Tori on The Pepsi Chart April 22 & 25, 1998

On April 22, 1998, Tori was featured on the U.K. TV show "The Pepsi Chart" on Channel 5. The program will be repeated again on April 25, 1998. I have reports on the show from John Hingley, Emma Taylor & Andy Tebbutt in my TV/Radio section.

From Emma Taylor + Andy Tebbutt

Tori's just been on "The Pepsi Chart" (Channel 5, 8 pm, UK) and we thought you'd like to hear what she said, so here's our transcript. The interviewer was Eddy Temple-Morris :

E: Her new album From The Choirgirl Hotel is imminent, it's coming out soon, ladies and gentlemen, Miss Tori Amos. So Tori, this album I just mentioned, you recorded it in Cornwall, is that right?

T: Yeah...

E: How did that come about?

T: I don't like studio's, I don't know... have you ever been in one ?! It's really corporate, some of them are really corporate - I mean you think lawyers are walking through the door.

E: So you went to Cornwall and found somebody's house, and broke into it ?!

T: An old barn, it had old cars in it, and we just... the engineers looked at me and I looked at them, and we said knock a few walls, knock a few roofs, and maybe we have something... so we just decided let's bring all the musicians in, and, you know... there's not a lot of night life - they can't do anything except play my music, even if it's boring - they have to sit there and do it.

E: And the stuff that you were doing there, you're new material, much more rhythmic than the Tori Amos of old - did that come about because of that fantastic remix of Professional Widow? The Armand Van Helden one. Was that the sort of inspiration for this new direction ?

T: Well I wouldn't say it's the only inspiration, I mean anybody I work with to be honest always influences me...I didn't work with Van Helden personally... when I was approached about remixes I had heard about him - I don't know the world very well, that world - but I said I feel good about sending my tapes to him, its not like the record company can just take my tapes... sweetie, they can't just take my tapes, you know what I mean !!! It doesn't work like that. It's once you get to a certain place as a musician, you say you know I'll send my work out to this person 'cos I respect what they do, and he did an amazing job. I do get inspired though by everybody I work with - if they're good. So I was just ready to collaborate with other people.

E: And talking more about the all new Tori Amos sound kind of thing, it's ..

T: Oh don't say new Eddy ! - I feel like the new Britain, or the new - the new ...

E: No, no, you know what I mean. The one thing that I want to ask you is, obviously you're classically trained and all that sort of stuff, (Tori mimes sticking finger down her throat !) - exactly !, well they're normally a bit clenched and they turn their nose up at modern technology and stuff, but you obviously haven't... you're using loops and normally it's like "loops?, no luvvie - piano's", but you're going more down the technology road now aren't you ? You've accepted that.

T: Well I think that what happens is if you've really done it, I mean, I've done the piano on my back, I mean once you've done it you really want... I wanted to kind of sit there and integrate my instrument with other players and I wanted to sit there and say, you know, I've done this girl and the piano thing for a long time, and I haven't left her - she's very much there. But I feel very comfortable, you know opening for Metallica right now, I really do...

E: Cool ! You heard it here first !

T: No. I mean it's just because when you have players that you're working with, you go, you know, we've got a bit of volume here, let's go !

E: So are you getting away from this sort of "kooky girl baring her soul behind the piano" thing ?

T: You know when you just are yourself and people have this impression of you, and you just kind of walk around with your idea's on things, and everybody thinks you're a bit nuts... and then you kind of think, well, what if it's the other way around? I mean, maybe being a little different is a good thing, so I don't know, I just...

E: It's a good thing. It's a very good thing ! Ladies and gentlemen, a big round of applause for Tori Amos !

As he introduces the "Spark" video, she kisses his cheek...

The whole interview was very informal, Tori was very relaxed, and she seemed in a good, happy mood.

From John Hingley

hi, i just thought i could give you an outline of the interview... anything within quote marks are tori's actual words (i am pretty confident of their accuracy - i checked with my recording) Ý the interview began with the recording in a barn in cornwall subject.. tori said she didnt like studios, too corporate, so she found the barn.. "knock a few walls, knock a few roofs, and maybe we have something"... (talking about band) - "there's not alot of nightlife - they can't do anything except play my music, even if it's boring..." Ý then the interviewer (who succeeded in calling her kooky at least twice, and describing it as an all new tori amos sound, which she quickly denied), brought up the fat that tori's new music was more rhythmic, is it influenced by armand van helman mix? she says no, she is influenced by everybody she works with... Ý the most exciting thing of this whole interview for me:

"i've done this girl and the piano thing for a long time, and i havent left her, she's very much there, but i feel very comfortable, you know, opening for metallica right now, i really do"Ý Ý wow! i like metallica almost as much as i do tori!! this is incredible! if you have any other info on this i _really_ _need_ to know... Ý "it's just because when you have players that you're working with, you go, you know, we've got a bit of volume here, let's go" Ý my god i love this girl! just imagine tori doing a concert with metallica!!!! Ý whew.. Ý the guy then asks her if she's getting away from the kooky girl behind piano.. she starts talking about how some people thinks she's a bit nuts.. and then: Ý "And then you kind of think, well, what if it's the other way around, I mean, maybe, maybe being a little different is a good thing." Ý well, this has just instantly become my sig.:) which happens to be replacing a metallica quote... Ý they then showed the spark video.. not all of it i dont think, but a good chunk of it... Ý so wow, metallica, boy am i pleased to hear her even mention them :)

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