Tori Amos - Interviews Archive

Z104 FM, Washington, D.C. (US, radio)
"Washington's Modern Music"
November 12, 2002

McDonald's Morning Drive with Dylan and Erin

Dylan: We're pleased to have our guest Tori Amos with us. She's appearing at the Patriot Center tonight. Tori, how's your visit to DC been so far?

Tori: It was good. I saw my parents. My mother hasn't been well.

Dylan: Ohhh, I'm sorry.

Tori: So, you know, it's just at that- it's been a tough year for her. So she'll be there tonight, which is good. But you know when you see your folks and you kind of feel like you should be there more?

Erin: Yep.

Tori: You know? They're not doing so well. But she never makes me feel guilty, which is great.

Erin: So your family is still here?

Tori: A lot of them are here.

Dylan: You went to school here in, or just outside of DC, Rockville?

Tori: *Yes*, I went to high school here, and did all sorts of, I guess, naughty things here.

Dylan: You did naughty things here?

Tori: Well, I learned how to be a proper gal.

Dylan: *laughs* Well, that's not naughty; that's good. I understand you were expelled from school at age 11. Is that right?

Tori: Um, conservatory.

Dylan: *Conservatory.* Okay.

Tori: Yes, yes. The Peabody, over in Baltimore. I've spent a lot of time in this area because my dad is a minister. He's retired now. But we moved churches, and so from Baltimore, Silver Spring to Rockville. And I worked in the clubs down here starting when I was 14, in DC.

Dylan: What was your first, like, gig that you were excited about in DC, you thought, Wow this is a big [club].

Tori: Mr. Henry's in Georgetown. It was a gay bar, and I was just playing for tips.

Dylan: Now, how did you get your father who was a minister to bring you into places like this when you were a kid?

Tori: Well, he figured that a gay bar, I wasn't going to get picked up. [Dylan and Erin laugh.]

Erin: Smart!

Dylan: That's great point!

Tori: He got picked almost every night, but he, you know, he ended up talking theology with most of his admirers.

Dylan: Now, when you went to high school here you were selected Most Likely to Succeed.

Tori: O, dear.

Dylan: Do you think that you have? Do you feel that you have succeeded? Do you feel that what you're doing, do you consider that success for you?

Tori: I guess, Dylan, you know the main thing is, is that you hope that the people you work with, the main thing is is that they feel creative and feel good about themselves. And that they feel respected. And then that's a successful day. You know, sometimes I'll do something or say something; I mean, I've done some things where I just, you know, you just put your hands over your eyes and go, *O badly done.* Why did I *say* that?

[Erin and Dylan laugh.]

Tori: You know, you just...

Erin: Yup.

Tori: And that is not successful day.

Erin: Right. *laughs*

Dylan: Well, the other Most Likely to Succeed was John Kent. Do you remember John Kent that you went to high school with?

Tori: Yes, I do. I remember him very well.

Erin: What's he doing? *laughs*

Tori: I, I hear- No, I-

Erin: John Kent, if you're listening: call in!

Tori: No, I hear he's doing exactly what he wants to do.

Dylan: Which was what?

Tori: I think he's living in Hawaii, last time I heard. And he refused to be a part of the corporate world. So, I don't know what he's doing, I don't know-

Erin: He's got, like, a surfboard and some flip-flops, and he's...

Tori: -He might be growing very, um, you know...

Erin: O! Herbal remedies.

Tori: Happy things. [Erin and Dylan laugh.] Yeah, I don't know, but...

Erin: That's a very popular business now-

Tori: I hear.

Erin: -herbal remedies.

Dylan: In Hawaii especially. [Dylan and Erin laugh.]

Erin: Do you still have that yearbook?

Tori: My mom has it, yeah.

Erin: Does she? With the, you were Homecoming Queen and all of that.

Tori: That's what it says.

Erin: Do you ever go through and just read what people say, See you next summer, or you know, *laughing* See you next year. Best friends forever, and you, like, haven't kept in contact with them.

Tori: No, but a lot of people come, they show up at the shows. You know...

Erin: And you'll take time to talk with them and all?

Tori: Some of them, they just come back and say hi and [

Erin: Wow.] it's like it hasn't been that long.

Dylan: We're talking with Tori Amos; she's appearing at the Patriot Center tonight. So Tori, what are the stomping grounds; what are the places you like to go visit when you're here?

Tori: Well, do you know, it's about- it's not about...to me it's about the land. So walking along the Canal by the Potomac, where a lot of people jog. You know, once you get out of Georgetown, that long walk that you can go for miles; I used to take that walk, I loved that walk. And I used to, when I worked on 16th Street, 16th and K, at the Sheraton Carleton at the time, I would always take that walk and walk up to the White House, and come back down and sing songs like *laughing* After The Lovin by Engelbert Humperdinck. [Dylan laughs uproariously.]

Erin: *laughing* Ye-e-e-ss.

Tori: You just go, O *geez.*

Dylan: Well, go see Tori Amos do her show of entire Engelbert Humperdinck covers, and she'll probably do some of her own originals, tonight at the Patriot Center. Thanks, Tori.

Erin: Thanks, Tori. I'll see you tonight.

Tori: Thanks, guys. [transcribed by Jessica Hartke]

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