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Jane (US)
October 1999



Music Q&A

by Esther Haynes

Some of you believe that Tori Amos is a tormented prophet from Elysium. Others think she is nuts

Q. You've said that the songs you write just sort of come out of you. What happens when the juices arent flowing?

A. You have to be like a hunter and go out and track it. I use a bunch of different things, like visual art and books. I have a pretty extensive library, from cookery to spy novels -- whatever.

Q. Do you know Kid Rock's music?

A. No, but I know his A&R guy.

Q. He and Mary J. Blige both thank God in their liner notes. What deities would you thank?

A. Well, you've gotta wonder which God they're talking about. The Christians think they're the only ones -- when they say God, its their God. I don't see the divine force as these religions. I think these are all demigods.

Q. Okay. Well, Mary J. has a ton of sunglasses. Do you hoard anything?

A. Shoes and lip gloss. I get the lip gloss in shipments... And the shoes collect themselves. I just pick them up, like some people pick up nailpolish.

Q. Do you have any nasty habits?

A. I've been known to have Tourette's syndrome when I meet people in the music business. I'm intolerant of rudeness. Record company people get lazy and think they they're above the law, and artists forget that being a moron just because you're successful might get tiring quickly.

Q. I've noticed that you mention fairies a lot. Um, what exaclty are they?

A. It's a broad term for hte spiritual world. If you believe in the spirit world, you believe in it, if you don't, that's your arrogance. But if you go to Ireland and talk about fairies negatively, you'll get punched out.

Q. What's somethign that people would be surprised to learn about you, Tori?

A. Maybe that I don't hate Christians. I just have a problem with what they haven't claimed -- the dark side of Christianity... If Jesus were alive today, he certainly wouldn't be a member of the Christian church, Because, in the name of God, there's a lot of blood on the ground. And correct me if I'm wrong, but that isn't exactly "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Q. You've said that you had childhood fantasies about Jesus Christ, What do you fantasize about now?

A. A good night's sleep.


original article



[scan by Sakre Heinze]

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