Tom Jones International

I’ve done a lot of work behind the scenes in politics and entertainment and from that have learned the importance of knowing what people “on the street” — people whose livelihood does not depend upon the success of the politician or entertainer, a book or a movie — are thinking and saying.

After Tom’s appearance on American Idol and the generally rapturous response to that appearance, there should be no doubt among Tom Jones fans, among those who never really listened to him but saw him that night; among those who manage the venues that book him and those who are in charge of getting him booked — America loves Sir Tom Jones.

While fans don’t — shouldn’t! — presume to know best it is a fact that it is fans who do know best what the word is “on the street;” who know best what people are saying and thinking.This is a truism in politics and is certainly true in entertainment where we’ve all heard of success that came because of “word of mouth”

Whether it’s political campaign managers or managers of a store or a theater or a singer, those who manage may be a bit removed from that “street.” It is the nature of what they do. On the other hand, countless people among us heard about Sir Tom from their friends and acquaintances after Idol because those friends and acquaintances know we are fans. Now, people closer to the situation in that way — the fans — can report what they’ve heard and based on that and their own reactions, what they think.

So, now, the TJI.com Question of the Month for June: After he finishes that round of festivals in Europe in June and July — what should be next for Sir Tom and why should it be next?

Well, thanks to Shirley’s comment, I am reminded it is St. David’s Day and 46 years to the day that It’s Not Unusual hit #1 on the UK charts. So, hope the celebration is glorious!

March may “come in like a lion,: but the Question of the Month is about the “tiger,” Tom Jones and what you prefer.

For almost eight months — with one brief exception in Las Vegas last August — Tom has been performing Praise and Blame and, perhaps, tacked on It’s Not Unusual and Green Green Grass of Home at the end. He’s done this in concert, at benefits and on TV. Well, not that it will have any impact, but the question is, in essence, how do you feel about this?

Keeping in mind all Tom has said about the new phase of his career, the Question of the Month for March is:

If you could design Tom’s set list what would be on it?

You can be specific and name specific songs, but you don’t have to do that. Note that, up until Praise and Blame, the usual set had between 21 and 23 songs. Remember, while you certainly may do so, you do not have to name specific songs.

Now that Praise and Blame will be promoted at a “handful” of venues in the US, do you think that’s all that should be performed? In some places Tom added It’s Not Unusual and Green Green Grass of Home. Should he do those, too? Or other songs? Or, should he do as he did in Las Vegas in August and perform a selection of Praise and Blame tracks along with other things?

The Praise and Blame (without the bonus track) comes in at under 40 minutes. Add 20 minutes for banter (Elvis’ influence on Tom’s gospel work, for example) and 10 for the two songs noted above, that’s still only a 70-minute show. Is that enough? Should there be more?

The TJI.com February Question of the Month is: Going forward, how would you design Tom’s concert set list?

Happy Chanukah to all who celebrate!

(In the photo Sir Tom is holding symbols of the holiday: A menorah, candelabra, in his right hand and a dreidel, the traditional toy top, in his left. Looks good.)

Q Magazine has named Praise and Blame one of the 50 best albums of the year, placing it at #43. Congratulations, Sir Tom!

The TJI.com Question of the Month for December has it roots in the fact that this the end of the year will be here real soon.

So, looking back at 2010, The Year In Tom, what do you believe were the highlights? What, if anything, do you wish may have been different?

In all, the TJI Question of the Month for December is:

What is your assessment of the year in Tom that is just ending?

Please remember that polite discourse, polite disagreement, must be the order of the day.

Don’t forget to check out the video interviews in the two posts below.

There are 29 songs on the 2 CDs that make up the new Tom Jones Greatest Hits Rediscovered, (It also has the best cover since Rescue Me. This is a terrific portrait that shows the man as he is today and is, I believe, leagues better than Reload, Mr. Jones, 24 Hours and, even, Praise and Blame. One can only hope this is the new lobby card/promo photo.)

The tracks are:

Disc 1: Kiss (feat Art of Noise); Delilah; Mama Told Me Not To Come (feat Stereophonics); Detroit City; What Good Am I?; Green Green Grass Of Home; It’s Not Unusual; Thunderball; Sex Bomb (feat Mousse T); What’s New Pussycat; If I Only Knew; I’ll Never Fall In Love Again; Daughter Of Darkness;Burning Down The House (feat The Cardigans)

Disc 2: Resurrection Shuffle; Burning Hell; Without Love; Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings; She’s A Lady; Give a Little Love; Stoned in Love (feat Chicane); Full Monty Medley (with Robbie Williams); Baby It’s Cold Outside (feat Cerys Matthews); Didn’t It Rain; It’ll Be Me (with Jools Holland); Help Yourself; I (Who Have Nothing); With These Hands; Bama Lama Bama Loo

One fan’s opinion: Looking at this track list, I must say some of the inclusions are to be expected: It’s Not Unusual, Delilah, Green Green Grass, What’s New Pussycat, I’ll Never Fall In Love, I (Who Have Nothing); She’s A Lady. (The last an awful song written by Paul Anka, the same person who wrote that having a baby is just about showing a man how much you love him. Huh?)

Some are pleasant surprises: Daughter of Darkness, Without Love, If I Only Knew.

Then there are the rest and the omissions. I’d question Stoned In Love and stuff from Praise and Blame which, really, must have been included as a sales ploy to get more units sold. They’re terrific, but the source material is very current so they’re not really necessary.

Of course, things like this — choosing what one likes or dislikes — are always subjective. But I’d also question the missing things that are objectively, by any measure, among the best Tom’s ever recorded: Born to Be Me; A Boy From Nowhere; At This Moment. Could it be a question of royalties? Ownership? Who knows?

Finally, Resurrection Shuffle? Bama Lama Bama Loo? The, first regardless of who sings it, is proof that some things should stay buried. The second is….WHAT? WHY?

Thus, the TJI Question of the month is:

What do you think of this track list? What was omitted? What should have been omitted? You don’t have to comment on every track, just your first impression of the whole.

In the next week or so, TJI.com will post a call for 2011 fan calendar photos, so please start looking and, if you wish, you can get a photo credit. Be sure to check back!

This month — as I recall we did once before — we’ll play “Let’s Pretend.” You’re a journalist and you have the chance to interview Sir Tom Jones. Of course, you want your interview to be dignified and, like your favorite Tom Jones website, deal with his public, professional on-stage life. Granted an interview, you make up a list of questions. And, the TJI Question of the Month is:

If you can only ask Sir Tom one, single question, what would it be?

Remember: One question and that must only be about his career and his professional life.

OK, Praise and Blame is out and has been very well-received everywhere. So, now, let’s pause a moment and think of what is coming next.

The TJI September Question of the Month is:

What do you think is the best follow-up album to Praise and Blame? And, why do you think it is the best?

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.

First, please don’t forget to answer the Question of the Month in the post below.

Second, since all the news about Sir Tom today has to do with his CD not being #1 on the UK charts, I decided not to post any news. They treat it mostly like a #2 debut is a failure! It isn’t! It’s terrific and because some PR person at the record company — who should be convicted of PR malpractice for jumping the gun and publicizing something that isn’t true — made this a story, why bother dignifying it with space in print or online. Sir Tom, Ethan Johns and everyone involved should be so proud!

Third! Here is Part II of the August Question of the Month.

Please take another look at the video for Did Trouble Me — the photo here is a screen shot from it — and share your opinion. Like it? Love it? None of the above? Please tell TJI what you think and be sure to tell us why you think what you do.

Of course, be sure to say what tracks you like the most and which you like the least. Be honest but, please, if you criticize, do so constructively.

One fan gushed: “It was a wonderful evening. Tom and his band played some of his greatest hits, including It’s Not Unusual, Sex Bomb, Green, Green Grass Of Home and Kiss, and had everyone up on their feet dancing, throwing napkins and flowers at him during the crescendo.”

The rich and famous – who paid up to 20,000 euros for a table at the 62nd Red Cross Ball in Monaco – gave Tom a standing ovation. It is understood the big-hearted superstar donated a substantial chunk of his fee to charity at the end of the evening.

Billionaire owners of Monte Carlo’s hotels, casinos and restaurants threw the concert, raising more than £10million for the Red Cross to help victims of floods in Tanzania and the Haiti earthquake.

The gig on Friday was held in the massive ballroom of Monaco’s exclusive Sporting Club, which had been decked out to look like an ocean liner complete with brass portholes.

Jones’ fee beats the £1.7million paid to George Michael for a 75-minute gig, Beyonce’s £1.35million paid to her on New Year’s Eve last year and the reported £2.6million offered to Sir Elton John to play for a female Russian tycoon. A spokeswoman for the event said: “He was worth every euro.”

The much-discussed album Praise and Blame is out, at least in parts of Europe and North America. If you are visiting this website, it is a fair assumption that you’ve listened carefully to it. So, now,:

The August TJI Question of the Month is:

What do you think of Praise and Blame? Like it? Love it? Or none of the above? Please tell TJI what you think and be sure to tell us why you think what you do.

Of course, be sure to say what tracks you like the most and which you like the least. Be honest but, please, if you criticize, do so constructively.

Look forward to your responses!

If you didn’t see TJI this weekend, be sure to catch up. Some really good stuff there.