Pheaturing Tom Jones

 

Hey, kids, welcome to the Phile for a Tuesday. How are you? This is the penultimate entry, the second before the last. Phinale Eve. Call it what you want. Sunday night's Emmy Awards were a return to classic Hollywood form.... in that no actors of color won any major awards, and a white dude bummed everyone out by refusing to shut up. When writer and director Scott Frank won Outstanding Directing in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his work on "The Queen's Gambit," he brought up three pieces of paper, talking for over two minutes, and ignoring the orchestra three times. The guy spoke even longer than Governors' Award recipient Debbie Allen, powering through his laundry list of "thank yous" with a complete inability to read the room. Twitter roasted him to shreds, calling him "an entitled piece of shit" and even editing his Wikipedia page. Frank's audacity made the telecast run longer than scheduled, making him the mascot of white male entitlement for the day. According to gossip site Celebitchy, "That Scott Frank douche from 'Queen's Gambit' just cost himself so many jobs with that performance. He showed everyone who he is."

CBS announced that what was originally a competition series to find America's Next Top Activist is now being re-edited as a documentary after social media backlash. The original concept of "The Activist"... the one that they filmed... had people competing in "missions, media stunts, digital campaigns and community events" about health, education, and the environment. Nobody involved in the production thought that that was in poor taste until real activists pointed it out. The show starred Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Julianne Hough, and Usher as the expert judges, deciding which community organizers contributed the most to humanity that episode. Chopra Jonas published an apology on her official Instagram account, telling fans "the show got it wrong, and I'm sorry that my participation in it disappointed many of you." She insisted that she had only the purest of intentions, that just so happened to have involved a starring role on network television. The social media blowback prompted not one, but TWO apologies from Chopra Jonas's fellow judge, Julianne Hough. "The Dancing with the Stars" star said she was sorry about the show, and also sorry that she wore blackface as part of a Halloween costume. Whose apology was better? Find out on the new reality competition series, "The Apology," this spring on CBS!

Out of the Philippines this year, there was some sad animal news involving a one-eyed puppy. Cyclops, as he came to be called, was born with a single eye, no nose, and two tongues sticking out. Shocking pics of the deformed dog quickly went viral on social media, but sadly Cyclops did not survive. I have to show you these pics...

He was born on February 6th and succumbed to the birth defects in less than a day. Cyclops was born in the Aklan province of the Philippines, to a dog owned by local resident Amie de Martin. Martin first posted the trending photos of the pooch, sharing that the mother dog might have ingested toxins prior to Cyclops’ birth. Cyclops' mother was also a “menopausal puppy” which may have had something to do with the genetic physical abnormality. Since Cyclops had no nose, he was not able to feed off of his mother. Although a veterinarian supplied Cyclops with formula food, it was quickly clear that the little guy would not survive. After the puppy’s death, Martin preserved the rare specimen in a glass box, rather than simply burying him underground. Maybe Cyclops will become a scientific step in further understanding. 

Phile Alum Morgan Wallen addressed his use of the n-word during a July sit down with "Good Morning America," in which the country singer also claimed he and his team donated $500,000 to Black organizations. According to a new Rolling Stone report attempting to trace the donations, it appears the money hasn’t materialized with any organizations besides the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), which Wallen specifically mentioned by name in the interview. Calling the $500,000 number “exceptionally misleading,” BMAC told Rolling Stone that they received $165,000 from Wallen in April, which was used to make grants for black musicians through a COVID-19 emergency relief fund. However, the organization said it was “disappointed that Morgan has not used his platform to support any anti-racism endeavors” after meeting with Wallen and his management in February and March “in an effort to help him understand how deeply harmful, offensive, and unacceptable his use of the n-word was.” During the "GMA" interview, Wallen told host Michael Strahan that he and his team decided a total sum of $500,000 represented the spike in his record sales after the n-word “incident,” but did not name any other organization besides BMAC. In an effort to verify Wallen’s statement, Rolling Stone reached out to 56 other state, regional, and national black-led or black-founded charities... none of which said they received any money from him. The publication created the list from a variety of sources, including multiple directories of black-founded nonprofits and roundups of highly visible Tennessee charities in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. The charities include longtime national groups like the NAACP, popular regional organizations like Black Lives Matter Nashville, and music-focused groups like the National Museum of African American Music. While it’s possible Wallen made anonymous donations, Rolling Stone points out he typically makes any charitable efforts well-known. Not only did Wallen prominently launch a charity to “help children, adolescents, and teenagers find families that can provide warm, loving homes” in July, but he also headed a recent event called Morgan Wallen & Friends which his publicist noted in a press release raised a whopping $725,000 for Humphreys County flood relief in Tennessee. Beyond not delivering on his charitable claim is the greater problem of Wallen not making any attempts to atone for actions by being actively anti-racist. Back in July, he told Strahan he hadn’t “really sat and thought about” an overall race problem in country music overall, and it appears Wallen didn’t take BMAC up on the offer to work together in order “to create awareness campaigns and initiatives around anti-racism.” And with country radio reembracing Wallen with open arms, there’s no reason for him to look back. 

America’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci has been forced to comment on the curious case of Nicki Minaj’s cousin’s friend’s testicles. The bizarre episode launched on September 13th, as the first images of the 2021 Met Gala captured the attention of millions. Minaj tweeted that she wouldn’t be attending the fundraiser, because as she said, “They want you to get vaccinated for the Met. if I get vaccinated it won’t [be] for the Met. It’ll be once I feel I’ve done enough research.” She added that she’s “working on that now,” and asked her followers to wear masks. But then the rapper did two unusual things: she explained the source of her vaccine hesitancy, and she told the whole world about the bulging ball sack of a man she had never met. As she recounted, her Trinidadian cousin knows a guy. This poor fellow, the story goes, got the COVID-19 vaccine and “became impotent. His testicles became swollen,” and even worse luck, “His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding.” As many of her followers pointed out, either Nicki Minaj’s cousin or his STD-ridden friend are fibbing. But the Met Gala was a big deal and Nicki Minaj has a huge platform, and so it fell on Dr. Fauci to put out the misinformation fire. Fauci has led he White House’s COVID-19 response through two administrations, and he appeared on CNN with Jake Tapper to discuss more pressing concerns: The safety of children returning to schools, and when kids under the age of 12 would be eligible for vaccination (“sometime in the fall”). Then Tapper asked the big question: What does Fauci think of Minaj’s cousin’s buddy’s balls? Specifically, is there any evidence that any of the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccines cause reproductive issues? “The answer to that, Jake, is a resounding no,” Fauci said. “There is no evidence that it happens, nor is there any mechanistic reason to imagine that it would happen. So the answer to your question is no.” Tapper pressed Fauci on what health officials can do to halt the spread of misinformation. “It’s very difficult,” Fauci said. “There is a lot of misinformation, mostly on social media, and the only way we know to counter mis- and disinformation is to provide a lot of correct information and to essentially debunk these kinds of claims.” He added that the mistake “may be innocent on [Minaj’s] part. I’m not blaming her for anything. But she should be thinking twice about propagating information that really has no basis as except a one-off anecdote. That’s not what science is all about.” Trinidad & Tobago’s Minister of Health also felt the need to debunk. “There has been no such reported either side effect or adverse event,” the Honourable Terrence Deyalsingh said. “And what was sad about this is that it wasted our time yesterday, trying to track down... because we take all these claims seriously, whether it’s on social media or mainstream media. As we stand now, there is absolutely no reported such side effect or adverse event of testicular swelling in Trinidad or, I dare say, Dr. Hinds, anywhere else. None that we know of anywhere else in the world.” To Minaj’s credit, she held an ongoing conversation with her fans about the safety of the vaccines, sounding much more jab-curious than anti-vax. She pointed out that, “A lot of countries won’t let people work without the vaccine,” encouraging her fans in those situations to seek inoculation because, “They have to feed their families.” She added, “I’m sure I’ll be vaccinated as well cuz I have to go on tour, etc.” This adds to an already colorful summer for Nicki Minaj. Last Friday, her husband Kenneth Petty pleaded guilty for failing to register as a sex offender. Both members of the couple are currently being sued by the victim of his attempted rape for alleged harassment and witness intimidation. 

Have you ever seen this real 7-Up ad?

It says it all. That's 100% real by the way. Sometimes I like to get on Twitter and look up certain words. One of those words is "Foghat" and here's a tweet I saw back in 2014. Man, that was a long time ago.

Speaking of Foghat, I was going through TikTok the other day and I saw a video of two little girls dancing. In the background was a wall of record album covers and yes, there was a Foghat one.

So, I have to mention something in case I forget tomorrow on the last entry, as I have a lot planned. I have used a lot of different graphics and stuff on the Phile, which I have created myself but sometimes even I need help. A friend used who I used to work with, Liz Iafelice, has done some cool stuff for the Phile, like worked on the logo and some of the interview graphics. There's one she dod for me that I don't think I ever used, and I love it so much that I have to show it here...

I think the reason I didn't use it is because the font is so small, but if you look closely there's a Led Zeppelin 8-track, a Stones one and then a Peverett Phile one. It's still so cool. When we hear about an ex with a damaged car, it immediately evokes Carrie Underwood. The country belts in her karaoke classic after seeing her boyfriend cheat. "I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive, carved my name into his leather seats, I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, I slashed a hole in all four tires, maybe next time he'll think before he cheats." This woman didn't go Full Underwood... or even close... but her ex wants her money, nonetheless. A guy asked his ex to pay for damages after he was so surprised to see her, he accidentally hit something with his car. She emailed the Phile...

"I broke up with my ex Ryan because I found him on Tinder talking to other women. I moved out of his house and I’m living in my own apartment. A few days ago Ryan messaged me begging me back. Ryan said he was sorry and that he wants to get back together. I told him I needed space. He asked if I was seeing anybody and I said no. Ryan told me. 'I’m not seeing anybody either I’m still so in love with you.' Yesterday when I was walking back from the grocery store I saw Ryan at the Wendy’s parking lot with another woman. At first I assumed she was a friend until they started kissing. For my own amusement I stealthily walked up to the car and knocked on his window. Ryan was so shocked he put his car in reverse and hit something. He drove off and later texted me that I needed to pay for the damages. I blocked him. Am I wrong" No, you weren't behind the wheel, and by the laws of reason you are not at fault for this damage. And it's karmic justice at its finest. Your ex is a moron. 'You damaged my car by making me put it in reverse and press down on the pedal without letting up while you were outside the car!'" I was so sure you were going to scratch his car or something and then the plot twist came and it's just hilarious. Did this guy win his driving license in a lottery? Maybe next time he thinks before he puts his car in reverse?! 

If you spot the Mindphuck let me know. Let's have a live look at Port Jefferson, shall we?

Oh, a story day I think. Look at though scary looking clouds. It's like it knows tomorrow is the last day of the Phile. Haha. 

Today's guest is a Welsh singer. His career began with a string of top-ten hits in the mid-1960s. He has toured regularly, with appearances in Las Vegas. has sold over 100 million records, with 36 Top 40 hits in the U.K. and 19 in the U.S., including "It's Not Unusual," "What's New Pussycat?," the theme song for the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball, "Green, Green Grass of Home," "Delilah," "She's a Lady," "Kiss" and "Sex Bomb." His latest album "Surrounded By Time" is available on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. Please welcome to the Phile... Tom Jones!

Me: Wow! This is a big deal for me! You're one of the last interviews I have on the Phile and I'm so glad you are here. Welcome to the Phile, sir. How are you? 

Tom: I am good, Jason. Great to be here. 

Me: So, I read you are a record collector in your younger days. I collect records but no one collected records more than my dad when he was alive. When did you start collecting? 

Tom: Not only in my younger days, I still collect records. I love records. I've got all kinds of recordings. Blues, a lot of blues things, gospel, blues, country. That's when I started getting interested in music with those three main ingredients as far as I'm concerned which then of course turned into 50s rock and roll. I was a teenager in the 50s so that hit me like a ton of bricks. So I've never been right since. I've been affected by it ever since. 

Me: Music has changed a hell of a lot since then, right? 

Tom: It's a strange thing because people say well, about music changing the essence of it I don't think has changed. It's still three chords and the truth. Hopefully. 

Me: What was it like before you were "Tom Jones"? 

Tom: Let me see, when I was a kid I would listen to Mahalia Jackson album, I had a Big Bill Broozy album and then I started playing Frankie Laine because it was a big one that I liked. I liked voices, I liked people to sing. 

Me: Ha. So, what did you think of Biob Dylan when he first came on the scene? 

Tom: When Bob Dylan first came out for instance people were making a fuss of him and I said, "He sounds terrible to me." And they said, "Yes, but he wrote the songs." I said, "Well, God bless him." That's okay but as far as the singing of them I wasn't impressed. But I was only listening in those days, you see, I was listening to singers but of course once I listened to Bob Dylan then I realize that he's creating these masterpieces it's a different thing. 

Me: Okay, so, what about Chuck Berry? What did you think of him? 

Tom: I always thought that Jerry Lee Lewis sounded better than Chuck Berry as far as singing was concerned. But then we know that Chuck Berry wrote those songs as well and played guitar. So he was an innovator. Like Dylan, I think Dylan referred to him as a poet of rock and roll, a rock and roll poet. Chuck Berry was unbelievable rock and roll right there. John Lennon said, "If rather they're going to rename it rock and roll they could just rename it "Chuck Berry." Because that's how much the influence, the Beatles were influenced by Chuck Berry. We've got to take those things into consideration when we hear a voice what it is. 

Me: You don't write your songs, right? You'd rather just sing them? 

Tom: To me you see singers are like actors, they don't have to write the script of a film or a play in order to make it great or to give it their own interpretation. Macbeth, whoever does Macbeth they don't say, "Oh, you didn't write that, did you?" No. Or Othello. William Shakespeare did, you know what I mean. There's two things, there has to be a great writer and there has to be a great performer to perform them. And that's where I come into play, I listen to the songs and try to inject my own feelings into the songs. Like an actor does with a part. 

Me: So, I interviewed Cat Stevens on the Phile a few years ago and you cover his song "Popstar" on your new album "Surrounded By Time." I love your version! What made you pick that song? 

Tom: Okay, well I remember when Cat Stevens wrote that song because I used to do a lot of TV shows with him in the 60s and he said to me one day, "The record company wants me to be more of a pop star and I want to write songs that have more depth than that." And I said, "Oh, right, okay." And he said, "I might even write a song called 'Pop Star' one of these days." And I said, "Oh, right." And he did so what he was doing when he wrote it was sort of making fun of the record company. Sort of saying well look, this is if you want me to be a pop singer this is it. And he did "Pop Star" but in a negative way. Now when I listen to it I listen to it as a positive song. 

Me: Why is that? 

Tom: Because all budding pop stars will say, "Mama see me, mama see me, I'm a pop star. I'm on TV. Come and see my first gig." And that's the way I see it so I sing it like that, not as a negative but as a positive. 

Me: Did you love being a pop star? 

Tom: Definitely. One hundred percent. I wanted it when I was a child I was singing it all kinds of things in Wales where most people sing anyway. So any chance I ended up singing I would do it. I wanted to become a pop star. That was my goal in life. 

Me: Okay, so, when you became a pop star what was that like? 

Tom: When I got "It's Not Unusual" I recorded it in 1964 I thought this is it, this is the beginning. And it went to Number 1 thank God, then I was up and running. But I've been aiming for that all the time. The only thing I didn't expect was being Knighted by the Queen. I never dreamed of that. 

Me: Why do you think you wanted to be a big famous pop star? 

Tom: Well, I didn't want to be a big famous pop star, I wasn't aiming at that. The first thing I wanted to do was make a living singing rather than having to do a job of work that I had no interest in whatsoever. The only thing I really loved was music. And I thought if I could turn this hobby into a profession then that would be fantastic and that's what I was aiming for. How far it would take me I didn't know. But as long as I could make enough money not to do something I didn't want to do that's what I was aiming at. But I didn't know how big it was going to get. And I didn't know how long it was going to take but that was the initial thing. When I was a kid in school I'd be up on a Friday night, the teacher would be getting a register together and she'd say to do something and she'd say, "Tommy, run a little concert or something." So I would be the master of ceremonies in the class and get people up to do different things but then my friends would say, "But, Tommy, you're the best singer in the class, why don't you just sing? We'll just listen." I thought if I could do this as a profession then that would be it. And it is it. I thank God every day of my life for giving me this voice. Because he couldn't give me anything better than that. I hope I've done as well as I should've done with it. 

Me: Are you still having fun doing it? 

Tom: Yes, that's why we called the album "Surrounded By Time." Because we are surrounded by time, we can't do anything without it. I'm starting to run short of it. 

Me: Shut up. Why do you say that? 

Tom: Because I'm 80-years-old now. It's different when I was 20, it's a different feeling. So now time is even more important to me now that I'm 80 as when I was 20. 

Me: What did your friends and family say when you said you wanted to make music? 

Tom: There was a lot of amateur singers in waves you see, we see a lot of people sing so there's like no big deal. I was one of the many that can sing in Wales. "What makes you think that you can make a profession out of it?" There's not many professional singers, more now but not then, from Wales. I said I think I can do it, I was listening to the radio and I didn't hear anything that I thought was any better than I was. Or there was something that came on and I thought I could never sing like that. Or I could never do that. I never thought that. 

Me: Why is that? 

Tom: Because it wasn't true. Unless I wanted to be an opera singer that's a different thing, but being a pop singer I thought I can do this. And that's what sort of drove me on and seeing my father was a coal miner. So the first thing on my mind was I got to get him out of that coal mine. So I did. He was in his 50s and I was in my 20s and I had a couple of hit records and a new red Jaguar car and I was driving back from London. I drove back to Pontypridd in South Wales where I come from and when I got there on Sunday my mother was making sandwiches for my father. I said, "Where are you going?" He said, "I'm going to work." I said, "You can't go to work, I'm only home for a couple of days." He said, "Yes, but I'm a coal miner. I work for a living." I don't think they thought singing was like making a living. I said, "Dad, I'm making a lot of money and you're still going to the coal mine. That's not right. What about if something happens to you? It's a dangerous job. I wouldn't forgive myself. I make a lot of money now." He said, "Yeah, but how long do you think that will last?" I mean honestly nobody in my family there's no professional singers or musicians there you see. So I had to say to him, "Look, I'm going to see how much money I do have, I'm going to check it all out and if I can assure you that I could put the money in the bank, as soon as I can get enough money in that bank see what you would make now until you're 65." Because he had to work until he was 65. He was only in his 50s there and I said whatever that number is I'll match it. I'll come up with it, I'll make sure of it. So when I got back to London I talked to my accountant and he said yes, and he worked it out what he would've made if he was alive. A coal miner is a dangerous job. So I said I could put that in the bank for him. "Would you then stop?" And said yes. So I did and I got him out of there. He was like 57, he should have worked until he was 65. But I couldn't let that happen with a clear conscience when I was making money singing. Doing something to me was easy, like second nature. 

Me: That's so beautiful you wanted to do that for your dad, Tom. It must've felt good, right? 

Tom: Yes, I wanted to do that ever since I was a kid. He used to bath in a tin bath by the fireplace after the war. I was born in 1940 and I used to watch him come home from coal mine and in those days he was still covered in coal dust. They didn't have showers at the pit head at that time so he would come home and my mother would fill up a tin bath up. We didn't have indoor plumbing and she would put this bath by the fire and fill it up with the kettles of water and he would bathe in front of the fire. And I thought my God, I hope that one day I'll be able to get him out of there. And stop this. 

Me: So, you never went to the coal mine to work? 

Tom: No, because I had TB when I was a kid you see. Whatever I do I can't go to the mines. So I knew I wasn't going there but to see him do it was a terrible thing. A lot of other men were there, all his brothers were coal miners, all my uncles on my mothers side as well were all coal miners. I was is glad when I was able to get him out of there. 

Me: You were on TV a lot in your career, sir, and you even had your own show. What did TV mean to you in your career? 

Tom: Well, that's why I recorded that "Reality Television Talking Blues." It's all about television and what the influence the TV had on us all. As I was saying I had TB when I was a kid so I was bedridden for two years so my mother bought me a television set in 1952. So ever since then TV has been a big part of my life and then going on television but I used to watch a Sunday night variety show in the 50s when I was a kid in quarantine and I thought a guy's whose name was Frankie Vaughn and he used to come on the TV on a Sunday night and I thought I can do that. And I met him and told him so. I did meet him and we did a duet together and I had to tell him that story about watching him on television. So yes, it's a big part of our lives and that's what got me across especially to the American and Canadian audiences, or North American audiences I should say, is television. Like you said I had my own show in the late 60s. 

Me: So, we talked about Bob Dylan and I didn't mention you cover "One More Cup of Coffee" on the new album. Did you ever know Bob Dylan? I wish I could've interviewed him but I did interview his son Jakob. 

Tom: No. I'll tell you there closest I ever got to him on Music Cares which is a show they do from Los Angeles about six years ago I think now. They wanted two honor him and he said he would but he didn't want to perform on the show but if they could get ten people that have recorded his songs that he liked if they can get them to do the show then maybe he would show up. Well, I was one of the ten people that he chose because I had recorded a song called "What Good Am I?" which was on the "Praise and Blame" album. I'm always frightened to ask songwriters what they think of songs. I didn't have to ask him because he picked me to do it because quite a few people had recorded the song but he liked my version and I went in and did it for him. So he actually came there, did a speech on stage but Bob is like the Scarlet Pimpernel, we seek him here and we seek him there and he's gone. So I didn't really get close. The make-up guy who did his make-up hard to go the Grammys the following day and the make-up guy said, "I made you up yesterday when Bob Dylan and he told me to tell you you did a great job with the song." I said, "Thank you very much." I can't wait to find out what he thinks of "One More Cup of Coffee." 

Me: Okay, so I was told I have to ask you about "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Carlton on the show would dance to "It's Not Unusual." Did you get a kick out of that back then? 

Tom: Yeah, yeah, of course. 

Me: Did you know about it beforehand? 

Tom: They told me what the episode was going to be like from It's a Wonderful Life when his guardian angel comes to Earth so they wanted to use me as Carlton's guardian angel. I said okay, because I knew I'd watch it, I was a fan of the show anyway and I saw Carlton was a Tom Jones fan. He mentioned art before and for me then to show up and I knew Quincy Jones was doing the music so he said, "It'll be great if you come on and do 'It's Not Unusual.'" The we could do it together maybe and I'll be the guardian angel. I don't know if I saw the episode but Carlton said when I showed up, "Wow, you're white." Because I was supposed to be his guardian angel and I'm white. So I was going to say and wish I had said it, "It was either me or Michael Jackson." 

Me: Hmmm. What do you mean? 

Tom: Michael was getting very light skinned at the time. But I thought it might be a little bit too controversial but I said I knew all this writing and I knew soul singers like that I loved doing it. I got to know Carlton, I got to know Will Smith, I got to know all the cast and they're great people and I knew Quincy Jones of course. 

Me: So, there was no hesitation with you doing it? 

Tom: I said as long as they don't make fun of the song, "It's Not Unusual" was my first hit and very important to me. They said no, they're making fun of Carlton trying to dance like you. 

Me: Tom, I lost my parents from cancer in 2000 and I'm sorry for your loss, you lost your wife of 59 years to lung cancer. How were you then? I was a fucking mess when my dad passed away. 

Tom: Thank you. I didn't think I was going to make it to be honest with you. I didn't think I'd be able to sing again. 

Me: Oh, man, why is that? 

Tom: I thought how am I going to get through those songs now that she's not here? I always used to ask her every time I made an album she would be the first one I would play it to to get a response. Well, track by track when I did a song I would ask her what she thought of this. The last album is the first time I ever recorded an album without playing it to her. She never got to hear it. So some of the songs on there like the opening song for instance is called "I Won't Crumble With You If You Fall." I was with my wife for the last two days of her life, I was on tour and they told me that it was terminal lung cancer so I flew back to Los Angeles and went straight to the hospital and stayed there with her for ten days. I said, "Linda, I don't think I'll be able to carry on. I won't be able to sting because it will stick in my throat and she said, "Look, you must do it because I got to leave. I know that I'm dying, I know they've told me." She was the only calm person in the room by the way. My son and myself were both bloody basket cases. She said, "You've done all you can, it's not your fault. It's my fault." Because she used to smoke cigarettes. She said, "Don't you fall with me." 

Me: So, what was it like when you went back on stage back then after she passed? 

Tom: I went to Hampton Court and opened the show there in June 2016, Linda died on there 10th of April 2016 and I opened in June. I didn't think I was going to though. But then the audience you see they lifted me as well. I went on the stage and they seem to feel what I'm going through, it's uncanny but it happens and then they lifted me up. So thank God for the people that were there that got me through it. It was a terrible time and I got through not and the therapist said time is a healer, believe me. I got her asked with me in my flat in London. She's the last person I talk to at night and the first person I talk to when I wake up. 

Me: Can you give any advice? I started this thing 15 years ago and a lot has changed with my life since then. Any advice on growing old? 

Tom: You've got to live every day. That's the advice I would give two anybody. You mustn't waste a day, don't waste any time. If you want to do something with your life, especially with young people now, I know it's difficult with the situation we're in but once we get out of it and hopefully we'll get back to normal go after your dreams. Go and do what you want to. An old man once told me that in a paper mill that I worked in when I was a teenager. He said, "I hear you can sing." I said yes and he said well go for it. Because when you're old like me that's all you really will have left, the memories. make sure they're good ones. That's a fact. 

Me: So true, sir. Tom, thanks for being on the Phile. This was great. 

Tom: My pleasure. Thank you.

That about does it for this entry of the Phile. Thanks to Tom Jones for a great interview. He's a legend. Okay, tomorrow is the day, my loves. The Phile will be back tomorrow with The Peverett Phile Phinale Pheaturing Phile Alum Graham Parker. Spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye. 

Give me some rope, tie me to dream, give me the hope to run out of steam, somebody said it could be here. We could be roped up, tied up, dead in a year. I can't count the reasons I should stay. One by one they all just fade away...