Tagged: tom jones
Tom Jones Inducted into International Boxing Hall of Fame ! Welshman Joins Joe Calzaghe, Jim Driscoll and Freddie Welsh
By , 2019-05-29
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It may come as a surprise to some readers that Tom Jones has been formally inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Many readers will be aware of the fact that Tom has had a long standing interest in the squared circle...except in this instance we aren't talking about the famous singer, but a lesser known Welsh namesake, who was actually added to the famous Boxing Hall of Fame back in 2010. He may not be as familiar to boxing fans as other Welsh inductees, which include Joe Calzaghe and 'Peerless' Jim Driscoll, but Tom 'Paddington' Jones was one of the greatest fighters of his day.
Tom 'Paddington' Jones is said to have been born on November 18, 1771 in Montgomeryshire to Welsh parents, and was taken to London as a child. His parents settled in the area of Paddington, which in time earned the youngster the nickname of 'Paddington' Jones. Jones was little more than a boy when he fought a man named Ned Holmes at Paddington fields, which ended in defeat for the Welshman. It was to be the only time that the fist of Paddington Jones wasn't raised in victory until 1799 when he battled valiantly but ultimately in vain against a youthful fighting phenomenon named Jem Belcher.
In the days of Paddington Jones, before the adoption of boxing gloves, fights within the 'prize ring' were bare-knuckle battles, and there can be no doubt that as a knuckle fighter, Jones was amongst the cream of the crop. No less an authority than the celebrated Pierce Egan commented, "Paddington Jones has fought more battles than any other pugilist now in existence...for seven years VICTORY crowned all his attempts". It is said that the number of opponents he met and defeated exceeded three figures.
With the boxing career of Paddington Jones having been so closely associated with his stomping ground of Paddington, London, it is perhaps unsurprising that even within the International Boxing Hall of Fame, where Jones is listed in the boxing 'Pioneers' category he is incorrectly recorded as having been born in Paddington, and not Montgomeryshire, Wales. A new hardback book by Welsh boxing historian Lawrence Davies entitled 'The Story of Welsh Boxing, Prize Fighters of Wales' published by Pitch Publishing finally places him alongside the more famous inductees of the IBHOF, and gives the fullest published account of the Welshman's impressive pugilistic career to date.
The cover features a striking illustration of Paddington Jones landing a punch on one of his well known opponents, Isaac Bitton, who was featured in the BBC programme 'Who Do You Think You Are?' exploring the ancestry of award winning Eastenders actress June Brown in 2012, who discovered that her great great great grandfather was the once famous Isaac Bitton.
'The Story of Welsh Boxing' will be published on June 1, 2019, and contains accounts of the careers of the most prominent Welsh fighters from the period 1700-1830. The majority of the boxers within the book have never been recorded in any book of Welsh boxing history, and include such forgotten ring heroes as Jack Rasher, known as 'Ironface', John Thomas of Merthyr, who claimed to be the 'Welsh Champion', The notorious fighting brothers known as the 'Welsh Savages', and the first ever published account of the career of William Charles of Newport, deemed the 'Champion of Wales' by 1828, as well as many more boxers that have been rescued from the mists of time.
Thanks to the exhaustive research of Lawrence Davies, Paddington Jones can now finally take his place alongside the other great Welsh boxers to have been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and we can celebrate another fighting 'Welsh Wizard' and add him to the lists of great sporting Welshmen nine years after his induction.
The Story of Welsh Boxing is released on June 1, 2019, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones, WH Smith, and other bookshops. Read more about the book at: The Story of Welsh Boxing
The painting “The Bard”
by Thomas Jones
his commemoration
of the suppression
of the poets of his nation
on the orders of the English king
the fan who calls for a statue
of the vocalist Tom Jones
to be erected in his birth town
footsteps on a beach
fossilised
a family that took a walk
so very many families
before ours
their routes
their journeys
those hands held
a portrait of my great grandfather
youthful diffidence
nearly handsome
on the cusp of a confidence
robbed by
a dishonest business partner
returning to his impoverished county
penniless and
changed forever
this country of scribblers
of walkers
builders
painters
and singers in stone
these pictures of us
No one is a bigger fan of Sir Tom Jones than I am. I know, I know. Thats bold and clichd talk, especially from a 38 year old American guy whos never hurled any form of undergarment at the man (several Welsh Flags, yes. . . but panties? No.) But suffice it to say that I was beyond excited to learn late this past summer that Sir Tom, now 70, was releasing his 39th studio album, mysteriously titled Praise & Blame. As I waited in line (ok, it was just me), I was already relishing the long drive home, and rockin out at embarrassingly high volume levels, to a whole new slate of poppy, upbeat, feel-good tunes from the Voice. I have never been so glad to be so wrong.
Sir Toms latest effort is unexpected . . . and unexpectedly brilliant. And I dont mean that as a slight to his storied catalogue of work (after all, I sing in a tribute band to the man told you I was a big fan). I guess I was expecting a continuation of his previous, and well-received, effort 24 Hours (released Nov. 2008), which was a modern pop album full of fun, and brass. However, right from the start, you know Praise & Blame reveals a more soulful, mature Voice. This is a different Tom, one weve not heard before.
Praise & Blame was recorded live in the studio, old school style and you can tell. In homage to his former peers, and the masters of his era (Sinatra, for example, always preferred to record this way, with the band alongside him, in the studio), each track easily moves and breathes, almost organically. Sir Toms interplay with the (stellar) musicians and backing vocalists is natural, and apparent. This recording style yields a tangible honesty to the tracks that meshes perfectly with Sir Toms raw, graceful vocals throughout. But lets jump in and tackle the rest of P&B track by track . . . .
What Good Am I? track one immediately grabs you with its soft, slow, deliberate tones. Sir Tom introduces you to P&B s soulful journey with this Bob Dylan cover, in almost a confessional whisper, asking the title question with a prayer-like quietness. It is gently haunting, and yet powerful in its self-introspective honesty.
Lord Help Sir Tom picks up the pace here, in this blues-rock spiritual. One of a very few flat out rockin numbers on the album, here Sir Tom sends a prayer for help to all the worlds sinners, gamblers, and war-torn people of this land. On this one, I was able to seriously crank up the volume and rock out, on that long drive home. Sir Tom really shows off his range here, belting out the highs in the chorus, harkening back to piercing notes of yester-year hits like Thunderball, and Till, that only the Voice can pull off.
Did Trouble Me the third track here, really cements the tone for the rest of P&B as the main attraction is not the heart-wrenching vocals, but the intense, exposed emotional honesty of the lyrics, as Sir Tom reminds us that his God in the whisper of the wind, in the rhythm of song . . . . will trouble me with a word or sign, like the ringing of a bell in the back of my mind. This is an utterly beautiful, soulful ballad, and I never thought Id say that of song that so prominently features a banjo, but there it is.
Strange Things the fourth track is a traditional spiritual in a sort of rockabilly arrangement I warned you that this album wasnt a mod version of whats new pussycat?! More upbeat, the band is great here, but (unbiasedly) not as great as the Voice.
Burning Hell this cover of the Johnny Lee Hooker classic was the only song Id heard before purchasing the cd (which I actually bought twice, as my brother stole my cd, so I bought it again on iTunes . . . youre welcome, Sir Tom.) Its one of the standout, rockin and best tracks on the album, and the one Sir Tom has most often selected to perform in promoting P&B on the daytime, and late night TV circuit in recent months. In true blues style, Sir Tom grittily belts out maybe there aint no Heaven / maybe there aint no Hell, accompanied only by the drums and a loud, sexy, skuzzy guitar sound. The rock-out quotient is high here, as well. The spiritual introspection on Burning Hell also continues as Sir Tom asks, when I die, where will I go? . . . somebody please tell me. As the journey through the rest of the tracks on P&B continues, the quest for an answer to this question continues . . . .
If I Give My Soul this cover of a Billy Joe Shaver song, is my favorite track here. Sir Tom (perhaps a little too) perfectly captures the tortured soul of a man, at the end of his life, replete with regret, standing before Jesus literally with his hat clutched in my hand. Only in this track are you reminded that Sir Tom is anywhere near 70 years old, as he fills this song with the heart-breaking, soulful delivery of a man whos wasted days and loves that hes begging his Lord to restore. The emotion here is real, and when he sings if I give my soul, will my son love me again? . . . well, if that doesnt bring a tear, or at least move you even a little bit, then please report to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Dont Knock Sir Tom lifts the mood here, and gives your box of Kleenex a break, with a lively spiritual track that Jerry Lee Lewis wouldve been proud of. The musicianship, and choral backing are first rate.
Nobodys Fault But Mine this track is more quintessentially bluesy, and is spiritually akin to the tones of If I Give My Soul, as Sir Toms tells us that if he loses his soul, it aint nobodys fault but mine, as he had good lovin in my home, and I gotta Bible in my home, etc. Sir Tom credibly continues P&B s spiritual confessional here, in this stripped-down blues number.
Didnt It Rain one of the better examples of the exposed beauty that is the Voice at 70. His interpretation and delivery of the Noah-esque lyrics is characteristically unique, and moving.
Aint No Grave no disrespect to the late, great Johnny Cash, but Sir Toms version here although in a similar arrangement is far superior. Not the best track on the album, but very well done and maintains the spiritual continuity of P&B.
Run On the 11th and final track on P&B is a straight-up, undeniably catchy blues song (also previously covered by the likes of Johnny Cash, Elvis, and many others). When Sir Tom cuts lose in an early chorus and belts out the sinners warning, tell the rambler, the gambler, the back-biter, tell em God Almightys gonna cut you down , you cant help but feel the sheer joy and power in the Voice. Yeah, hes still got it, and then some.
At this stage of his career, Sir Toms voice lends itself perfectly to the selections on P&B, showing hes still got a knack for picking winners, and is wise enough to play to his strengths. His still-powerful voice rumbles at the lower registers with a credibility and gravitas unmatched by anyone in the biz today maybe ever. And when you match this with the soul-piercingly-deep and introspective spirituality that the lyrics on P&B offers, then you just might have Sir Toms best album ever. I know, I know. . . thats bold talk for a 38 year old American guy, who cant even read music. . . but its definitely worth your time and a listen. You might just discover a whole new Voice.
A new warts-and-all biography tells the full story of Tom Jones' amazing career: his innumerable affairs, his friendship with Elvis, and his brush with Charles Manson. It decscribes how he hit the heights, outselling Frank SInatra at the Copacabana night club, New York and the 5,000 bedroom keys that got thrown at him at Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas. However there were many lows as Tom Jones continually reinvented himself from young rock-and-roller in Pontypridd to sixties hip-swiveller to seventies cabaret king, and then, under the strict direction of his own son Mark, to mature rocker and born again gospel singer with the recently released Praise and Blame .
Now 70 years of age, Tom Jones says, "I'll still be belting out tunes when they're trying to nail me down." The biography also highlights Tom's attachment to his Welsh roots and to his wife and childhood sweetheart, Linda Trenchard -- which is, according to the author, "the craziest thing of all in the rascal's ultra-crazy life."
Author Aubrey Malone, says: "Tom is a flawed icon but an irresistible one, going up the down staircase, refusing to stay down for long. His huge belief in himself as The Voice made this the thing people would always remember when the knicker-throwing stopped."
Aubrey Malone has also published biographies of Ernest Hemingway, Charles Bukowski and Brendan Behan. This biography, Still Rockin' , sells for 6.95 and is published by Y Lolfa at www.ylolfa.com .
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