eyes) and a bunch of others. It was a fun evening.

New Zealand TV reporter David Farrier put together his own take on Tom’s press conference (Farrier calls it a “presser”) in Auckland, Wednesday. If a little repetition of rumors and some mild blasphemy bother you, don’t look. But it’s very amusing and original and the end is worth the entire price of admission.

If you try to look and can’t see it, you know the drill: if you cannot view it, please drop me note using the “Contact TJI” link at right and I’ll send it to you.

If you choose not to watch it, you know there’ll be more video soon.

If you do look, enjoy.

Whatever — Watch it here.

First, to give you an idea of the kind of crowds Tom often draws in places where he doesn’t play often, here’s video of Tom at the Festival Antofagasta Junto del Mar in Chile on February 11. Check out his “¡gracias!” at the beginning when the previous song ends. check out the crowd. Can you imagine playing to such a crowd? 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.

Ladies, prepare your panties, Tom Jones is coming to town

The Voice comes to Singapore for a one-night only performance at Resorts World Sentosa

by Larry Loh, Singapore Editor/11 February, 2010/CNNGo

My, my, my, the one and only Sir Tom ‘The Voice’ Jones, aka Sex Bomb, will be Resorts World’s first international celebrity to perform at the integrated resort. It’s a one-night only concert on March 26 where the hairy-chested Welsh singer will belt out his signature tunes like It’s Not Unusual, She’s a Lady, What‟s New Pussycat, and Delilah.

We mentioned it in passing to some ladies already and got some wild-eyed “really?!?” reactions, so we reckon this should be one sold-out concert. Tom Jones obviously needs little introduction, but for those of you still blogging in your diapers, his official bio credits him as “a man without whom the likes of Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson, Joss Stone and Duffy would never have existed.”

Tickets go on sale February 24 at 9am sharp here. Prices range from S$88 to S$358.

What Time Is It There? Time zones are a funny thing. For example, I am in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. That’s Pacific Standard Time (PST). I am three hours behind the east coast of the United States, eight hours behind the UK and 21 hours behind New Zealand. Then, there’s Australia! My son lives in Adelaide. That is 17-and-a-half(!) hours ahead of Las Vegas. That’s just on time zone in Australia. Thus, it can get very confusing.

So, since I am so far behind in terms of time, it may work out that news from Australia, New Zealand, Asia and South Africa will be posted a bit later than they would be if the news originated in either North or South America or Europe. I apologize but I am determined to bring TJI visitors the most complete coverage possible.

Toward that end, I’ve posted about 24 minutes of Tom and the press in New Zealand.

The first, major portion is of Tom’s press conference. The last several minutes are of a TV interview he did. Interesting setting: either a wine shop or a wine cellar. (The screen shot posted here is from that video.) You can watch it in the TJI.com Video Library.

On Thursday February 11, 2010, Tom played at the Festival Antofagasta 2010 in Chile. That day the Chilean newspaper Estrela Norte published an article allegedly detailing the rider to Tom’s contract with the music festival. A “rider” is a list of the requirements that must be met by the venue/producer for the entertainer to appear. (A “tech rider” details the technical needs of a show.) The most mythical of such documents is the Van Halen tour rider of 1982, a 52-page document set out requirements for such things as herring in sour cream, Schlitz Malt Liquor, one tube of K-Y Jelly (don’t ask!) and — most famous of all — a dish of M&Ms backstage from which all the brown ones are removed. Tom’s rider is downright dull next to that. Of course, if this is true, it was leaked to the press because usually those details are between the promoter and the artist’s management. On the east coast of the USA where it is available he used to ask for Poland Spring Water (“What it means to be from Maine”)which shows he has incredibly good taste as it is the very best bottled water. I don’t find Tom’s requests as reported here unreasonable…..well, too unreasonable (two people to iron?). Do you? Anyway, here’s the article.

To find out what the newspaper says Tom required backstage, click here (more…)

Brit Update: The Spice Girls won the award for the most memorable appearance in the last 30 years. Aside from Tom and Robbie Williams, among the others they also beat are the Bee Gees, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, quite rightly (IMHO) said, “You can never underestimate the stupidity of the general public.”

Tom’s appearance at the Festival Saturday night was clearly spectacular, with a show that lasted two hours and five minutes. Here is a photo from the news story about it.

Tom Jones won over the audience at Festival Fonsi Iquique

The Welshman won the younger audience on the second night of the northern festival. With a powerful show and a voice that passes every test, the singer was excellent

by Andrea Hartung in Iquique/Monday, February 15, 2010/ La Tercera

The audience was mostly young, waiting for the Puerto Rican Luis Fonsi, but Tom Jones, the old “Welsh tiger,” won with pure talent. On the second day of the Festival de Iquique he was the first artist to perform. The man who sang Delilah performed his best-known songs like Sex Bomb and You Can Leave Your Hat On. But he also sang from his new album, 24 Hours.

The sensual singer danced to all his songs and then joked with the audience. His show began at 21.30 pm and continued, thanks to popular demand, until 23:15 hours.

This photo by Nadia Pérez is one of a dozen of Tom in Chile that are particularly good. I think the one on this page is among the best ever taken of him. For this and 11 more, check out the new TJI flickr set, Sir Tom In Chile.

Thanks again, Dre!