News: BBC 6 Music 6 Mix Transcript (October 27, 2006)

Many thanks to Katran_sama for sending in this transcription of Tori’s appearance on BBC 6 Music’s 6 Mix on Friday, October 27th. The program is still available for your listening pleasure in the BBC’s streaming archive until this coming Friday.

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Asha: Many thanks to Datarock for the last hour, a cool mix from the Norwegian lands. Next up, we have a very talented musician joining us on the 6 Mix. I know a lot of you have been waiting for this. She’s got loads of fans. Well, you don’t need to wait very much longer. She’ll be joining us after this.

6 Mix on BBC 6 Music

Asha: Hi, I’m Asha on BBC 6 Music with a very special guest on the show tonight. She actually needs no introduction, but I will introduce her properly anyway. She’s a lady that was at the forefront of the female singer-songwriter movement in the ‘90s, famous for two instruments: the piano and her beautiful haunting voice, also well known for writing emotionally intense music, and I think it’s fair to say: her gorgeous hair. (laughs) She’s sold more the 15 million albums worldwide, is multi Grammy nominated, and has had many hit singles including “Crucify,” “Cornflake Girl,” “A Sorta Fairytale,” and the #1 “Professional Widow.” Welcome, Tori Amos!

Tori: Thank you Asha. Good to be here.

Asha: How are you?

Tori: Yes, I’m very well.

Asha: Yeah, busy?

Tori: Yes, busy bee.

Asha: So you’re here tonight to play some records. Tell me about your collection, your music collection.

Tori: Well we have on this living breathing computer, it’s sort of alive this thing, it has about 6,000 entries and over the years I guess because this is at the studio—

Asha: Yeah.

Tori: And the crew that works at the studio, we’ve all invested to really have a wonderful library and it’s… it’s very dear to us. But I wanted to pick things that, it wasn’t about shocking you or picking the weirdest stuff, but just picking things that I feel have held up for me anyway over the years.

Asha: So what sort of, you’ve got so much music in your collection, what sort of genres have you got?

Tori: Well, um… I went for one of my favorites. Stevie Wonder was a huge influence on me. Maybe because as a keyboard player I thought he was really revolutionary. Especially at the time, and I remember being a little girl and listening to him play and I started to think of possibilities as a young keyboard player. So he really helped shape me.

Asha: Wow, ‘cause you started really young—

Tori: Two and a half.

Asha: Wow… (laughs)

Tori: Yeah. I was at the conservatory when I was five.

Asha: Yeah, and you started composing really young?

Tori: About five, yeah. Composing, yeah.

Asha: Other then Stevie Wonder, who else would you say influenced you in those early days?

Tori: Well, The Beatles because they were everywhere… more then anything, I think the arrangements, George Martin with the Lennon and McCartney material. I started to think about how to arrange; to study that. And then, of course, the rock gods Jim Morrison, Zep… you know, as a minister’s daughter, preacher’s daughter, so anything that the preachers would say “The devil” was behind… I… I was starving for. Are you kidding?

Asha: (laughs)

Tori: I was right there!

Asha: (continues laughing) Do you remember the first record you ever bought?

Tori: No, I don’t. I really don’t. My brother would bring in records every day before my dad would come home from church. His records then had to be out by the time dad got home. So, Michael would make me learn something off that record between that two hours.

Asha: Wow.

Tori: And he’s say, “You have to memorize this.” So here I am listening to (sings) “LA woman…” and I’m trying to jam at the piano as a little kid, on top of a phone book, figuring this out before the record went out again because my dad didn’t allow any of that music in the house.

Asha: So when he came home and said, “What have you been up to today, Tori?” Nothing… (laughs)

Tori: I was back to Bartok. Had the music right there.

Asha: Wow… ready.

Tori: Ready.

Asha: Cool. So, that you’ve mentioned Stevie Wonder… what else are we gonna hear in your mix?

Tori: Well, the Cocteau Twins because I really love melody and I love the fact that sometimes, we all know, if you’re a tortured poet that words can really drive you crazy. I mean, I know this because sometime I can’t finish songs for years and years and—

Asha: Really?

Tori: Because of a lyric. So, I love the idea that she’s invented her own language. (laughs) I think that’s great! And I had to put some David Bowie in there. Because I just think that as an artist when you talk about originality and what he could achieve and how he could transcend… you see, a lot of artists today don’t take us to that other place. Where you really think you’re with Dionysus, feasting.

Asha: (laughs)

Tori: I mean, it’s ok yeah, they’re jamming up there and everything, but you know they’re flesh and blood.

Asha: Yeah.

Tori: Because you see, they don’t know how to transcend, they don’t understand mythology and archetypes, they don’t know how to go—

Asha: But why do you think that is? Why do you think the new artists are so different in their approach?

Tori: Most of them, not all of them. Some of them can do it. Because they don’t understand theater. They don’t realize live performance; when you take stage you have to step into a different part of your self.

Asha: But Tori, are there any particular modern artists you like?

Tori: Sure! Many! I mean, I play it close to my chest just because some of these are my friends. And you don’t wanna leave them out. I mean I have to run into these people. You gotta remember that. “You hussy, why didn’t you mention me on that show?”

Asha: (laughs)

Tori: You know, you gotta watch it.

Asha: So you’re not gonna say any?

Tori: No, I’m not.

Asha: Oh, come on!

Tori: Let them all suffer! No, no, I have my favorites and it’s also very personal. It’s like, these are my lovers.

Asha: It’s 6 Mix on BBC 6 Music. I’m Asha and our special guest tonight, Tori Amos. And here is her Mix.

(Plays intro to “Lady Grinning Soul” by David Bowie)

“6 Mix, closer to the music that matters.”

(Song continues to play.)

“This is the 6 Mix”

(“America” by Simon and Garfunkel plays)

Tori: “Hey there, this is Tori Amos on 6 Mix, BBC 6 Music.”

(“The Priest” by Joni Mitchell plays)

“6 Mix, closer to the music that matters.”

Asha: Tori Amos is in the mix… You’re doing it again! You’re rocking me all the way to till the end of my shift! Wonderful stuff. Aaron Lee says “What a way to start the mix, great Bowie and a non obvious one, then Simon and Garfunkel. Good work Tori.” Good? Only good?

(“Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads plays)

(“IVO” by Cocteau Twins plays)

Tori: “This is Tori Amos, in the Mix, on BBC 6 Music.”

Asha: That’s right, Tori Amos is in the mix, and Lucy Bennett in South Wales is on the text at 64046: “I just wanted to say how much I’m enjoying Tori’s mix. A great selection of songs so far and wonderful in particular to hear some Joni Mitchell; one of my favorite songs. Tim in Devon says, “Talking Heads twice in one show! 6 Mix, you’re spoiling us.” Keep ‘em coming!

(“Pictures Of You” by The Cure plays)

“You’re in The 6 Mix.”

(“Children of the Revolution” by T-Rex plays)

Asha: This is the 6 Mix on BBC 6 Music. I’m Asha with our special guest tonight, Tori Amos. Tori, when you’re writing, we’ve spoken a little bit about the creative process, is it hard work? Does the stuff come quite easily to you?

Tori: Every piece is different. But they’re alive. I call them The Girls. And sometimes, they walk in with just perfume hanging in the air and I know they’re in the room. I know this is really hard to grasp, and I know that it’s part of the ether, however… I’ve talked to other song writers who, if they’re honest, will tell you that they’re not the sole creator in their work. The ones that are, usually don’t create forever because, you see their narcissism, they drown in it. You’re never creating alone, and I’m not getting into Yoda or the Force—

Asha: (laughs)

Tori:—- but I don’t see it like that. I see it a little more, um… Yes, they’re female to me. The songs are women. They’re not all heterosexual, but they’re all women. And… I have to make myself a blank canvas for them to then put themselves on it. Almost as if with every drop of love and every drop of blood they put themselves onto this canvas and then I have to decipher it. I have to translate their essence through this sonic structure. And sometimes, it takes me a couple days; that is very rare. And sometimes it takes me months, and sometimes it takes me years.

Asha: Wow.

Tori: And those drive me mad, they drive me crazy I can’t get it. Because it’s like a Rubik’s Cube; You know when you don’t have it. And I get very frustrated. But the ones that woo me, and they then sometimes make things happen to me so that I’ll understand them. And not always great things. I’ll be challenged and have to go through something.

Asha: Yeah?

Tori: So that I can then resonate with the piece and her pain and write about it.

Asha: Wow, so you have to really feel it genuinely, kind-of.

Tori: Yes, and maybe it doesn’t… my experience is only so that I can understand her language. It might not be anything close to what hers was as far as the details. But what it is; it’s about a feeling. Sometimes if she’s suffering loss, I have to suffer loss to understand it. And if there’s the feeling of, um… you know, worthlessness? Then I have to walk into that feeling. If it’s about ravenous sexuality, sometimes, somehow I’m pushed into this state.

Asha: That sounds interesting.

Tori: It can be, and it can be really tricky when you’re on the school run.

Asha: (laughs)

Tori: (laughs)

Asha: Do you ever just listen to music to relax? Just to chill, not analyzing it and stuff?

Tori: Yeah, yeah, I do.

Asha: Like what?

Tori: Well… people will play stuff; I mean, for instance, this Sly and Robbie piece that I picked, um… and the Sly and the Family Stone, the two Sly’s going. Sometimes I’ll just, you know… get down with my bad self.

Asha: (laughs) Ok.

Tori: You know, with the booty.

Asha: Oh, cool, yeah! (laughs) Is there anything else you wanted to highlight on your mix?

Tori: Well, you know everything that I’ve played for you, it’s because I think that as creators these people really have had an impact on the world whether you like them or not. The point is they’ve really contributed something and their work has held up. And I think that’s really special when work has held up over time. And, um… you know “Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix and “Black Dog” by Zeppelin; these are some of the greats of all time.

Asha: Well, listen, thank you very much for coming in tonight.

Tori: Thank you for having me.

Asha: It’s been a pleasure. Tori Amos on the BBC 6 Mix.

“6 Mix, closer to the music that matters.”

(“Boops” by Sly and Robbie plays)

Asha: What a surprise, Tori Amos picking Sly and Robbie “Boops.” One of the greatest singer/songwriters of contemporary music is currently in the mix for you. If you’ve seen her live, if you’ve been a fan for 20 years, let me know what you think. 64046 or email 6mix (at) bbc (dot) co (dot) uk. And on the text: “Totally enjoying Tori’s mix and great interview.”

(“Blanket” by Urban Species plays)

(“Boops” continues to play)

“6 Mix, closer to the music that matters.”

(Living for the City” by Stevie Wonder plays)

Tori: “This is Tori Amos, taking over the airways on BBC 6 Music.”

(“If You Want Me to Stay” by Sly and the Family Stone plays)

(“Black Dog” by Led Zeppelin plays)

Asha: You’re listening to the 6 Mix; Tori Amos is playing tunes for you right now and earlier, new ravers Datarock were in the mix. You can find out what tracks they picked after at bbc.co.uk/6music and you can also listen again. Stuart in Dover has been on text: “The Stevie Wonder track is a particular favorite of mine, great to here Urban Species too. The lady has style.” Mary is South Hampton on email: “Tori Amos may come across as slightly mad, but we excuse her. The music has been perfect.” And Rich is Sunderland has to say: “Good work Tori. Can’t wait to go out and get her new box set.” Thank you so much for your text messages, I’m Asha, 64046, keep ‘em coming. Email 6mix (at) bbc (dot) co (dot) uk.

Tori: “This is Tori Amos, in the mix, on BBC 6 Music”

(“Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix plays)

“You’re in the 6 Mix”

(“Cruel” by Tori Amos plays, the remix available on A Piano: The Collection)

Asha: Thank you so much to Datarock and Tori Amos for a great show tonight. Last text message from Ingrid, who’s a huge fan of Tori’s, and she says: “Her music has inspired a stirred my soul for years. The stuff she played tonight is all individually very significant for me. Thank you for a great mix.” You’re welcome!

(Transcribed for Undented by Katran_sama.)