Tom Jones Tells BroBible About Drinking Guinness as a Kid, Changing the Lyrics to ‘Sex Bomb,’ and Why He’ll Never Stop Singing
by AZ | September 29, 2009 - 5:47am | 0 comments - 38 readsTJ: Yeah! Yeah, yeah. Coming from Wales you see, that was our drink, you know? It's not a wine country like a lot of other European countries. In Wales, it was beer and that was the first alcoholic drink I ever had. I liked tasting different things and didn't get into wine until later. When I lived in Wales and I was in a club, I could tell if the bartender mixed up the pints -- so yeah, I've always been pretty good at tasting alcoholic beverages [laughter]. BB: Do you have to watch what you drink nowadays? TJ: Yeah, with singing, it's not good because it's dehydrating. I enjoy having a drink and it's something I like, but I never drink before a show. It's more rewarding when you've done a show and can have a drink when you're done. BB: I understand you're preparing a new album, can you tell us about that? TJ: Yeah, I am, and it'll be out in the beginning of next year, hopefully. I can't really talk about it much because there is a format to it, but it'll be different from what I've done before, which I like. I like to try new things -- sometimes they work and sometimes they don't BB: Going back to some of your previous stuff, in your own words, what is a sex bomb? TJ: Well I actually changed the lyrics on that song. When it was written, it was like I'm the sex bomb and I can do this and I can do that, but I mean, I thought it would be better if the girl was the sex bomb, you know what I mean -- to turn it around. I think it has more appeal than -- you know, you're not bragging -- you're saying you're the sex bomb. So a sex bomb is a sexy person and I don't think there's one particular look for people and that's what's interesting about um... sex [laughter] -- is that there's all different kinds of people, which makes it interesting. So what's sexy to one person isn't necessarily sexy to another. A lot of songs that I do have to do with relationships between men and women, you know, and there's always a certain amount of sex involved with music -- even if it's not spelled out as blatantly as the record, "Sex Bomb." I think there has to be a level of sex appeal in all songs -- even in the green, green, grass of home -- it's still about life and living and so sex is in there. BB: I understand you'll be moving back to the U.K. after living in the States for a number of years... TJ: ...Well not really, no. BB: No? TJ: No, that was a misquote. I said there's always a possibility, but then somebody said yes, I am. I love living in Los Angeles. But I go to Britain a lot when I travel so it's like I've never really left and not like "oh my god, I've moved." I can go back and forth. BB: What's your secret to keeping yourself young? TJ: Well, for me, it's the music itself and being able to sing. It's a great release and you can get a lot of emotion into singing and it's a part of life that I wouldn't want to give up. You know, I don't look forward to retiring -- I wouldn't want to. I mean, I might not do as many shows, but as long as my voice is there, which it is, thank God [knocked on wood], then I'll do it because I love to sing. People have to shut me up and I have to be told not to sing sometimes. I love it and I'll continue to do it for as long as I possibly can. And I love listening to new things. I love listening to new bands, new singers, new recording techniques, and the sounds of records. Hopefully that will continue because I love it. BB: And how about in your daily life? TJ: Well I try not to eat too much or drink too much. And I work out, I get in the gym, get on the elliptical so I try and stay as fit as possible to get on the stage.
