The ‘King of Romance’, Engelbert Humperdinck, has been making records – and smashing world records – for more than fifty years. He’s bringing his biggest and best hits to New Zealand next month, along with a slew of new songs from his The Man I Want To Be album. Cityscape caught up with the legendary crooner ahead of his pacific tour.
You’re still recording new albums after 50 years in the business. Does it feel that long? It doesn’t feel that long. I’ve done 81 albums altogether, including compilations. I’ve recorded 53-54 brand new. When I first started in the business and my career took off like a speedboat, it was wonderful to have people want my music. In those days we’d do two albums a year.
Do you still get a kick out of singing your hits? Does it get old? I do, I love it. I’m still touring the world, coming your way and Australia, Tahiti, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, all in the next month and a half. That’s the biggest one this year. I do about 80-90 concerts a year.
If you had to pull out a single highlight from the last half-century, what would it be? I’ve had quite a few highlights in my life… I think one of the greatest is when I did the London Palladium right at the beginning of my career, and the very next day I had this record called 'Release Me' which was selling like 80-90,000 a day, went up to 127,000 a day and it’s the most ridiculous sales I’ve ever come across. It was so amazing… it was like a shooting star for me. It was wonderful. The B-side of that particular single, of course, was ‘Ten Guitars’.
We love that down here! I know you do! I know about ‘Ten Guitars’ [in New Zealand], because every time I appear there I have to sing it at least twice in my show – once for me and once for the audience to sing it.
You’ve worked with some amazing artists in your life, including Elvis and Jimi Hendrix. Of all those you’ve worked with, who taught you the most about life and showbiz? Elvis. Elvis for sure. I’ve watched this man work several times. I studied him, and he is the greatest performer I have ever seen in my life. He has humility, he has charm, he’s charismatic, and I just think he was the greatest. I took lessons from him, about humility as well. He never took his position in life seriously, you know? He always took the mickey out of himself and that was wonderful.
As I get older I find my mind doesn’t keep up – in my head I’m still 18. How old are you in your head? Around about 50. Because that’s how I feel, and people tell me I don’t look my age – which I’m really thrilled to hear – and so therefore it doesn’t bother me that I’m as old as I am because people don’t think that I’m that old. I’m lucky – good genes. Parents left me some good genes.
Speaking of your parents, what’s the best piece of advice your father ever gave you? Civility costs nothing. Always be civil and well-mannered and treat people how you’d like to be treated yourself.
How do you relax and unwind? I’m a TV freak – I love the television and I surf the channels a lot – people sitting around me get fed up with me because I don’t stay on one channel long enough. But I do love watching movies, old movies in fact – I’ve met a lot of people that I see in the movies so it’s nice to be able to say “oh, I know that person, I’ve met them.” People like Jon Voight.
If you could travel back in time to any concert, what would it be? I tell you what, one of the concerts I would love to see again, was Nat King Cole. I loved his music and he was the epitomy of what a love ballad could be. He was just a wonderful interpreter of love ballads. Actually when I first started I listened to a lot of his songs and that’s one of the reasons why I became a ballad singer. I find that when you sing about love… it’s the most important thing in life, really! That’s what I do.
You’ve had a lot of people come into your life and then pass away – what does that teach you about life and the bigger picture? Respect your life a little bit more. If you want to [be] in this world, you have to respect your body and your mind, and that’s what I do. I try to keep my mind active by doing crosswords every morning, and I write poetry and I write quotes and things like that, and it keeps me ‘with it’ so to speak.
Engelbert Humperdinck – The Man I Want To Be Tour
Isaac Theatre Royal, Mar 2
Tickets from mjrpresents.com