Tori Amos

Tori Amos , born Myra Ellen Amos on August 22nd, 1963 in music with Newton in North Carolina, is an American singer, it is also Pianiste. She is married with a British sound engineer Mark Hawley, with whom she had a girl, Natashya " Tash" Lorien Hawley, born the September 5th 2000.

Biography

First years

Myra Ellen Amos (called Myra Ellen) is the girl of Dr. rev. Edison and Mary Ellen Amos. She was born on August 22nd 1963 with the Hôpital Old Catawba in Newton (North Carolina) at the time of a voyage of her parents from their house with Georgetown until in North Carolina. When it had 2 years and half, its family moved with Baltimore in the Maryland where it started to play of the piano; she went to the church of her father each week. At the 5 years age, she wrote her first song. During its years, she learned much from her maternal grandmother who was a Cherokee Is having European ancestors.

In 1968, a purse of the Academy of music out of pocket, it enters this Peabody school as younger allowed. At the 11 years age, its purse was stopped for indiscipline: she preferred to play of ear (and not only of the classical music…) and worked more its own compositions that the philosopher's stones. Two years later, it started to study in Montgomery College and started to play in piano-bars (of which many gay bars), chaperonnée by his/her father the Reverend Amos. This last started to send the models of the songs which she had written at recording companies.

She pointed out herself by gaining a contest of young talents of the county, and its photograph was published in a local newspaper. The song which she interpreted called More Than Just has Friend . When it entered to the college, it was already well-known in Washington. During its years of studies to the college Richard Montgomery, she was elected " Homecoming Queen" , " Most Likely to Succeed female", " Most Talented female" and " Best AlAround female" , and it was implied in the theater company. As a former student of the college, Amos coécrivit Baltimore with his/her Mike brother for a competition in which the team of baseball of Baltimore Orioles took part.

This song gained the contest and became its first individual in a hurry for its family and her friends. About at that time, it adopted the name of “Tori”, after the friend of a friend said to him that it resembled more one Tori than in Myra Ellen. According to remarks of Tori Amos it would be in reference to a tree -- the pine Torrey -- or then it would be because it became famous -- English No-TORI-IOUs -- more especially as it carried leather pants when it taught Sunday with the church of her father.

In 2007, it lends its image on a purely gracious basis with an Internet site devoted to the rock'n'roll, multiple protests appear and a polemic is done day to know if its repertory is " rock" or not. A petition not gathering far from ten signatures obliges the administrator of the site to modify the aspect and to remove the photographs used of it.

there Kant Tori Read (1985-1988)

At the 21 years age, Amos moved with Los Angeles in order to continue its musical career. It took down many uses in interim there. She played in particular in a publicity for the cereals Kellogg's - for this role, she beat Sarah Jessica Parker, not yet known. Amos states to have obtained this work because it could really play of the piano whereas Parker could not it. After having played and singhaving sung one night in a bar, it accompanied back in the car a customer who attacked it sexually (an experiment told in “Me and has gun”). She also met Steve Caton, guitarist on her albums until To Venus and Back (1999).

In 1985, Amos created a group of music named Y Kant Tori Read. The name of the group is a reference to the facility of Amos to play ear of the pieces of music with Peabody and its aversion to play certain partitions. Apart from itself, the group was composed of Steve Caton, Matt Sorum (which formed part later of The Cult and Pink Guns), and Brad Cobb. One year later, Atlantic Records offered to Amos a contract of 6 albums. In 1988, its first album Y Kant Tori Read was carried out and descended by criticism. It is an experiment which marked it but Amos started again to work with other artists (like Stan Ridgway of Wall off Voodoo, Sandra Bernhard, and Al Stewart) as a chorus-singer. In addition, it recorded the song “Distant Storm” for the film China O' Brien ; to the credits, the song is allotted to a group called “Tess Makes God” with “the participation of Ellen Amos as a chorus-singer”.

Little Earthquakes (1990-1992)

Atlantic Records required of Amos a disc for March 1990. When it showed them its first recordings, they were rejected by saying that: “a girl playing of the piano”, that was not going to sell. Entirely altered with the assistance of Steve Caton, Eric Rose, Will MacGregor, Carlo Nuccio, and daN Nebenza, the disc was finalized with songs which spoke about its religious education, its sexuality, of its identity and its rape. The executives of Atlantic Records changed opinion into listening to the altered version of the disc and transferred Amos to the United Kingdom to accompany launching by the “new” album carried out under the title Little Earthquakes .

The European counterpart of Atlantic Records, East West, worked with eagerness to promote the promotion of the disc. It was launched with “Me and has Gun”. When the album was carried out with the the United Kingdom, it was placed directly at the 14e place in the charts. It left to the the United States one month later where it was accommodated favorably by criticism. The individual extracts of this album were “Me and have Gun”, “Silent All These Years”, “Clouded”, “Winter” and “Crucify”. In parallel, Tori recorded the original soundtrack “Happy Workers” for the film Toys , as well as a version remix which is also included in this original soundtrack.

During this first round, Amos bound friendship with the author Neil Gaiman who became a Fan. It is often told that the character Delirium drawn from the comics The Sandman of Gaiman takes as a starting point it; Gaiman would have declared: “they steal without any scruple of the characteristics one the other”. The character has in fact created before both do not meet.

Under The Pink (1993-1994)

After having turned during all the year 1992 to promote Little Earthquakes , Amos went to the New Mexico in order to write its second album solo Under the Pink . It was placed directly in 1re position at the the United Kingdom and 12e at the the United States at the time of its exit in January 1994. However, some critical found that it resembled more a repetition of the first album that to an evolution. A few years later, it nevertheless was classified among the best albums of the years 1990 by the magazine Rolling Stone. In February, Amos began the round “Under the Pink”. Four songs left into individual: “God”, “Cornflake Girl” (classified 4e with the the United Kingdom), “Pretty Good Year” and “Past the Mission”, on which the Trent Reznor of the group Nine Inch Nails sings. An limited edition commemorating the Australian round was carried out and it included a second disc “More Pink”, a compilation of faces B.

At that time, a Australian Tabloïd succeeds in taking photographs under the skirt of Amos during a performance in concert during which it did not carry breeches. Amos did not make any comment on this fact during eleven years, only quoting it as the reason for which it did not make any round in Australia between 1995 and 2005.

Amos also collaborated in the song “Butterfly” for the original soundtrack of the film Higher Learning left in 1994 like with a resumption the song “Losing My Religion” of the group R.E.M.

In June 1994, Amos cofonda RAINN (Grater, Deceives and Incest National Network). RAINN places at the disposal a toll-free number with the the United States of assistance and support for the victims of rape, allowing the comparison of its correspondents with their local crisis center. In 1995, Amos, in duet with Robert Plant, collaborated in the song “Down by the Seaside” on the album Encomium in homage to Led Zeppelin.

Servant boys For Shovel (1995-1996)

Little time after the end of the round “Under the Pink”, Amos left its third album solo: “Servant boys for Shovel”, much longer than the two precedents. The reception of criticisms was mitigated. Texts are not very comprehensible for certain fans, especially with the use of the stories of church, the bagpipes and a chorus gospel; it is what perhaps held this album apart from the ordinary circuit. After, the round was “Dew Drop Inn”; at the time of this one, as on the album, Tori played of the harpsichord in addition to the piano. The individual one “has Lite Sneeze” was a success with the the United Kingdom and the remix of “Professional Widow” by Armand Van Helden functioned so well in discotheque that it is this version which was included later in its anthology “Bruise off has Librarian”.

“Servant boys for Pele” is the album which best went in the charts on other side of the Atlantic, reaching the 2e place with the the United Kingdom and with the the United States at the time of its exit in January 1996. Like its first four albums solo, it is platinum disc (more than one million discs sold with the the United States).

The film “Twister” left in 1996 includes a remix of one of the songs of Amos, “Talula” which is on the album “Servant boys for Pele”.

In 1996, Tori also created its own label named Igloo which belongs to Atlantic Records. The first group which it signed (and with which it coproduisit) was “Fart” directed by the singer LISA Papineu. Their first album éponyme included the song “Lil Boots” which is reproduced also on the original soundtrack of film “The Crow: City off Angels”. The record sales did not have much success and the label closed quickly.

Amos organized a very mediatized concert on television called “the concert for RAINN” with the end of the year 1996. During this concert, Amos interpreted its song quasi blasphématoire “Muhammed my friend” with his/her friend Maynard James Keenan of the group Tool. During this year, it also has Co-writing and interpreted the song “It Might Hurt has Little Bit” with the singer Michael Stipe of the group R.E.M.. It had been had a presentiment of for the B.O of the film Don Juan DeMarco but finally was not used and realized forever.

Amos spoke as of its experiments with Drogue S Hallucinogène S, in particular on the album “Servant boys for Pele”. She declared that she “had taken the with the devil” during one of her experiments; it is what led it to write the song “Father Lucifer”.

From The Choirgirl Hotel (1997-1998)

The fourth album of Amos “From the Choirgirl Hotel” left in May 1998. The album is different from the precedents. The rough sounds of its piano are accompanied by dance music, electronics and Jazz. Some criticisms are mitigated but the majority is positive. He was elected one of the best albums of the year by the musical magazine Q and the fans in general accommodated it well.

The first extract “Spark” functions commercially during spring 1998, the songs which leave thereafter are well also sold: “Jackie' S Strength” and “Raspberry Swirl”. The version Remix ée of “Jackie' S Strength” climbed in the first place of the charts Dance. The album itself is a business success like its predecessors by reaching the 6e place with the the United Kingdom and the 5e with the the United States at the time of its exit. It ran out to more than one million specimens only on the territory of the the United States.

The round which followed the exit of the album, the “Plugged '98”, was the first where Amos was accompanied by a whole group. Thereafter, at the time the round “Five and has Half Weeks” in 1999, Amos divided the head of poster with Alanis Morissette before the exit of its double album “To Venus and Back”. Many people mentioned Amos like the “first part” of Morissette because she always played the first; however, that was due only to the logistic aspects to bring a grand piano on scene.

To Venus And Back (1999)

Then, Amos planned to leave an album live, a testimony of its first round with a group in 1998. It decided to write some songs to be included on a disc no-claims bonus on an limited edition; in the final analysis, it produced an double album which left in September 1999 under the title “To Venus and Back”.

The album includes/understands a disc live (subtitle “Live: Still Orbiting”) in addition to one disc studio with new songs (subtitle “Come Orbiting”). That was sparser so much in production than in arrangements but, like this last, it includes/understands influences of dance music and electronic music and a piano relatively in withdrawal.

One of the subjects tackled in the album is a succession of homicides of women unsolved in the Juárez city at the border between the the United States and the Mexico. The song which encloses the album, “1000 Oceans”, was much closer in the spirit to its first songs and, like most experimental “Bliss”, “Glory off the '80s” and “Concertina”, became a radiophonic success and in the prize lists. The album itself, because of its higher price due to the format doubles CD, reached the 22e place with the the United Kingdom and the 12e place with the the United States.

Strange Little Girls (2000-2001)

In 2000, Amos made a pause as well on the level of the rounds as on the level of the writing and it gave birth in September of this same year to her daughter, Natashya, after having made three miscarriages. She returned in 2001 with Strange Little Girls , an album of Reprise again S of songs written by men and speaking about the women. In spite of its pause, the album was still a business success, reaching the 16e place of the charts to the the United Kingdom and the 4e with the the United States, its best position over there during almost six years.

This time, criticisms were almost uniform: the majority of criticisms transfer the album like a large mixture, while speaking in praise of the improbable rewritings from “97 ' Bonnie and Clyde” of Eminem and “Raining Blood” of Slayer, but descending the versions from the cryptic song “Happiness has Warm Gun” of John Lennon and “Heart off Gold” of Neil Young.

The round which was followed from there, the “StrangeLittleTour”, the first round solo of Amos since 1994, was acclaimed particularly for its interpretations solo of songs of Boys for Pele , From the Choirgirl Hotel and To Venus and Back .

Scarlet' S Walk (2002-2003)

In 2002, Amos left its eighth disc studio, Scarlet' S Walk . Described like a “musical novel”, this album including/understanding 18 songs proved to be outstanding for various reasons. On the level of the style, proposed Amos percussions and the low one, using its piano like an accent rather than to propose it. On the level set of themes, the album explores the alter ego of Amos, Scarlet, and its voyage through America after the September 11th, 2001. Through the songs, Amos explores the history of America, the American people, the history of the Indians of America, the Pornographie, the Masochisme, the Homophobie and the Misogynie. The first individual one, “has Sorta Fairytale”, was classified in signal 10 with the the United States. It also left as individual to the the United Kingdom with a face B called " Operation Peter Pan.

The second individual one, “Taxi Wrinkles”, was a homage to the make-up man Kevyn Aucoin, a friend of Amos, and a title against the Homophobie. A competition for A-grade officials was organized on line in order to create a video clip for the song, and it went up until the place number 40 to the the United States. The third individual one, “Strange”, was remixé with the manner country and passed in loop to the radio. None of the two individual following left in the trade.

To try to prevent the illegal diffusion of its album on Internet, Amos, jointly with his/her husband and his team, invented a kind of special adhesive to close the readers portable CD containing the album. Those were then distributed to the press provided that they are returned in the forty-eight hours. If somebody tried to open the reader, this last and the disc would break of pieces. The success of this test was so large that the industry of the disc started to follow it.

In order to justify the purchase of the album rather than to download its contents illegally, CD was also used as key to reach the “Scarlet' S Web”, a Web site which included/understood various songs (“Tombigee”, “Mountain”) as well as many photographs and articles of newspapers which were not available nowhere elsewhere. Tori was named for a Grammy Award for the packing of the limited edition of the album. It included a DVD no-claims bonus as well as a collection of objects like stickers, a chart, and photographs. Once again, the album was a business success for Amos, reaching the 26e place with the the United Kingdom and the 7e place with the the United States and became its album more sold since five years.

Tales off has Librarian (2003)

In 2003, Amos left Tales off has Librarian , which it called a “musical autobiography” (it does not believe at the end “greatest hits”). Rather than to take again the individual ones and to gather them on a single disc, Amos chooses in the place to revisit some of its favorite songs of its career, concentrating on those of which she thought of being able to bring something moreover than on the master original. Amos added two new songs and two re-recorded faces B: “Angels”, “Snow Cherries from France”, “Sweet Dreams” and “Mary” (these two last having been recorded at the origin in 1990 during the sessions of the album Little Earthquakes ). Although the album was classified 40e with the the United Kingdom and 74e with the the United States, which makes of it its album the least best classified, the sales increased on the long run.

Welcome to Sunny Florida (2003-2004)

In 2004, Amos carried out a DVD/CD called Welcome to Sunny Florida . The DVD introduces to a performance as a public extracted the round “One Scarlet' S Walk” (“On the traces of French Scarlet”) of 2003. CD, as for him, gathers faces-B in the beginning only available on Internet, as well as new songs, the whole presented under the title of “Scarlet' S Hidden Treasures” (“hidden treasures of French Scarlet”). It was a business success: the DVD reached the 1re place in charts DVD with the the United Kingdom and the 2e with the the United States.

In November 2004, it lost his/her brother, Michael Amos, in an car accident.

The Beekeeper and Part by Piece (2004-2005)

At the end of February 2005, Amos reconsidered the front of the scene with a new album-concept, The Beekeeper . The album covers subjects such as death, adultery and the conflicts in love; it also refers short to the old gnostic mysticism. It was available on Internet more than one month before its exit. The critical first described it like its most accessible album, and like a reminiscence of its first album.

“Sleeps with Butterflies” was the first individual one with being drawn from the album, “Sweet the Sting” was following it at the summer. None of both left in the trade-circuit. The album itself reached the 24e place with the the United Kingdom and the 5e place with the the United States, making of Amos one of the rare women to have classified five albums or more in signal 10 American. In spite of that, “The Beekeeper” remains the weakest commercial performance of Tori (233  000 sold copies, number lower than the sales of the EP “Crucify” in 1992 and “Hey Jupiter” in 1996). It is however its best classification in Germany (8e place). The disinterest of Amos for the trade-circuit of music industry was posted at the time of the round “Original Sinsuality” it did not play first the individual drawn one from the album at the time of many dates. The recording companies wait in general until the singers interpret their individual and greater successes regularly.

The round which followed, called the “Original Sinsuality Tour”, started the 1er April 2005 and was the first round solo of Amos since 2001, proposing the piano and the organ. The round passed by the Australia; it was the first time since 1994. Criticisms of the round were mitigated, but it continued at the end of the summer 2005 through the Europe, including concerts in June 2005 with the festival of Glastonbury and the Meltdown festival of Patti Smith with London. The round finished with the the United States as “a Summer off Sin”, which accepted much better criticisms than the first American part, in spring. One of the striking facts of the round was that the fans could choose the recoveries that Amos would exploit at the time of its concerts the Web site of the artist. One of the selected songs was “Can' T Get You Out off My Head” of Kylie Minogue that Amos dedicated to him the day of the official announcement of the breast cancer of Kylie Minogue. The other songs interpreted by Amos incluèrent “People are Strange” of the Doors, “The Circle Game” of Joni Mitchell and “When the Levee Station-wagons” of Led Zeppelin.

In parallel with the album, Amos left an autobiography entitled Piece by Piece coécrite by the journalist music rock'n'roll Ann Powers. It explores there in a major way obsession of Amos for mythology and the religion, its process of writing of its songs while telling the history of its rise towards the celebrity.

American Doll Poses (2007)

During its round of summer and in several interviews, Amos revealed some details in connection with its next album. It was confirmed that this last will be entitled " American Posse" fraud; and on May 1st, 2007 will leave. The first interview including/understanding of the comments of the artist on this new album was published on March 12th on the site of the guitarist and journalist Paul Tingen. It provides explanations on the political nature of the album and comments on the image chosen for promotion: indeed, one can see there Tori Amos, the Bible in a hand and the word “shame” (shame) registered on the other, with blood dripping of under her skirt. For the album, which was with the departure announced in March 2007, Amos known as to have re-used the harpsichord (heard previously in the album Boys For Pele) and Wurlitzer (in Strange Little Girls and Scalet' S Walk). It revealed in an interview of Sound One Sound which it had also made use of a keyboard Yamaha synthetizer, and had changed microphones and of piano for the recording (this new piano is that which will accompany it in round). Nevertheless, one is still unaware of which place hold these various instruments in the album. Amos made various comments on the fact that American Doll Installation will reveal a personality of warlike woman (" warrior woman"). According to it, this album will be completely different from what it did before. Its exit will be followed of a world tour beginning on May 28th to Rome. The " small troupe" (" posse" in English) to which the name of the album refers is composed of the five women incarnated by Tori Amos under various disguises: Santa, Clyde, Isabel, Tori and Pip.

Discography/Videotex

Rounds

Amos is recognized like one of the artists of pop music carrying out the most rounds. It started to occur in bars and clubs as of 1976 and in a professional way while playing in clubs with London in 1991, but its first “true” round began in 1992. Since this date, it carried out more than 950 concerts during rounds. Its concerts known for its set-lists are varied one day on the other.

  • Little Earthquakes Turn : Amos began its first round with London on January 29th, 1992 and finished it with Auckland on November 30th, 1992. She played on a Yamaha piano in solo each evening. The round included/understood 142 concerts all around the world.

  • Under the Pink Turn : It is the second international round of Amos which began with Newcastle upon the Tyne with the the United Kingdom on February 24th, 1994 and which finished with Perth on December 13rd, 1994. Amos played of the piano in solo each evening, and the turn included/understood 181 concerts.

  • Dew Drop Inn Turn : February 23rd, 1996 with Ipswich in the United Kingdom, Amos began its third round all around the world, and its round finished with Boulder on November 11th, 1996. Amos played each evening of the piano, the Clavecin and the Harmonium, with Steve Caton which exploited of the guitar certain songs. The round included/understood 187 concerts.

  • Plugged '98 Turn : It is the first round of Amos in company of a group; this one including/understanding Amos itself with the piano, Kurzweil and also Steve Caton with the guitar, Matt Chamberlain with the battery, and Jon Evans with low. The round began with Fort Lauderdale on April 18th, 1998 and finished with East Lansing on December 31st, 1998, after 137 concerts.

  • 5.5 Weeks Turn / To Dallas and Back : the fifth round of Amos proceeded only in North America. The first part of the round was shared with Alanis Morissette and included/understood the same group as in 1998. Amos and its group continued during 8 concerts and then Amos started a series in concerts solos. The round began in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on August 18th, 1999 and finished with Denver, Colorado on December 9th, 1999, after 46 concerts.

  • Strange Little Turn : this round was the first after Amos had become mother in 2000 and its first round entirely solo since 1994 (Steve Caton was present on certain songs in 1996). It began on August 30th, 2001 with Londores and finished at December 17th, 2001 with Milan after 55 concerts.

  • One Scarlet' S Walk / Lottapianos : the seventh round again joins together Amos with Matt Chamberlain and Jon Evans, but not Steve Caton. The first part of the round which included/understood Amos with the piano lasted six months and at the summer 2003 Amos began a round in company of Ben Folds. The round began on November 7th, 2002 with Tampa and finished on September 4th, 2003 with West Palm Beach after 124 concerts.

  • Original Sinsuality Turn / Summer off Sin : this round was the first round solo of Amos since 2001 and began the 1er April 2005 with Clearwater, with Amos in the piano, two organ, and Rhodos. The round also passed by the Australia for the first time since 1994. Taken again Amos the road in August and September for the Summer off Sin in North America. The round included/understood 82 concerts, and six whole concerts left as a bootlegs official in 2005.

  • American Doll Poses Turn begins on May 28th, 2007 in Italy. Tori Amos is accompanied once again there by Matt Chamberlain and Jon Evans, but also for the first time since Plugged '98 Turn by a guitarist, daN Phelps. The European part of the round will be completed on July 21st, and it is expected that it continues then in September in Australia then in North America.

External bonds

  • Official site
  • Tori Amos Official Bootleg Shop

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