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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (US)
Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Preacher's daughter Tori Amos bringing ‘Sinful Attraction Tour' to Atlanta

By Jonathan Williams
For the AJC

A piano prodigy from an early age, Tori Amos' conservative Southern upbringing has been a lyrical focal point since her emergence onto the alternative rock scene in the early '90s. Her latest album, "Abnormally Attracted to Sin," continues to address these and other themes, perhaps in a more direct way than any of her previous work. With her "Sinful Attraction Tour" coming to Atlanta this month, Amos discusses the album, Atlanta and unfortunate coincidences.

Q: You always seem to include Atlanta as one of your tour stops. How does playing in Atlanta compare with other cities?

A: The reception in Atlanta is always one of the best. There seems to be a connection with the music and the people. I don't know if it's because of the religious viewpoint of the songs and the understanding. My father is a Methodist minister, and my parents both hail from the South. My father went to Emory University and studied theology, then got his doctorate at Boston University years later. My parents are very much Southern Christians. I think there are people who come to the shows that have grown up in similar environments and maybe that's the connection.

Q: The last time you performed in Atlanta was in 2007, when you portrayed the different characters that appeared on the "American Doll Posse" album. How will the themes of your latest album be brought to life on this tour?

A: That's a good question. I had to think long and hard on how to make the tour work and how to feature the new music and yet how to respect the fact that people are coming because of the catalog. When I was doing my first couple of tours, figuring out my set list wasn't that hard because I only had 12 songs with B-sides or 24 songs with B-sides after "Under the Pink." But now there are hundreds of songs in the catalog, and I had to prioritize songs that weren't the same -- some that are more rhythmic, some that have a more confrontational side, some that are more piano-based -- and find a balance so that after a two-hour show people feel like they've had the full experience. So I've tried to create, with Matt Chamberlain on drums and Jon Evans on bass, a dynamic kind of show.

Q: You've been known to collaborate with the metal band Tool from time to time. Coincidentally, that band is playing the same night as your show.

A: Which is a drag because I've been promising Maynard [James Keenan, singer] that I would come to a show for 10 years. And he owes me a bottle of his wine, so it's unfortunate we're playing the same night.

Tori Amos with One eskimO, 8 p.m. July 27. $33.50-$43.50. Chastain Park Amphitheatre, 4469 Stella Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-233-2227, www.chastainseries.com.

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