logo
episode-header-image
May 2022
54m 49s

Tom Jones

Pushkin Industries
About this episode

Today we’ll hear Rick Rubin talk to one of his all-time favorite vocalists, Tom Jones. With his soulful baritone and unique interpretation of the American R&B and gospel, Jones became a mainstay at hip venues in London, New York and Las Vegas with now-timeless hits like “It’s Not Unusual,” and “Green Green Grass Of Home.”

On today’s episode, Tom Jones shares stories with Rick from his remarkable career, including the first time he met Elvis on a movie set in Hollywood—and the night he turned down an invitation to join Little Richard on stage out of fear he’d be deported. Tom also talks about why he thought Burt Bacharach’s lyrics to “What’s New Pussycat” were a joke the first time he heard them.

Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecord.

You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com.

Hear a playlist of all of our favorite Tom Jones songs HERE.

If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Aug 25
Travis Barker
Travis Barker grew up in Fontana, California, and was gifted his first drum kit at the age of four from his mother, who made him promise before she died that he would never stop playing. This was just before he started high school and though he spent his early years dabbling with ... Show More
59m 52s
Aug 18
Interpol's Daniel Kessler
Daniel Kessler grew up between London, Paris, and Washington, D.C., listening to his older brother’s early UK rock records. He picked up guitar as a teenager, the same day he quit skateboarding, and after moving to New York in the late ’90s, he set out to find musicians serious e ... Show More
54m 40s
Aug 11
Alabama Shakes' Brittany Howard
Brittany Howard has never been the type to do things quietly. Whether it was fronting Alabama Shakes with a voice that could fill a room and level it in the same breath, or striking out on her own with two solo records that pulled her sound in wilder and more personal directions, ... Show More
59m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2021
Tom Jones Still Has It
<p>Tom Jones’ booming baritone has led him to sell over 100 million records in his nearly six-decade career. He had a string of hits in the mid-1960s including “It’s Not Unusual,” “What’s New Pussycat?” “She’s A Lady,” “Green, Green Grass Of Home,” “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again, ... Show More
48m 9s
Sep 2010
Sir Tom Jones
Kirsty Young's castaway is the singer Sir Tom Jones. In a career spanning fifty years he's sold 150 million albums and his hits have included It's Not Unusual, What's New Pussycat? and Delilah. As a child it was assumed he'd follow in his father's footsteps and become a miner. Bu ... Show More
36m 4s
Oct 2020
Rick Rubin
The super-producer joins Zane to talk Tom Petty, fond memories of working on Wildflowers, plus share stories of collaborating with Ringo Starr, Carl Wilson, The Strokes, and more 
53m 2s
Dec 2023
Aled Jones: Teenage Choirs, Richard Branston and the Music of Everything
One of the UK's most loved vocalists and broadcasters, Aled Jones, sits down with Joanna and Stephen to discuss the moment he unearthed a trove of unreleased music from his childhood. In this candid conversation, Aled reveals what it was like meeting Richard Branston at Virgin Re ... Show More
28m 10s
Sep 2018
Tom Johnston
<p>The Doobie Brothers frontman, Tom Johnston, joins Bob to talk about his early beginnings and being drawn to R&amp;B artists like Little Richard. He played saxophone, clarinet and drums in his youth but ultimately fell in love with the guitar and taught himself how to play. Alw ... Show More
1h 41m
Jul 2019
Tom Bailey
tail spinning
1h 13m
May 2021
16. Sir Tom Jones: Don't Hold Back
The UK’s favourite fitness coach is back with series two of his podcast. This summer, Joe will be speaking to inspirational friends and some of his favourite people to ask them what they do to keep themselves feeling mentally and physically strong in the face of life’s little cha ... Show More
47m 13s