Tom Calderone: Tori Amos on Modern Rock live and Icicle
Tori: Yeah. This isn't a real piano, folks, I'm having a bit of a problem. This is not my instrument.
Tom: You ok? Sounded great.
Tori: Yeah, it's ok, but it's very, very tricky, this... 'cause you have a hard time pressing.
Tom: You're fine.
Tori: Thanks, Tom.
Tom: You're fine.
Tori: Well, but you know, I do have a standard here.
Tom: I know.
Tori: I just want them to know out there that this isn't a real piano, 'cause for the piano players out there, they need to know.
Tom: This is like my first Sony, is what you're playing right now.
Tori: Yeah.
Tom: Alright. When does religion come into your life, Tori?
Tori: And when does it go out?
Tom: When does it go out?
Tori: Um, well, ooh. Hmm. As a minister's daughter, you know that I got it shoved down my throat and...
Tom: Is that the way you felt, that it was shoved down your throat?
Tori: Well, yeah, it was definitely shoved down your throat in my house.
Tom: Let me rephrase that, is that positive or negative?
Tori: Well, it makes for some interesting songs, let's put it that way.
Tom: Ok.
Tori: But um, where I am right now is that I wasn't given the opportunity to choose my belief system. Meaning, I wasn't taught, "Here are some ideas and make up your mind." It was, "This is what you believe. This is what a repectable woman is. And this is how she acts. And this is how she doesn't act." So, of course, my idea of a respectable woman and their idea is a bit different, now. I've really given myself permission to express myself. And if I don't get the respect of other people, that doesn't change my day, now.
Tom: Is a lot of self-doubt in your head when you were growing up like, "Well, I'm supposed to be this way, but I'm actually feeling this."
Tori: That's right. That's what was always going on. Um, they're putting this stale wafer on my tongue in communion and telling me this is gonna make me feel a whole lot better. And I'm going, "Um, actually, I'd like to kinda go home and snuggle up in my little bed and, you know."
Tom: Yeah. So right now where you are is kind of figuring out exactly where religion fits in your life, or at least um...
Tori: Well, the institutionalized reliogn isn't working, for me. But I believe in spirit and I believe in a lot of things that aren't maybe taught to us.
Tom: Ok. Good answer. Damien in Chicago, Q101. Hi, Damien, you're on with Tori.
Damien: Hello.
Tori: Hey, Damien.
Damien: How are you doing?
Tori: Very well, how are you?
Damien: Alright. I wanted to ask you um, in Without You I'm Nothing, with Sandra Bernhard, you did backup.
Tori: Yeah.
Damien: And how did that come about and what was it like?
Tori: Uh, the producer, Joe Chicarelli, had produced Y Kant Tori Read, and he was a good friend, and he was producing Sandra. And she had heard the record and wanted me to come sing backups, and so I came and I'm the one doing Little Red Corvette, the "ooh" part. [sings] "Ooh-ooh-ooh." That's me.
Tom: Alissa on KTCL. Hi, Alissa.
Alissa: Hi there.
Tori: Hi, Alissa.
Damien: I love your music and my question for you was, how have you changed musically and emotionally sincee your last album?
Tori: Well, emotionally, the last record was working through a bit more the victim side of things, and this one is about surviving, and just sweeping more stuff out from under the rug, um, dealing with violence between women a lot on this record, having the strength to go, instead of asking myself why I crucify myself, beating myself up, it's like, "God, hey buddy, sit down a minute, here. Put your feet up and maybe you want some advice."
Tom: Yeah, just kinda hang out.
Tori: Yeah, it's been a big growth um, I think, as a musician, the main thing is to just keep challenging myself and pushing new barriers outward. See what I can come up with.
Tom: Can you do Baker Baker for us?
Tori: Yes.
Tom: Alright here, Tori Amos on Modern Rock Live.
Tori performs Baker Baker.
Tom: Tori Amos on Modern Rock Live. Thank you so much for spending this half hour with us.
Tori: Thanks, Tom.
Tom: Appreciate it. And good luck, the new CD is called Under the Pink.
Tori: Yeah.
Tom: And good luck with everything, and good luck on your big three-million-city tour.
Tori: Yeah, right.
Tom: And take a rest between each city. Just relax and stop and smell the roses.
Tori: You think so.
Tom: We'll listen to another track from the brand new CD. This is called Past the Mission on Modern Rock Live.
[transcribed by jason/yessaid]
t o r i p h o r i a tori amos digital archive yessaid.com
