Fan Fare, What's New, Pussycat?
Here’s where you’ll find TJ photos and stories that don’t fit into any other categories. It is, as its name says, just for fans — and, hopefully, for fun.
A Look Back: The Official Fan Club Newsletter © 1971
Monday, August 27th, 2007
The Official Tom Jones Fan Club magazine was published in the UK four times a year. Like many similar publications, it was typed and pasted up and then sent to a printer for quick copying or — remember this? — mimeographed.
The newsletter usually contained tidbits about the performer’s shows and tried to give fans the feeling that they were “insiders” in the life of the star.
Fan clubs were a thriving enterprise for every singer, movie and TV star until the late 1980s when computers ushered in the age of instant communication. Now, such documents as these are quaint anachronisms.
We’ll post some of the content from time to time (during slow TOJO news periods). Thanks to Paula for sending this.
Click on the link that says “Read the rest of this entry” to see the interview with Johnnie Spence, Tom’s gone-too-early musical director.
Enjoy it, all you TOJOs!!
August 27th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Back then when Johnnie Spence was the musical director and on the show were the Blossoms and Jeff Sturges Universe and whichever comedian that was on tour with them, I think were some of the best shows ever.
August 27th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Wish I could have seen those shows, Rick. Thanks for the “old time fan news,” Paula and Moderators. Interesting the paper says Tom only did one hour a concert back then, (now we are disappointed if he doesn’t give us at least 90 minutes), and it was his first girl backing group. I believe The Blossoms went on to be his backing group for about 20 years, didn’t they?
August 27th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
You can read about Johnnie Spence, the Blossoms and all the people who worked with Tom Back In The Day by following the link to that page on our site. Lots of good stuff there.
August 28th, 2007 at 3:29 am
Marian: Tom frequently performed two shows a night then - in fact he did so for many years. This would explain why the concerts were a bit shorter.
August 28th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
There was always a comedian with the shows then. I remember Jay Leno, Freddie Roman, Pat Henry, George Wallace. There was a tall thin comedian when Jeff Sturges was on the show. Anyone remember his name or some of the other comedians?
August 28th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
Pat Cooper used to open for Tom, too. We saw him at a party recently and he was recalling the times on the road with Tom. One of his lines was, “Tom’s pants are so tight you can tell his religion.” Leno, to this day, calls Tom “boss” when Tom is on his show. George Wallace still comes to see Tom, as his own show here is at 10 p.m. Freddie Roman? Today he holds the post of Dean of the Friar’s Club. More recently, Max Alexander opened for Tom.
August 30th, 2007 at 7:48 am
Boy does this bring back memories I saw Tom Jones for my first time in July of 1971 in Charleston W Va.I was just 15 years young and it was my first date with my first real girlfriend who was also a big Tom fan. My parents drove us 2 hours to see the concert I remember it opened with Jeff Sturges Universe,followed by the comedian Pat Henry and then the Blossoms. After a 20 minute intermission which seemed like 2 hours the lights went down a row of guards lined an aisle to my right,and the orchestra led by Johnnie Spence with Big Jim Sullivan at lead guitar started playing a refrain of all of Tom’s hits,but when they started playing the chorus to It’s Not Unusual, you knew what was next: “Ladies and Gentlemen, THIS IS TOM JONES!” and I have gone every year since to see Tom from that night on.
August 31st, 2007 at 7:30 am
Wow! Thanks for sharing this, I really enjoyed reading it. It’s such a snapshop of simpler times, and yes, very quaint ; )) I recently discovered TMZ.com - yikes! These two lines from this newsletter cracked me up: “He spends most of his days sleeping - as he is up most of the night”, and,
“I needn’t tell you that it was not true that Tom never hit anyone…”… so he did hit someone? Sounds like a Freudian double-negative slip if I ever did read one LOL!!
Very interesting read, thanks again! TOM JONES ROCKS MY WORLD!!!
August 31st, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Tom supposedly smacked out a mouthy heavyweight boxer, put him in a lift and pressed the down button. I think Loaded magazine asked him about it in the late nineties. Tom said his wife and Mark heard about it watching News at Ten at home. Oops.
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:57 am
Thanks, Paula, that does explain the shorter 60 minute show. Does that mean people could just sit there and wait for the next performance? ;o)) Can’t you tell I would be the one to try that!!!
September 4th, 2007 at 9:32 am
oh thankyou so much for sharing that wonderful piece of Tom history!!! i loved reading about it. I absoulutlely love going back and looking at Tom. It reminds me of how long he has been a part of my life!! I couldn’t imagine it any other way. Thanks again Michele.
September 4th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
It was neat the way they really built up the anticipation of seeing Tom. The show normally started a bit late. First then you had, in this case, Jeff Sturgiss do his set. Then there was I think the Blossoms do their thing. Then there was the comedian. Then there was the “20 minute intermissin” that was always 30 minutes. Then you had the long medley introduction, It was truly an awesome experience and the TJ people did it well.
September 7th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Rick, It is great to read your posts about how Tom’s show ran back then, and how far back you can go with memories of the shows. Lucky those fans who have practically grown up with Tom!!!!