Tom Jones International

A long (but, even with a couple of factual errors, it’s well worth reading) interview from a week ago. The photo at right is of Tom in Kuala Lampur in 1983. Sorry I missed it. Check it out!

Till the end of time

A Tom Jones that’s bursting at the seams with life and enthusiasm will be hitting our shores next week. Ladies, lock up your daughters … and yourselves!

By N. RAMA LOHAN/The Star/Friday March 12, 2010

A very happy man,” says Sir Tom Jones over the phone from Australia last week when asked to define himself. The voice behind hits like It’s Not Unusual, What’s New Pussycat and Delilah is as grounded as they come, and his zest for life is very apparent as he acknowledges every question with a “hmmm” or “right” – all delivered in a thick Welsh accent – before launching into enthusiastic responses.

Moving it: He may be pushing 70, but Tom Jones can still wiggle those hips and set the stage alight.

And why wouldn’t he be happy? He’s had a career that has seen him scale the heights of popular music, along the way carving a name for himself as one of the most exciting live performers … even until now, at the ripe old age of 69. He even has a concert date pencilled into his touring calendar for Malaysia on March 19 at the Plenary Hall of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

“American Idol contestants have been complaining that they had no idea of what touring was all about until they went on one. They have no idea what they’re in for,” he says with guffaws.

Jones recognises his many blessings and never takes anything for granted.

“God has been kind to me and allowed me to keep my voice. In fact, I think my voice has gotten better over the years … it has more weight now.”

For the remainder of this interview and the review, click here (more…)

A review and some photos arrived today from Tom’s show in Melbourne and, soon, there will be video. I’ll get it all posted ASAP. Just returned from four days of covering ShoWest, the annual film exhibitor trade show here in Las Vegas. It was four days of learning, watching films to be released in the next several months (do not miss Toy Story 3! and being present when people like Robert Downey, Jr., Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Jennifer Lopez, Zack Galafiniakis, Sam Worthington, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon (all three from Sex and the City) and several others present their new films and/or win awards. Long hours, much work, but lots of fun. So, I apologize for the delay.

Tom played in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, tonight. When there are reviews, they’ll be posted. Meanwhile, here’s an article from yesterday when he arrived and, below it, another from Abu Dhabi announcing his April concert.

Tom Jones glad to be back

Star e-Central/Thursday, March 18, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: Welsh singer Sir Tom Jones is gearing up for what is expected to be a rocking concert here at the Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre tomorrow at 7.30pm.

The 69-year-old, who flew in from Perth, Australia yesterday following a sold-out leg of his world tour there, will be treating audience to his many hits from the past four decades.

Jones is famous for hits like It’s Not Unusual, What’s New Pussycat, Delilah and Green Green Grass Of Home.

The singer, who was knighted in 2006 by Queen Elizabeth II, said he was excited to be back in Malaysia. He was previously here in the mid-1980s and mid-1990s.

A keen fan of arts and culture, Jones is looking forward to soaking in the Malaysian way of life.

“I like to see authentic things and there’s plenty of that in your country,” he said upon his arrival at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

For ticket details on his concert, call the Tom Jones Box Office, 1st Floor, Hartamas Shopping Centre at 03-6201 8840.

Click here to (more…)

First, a rather snidely announced appearance in Abu Dabi from Maktoob Business.: ABU DHABI – Ageing pop legend Tom Jones will perform in Abu Dhabi next month, becoming the latest in a long list of artists to come to the UAE capital, Maktoob News has learnt.

The concert is being organised by Flash Entertainment, the state-owned promoter responsible for bringing the likes of Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Shakira and Beyonce to Abu Dhabi.

A spokeswoman for Flash Entertainment confirmed Jones will perform on April 16, but would not give further details. She said an official announcement will be made in the coming days.

The 69-year-old Welsh artist has sold over 100 million records worldwide. In his prime Jones was a regular on the Las Vegas Strip and renowned for his exuberant live act and tight trousers.

Jones’s early hits included It’s Not Unusual and What’s New Pussycat, while later ones included Mama Told Me Not to Come and Sex Bomb.

This is Tom Jones! (It’s not unusual, is it?)

FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo The Philippine Star Updated March 18, 2010 12:00 AM

Sexy at 70 (by June 7).

Sir Thomas Jones Woodward has performed in numerous concerts and sold more than 100 million records
and he’s not, so to speak, resting on his laurels.

“I love to make people happy,” he said during a 20-minute exclusive phone interview with Funfare (he was calling from Australia which is part of his Asian concert tour that includes the Philippines on March 28 at the Araneta Coliseum), “and I’m doing it for as long as I can.”

After the 1965 song It’s Not Unusual catapulted him to fame (and fortune), Tom Jones hosted the show This is Tom Jones which was telecast in both the US and UK. It has been great history since then.

As Jones would want it during his concerts, you can read the following interview to the tune of any Tom Jones hit and, why not, dance to it…Sexbomb, maybe?

Do you remember the last time you were in Manila? “Oh, it was in the ’80s. I remember we did a tour. That was a long time ago.”

A lot of changes have happened to the country since then. “Yeah, I understand. I’m looking forward to seeing all the changes because it has been so long. I’m curious what these changes are. I’m very inquisitive about seeing for myself how it is now.”

Click here to (more…)

A local radio station is reporting that Tom will be playing in Oman (as shown at left). Oman is on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula near Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This is not definite, as even one news report from there says that “it is not even on his official site.”

Tom will be in Manila, Philippines, on March 28. Here’s a six-question preview interview from the local newspaper:

Tom Jones vows to sing non-stop

By Pocholo Concepcion/Philippine Daily Inquirer/First Posted 22:45:00 03/16/201024 Hours, features collaborations with U2’s Bono and The Edge.

Two weeks before his concert on March 28 at the Araneta Coliseum, Jones granted this phone interview, facilitated by DJ Baby John of RJ-FM.

Is it true that you were heavily influenced by Elvis Presley? Yes, we were then playing rock and roll in South Wales. That could be anything from Elvis Presley to Roy Orbison, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis…

For the rest of this interview and for Tom’s version of Danny Boy, click here to (more…)

Here’s a very favorable review from Tom’s last Australian show in Perth Saturday night. The reviewer didn’t care for the songs from 24 Hours and notes that they were greeted a “muted silence,” kind of like many audiences here greeted Stoned In Love a couple of years ago. But — hooray! — Tom added The Hitter. (I wonder if it is the entire 6+ minutes.) The thing is that, like most of Springsteen’s songbook, this is a very American song….can’t explain why, but I guess it’s because Springsteen is so very much of his time and place — his time being the last 40 years or so and his place, definitely, New Jersey. Anyway, interesting, thoughtful, well-researched and informed review. Finally.

Tom Jones charms Perth fans

Polly Coufos/PerthNow/ March 15, 2010 12:19PM

GOING STRONG: Tom Jones charmed Perth fans at A Day On The Green. Picture: Robert McKell Source: PerthNow

To be fair the girls were only singing what the rest of us were thinking.

As Tom Jones went backstage before his encore to swap one saturated-with-sweat dress shirt for another that would also look like he’d been swimming in it within minutes, his 11-piece backing band vamped a little on a little of Prince’s back catalogue before heading into Jones’ remake of Kiss. His two backing singers cooed ever so sweetly “you sexy mother …” They left the last word blank but anybody who wasn’t thinking the same thing couldn’t have been paying attention.

Here’s a man three months away from his 70th birthday, and yet still in fine vocal and physical form. He’d made fun of the fact that he is just about to join the septuagenarian club but the way he moved suggests the years have been very kind to him and he still has a ways to go.

There were lots of pelvic thrusts but they were almost always accompanied by a sly grin. All the knickers hurling nonsense – and the couple of pairs that passed this reviewer’s eyes could have served to cover your canary cage – is still part of the show. Fun for the ladies who should have spent a bit more time in the backyard practicing their throw, ignored by him.

If Tom Jones truly were a Lothario caricature, able to be reduced to a handful of novelty hits and lofted unmentionables it would have been curtains for him years ago. That’s just schtick, what got Jones in the public eye was talent. It’s what’s kept him there too. His warm baritone is ageing, and like the rest of him it may not be quite what it used to be but could still put to shame just about anybody else you care to name.

The sight of his now silver mop tilting back, his eyes rolling back in his head as he reached into the depths of his diaphragm to bring forth steel-like power is still something to behold. Likewise his smile as he looks out into the crowd. You’d go a long way to see someone who enjoys performing this much.

He showed the desire to front a hard-edged soul band still burns within, nailing Otis Redding’s’ Hard To Handle and Randy Newman’s Mama Told Me Not To Come. If only the pop hits hadn’t come along it’s hard not to think he may have become one of the all time best blue-eyed soul singers.

He held back a little on a trio of acoustic country songs including Green Green Grass Of Home and a stunning mariachi-infused arrangement of Save The Last Dance For Me and they offered another, less abrasive, side to the Welsh star.

For the radio interview, click here to (more…)

Tom ended the Australian leg of his tour in great style in front of 10,000 people in Perth, West Australia (right). The night before, near Melbourne, there was a crowd about 40 percent smaller than expected. But if you read the article below this, you’ll see that the responsibility falls right into the lap of the tour organizer. But, it was Tom who got the blame because he “appeals to an older demographic.”The guy who said that is a….um…..I’ll say jerk. Tomorrow we’ll have more from Perth and, soon, a review, photos and video from a fan who saw Tom in Melbourne.

Knickers fly at Tom Jones concert

DAILE PEPPER.March 15, 2010/10:19AM/WA Today/Photos: Duncan Barnes

The knickers were off before Tom Jones even hit the stage.

Fans went crazy for the now 69-year-old Sex Bomb who showed the crowd he has still got it last night at the final A Day on the Green concert for the season. They had been warmed up by David Campbell set and were truly ready to rock.

Women held their knickers aloft as Jones stalked onto the stage, and plenty attempted to throw them at his feet, though it was such a distance that most didn’t make it.

They lost their minds as the singer belted out songs including Delilah, If I Only Knew, It’s Not Unusual, She’s A Lady and Mama Told Me Not To Come.

Wives grooved, screamed, whistled and jumped their way through the exciting set, while husbands sat patiently beside them, some getting up to join the throng of dancing women during encore. It certainly was lady’s night.

From the minute he started belting out tunes, starting with Sugar Daddy, Jones had the massive crowd of nearly 10,000 people grounds excited.

“I’ve got the moves,” he declared, proving it with a couple of crotch-grabbing manouvers and plenty of hip thrusting throughout the evening.

“It’s good to be back once again in Perth,” he told the crowd.

“We were here five years ago now, it’s amazing how time flies!”

His hit Delilah really kicked off the madness, with the audience taking part in a massive sing-a-long, some women holding their knickers aloft as they swayed along to the tune.

During one particularly hot moment the singer flashed his toned abdomen, sending the crowd into yet another frenzy.

All agreed Jones’ sex appeal has not diminished with age.

Click here to (more…)

Here’s a very nice tribute video that is also decent quality. So, because I have an unbelievably busy schedule between now and Thursday night, I am just embedding it. I usually prefer not to, but for this one it works.

The video has clips from Europe, San Francisco (left at Outside Lands) and lots of other shows. At one point the picture is sideways, but that’s just for a small while. He also says Tom’s birthday is in July, but we can certainly forgive him for that since he took the time to do this and what he says on it is really nice.

And, since I do have such a busy week, if you have, or find, anything you’d like to share with other fans via TJI, please send it along. Please!

On Wednesday in Melbourne, Tom added a song to his set list. It is the Elvis number, One NIght. The song was on his 1981 Mercury album, Darlin’ and, as is Elvis’ version, it’s lots of fun to listen to.

The people at Cirque du Soliel just recently opened their new show, Viva Elvis and the song is included in the show but, sadly, Elvis himself probably wouldn’t recognize it.

The actor playing Col. Tom Parker, came onstage and informed the audience that Elvis had a twin brother who died at birth and Elvis missed his twin his entire life. Thus the it is introduced.

Now, if you know this song, you know that it is a love song, a song about sex, more shouted than sung and is very effective. But here, for some reason, it’s used to portray brotherly love. So the two acrobats do their thing on a large wire guitar suspended upstage center. As they’re doing their acrobatics, there’s a woman sitting at an old upright piano very softly playing and singing the song. No argument that Elvis missed his twin. And no argument that these two guys cavorting on the guitar are really good at what they do. My only argument with it is against taking such a passionate number and doing this to it.

Anyway, you can see video of Tom’s version in Melbourne.here. It’s shot from far away from the stage and the sound could be better, but you get an idea.

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

Thanks, Olli!

The Los Angeles Times is doing a rundown of the 2,400 stars on the Hollywood Star Walk. Tom’s star is at 6608 Hollywood Blvd. in front of Frederick’s of Hollywood, the famed purveyor of lingerie.

Tom was awarded his star on June 29, 1989. His star was totally paid for by his fans who also nominated him.

Tom Jones

Actor | Singer
Born Thomas Jones Woodward on June 7, 1940 in Pontypridd, Wales, United Kingdom

The hit 1965 single It’s Not Unusual put Welsh singer Tom Jones on the musical map, turning him into an international sensation known as much for his sexual charisma as for his vocalizing.

From the mid-1960s through the early-’70s, Jones enjoyed such other memorable chart busters as What’s New Pussycat?, Delilah, Daughter of Darkness and She’s a Lady. He also sang the title theme for the James Bond movie Thunderball.

During this era, Jones performed live in Las Vegas and in New York, where screaming women would routinely hurl their underwear and hotel room keys at the curly-haired sex symbol while he sang. He starred in several popular TV variety series and appeared on many TV specials around this time as well.

The singer has reinvented himself over the years, finding major success on the country music charts, all while continuing to tour, record and appear on TV and in the occasional acting gig.

In 1999, Jones released Reload, his biggest-selling album ever, mainly composed of cover duets sung with such eclectic talents as the Pretenders, Barenaked Ladies and Van Morrison.

The singer, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006, has been married to his wife, Melinda, since 1957 (they were both 16 at the time). They have one son, Mark.

— Gary Goldstein for the Los Angeles Times March 1, 2010

Click here to (more…)

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.”