Tom Jones webchat

Watch the legendary Sir Tom Jones as he talks about Elvis, his disguise and being paid with a chicken!

Lia: Which song, that you perform live, gets the biggest reaction from the crowd?

Tom: Well that's a hard one because, thank God, I've had a few. 'Delilah' is one of them, because it's so recognisable with the arrangement. And 'It's Not Unusual' of course and again because when the arrangement starts you know what the songs is. Different places give different reactions from the songs.

Karen: What's been the proudest moment in your life?

Tom: Getting knighted by the Queen.

Jilly: Hi Tom, do you ever go out in disguise to avoid getting recognised?

Tom: Sometimes, I have done yes. It's funny because I used to run a lot and I was running into Hyde Park one day and it was in the wintertime. And I had a running suit on with gloves and the hat pulled down and the glasses, and I ran past these cab drivers and one of the cabbies said 'You alright Tom?'! I thought I had it, because I was all done up. But sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't!

Liz: Do you have any regrets in life? If so, what's your biggest one?

Tom: I don't have any real regrets - nothing big, only little small ones. In the '70s I was concentrating on live shows and my recording career slipped because I was doing these live shows in the States, you know? So I think if I had that time again I'd have concentrated more on getting records out into the place, so that's about it.

Ant: Hi Tom, I'm a big fan. What is your favourite record of all time?

Tom: 'Great Balls of Fire' - the original recording of it, Jerry Lee Lewis on Sun Records.

Dean B: Did you see Elvis Presley as an inspiration or just as competition?

Tom: Elvis Presley was an inspiration to me and everybody of my generation in a way, because I was a teenager in the '50s, so all would-be singers, rock n' roll singers especially, Elvis Presley was the one so he was definitely an inspiration, and then became a friend. I never felt in competition with him even though we played a lot of the same places in the States because I respected him enormously and he respected me. He said once (I was in the audience), and he said 'Tom Jones is in the audience tonight - we have this mutual admiration society going' so that was great!

Blueziggy: I am sure I cannot be through as I would never be so lucky, but if I am please just tell me when you will be bringing out a new video?

Tom: Umm, when we bring out a new record, which should be the beginning of next year. Hopefully I'll record at the end of this year or the beginning of next year, so it'll be in the early part of next year hopefully.

Paula P: Tom, now you live mainly in the USA, what do you miss the most about Wales?

Tom: Well the first thing is about Wales is the terrain and the way it looks - which you don't realise when you're growing up there. But there's so many hills around Pontypridd where I grew up that you just take it for granted as a child, but then when you move somewhere else and then you go back to Wales that's the first thing that hits you. And Welsh people, of course, they're very warm people in south Wales, so that stuff. But in general I would say British pubs. When you're in the States you don't really have British pubs and I think there are great atmospheres in British pubs, so I miss that too.

Dizzy: Did you have a feud with your great rival Engelbert Humperdinck or was it just media hype?

Tom: I had words with him one night but it never really amounted to anything. It was a dispute over our manager - we used to have the same manager, Gordon Mills - and so we had words over that. But, you know, nothing really serious. But we were partners at one time you see, Engelbert and myself, we were on the same label, and had the same manager and same agent, but then my manager and Engelbert fell out so that sort of moved him elsewhere. But that was all.

Chris Quinn: Since you were small, did you always want to sing?

Tom: Yes, I've always wanted to sing. Because it was a very natural thing for me to do. So I loved it right from the beginning and I thought if I could make a career out of this, if I could become a singer then that would be it.

Lyn: Hiya Tom, can you tell me how you find keeping up with your hectic life? Your image and looks are still great!

Tom: Well I'm lucky to a certain extent but I try not to eat too much, I get in the gym and try to get as much sleep as I can. All those things are important - not to drink too much. I used to drink quite a bit but you learn as you get older! Everything in moderation.

Sean: Congratulations on your knighthood Sir Tom. My question is will you ever write an autobiography? Good luck on the tour.

Tom: I think one day I'll write an autobiography - it all depends. It's been suggested that they would like a good book, a book not with smutty things in it - a real book about people that I've met in show business. A show business book really and growing up in Wales, so I think if it was written well it'd be an interesting book. Because all the other stuff's been well documented. A really classy book would be very good so we're looking into that now.

Bucky: I have front row tickets for Bournemouth on Wednesday and have been to see you countless times across the country since I was 15 back in 1989. Do you recognise people in the audience from previous concerts?!!

Tom: Yes sometimes if the lights change, you know when you get lights going into the audience, unless it's an afternoon concert of course. But at night time because the lights are so bright you don't really see many faces unless there's a lighting change, but sometimes I recognise people.

Slim: Hi Tom, will you ever get to release the soul album you recorded in 1996 with Interscope records?

Tom: Hopefully we will. We have all the stuff there. I'm sure it'll come out one day but when that'll be I don't know but there's some good stuff there.

Bennystoon: Tom, have you ever thought about doing a duet with the other great British icon Sir Cliff?

Tom: When you do a duet with anybody, it all depends on the song, on the material. If a good song was presented and somebody thought that Cliff and myself would be good to do it, I mean I wouldn't be opposed to it. But it'd have to be something that we both liked and could do.

Tredegar-Tracey: Do you often visit 'home' in Ponty and do you think it's important that your grandchildren appreciate your humble beginnings? P.S. My dad booked you to sing in The Fern Bank Club in Tredegar in the early 1960s and he claims they paid you with a fresh chicken as they had no money!

Tom: Well, there's a little bit of truth in it! But I think I stole the chicken - it was in a raffle at Christmas time! Anyway that's another story. I think it's important for any grandchildren to know where their grandparents come from and hopefully to go see it, which they have done. They've come to Pontypridd and they know what it's like.

Elaine Watson: Morning Tom. Where do you consider to be the 'Green Green Grass of Home'?

Tom: Wales - that's where I spent the first 24 years of my life. The 'Green Green Grass of Home' to me is Wales. That's why I think the song was so big - it doesn't mention any towns or anything - it could be wherever you come from. But for me it's Wales.

Gary: Is it true you still go down your local pub in Wales?

Tom: Yes. I've got a lot of local pubs in Wales! I go with some of the fellas that I grew up with, but some of them have passed on since, but there's still quite a few fellas. So yeah, I still try anyway.

Louise: Hi Tom....you won't ever retire will you? You are an inspiration to so many people...never stop doing what you do x

Tom: Well I'll never retire. I'll sing as long as I possibly can - as long as my voice is powerful and people want to hear me sing. I think that the writing will be on the wall if I'm not doing it vocally, but I dread that day. I'm not looking forward to retiring - I would hate to do it. I never will retire.

Kev: Do you miss working in the building trade and did you sing on site?

Tom: I don't miss working on a building site because I was a hod carrier, up and down ladders getting stuff for bricklayers, and it was hard work. But it was good at the time because I was in my early 20s and you're working outdoors which was good and you can concentrate on the music in your mind while you're doing a job like that. So it served its purpose when I did but I don't really miss it, no.

Sheila Novels: Sir Tom, my parents kept the Junction Hotel in Abercynon. Do you remember the night you dashed off to fill P J Proby's gig after his burst trousers?! Well, you never settled your tab!! My father who has sadly died now dined out on this story for years!

Tom: Well I'm sure I did settle my tab because if it was in a Welsh pub you wouldn't be able to get out the door without paying! But I do remember taking over from P J Proby because he did burst his pants, and they were warning him about it. 'It's Not Unusual' just came out and I sort of took over.

Waverley: What about movies? Do you think that one day you will be in one?

Tom: Well I've done a few movies, playing myself - you know Mars Attacks of course was one of them, but again it all depends on the script, what kind of movie it would be and I'm not opposed to it. It's just like recording if the song's there I'll do it and the same thing with a film.