Here is a page dedicated to Tori Amos, the best friend I never met.
Words
Her Music
Pictures
Links
Who is Tori Amos? Many know her as being the fiery redhead that brought
a few albums out into the world... But what is behind it? Who is she really?
And what do her songs mean?
First off, I will state that I am not a Tori Amos fanatic. I will tell you
exactly what lies behind my love and admiration for her. Her music... it's
good, wonderful... but not the best (in my humble opinion). So then why do
I own every damn album, single, video, anything that she's come out with?
Well, it's simple. I am a lonely girl... sure, I have friends, family, and
a wonderful boyfriend... but there is one thing missing in my life that will
forever make Tori Amos my heroin. I can't find understanding, through anyone
in my social circle... they are all great friends, but they have never fully
understood my madness, and doubtfully ever will. This is why I love Tori
so... When I was 15, I bought "Under the Pink". It was during a period
in my life when everything was confused. I had just come to realize the extent
of my own inner turmoil, and I was fighting a battle with my fears, trying
to find a way to relate to the rest of the world. I was just "coming out"
about being molested as a little girl. In fact, the event had been burried
inside of me for years, and I had only just begun to realize it had actually
happened to me. I searched for someone... anyone... who could understand
my pain. Who could really say something sensible besides "Poor Clari." Poor
Clari my ass! Who needs pity?! Not me, never! All I wanted was someone who
could tell me what's what and why I felt the way I did. I was struggling
with my religious beliefs, my beliefs in humanity, my beliefs in myself.
Then I heard "God"... The song, not the deity, silly! There was something
in the song that made me smile, cry, laugh, scream... I was just starting
to explore other religions, and the song rang true to me in so many ways.
Then, a year later, after "Under the Pink" had been burried and somewhat
forgotten... I went through even more unfortunate traumas. I was raped the
beginning of my sophmore year, and subsiquently asked to "take some time
off" by my beloved boarding school. Seperated from my boyfriend, the only
man who had ever made me feel like more than meat... taken from my friends,
the world I called home, my educational salvation... right on top of being
sexually traumatized (again)... I was losing my mind. Being stuck into the
public school that ruined my childhood wasn't exactly a big help either.
I had begun cutting myself, considering suicide very seriously, and then
when my boyfriend broke up with me, I began sleeping around with men I didn't
even know. Then... someone told me to buy "Little Earthquakes"... I did,
for some reason... likely the memory of "God". I heard "Silent all these
Years"... a song which broke my heart, and mended my soul. And every other
damn song on the album, it caused me to see myself in a way I never had before.
The lyrics were all so perfect! They showed me that there was someone
out there, celebrity though she may be, who understood me. Thank you, Tori...
you saved my life.
So who is Tori Amos?
Tori was born on August 22, 1963 in Newton, North Carolina. Her name was
Myra Ellen Amos. Her two siblings were pianists, and she tried to play herself
at a very young age. She had an ear, and quickly proved herself to be an
extraordinary talent. (sound familiar?) At the age of 17, she changed her
name to Tori. She later started a rock band called Y Kant Tori Read? They
stayed together around 2 years until they were given a horrible review, calling
them a "bimbo band". It was then that she saw the movie "Thelma and Louise",
and in seeing a rape scene, the memories of having experienced it herself
came flooding back. This was when she wrote "Me and a Gun", and soon after,
"Little Earthquakes" was on the shelves.
<Please understand that this very short bio was written purely from memory.
Any facts that you know to be false were only mistakes. Please
write me if you find any>
The
Music
Here is a nice little list of Tori's albums. There will be a brief
description and opinion after each one written by yours truly, and a link
to buy them.
Little Earthquakes
In my opinion it is a tie between this puppy and "Under the Pink" for her
best albums. I read a survey somewhere of Tori fans, which listed this
one as being the overall favorite by FAR. It's brilliant. My boyfriend can't
even listen to it because it stirrs so many emotions in him, he's afraid
of having a seizure! (he's epileptic) This is the album that saved my life.
You may remember hearing "Crucify", "Silent all these Years", "China", and
others on the radio or MTV.
Buy
it from Amazon
Under the Pink
See above, a tie for favorite. Wonderful melodies, unbeatable lyrics... this
album will change your life! You may remember hearing such songs as "God"
and "Cornflake Girl" before. My favorite is "God".
Buy
it from Amazon
Boys for Pele
This is an iffy album. Some people adore it, others hate it. I love the thing,
and don't give a damn what all you people think of it! It's raw, it's real,
it's wonderful. "Blood Roses", "White Horses", and "Putting the Damage On"
are amazing songs. I saw Tori live during her "Recovering Christian" tour
and the feeling she put into some of the songs off this album was VERY intense.
Two thumbs up!
Buy
it from Amazon
From the Choir Girl Hotel
Ah! Now here's a challenge... plugging this album. I like it, some of the
songs are absolutely magic, but I personally don't think it's anywhere close
to being her best. But! People I know who absolutely HATE Tori Amos swear
by this album. It seems that there is something intangible which causes hardcore
Tori haters to love it. I don't know. The song "Spark" is very good,
though.
Buy
it from Amazon
Here are the official tour dates for the Alanis and Tori tour
8/18 Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., NCR Arena
8/20 Orlando, Fla., Orlando Arena
8/21 Atlanta, Lakewood Amphitheater
8/22 Nashville, Starwood Amphitheater
8/24 Charlotte, N.C., Blockbuster
8/25 Washington, D.C., Merriweather Post Amphitheater
8/27 Camden, N.J., E Center Amphitheater
8/28 Holmdel, N.J., PNC Bank Arts Center
8/29 ** To Be Announced**
8/31 Boston, Tweeter Center
9/1 New York, Jones Beach
9/3 Buffalo, N.Y., Darien Lake Amphitheater
9/4 Columbus, Ohio, Polaris Amphitheater
9/5 Indianapolis, Dear Creek Amphitheater
9/7 Toronto , Molson Amphitheater
9/10 Pittsburgh, Starlake Amphitheater
9/11 Chicago, World Amphitheater
9/12 Detroit , Pine Knob Amphitheater
9/14 Cincinnati, Riverbend Amphitheater
9/15 Milwaukee, Marcus Amphitheater
9/16 Minneapolis,Target Center
9/19 Concord, Calif., Pavilion
9/20 Bakersfield, Calif., Centennial Gardens
9/22 Phoenix, America West Arena
9/24 Las Vegas, Nev. , Mandalay Bay
9/25 Los Angeles, Irvine Amphitheater
Sorry folks, don't have any yet. They'll be up in about a week, I hope :o)
Yes, there are tons more, but I wanna get this page up today, and I gotta be at work in 5 minutes and I'm naked... so ok folks, it'll be finished later, but at least it's posted finally!
Oh, and if you have a Tori site you'd like me to link here, e-mail me :o)