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live online chat
July 14, 1999

live online chat with Tori Amos and Steve Madden

Moderator: Joining us right now are Tori Amos and Steve Madden.

Steve: Good to be here.

Tori: Hi everybody.

Moderator: We're chatting live with Tori Amos and Steve Madden about the Tori Amos shoe with proceeds going to RAINN.

Megnatrix: I would like to ask Steve, how did Tori inspire you with this awesome shoe?

Steve: We got together ...... talked about what she likes to wear, and it was totally inspired by her. It looks like Tori Amos, this shoe.

Tori: The shoe is taller than me, and that's good because I'm not a beer stand in the shower for anyone any more.

Steve: It's funky and sexy, the whole package.

Tori: The good thing about it is you can actually work in it. My work is, I play the piano. It's good to be able to play in them. I can't play if I don't have a heel on.

Tori: I think I'm going to have one of each. Because you have to trade.

Moderator: What color shoe did Tori get?

Steve: They are black, red, white. and we're doing, for those animal friendly folks, we're doing a black in a synthetic, high-tech material. It's totally animal friendly, because we're with them. We understand it is important to know that animals are killed for meat, not for leather. But it doesn't make it right.

Tori: It's good that you say that Stevie.

Steve: One day we'll get there.

Tori: I'm just going to eat NBA players, I bet they're tasty.

Moderator: Tori Amos and Steve Madden are chatting about groovy shoes, music, RAINN, and much more. There will also be charity auctions for autographed Tori Amos shoes. For more info, check out www.stevemadden.com. And for RAINN check out www.rainn.org.

Moderator: I heard there is a charity auction for signed pairs of the Tori Amos. Can you tell us about it?

Steve: We're having an auction. We're going to auction off 4 pairs on auctions.yahoo.com. People are already bidding. Winners will get the shoes in their own size, and Tori will sign them.

Frogonmytoe1: Hey, when is she going to produce some shoes for men?

Steve: We are going to stick to the gals right now. The guys out there, if they want to support RAINN, can buy them for their moms and girlfriends.

Tori: The men can cross dress. Shave their legs, get a size 10 and...

Marygirrrl: What wine do you suggest to drink while wearing Steve Madden shoes?

Tori: Well, if you're going to wear the red, you know in another life I used to think one of those women who used to stomp grapes on their feet. I think there is a Spanish wine, a Tinto Pesquera, and 1995 is quite nice right now.

Emma and Andy From England: Is the shoe available over here in England and will we see you on stage wearing a pair over here Tori?

Steve: You are definitely going to see Tori on stage wearing them for sure. The thing to do is to click on www.stevemadden.com and if you are from the UK, you'll get the shoes in one week.

ydiva: Where are you chatting from right now?

Tori: I'm chatting from Cornwall, England. We're mastering the new record tomorrow. And we're mixing the live record at the same time. And we're in the middle of beautiful stars and we're just after the new moon, so you can see the stars. I can hear the cows and sheep. Do you know that the Cornish say that they are not part of England?

Steve: Are they part of Jersey?

Tori: I don't really know. I am freezing my butt off.

Steve: I'm in the heart of New York City and we're having a very hot summer here in New York. It is like living on Mercury it is so hot in New York.

MrInvisible: What percentage of the profits will RAINN actually receive?

Steve: ALL the profits from the sale of the shoes will go to RAINN.

LabelleLucie: What led Steve Madden to become so supportive of RAINN?

Steve: That's a good question. We don't do anything, meaning the company, it's my name on the door, I have a lot of people that work with me. We make shoes for women and I think this is an issue that doesn't get talked a lot about. It's not very glamorous. A lot of people walk around with a lot of shame over this stuff. And it leads to a lot of problems. And I think it's very brave what Tori is doing, and we wanted to say that we believe in it. You won't see us doing a lot of this kind of thing. They say you are as sick as your secrets, and it is very secretive and it's okay to talk about. And that is what is great about RAINN.

Marygirrrl: I heard there will be a contest to win tickets at Steve Madden stores. Will there be one in the Boston area?

Steve: We're having a drawing in our California stores for Tori and Alanis. There are about 10 or 13 Steve Madden stores.

JungMC: What is RAINN?

Tori: RAINN operates the national rape hotline. It's a 24 hour crisis hotline for victims of rape and sexual assault. And It works with 800 rape and crisis centers throughout the country.

Mysticaldesigns: Thank you Steve Madden for supporting RAINN. I was wondering if there are any plans to display posters or literature about RAINN in stores to educate young women on sexual assault?

Steve: There is literature about RAINN.

lickyourheart: What size shoes does Tori wear? Curious.

Tori: 7 sometimes 7 1/2. Depends...

Kati658: Tori, when you started the RAINN foundation, were you overwhelmed? How did you deal with the enormous pressures of such an organization?

Tori: This is very much a round table organization. There are a lot of people involved. I receive tons of letters. It's really ignited the passion from our side of it. It was quite clear that there were so many people whose hearts were breaking, because it was almost as if a nightmare had followed them around even on the sunniest days. It became clear that rape crisis centers did exist, but there needed to be a bridge built, and RAINN has in essence become the bridge. From the callers to the rape counselors. Sexual assault counselors actually.

Marygirrrl: Tori, have you ever counted how many pairs of shoes you have?

Tori: Well, it's quite decadent, but I can justify it. Because when you are tired of your artwork, you can just take it down and hang one of those luscious heels on your wall. And it's quite strange because I have a crew of a lot of men, and they are quite fascinated by my shoes. I don't know, i just sit there and I can't find my shoes sometimes because someone has made off with them. God knows what they are doing. I think men love women's shoes. I truly do because they are architecture.

Steve: I think men like you, that's what it is.

Tori: No, no, some of these men are like my brothers and there is no incestuous thing happening. I think they fantasize about the shoes.

Steve: If I were a girl I'd wear 4 inch heels all the time. I'd wear tight pants.

Tori: Then you'd need a chiropractor.

Littlefignewton: Tori, your music means so much to all of us. you already know that. But what can we do to return the gifts that you give us through your music and your work with RAINN?

Tori: When you're having a really bad day, and you think something a bit self-destructive, put your hands in the air, your index fingers above your head, one each, touch the air with them and say "horns." And make sure you remember that you have to stay around. So we can touch horns when I see you again.

worshipyourtoaster: All of us are going to be so spoiled with this tour so soon, and an album of new stuff. But I was wondering if you got any kind of break in-between. Still no time for that well-deserved honeymoon?

Steve: I didn't even know you were married.

Tori: My husband is English, he's a recluse. He's a cynical git. He's a sound engineer. Yes, I got my well-deserved honeymoon, thank you.

Moderator: What About a Steve Caton shoe for guys?

Tori: Tell him he's going to have to shave his legs.

Tori: Our first show on the tour is in Ft Lauderdale on August 18. We're going to be in Jones Beach NY on September 1.

captain_nadaline: Are you guys going to collaborate on new shoes in the future?

Steve: Absolutely. We can do some good. Why not?

Tori: It's quite amazing to me how quickly Steve pulled this together. We were having lunch not that many months ago, and after that it was like, kaboom.

Steve: It was easy to get shoes that fit you and it was a good cause, it made us work quicker.

Moderator: Here's the link for the Tori and Alanis shows: http://commerce.bestbuy.com/tourdates.asp

Question: Also I would love to know how exactly I could help RAINN seeing as I was a rape victim when I was in high school. Could you give me some information on how to either volunteer or become a member?

Tori: They can call the RAINN hotline at 800-656-HOPE and then press 4 at the voice menu.

carmbinola: I love shoes. It's a passion. If you could describe yourself as a shoe, what would you say?

Tori: This one that Steve designed is really comfortable, which is quite tricky sometimes, getting a comfortable and a glamour shoe, because a girl likes to feel a bit glamour, you know. Even if you are just going to the Dentist or something, you need a bit of glamour. But you want to be comfortable because after all that novocane and stuff... That is the good thing about the shoe Steve has designed. The flat shoes and tennis shoes, yeah they make a lot of sense, but sometimes you need a little bit of that Bette Davis feeling sometimes.

lynz_fee: Steve, what kind of styles are coming out for the fall? I love your shoes!!!!

Steve: Good question. A lot of different stuff happening. A lot of tall shafted boots. A Lot of black. We are doing a lot of interesting dress shoes. Steve Madden is women's shoes. A lot of fun stuff, too, getting ready for the new year, the end of the century. Some exciting shoes, some crazy ones.

gogirl_za: Can we please talk about the new album?

Tori: I am mastering it tomorrow. It's almost midnight here. All the engineers have just gone to bed like the 7 dwarves. Because everyone gets up kind of early to start the mastering process. The album is called "to venus and back." As of now, there are 11 new tracks that no one has heard before. Meaning they weren't written for other records. They were all just written..quite rapidly.

Erin561985: Tori, how's your new album coming along? Are there any new sounds or guest artists on it?

Tori: There are quite a few sound experimentations happening. Mainly because my character on this album is forming and reforming like particles shifting. That will make more sense when you hear it. The guys I was on tour with played on the record. It was very much an insular project. The live record we start mixing as soon as we master this. Obviously we spent a lot of time on the new work, and the live show will be as close to a proper show as we can get. If you came to a show last year this could possibly be something like you've seen. Hopefully though it is the best of many shows in one. You'll get two discs in the packet. The studio album will be called Venus. Orbiting and the concert CD will be called Venus. Live. Still Orbiting. I think this is what must happen to you when you chase sheep all day.

unchainedtwo: How did you join Alanis Morissette for the 5 1/2 Weeks Tour?

Tori: This was truly Alanis' idea. The concept of us doing a double show together. She let me get a little frisky by letting me call it 5 1/2 Weeks. I made tea for her a few years ago when she popped back after a show on the Pele tour, the Dew Drop Inn, and we got on really well. So when she put this idea out there, it was quite good timing.

danielrehn: What faeries were involved in creating the new album?

Tori: The illegal ones.

Moderator: What ever happened to the Tori and Michael Stipe duet?

Tori: It's in the vaults right now.

Moderator: Thanks for chatting with us tonight. Any words before you go?

Tori: I just want to tell everybody that though we have miles to go creatively before we see you out there, that we are truly looking forward to creating a bit of magic with you again. Sending you glitter and hugs... and take care of yourself from now until we see you again.

Moderator: For more information about RAINN check out www.rainn.org or call 1-800-656-HOPE. For the auctions on the Tori Amos shoe it is auctions.yahoo.com.

Tori: Thanks to Steve for creating the shoe. And for supporting RAINN to everybody out there for supporting RAINN.

Steve: 1-800-656-HOPE, press 4 to volunteer, 2 for donations. Look for the RAINN booths and information about the shoes during the tour. And thanks to Yahoo for supporting our effort as well.

Moderator: Thanks for chatting and good night Tori and Steve.

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