A Statement About Independence

Following the break with Epic Records, ToriAmos.com has been temporarily refurbished (a new design expected in a few weeks), with the following message from Tori leading things off:

This is an exciting time. There will be many ways in the present and in the future for artists to cross what has become the new unchartered Music Frontier. Ways that may seem impossible today but in a months time will seem probable. There are many ways to be involved in a structure. But what kind of structure will it be and what will be the make up of it’s foundation? These are important questions, so important that I’ve been observing many different working templates in the music business for years now. The key word here is the word “working.” In some cases these structures do not work positively for some artists. Only for those who have designed the system to specifically “work” for the corporate few. Artists need not fear structure, we just have to design and partner with expansive ideas. It is time for us as artists to stop being dependent, dependent on any system that has become undependable. Only then can we help to create a new system that propagates and secures independence for each creator.

The old American Doll Posse site will be available again at a new address in the near future is now hosted on ToriAmosMusic.com.

Thanks to Beth Robinson for the tip!

It's Official: Epic Changes For Tori, Inc.!

After 22 years of being in the shackles of the major label system, Tori has chosen the path of independence for her next work. As with many of her contemporaries Tori is devising new and exciting ways of getting her music to the masses without the boundaries and limitations of the major music companies.

Last week, several people wrote in to say that Tori was no longer listed on Epic Records’ roster. Not knowing if it was the real deal, a big goof-up or an honest mistake, we weren’t really sure what to say about it. But, with those words in this week’s Ask Billboard, Tori’s manager John Witherspoon publicly opens the door on the latest significant development in Tori’s career. Whether this means free digital copies of albums like Issa (Jane Siberry), Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails or something else entirely different, only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: it means more freedom — something she’s been fighting for since Little Earthquakes — and that’s certainly a good thing for her and her artistry. (Interestingly, Tori touched on this subject in an interview broadcast on Polish radio last December. Foreshadowing much?)

Witherspoon also drops a few more juicy tidbits as well.

It seems that Tori will start working on a “project of new music and visuals” this Summer with an expected release in Spring 2009. Although a bit vague, we would guess this is not the American Doll Posse tour DVD since he indicates this is a new material. However, we don’t know any more about the status of the DVD than the rest of you and that’s only speculation.

Additionally, Witherspoon explains Matt Chamberlain’s recent sojourn to Cornwall: he was recording demos for The Light Princess, the musical that Tori is working on with Samuel Adamson for the United Kingdom’s National Theatre. (By the way, as he notes on his website, Matt’s back from Cornwall after spending “an amazing” two weeks at Martian Studios.)

Thanks to Fabrizio Leone for sending the original question to Ask Billboard and to Matthew for being the first of several people to let us know! No thanks to my employers for keeping me at work late on a Friday night so I couldn’t get this information posted sooner!

Billboard Reveals Tori's Sales Over Time

Rahdne recently wrote to Ask Billboard about Tori’s sales figures, and got a response that included sales figures for Tori’s albums and major singles, from Little Earthquakes to American Doll Posse. While Tori’s early albums have sold very well — LE moved nearly 2 million copies, and UTP sold 1.4 mill — ADP has sold a disappointing 152,000 copies in the United States since its release. While Nielsen Soundscan does track iTunes to some extent, it’s unclear whether these figures include iTunes sales of Tori’s albums.

Tori's Soundstage DVD Due For Re-Release

Good news: those of you who have been waiting for the DVD of Tori’s 2003 Soundstage performance in Chicago Ill., Liberator Music has acquired the rights to the Soundstage series and will be releasing (or re-releasing) everything, including Tori’s DVD, which has been out of print for some time.

Tori’s set includes “Black-Dove (January),” “Wednesday,” “Funny Day/China,” “Jackie’s Strength,” “Taxi Ride,” “Precious Things,” and “Cornflake Girl.” No release date has been set, but the Undercover article suggests it’ll be sometime in the next two years.

Other Soundstage recordings will emerge, including Aretha Franklin, Heart, Billy Idol, Chris Isaak, Cyndi Lauper, Counting Crows, Lucinda Williams, Alanis Morissette, and Joss Stone.

Thanks, Dylo and youremyenergy, for sending this in!

Legs & Boots: Everything Must Go!

Just a reminder that Legs & Boots, the official purveyor of downloadable, complete, soundboard recordings from the American Doll Posse tour, will be closing its virtual doors on March 31st. So, Monday will be your last chance to pick up any of the official bootlegs. If you’re planning on buying any, this weekend is the time to do it!

Unfortunately, it seems that arrangements could not be made to sell these downloads to those outside of the United States and Canada. However, the two free downloads that Legs & Boots are offering — Amber Waves and Not David Bowie are available to all.

Legs & Boots' Last Legs

ToriAmos.com has announced that Legs & Boots, the purveyor of official bootlegs from Tori’s 2007 American Doll Posse World Tour, will be shutting down on March 31st. So, if you were sitting on the fence about downloading any more of the 27 shows released, you have until the end of the month to jump off said fence, one way or the other. If you need an incentive to buy, the holiday discount for multiple show purchases remains in effect: if you’ve bought 5 or more shows, you’ll receive 10% off your purchase price and if you’ve bought 10 or more shows, the discount increases to 20%. And, as the graphic says, previous purchases do count towards the discount level.

American Doll Posse: Making the List

While it didn’t make The Buffalo News’ Jeff Miers’ Top 10 albums of 2007, American Doll Posse did rank an honorable mention in a follow-up article listing notable releases by women that didn’t make his Top 10, saying:

Tori Amos, “American Doll Posse” (Sony): An incredibly ambitious and overtly dense album, but worth the investment of time required to unravel it. Classic Tori, then.

Read on for instances of American Doll Posse making 2007 year-end lists.

read more...

File Download Solutions For Mac Users

Jump the cut to see several solutions offered to Mac users having trouble downloading the free song files from Toriamos.com, mine included.

read more...

The Legs And Boots Holiday Sale!

In honor of the American Doll Posse world tour coming to a close, ToriAmos.com has announced two special holiday offers from Legs & Boots.

First, they are now offering discounts for high-volume bootleg purchasers. Anyone who has bought at 5 shows will receive a 10% discount on future purchases while those who have ponied up to 10 or more shows will get a total of 20% off. Previously purchased shows do count towards your discount level. However, retroactive discounts to those who have already exceeded those counts are not being offered. Alas!

Second, they are giving away two free downloads from the Legs & Boots collection: Amber Waves (from the November 29th Salt Lake City show, judging by the strains of “Caught A Lite Sneeze” as the mp3 fades out) and Not David Bowie (judging by the track number in the filename, this is probably from the Denver show).

Note: we’ve gotten a report that these files downloaded “as a document” for at least one Mac user and could not be played to his iPod. Not being a Mac user myself, I can not verify this. I did not experience any problems getting or playing the mp3s on Windows. However, Luddite that I am, I do not have a portable digital music player, and can not test that second part of the report. A note has been sent to Customer Service about this but haven’t heard if there has been a resolution yet. Any other Mac users out there have issues or solutions? Please Let us know.

Finally, while we have your attention, a gentle reminder to those who have purchased any of the bootlegs: BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP! Their policy is one download per purchase so if your computer crashes or you, er, uh, um, accidentally delete the directory containing all your downloads (not that anyone we know would do that! *whistles innocently*), you’re up the proverbial creek without a paddle. Taking the time to make a backup copy of your purchased files – on CD-R, another hard drive, cassette tape, whatever – is worth it!

WhatsOnStage On The Light Princess

While the fact that Tori and Samuel Adamson were collaborating on The Light Princess was not news to most Toriphiles, Adamson’s mention of that in that recent interview for WhatsOnStage.com must have taken them by surprise since they reported on it like it was breaking news. No additional details were offered, but a possible 2009 premiere was mentioned which, we believe, is the first whisper of when this production might see a curtain call. Thanks to Christoff for letting us know!

read more...