Tori Amos - Interviews Archive

CABLE Guide (US)
February 19-25, 2000

Tori Amos Finds Bliss

Tori Untamed
Rocker Tori Amos Lets Loose On Alanis, Her Love of Wine and Blowing Up Boats

by Matt Hendrickson

For the past 10 years, Tori Amos has been a dogged road warrior, playing thousands of show in front of ever-growing numbers of rabid fans. Last year was no different, except that, for the first time, Amos, 36, shared the spotlight with another superstar, Alanis Morissette. The two singers joined forces for a 28-date tour that was one of 1999's most successful outings (the September 24 concert in Las Vegas will air on pay-per-view February 19). Now the refreshingly straight-shooting Amos -- who earned two Grammy nominations this year, for Best Alternative Album and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance -- is taking a much-needed break from the road, preferring to dabble in her home studio, in southwestern England, a place that she says is "right between a chicken farm and a dairy farm."

TV Guide: How are things?

Tori Amos: Not so bad today. It's our first sunny day in almost two weeks; winter in England can be very depressing. I'm going to take a walk down by the coast a little later.

TVG: Tell me about the tour with Alanis.

Tori: I'm glad I did it. I'm not a person who gets all warm and fuzzy, so I'll tell it to you straight: At the end of the day, it comes down to integrity, and Alanis is a woman of integrity. We had two big production setups and two very different shows, and to be able to pull that off and have a laugh while you're doing it was special.

TVG: The two of you spent a lot of time together. What surprised you the most about her?

Tori: She's so forgiving. Alanis sees the best in people; I don't. Why should I? I look for the shadows and she looks for goodness. We're opposites in many ways, and I don't think either of us would want to trade places. I think it's beautiful that she has that forgiving nature, but for me, if someone wants forgiveness, I tell them, "Go forgive yourself. It's on your soul, baby, not mine. I've got my own s--- to deal with." It would crack me up when she would be so gracious to people and I'm sitting there, rolling my eyes, going, "Oh, my God."

TVG: You've been at this longer than she has. Did she ask you for advice?

Tori: Very few people have been through what she's been through -- selling 30 million or whatever copies of your first record. But when you have a cup of tea and talk about your day, invariably your own perspective on things comes out. We were able to trade our views on things. They say opposites attract, and there's something in that. But there were places where we met and had a giggle.

TVG: What was the Vegas show like?

Tori: Well, Vegas is always tricky. You get those people who got their discount ticket coupons from the Mirage or wherever we were. Banter with the audience can add to the show, but when one person decides to ruin it for the rest, that's not going to happen on my time. My shows are about mutual respect. I ran into one of those fans that night in Vegas. This guy was just stupid and drunk. I gave him the finger for 30 seconds until he got it.

TVG: You take your own wine cellar on the road. What is it, a truck or something?

Tori: No, it's just a few cases at a time. But they keep getting shipped in. I live well on the road. That's how you do it for years and years.

TVG: Congrats on your Grammy nominations. Will you be attending?

Tori: No, that isn't my way. (Laughs) I did it in 1994, and I think you do it once a decade.

TVG: Are you working on a new album now?

Tori: I'm working on strange projects right now, nothing for a new album. It has more to do with visual stuff. I can't really talk about it. I signed a secrecy clause. I know that sounds silly. I'm really into visuals right now, like film. I've been touring since 1991. I need a break from it all.

TVG: What are your plans for the rest of 2000?

Tori: I'm going to buy a new boat and race it. I blew up my last one.

TVG: Are you serious?

Tori: Yeah, it was an accident. I took it into water that was too shallow, gunned it and the engine caught on fire and it blew up. I had a friend of mine with me, and she had no idea what was going to happen to her. Some guys from a barge picked us up. Finally we got them to drop us off on a dock, and one of their other buddies took us back to my house. It was fascinating.

TVG: Is your friend still speaking to you?

Tori: She is, but she had to go have a couple of margaritas afterward to calm her down.

TVG: What kind of boat are you going to buy?

Tori: I'm looking at this thing called a Junior -- it's really cute. I love being on the water, but I'm not buying a huge boat, sleeping on it and having some nutcase jump on and reenact a scene from Dead Calm. That's all I need.

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