Tom Jones International

We just got back from MGM again (we are lucky to live in Las Vegas, we know that) and, again, the show (January 24th) was fabulous.

Tom is still trying different outfits but, as always, he looks finer than fine.

We also must note once again, as we did opening night, that the new lighting director is doing a great job.

As for the rumor — Well, we cannot confim this but we hear from a reliable source that Tom will be in Europe for three months — June, July and August. For all you European fans, we certainly hope that’s true. We will try to find out if it is true or not and, if you hear anything, please let us know.

Ellen & Ursula

For this Saturday night the crowd was jazzed. They were ready and Tom Jones — as he always does — delivered royally (as befits a knight?).

He looked great in slacks with almost indiscernable pin stripes and a stunning black jacket under which he wore……the blue sequined shirt he’s been wearing.

No matter. He looked fabulous and sounded amazing as always.

Tom was in a good mood, joking with the audience, accepting cigars and the proffered thongs. He joked after 200 Pounds the he hopes “to get back there soon” but his appearance belied his words. After the finale a group of Welsh fans threw up a Welsh flag banner on which they’d written a message — “Sexbomb Tom Jones — Las Vegas — 2006.” As always loving anything Welsh, he picked it up and showed it to the audience, a wide smile on his face.

Any quibbles we have are, literally, collateral. They’re not with what happened on the stage or the performance delivered. Rather, it’s about the other stuff one associates with a concert these days. Specifically, the merchandise and the promotional material (the “collateral”).

There’s really been no new merchandise for quite awhile. This time at MGM there was none for sale. Opening night, we thought it was just because things hadn’t been set up yet. But, two days later, fans who gathered around the merch booth outside the theater — money in hand — found the display case and t-shirt racks filled with items from La Femme, another show at the hotel.

We can only hope that the lack of merch is due to a delay in shipping new things. People seem really eager to spend their money on this stuff (we know we are) and we hope they’ll be given a chance.

The collateral material — the promo video shown outside the hotel on the Jumbotron that overlooks the Strip and on video screens by the Hollywood Theater and in the hotel lobby, as well as the posters scattered around the hotel — is sorely outdated.

The video is Live at Cardiff Castle from 2001 and the poster photos are of that vintage, if not earlier. (Although the jacket he wore Saturday night looks like the one in the poster). In 2006 Tom’s appearance has changed, as have his band and back-up singers. So both items could use some refreshing.

But, as we said, those are quibbles. He is great, the show is great. And we are very grate-ful that we have the opportunity to see him.

Ellen & Ursula

Thanks to the fan (who wishes to remain anonymous) who sent this photo from the January 21 show. Photos are always welcome.

Here’s how it began:

The spotlight went up on Tony Reynolds after the opening video ended with the sheep hurtling through space. Tony rallied the crowd, exhorting everyone in the room to welcome “onstage tonight — for the first time since he was knighted — SIR Tom Jones!”

We truly beg your forgiveness for our inability to stop gushing like teenyboppers but, when Tom walked out, we gasped. In sheer, absolute delight. For, even though the 2006 show features the same set list we’ve gotten to know, the loose shirt with plain dark trousers is gone.

In it’s place? A gorgeous dark blue silk suit with a hint of violet, a suit jacket with a deep lime green lining and a white shirt with very small ruffle running up the front. (This photo does not begin to do justice to the suit — or the man — but will have to do until a better picture comes along. Feel free to send one.) The way he very often put his hand in his pocket — seemingly not quite used to a suit onstage — and fumbled with the shirt buttons while opening the collar and took out his cross was — gush alert! — actually very human and sweet.

He looks younger, cooler. In a word, he looks great.

Also new is Michael Mennell, the bass player who is replacing Les King. You can read a bit more about Michael and see his photo on our On Stage & Behind the Scenes page. (He was even kind enough to pick the winner of the tomjonesinternational.com t-shirt from our survey respondents. That information will be posted soon.)

The lighting, too, is new. Lots of blue that serves to showcase Tom beautifully. It’s more subtle (except for the wild effects during What’s New Pussycat) and warmer.

For this opening night, a January Thursday after a long holiday weekend, there was a kind of quiet crowd. Or, at least, quiet in the sense that they tended to stay in their seats. But, they were an enthusiastic bunch. The first of the three thongs thrown (try saying that three times) hit the stage only near the end, during You Can Leave Your Hat On.

But a well-deserved and enthusiastic standing O shook the house before and after the encore.

The entire performance was, as always, just a joy to watch. And, when Tom finally took off the jacket — not during Delilah like he used to (remember?) — but for 200 Pounds, the crowd roared.

While we’d still love the to setlist change, Tom was as always the consumate showman. Each time we hear him — even though, as we’ve said before, we know the nusic and the patter — it’s a new experience. And that is Tom Jones’ genius. You never get tired watching him because his delight in, and love of, what he’s doing is contagious and that makes it always fresh.

Each note is a gift to the audience and Tom Jones’ ability to offer those notes is his unique gift.

Ellen & Ursula

In a pretty technical interview on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, Melissa Cross, a vocal coach who works with a lot with heavy metal singers teaching them how to scream without damaging their voices and author of The Zen of Screaming, was asked if she is able watch a performance like any other audience member and not critique it like a professional voice teacher.

Cross replied, “There are some singers that actually have allowed me to transcend everything. I can go there. I can be transported. If it’s really good I won’t be technical-minded because I’ll be in so much awe of the feelings I’m getting from the performance. I can be transported.”

Asked then to list her favorites, she mentioned Pavarotti, Renée Fleming and some other opera singers.

Opera singers taken care of, she added, “I like Tom Jones. His voice is amazing. I don’t like his material at all. But I think he has the most amazing voice — I mean, one of the most amazing voices of all time. The guy has the most….I mean, the *overtone in that guy’s voice is unreal, unreal. He sings a C above middle C and it sounds like middle C because of the strength and the overtone in it.”

Here she paused then added with a laugh, “I want to meet Tom Jones.”

The interview aired December 8, 2005 on NPR’s Fresh Air With Terry Gross and you can listen to it.

For the record, Cross’ favorite singer is Chris Cornell, formerly of Soundgarden; now of Audioslave.

(*Didn’t know what “overtone” means, so I looked it up: “Overtone singing is a technique with which a single human voice can simultaneously produce two or more clearly audible tones.” In fact, I didn’t really understand the technical stuff at all, but I liked what I did understand — Ellen)

Thanks, Leslie, for tellling us about this.

You can listen to an interview with Tom on the same program from December 10, 2003.

Well, the news is in the newest edition of People and, we believe, it’s a mixed blessing.

Yes, it’s nice to see Tom in the magazine but don’t these people at People get it? The knighthood wasn’t awarded for What’s New Pussycat. It’s for a 40-year body of amazing work. And, when Raleigh and Churchill were given their highly deserved honors, there weren’t a lot of people like Sir Elton, Sir Mick, Sir Paul and Sir Tom to even be considered.

Hey, there, people at People, it’s a new world and, honestly, some respect is in order.

Maybe someone should write to People and set the record straight?

Send an email to: Editor@people.com
Be sure to include your full name, address and daytime phone number.

(Thanks, Beth, for the alert.)


Entertainment Weekly (right) did better, although it was buried in the back of the book in the music section. There was the to-be-expected silly comment up front.

And they almost got the beard/goatee thing right .

CD Universe has announced a new Greatest Hits CD/DVD due to be released on January 31st.

If you get it, please let us know what you think.

Note: We’re not sure if this is authorized by Tom Jones Enterprises, so we have no idea of the quality. Just wanted to let you know it’s out there.

Be sure to answer our Question(s) of the Month and tell us how you feel and why it’s important to you that Tom is being knighted.

---

It’s official!
The announcement is posted from:
“CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD
St. James’s Palace, London SW1
31 December 2005
The QUEEN has been graciously pleased to signify her intention of conferring the Honour of Knighthood upon the undermentioned:
Knights Bachelor
WOODWARD, Thomas Jones (Tom Jones), O.B.E., Singer. For services to Music.”

In her press briefing on the New Year’s Honours, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson said, “This Honours List reflects and pays tribute to outstanding achievement and service right across the community and the nation as a whole,” noting many receiving honours were involved in the response to the terrorist attacks in London in July.

She also spoke of:
“…Tom Jones, whose name is synonymous with Wales and music and for whom ‘it’s not unusual’ to give much time to charities.”

There’s a terrific story in the Sunday Times of Britain Online detailing the campaign to win the knighthood. In what has to be the understatement of the day (if not for a good chunk of 2006), it notes, “Officials suspected the campaign was being co-ordinated via the internet.”

An article from Sunday’s South Wales Echo (IC Wales) says Tom “sent a special message to the green, green grass of home as he joined the likes of Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John after being given a knighthood by the Queen for services to music.

“Speaking from his home in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Sir Tom said he was delighted to receive the news on what would have been his beloved late mam Freda’s birthday.

“He said: ‘I would like to thank all the fans for their campaigning and support.’”

While the paper went on to take most of the credit for the fan campaign for itself and the Welsh fans (and they certainly have the right to be proud of their native son), we must in fairness note that fans from everywhere — Wales, England, France, the USA, Canada — from everywhere — signed petitions and wrote in support of a knighthood for Tom and fan reaction to the announcement from around the world has been overwhelmingly positive.

So, all we can say is: “HOORAY FOR TOM JONES FANS wherever they are in the world!!!

The entire list can be seen on British Prime Minister’s website.

For those fans who can get BBC Wales, there’s a rerun of last week’s show.

Their program listing says: Friday, 6 January: 21:00 Tom Jones Sings the Blues Experience a foot stomping performance by Tom Jones and his legendary LA band in this hit-after-hit performance recorded live at the House of Blues, Cleveland, Ohio.

Thanks for this, Matthew.

Fan reaction to the news of Tom’s being knighted has been strong.

So, for our Question(s) of the Month, we’d like to know:

1. How do you feel about this honor for Tom?
   and
   
2. Why does Tom Jones’ knighthood mean so much to his fans?