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People (US)
February 5, 1996

Talking with . . . Tori Amos
"My Dinner with Clunky"

How offbeat is singer-songwriter Tori Amos? Well, her childhood imaginary pal Clunky, a purple monkey, is alive and well and in a song on her third full-length solo CD, BOYS FOR PELE (Atlantic).

"I've been aware of him for years," says Amos, 32, an American who's single and lives in London, "I've had many a dinner with him. He's always sitting on my shoulder."

WHERE DO YOU WRITE YOUR SONGS?

I like writing in bathrooms. The acoustics can be great. You can turn on the water, sing, and nobody can hear you.

LIKE TERI HATCHER, YOU HAVE A BIG FOLLOWING ON THE INTERNET? DO YOU READ THE MESSAGES YOUR FANS SEND TO YOU?

I don't own a computer. I have a nine-foot piano in my home to compose my messages. Why would I want a one-foot computer to do the same thing? I'm fascinated by my road crew's fascination with computers, but I don't have any desire to use that keyboard. I want to go back to my own.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT PERFORMING LIVE?

When I play live, I walk in feeling that we could go anywhere, reach any star system. Once I'm out there it's almost like I'm in a trance. I can get very physical, too. Hopefully, when I go back on tour, it'll tone my body.


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