Tori is one of those non metal artists that metalhead dudes like me love, because somehow she is metal AF, and she makes me cry with her beauty and power. Been a fan since 92.
For all our goofball theatrical fun, we metalheads *love* authenticity. Amos is just a beacon of blazing authenticity and her softly sung lyrics and emotional performances are as hard as the loudest scream or hardest riff.
She's the one that if you attend her concert everyone stares at you if you're not blubbering away like a child as opposed to people staring if you're the only one crying. She emotes better than anyone I've ever seen.
I’m literally crying. Having seen her 27 times live, and meeting her three times, I’m still so happy when other musicians discover her talent for the first time. This made my week.
100% with you. I sobbed like a child all the way through Me & a Gun and the first segment of Winter because I know these songs so well, their backstories, and other performances of Winter in particular where emphasis was placed in different ways from this one so as to tell the story about her and her dad with even more clarity and emotional resonance. As a fellow musician, I'm just over the moon when I can help others discover Tori who wouldn't otherwise be interested. It feels like such a gift in both directions.
She doesn’t have the gun - he does. You can never truly understand this song without knowing that feeling but empathizing with it is much appreciated by those who have felt it.
Even me and my friends who hadn't at the time ever gone through anything the same. From her words, voice atmospheric feel, we as young women just knew what she was telling, its visceral. Vulnerable spaces where people end up, these people can relate. We just sat quietly. It was the last song, but it was at least 2 mins past the last song. You had to wait for it.
You will note that, unless she's feeling it and closing her eyes, Tori ALWAYS looks directly into the audience. She sits angled on her stool so she can better face the people facing her. She is the *quintessential* story teller. She grabs you with her eyes and mesmerizes you with her words and music. It's no surprise that the audience, who absolutely knows the words and could sing a-long, is dead silent. She creates an emotional connection that you can be in the middle of 10,000 people and *know* that she is singing directly to you. That is the magic of Tori Amos.
this is true. her shows are like church. you stay quiet and let the spirit wash over you. or I assume that's how church is supposed to go, not practicing myself, but I've been to several Tori shows ;)
She’s done a lot for all of us. I’m a gay man raised in a conservative church and felt suicidal as a teen. She showed me how to have courage to confront them because of Crucify and being a minister’s daughter and standing up to the church. She saved all of our lives. Hugs
@@tidalboxer Wow dude, I’m kinda effeminate but not gay and i also felt suicidal…conservative church upbringing but couldn’t bring myself to believe and being surrounded by people who _”know_ that even not positively believing will send a person to endless torment in hell.” There was a lot of pressure but being the child of a minister (I didn’t know that) must’ve been really hard! Being effeminate and even often asked of i was gay, I’ve wondered “what if i was” and thought about how difficult that would’ve been. I honestly can’t say I’d still be here…Kudos to you!
I danced to Winter with my Dad at my wedding and now that he’s gone it’s so hard to hear. But I almost hear him whisper in my ear “when you gonna love you as much as I do” and that’s such a blessing she’s given me to lock onto that.
Ah yes, you have been Toried✨✨✨ I felt and still feel the same exact absolute jaw dropping, soul melting, heart wrenching awe and beauty of her, even after 25 years
A glass of wine head phones and the entire little earthquakes album and it will enlighten and change you forever. Not only musically but from the perspective of a woman. Thank you for hearing her.
Couple bottles or a nice red wine, good headphones and Boys for Pele will warp you through an entire bitter sweet relationship and leave you with a doughnut hole.
Please tell me someone else already told you this BUT Tori didn't often perform Me and a Gun live because it IS such an emotional song. I was lucky enough to see it live. After she sang it, she had to leave the stage for a few minutes to re-gather after bringing herself to tears. All that aside, this is my favorite song of hers but I've never seen this live version. Thank you for sharing To the person who said Little Earthquakes is their deserted island album...same!
I saw Tori perform in 1995 and I swear I felt like from the moment she started playing until the moment she finished, not a single person in that performance hall took a breath. She casts such a powerful spell with her presence. It's otherworldly.
“Presence” is a real thing. It’s possibly the best word to express it. Yes, I can see how she may have it. It really makes you reevaluate who stands out from the concert archives of our mind.
You're so right. I saw her at the Greek around that time. I was a casual fan, and was shocked at the absolute silence during the songs and the complete pandemonium in between. One of the absolute greats! (One of the other things I remember from the night is that a beetle landed on her keyboard. "If the song sounds a little different, it's because I'm playing around my friend here.")
I saw her in Cambridge in a acoustically perfect hall and it was a magical privilege she held us all in rapt attention. Breaking our hearts and filling us with joy 💐💐💐💐
Tori is a religion and I loved watching you discover her. My brother's first girlfriend introduced me to her music when I was in middle school and it changed my life. Her covers are incredible as well.
I normally am not a fan of covers, but one of my favorite parts of her live shows are when she does a cover or two, especially because she generally does a different cover in every city.
I miss this level of artistry being _common_ in the music industry. It was everywhere in the 90's. The talents were insane. There were more artists who cared about telling stories, having meaningful lyrics, and exorcising demons. I don't know exactly when, but the number of those artists dropped, many disappeared, and we didn't see many new ones come along.
"Hair is gray and the fires are burning, so many dreams on the shelf." As a 53 year old songwriter that never pursued the dream of a music career because of my own self doubt, I feel those lyrics so deeply. Long time Tori fan, love her so much.
Same again…😔 52. Started late, but in the last 5 years I’ve put in at least 1000 hours (maybe 2000) and have written 50+ songs…and have real ambition to get them out. It’s never to late🥰
@@zeroout7207 That's awesome. I recorded and released my debut album at 51 and plan to record my 2nd album in the coming months. I've got enough finished songs for 6 full length albums and I'm always writing. I may be the only one listening to my music but at least I have one fan. HA! 😆
OOh damn, bro! My sister was a huge fan in her adolescence and got to meet and greet and received a hug from her after a concert and obviously cried, lol. Forget the "hugging saint", go get a hug from Tori Amos, lol.
@H. Fritz she actually said she avoided listening to Kate in the 80s because she heard the similarities herself and didn't want to be unduly influenced.
@H. Fritz I don't know what makes you think you know inside the mind of either of these women, but i will take them at their words on it and not you, random youtuber lol.
Her Little Earthquakes album was the soundtrack to my coming out. Before I came out, I listened to "Silent All These Years" almost obsessively. Afterwards, it was "Precious Things." She was the first concert I ever went to. She has a special place in my heart.
Exactly. She gave awareness to how society was oppressing women and all other non-cisgender people and brought it to the masses with hit songs. Most who like her don’t even realize that she’s tugging at those centuries old issues. Then, on top of all that, her songwriting is untouchable and her musical technique is genius. Wisely, she’s decided to not bother anymore, since now America has moved even farther back to the dark ages. She was an awakening call to all of us. Some of us heard it and were changed for life.😊😉
@@naj3844 I'm pretty sure that "non-cisgender" is the dumbest term I've ever heard come out of this ridiculous new trend. "OK, there is this small percentage of the population, and there's gonna be a ton of different names for all of them." Gotcha. "So we are going to call the majority of the population "cis gender." Hmmmm, I don't really see why we need a new name for all of us, but OK. "I'm glad you are following so far. Now we are going to call everybody who isn't that majority of the population "non-cis gender!" Did you really just give us a new label, so that you could say that you are "non-that label"?
This and Rick Beato. It's refreshing seeing other artists' Toriphoria. Not only do they get to technically describe her skill and musicality, but also inadvertently exude joy when one gets to release that talent.
Yes!! The Toriphoria. It’s making my heart explode hearing these guys really see her and give her all the accolades she deserves. She has done so much for so many people❤❤❤
Three artists I don't listen to often enough because I can't do it without crying, Sinead O'conner, Jeff Buckley and Tori Amos. They all go to a place that transcends anything you can speak in tangible terms. Tori is among the giants and we're lucky to be alive when she's with he among us.
OMG watching this I immediately thought of how I felt when I truly found Jeff Buckley a couple years ago. Floored. I do believe they definitely transcend this space.
Jeff Buckley is one of those for me too, sometimes Radiohead as well though I've gladly come through recently to be able to enjoy them again thankfully. Tori has been attached to so many bittersweet memories of youth I 'm glad to have seen this and be reminded of her.
"You need multiple lifetimes to get this good" - I've always thought Tori Amos might be what it looks like if an elf wanted to play piano for vanilla mortal folks.
Her song Spark was about her miscarriage. So beautifully powerful. She pulls from, especially in these early years, from her experiences. It doesn't get any more raw than Tori Amos. Raspberry swirl.. Yep, she is married to a man but also has a very similar love for a woman. He father, being a preacher, she also sings about in the early years ago. Way to much to say about Tori. 😍 ♥ Thanks for reacting to her.
Much of choirgirl is thematically about her miscarriage but I think iieee is where it’s most directly referenced. Seeing her play this live she cradles her stomach at very specific moments. She is such a genius performer and songwriter.
@@musicthief75 She talks about the meaning of Iieee in VH1's Storytellers. In the same show, she talks about her grandmother's role in Precious Things.
"The things they can't teach you, she has in spades" .... Perfect way to describe someone who's musical talent seems to be otherworldly and transcend instruction. Her talent comes from her every fiber, like as if just being born already that good.
Sometimes I cry when I find an artist that is new to me Not necessarily because of the words they are singing, but because I am 64 yrs old , and I finally found them . Amazing the music I have found to grow old with .
Crazy that this Tori Amos performance is from 32 years ago yet it still resonates today. I've never met Tori, but her music has been part of the soundtrack to my life for the past three decades, so she feels like an old friend who's shared her secrets with me, in confidence. I'm forever a loyal fan.
I so love that you've discovered Tori at age 39. I believe she is someone who should be remembered like Mozart or Chopin. She creates timeless masterpieces. I discovered her over 30 years ago when a local record store (yes those things did exist in another enchanted universe long ago) was playing her music. I was startled to hear someone so amazingly unique. I didn't even know if I liked her at first. But I bought "Little Earthquakes," and quickly sunk into her musical, poetic, and spiritual world that resonated directly with my soul. Of all my musical saviors, Tori Amos is the most profound to me. Welcome to her world, Michael! You've only just begun! You're going to love the adventure!
I'm 42 and have been listening to Tori since I was about 14 or 15. She is the best. Just saw her live again a few days ago and it was lovely as always. You have a long way to go in discovering all of her music 🥰. I can really recommend the B sides as well. Lovely to see your reaction to her music. She calls her fans "ears with feet" Enjoy! xoxo
43 now and listen to her since I was 14. Love the ears with feet anecdote. Funny thing is I choose for myself sometimes the nickname nose feety (I´m German, so the same with the -chen at the end for making it sound more cute, but yeah, very funny parallel. 🤣🤣 The B sides are oftentimes so wonderful. Today I heard a remaster version by a young man who´s a big fan, and I never heard the song before (live version: Om la Boomleigh. The young guy/pianist himself is Tobin Apollo)
Wow, you're so incredibly perceptive...you hit the nail on the head when you said "this is someone who makes music because she HAS to." Those who know the story behind her solo debut Little Earthquakes will appreciate that comment. Also, the fact that you instantly grasped her humour, which goes over most people's heads due to the darkness of the lyrical themes. Great content, mate. If you continue reacting to Tori, I will keep returning! If you appreciate a challenge, I would love to see you react to her third album Boys For Pele...although, that record is the definition of a "grower" so first-time reactions are rarely rewarding. But being as perceptive as you are, I'd say there's hope! Lol. Gday from Down Under!
This is so great to see Michael - I've been listening to Little Earthquakes since it came out (I'm 45 now) and I STILL have this reaction to songs like Winter, and hearing it takes me back to those teenage 90's moments like no other album of that period. Little Earthquakes is a landmark album that got lost in the seismic shock that was grunge, but it's utter perfection - a haunting, complex, singular set of songs that stands alongside the best art of the last 60 years.
Raises a hand for another now 45 year old who *ran* out to buy Little Earthquakes when it was released in 1992. I remember seeing the video for Silent All These Years on the ITV Chart Show one Saturday morning and was mesmerised. The music was so different to anything else in the charts, there were elements of Kate Bush and all the older female singer songwriters I loved (unusual for a teenager back then, everyone was into grunge and indie), and when I got the album home I played it to death! So good! Later I felt vindicated in my own musical choices - despite them not being considered cool by my peers - when Tori said in an interview that the one sing she wished she wrote was by one of my favourite artists.
Also a 45yr old fan here! Although I didn’t fall in love until 1999 when I finally listened to Under the Pink for the first time and then the rest of the albums borrowed from friends of mine. But I was stunned and refreshed and obsessed almost instantly and have followed her ever since ❤❤❤
Little Earthquakes and Tidal by Fiona Apple absolutely helped shape me into the woman I am today. The silent feminism and fuck the patriarchy messages that came from them was pure genius.
She is one of the key people of my made up genre. Pissed off pianists. I found her in 93 with little earthquakes and instantly fell in love with her and this album. Definitely a favorite. Love seeing you experience this experience
Tori has been my favorite singer since I was 17 and I'm now 42. She's amazing, her depth and creativity and artistry are unmatched in the way she emotes ❤
These two songs are kind of integral to the Tori Amos mythology and really important to hear. I know you started with a bop like Muhammad, but the real rewarding thing with Tori's music is where is she going to take you next? Harpsichord punk? Full scale late 90s arena rock? Smooth industrial electronica? An Eminem cover? A road trip album? Her personal Ziggy Stardust x 5 as a girl band? A song cycle of reinterpreted classical music? A SEASONAL RECORD? Tori is wired like no-one else. She is up there with the likes of Joni, Jimi, Prince, Bjork, Tom Waits in that no one can do what she does, and she can ONLY do what she does. Dive in - the water is fine! Sometimes it's rough, sometimes it's freezing, sometimes it's the clearest blue, but it's always gonna be a swim to remember.
I always loved that line. "Boys get discovered as winter melts, Flowers competing for the sun." It's that age when you want to be noticed, but so does everyone else.
Her poetry is extraordinary. There's a few artists who can evoke memories and tell story so well - Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Nick Cave come to mind - but its the performance Tori gifts that makes it so powerful.
My friend Dan Phelps toured with her, Matt Chamberlain on drums. I got in to her in 93. First 4 records are killer Don't sleep on Under The Pink. That's an incredible album. She can bend time. One of the most incredible dynamic performers alive
I was gobsmacked by this. Ultimately snapped out of it by my 8yo daughter walking in the room and saying, “daddy what are you doing”. Realizing I have goosebumps all over, tears in my eyes, smile ear to ear, and my ice cream cone melting on my nights stand lol. Wow!!!
I walked into a record store in Honolulu in 1992 and they were playing a song from Little Earthquakes and I asked the clerk "who is that???" he told me and I bought the CD right then and there. Life changing artist. LOVE that you did this.
Silent All These Years was the first song I heard of hers on the radio in the UK when it came out here. I burst out laughing at much of the lyrics and knew I'd love her from then on. Wait until he sees her playing two pianos at once and singing!
Yep another metalhead that absolutely adores her. I saw her at the Palladium in '94 and of all the gigs over the years, that was my favourite gig of them all. And by a distance!
Tori is a goddess…true goddess. So beautiful, such talent. As a Gen Xer I feel lucky to have been a part of the period where she blossomed as a fantastic artist. She does not get enough love and praise.
I’m currently 20 years old, at the heart of gen z. When I was a baby, my mother (early 80’s millennial) would sing Me and a Gun almost as a sort of haunting lullaby, she was (and still is) a soul saved by music, graced to see the beauty in artists like Tori Amos, Portishead, Veruca Salt, Jeff Buckley, etc. in her life as she grew older. Last week we sat down for a drink in the place I called home just months ago, and she really picked apart the different songs and things that made her into the astounding woman that took the opportunity to raise her two children into people that can really see the beauty in the pain and love for others. Adore that woman with my whole heart, and the music she brought to my life when we had nothing but the bond of mother and child.
Jackie's Strength is one of Tori's songs that isn't as raw, but it packs so much lifetime into one song. I don't feel like I've wasted time when I listen to her lyrics.
I fell in love with Tori at 14, and I have never fallen out of it. She essentially set the tenor of my life, and it's lovely to see someone else discover her like this.
Loved your comment “ that’s what a real artist is. You create it because you have to” I couldn’t agree more. You can’t capture what she has in a bottle. That is pure raw emotion out into beautiful music. She just owned that room had everyone memorized I bet. What a great performance …I’m floored.
So glad you found her! She is so intense, both fragile and strong, poetic and fun, her voice is so good and her piano is perfect. Talk about stage presence! I love her
This came up today and I'm going through some tough times. I'm not ashamed to say I had to pull over and ugly cry on the side of the road. If art has any purpose its to connect and Tori has always been a part of the soundtrack of my life. Thanks Michael. needed this today.
Dude, you have a massive library to discover. She has multiple ballads as beautiful as this one, and her first 5 full records (and EPs from this period) are brilliant and diverse. The last two from this era (Songs from the Choirgirl Hotel and To Venus and Back) are my favorites. I think my favorite ballad of hers is Marianne. Found your channel via Ren, and I love it!!!
I also think that Natalie Merchant is an underrated musician/artist by the mainstream. While they have different styles, they have some things in common--both powerful, deep, spiritual, sensitive, passionate, perceptive women and in touch with and more integrated with their inner Yang/masculine side than the average. Older souls in other words, that can express that older soulness and depth well via music.
I’m so ecstatic when I see people discover and then learn Tori. Her talent is unparalleled and masterful. Seeing her live is an actual religious experience. She’s touring right now.
I’m literally watching this in tears. I remember being absolutely in awe of her and her talent when this was new. To watch you discover her and to feel the way you do…..takes me back and brings those feelings back in myself. Do yourself a favor…..dig into all her music. It will change you.
Please more Tori Amos - listen to Precious things live from New York 1996 - what a journey that performance is - like nothing you will ever see or feel
You MUST go see her on tour this summer. I hope she continues to tour for many more years, but GO SEE HER NOW! Try to see her in a smaller venue loge seating is always great. She has gone down a half step or so on some stuff to accommodate life, but her live shows are still as incredible as they were in the 90s. She plays a ton from her first several albums and always throws in at least one amazing cover song. Please get tickets for this tour!!! As homework for the show, listen to her discography from start to finish. At least the 1st six albums, much of her live performances are pulled from those albums. Also check out her amazing covers and b-sides... great example is her cover of smells like teen spirit. It's incredible. Edit: if the Beacon Theatre in NYC os within reach for you, it's an amazing venue to see her at, or somewhere like the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank NJ ( I'll be at that one :) ) Just go see her, I can't stress it enough lol
Growing up I loved music because it was my only refuge. I didn't fit in among the boys and the girls weren't interested. I navigated the world mainly alone. There were way points along the way. When I came across Tori Amos a new world opened up. I cannot overstate how much the 10 or so artists that became not just foundational artists for me but my actual foundation mean to me. I can only guess at what I looked like hearing her for the first time but seeing your reaction reminds me of having those same feelings.
I've watched this performance of Tori Amos countless, countless times, and I was like, he is NOT ready 😂😂😂 Her performing Baker, Baker from 1994 live is another one that just hits.
I found Tori when I was 13...41 now....I was SA'ed by my father my whole childhood and then raped by another abuser in my 20s....The only reason I am alive today is because of this woman and her music. I never felt alone with her playing in my ears. This song saved me. Im glad you found her...her catalogue is incredible . This story is a true story with a few changes in the real events. After playing a show one night....in her early years...piano bar to be exact....she gave one of her regulars a ride home....instead of a gun he actually had a knife...he assaulted her and told her he was going to cut her up into pieces. He also had her sing hymns as he assaulted her. He left to go buy more drugs and she was able to escape.
Watching you fall in love with her was a lovely thing. I was blessed to see her live in a small theater in the 90's. You could hear a pin drop. We all hung on her every breath. At 22 yrs old, she was the soundtrack to my life. So wonderful to watch others discover her pure genius.
I too saw her in a tiny venue around that time, probably ‘92. It’s the only time I saw chairs in that place and I believe the only show I ever saw there where the headliner was the only act. Mighty rare back then and even rarer for essentially an unknown. The silence in that place was also unusual and even carried over to the crowd exiting. I don’t recall my date and I saying a word until we got to our car. A VERY memorable show. Edit: It was Oct 30, 92.
@@joeyoungs8426 That is so cool! I kept looking for the theater...back then it was called "The Henry Ford Theater", now just The Ford. What an amazing time! :)
@@littlem39 I saw the same show at the Brunswick State Theater. :) My friend got me the ticket for my 18th birthday. She was 10 ft in front of me, just she and her piano. Saw her 2 more times after that. Wish I could go see her again on her new tour.
I was 17 when I first discovered Tori. I'm 43 now. She has remained my favorite musician and person, although I have never met her. It's cool to see people still discovering her.
It takes a real musician and artist to recognize another one. Thanks for breaking down WHY Tori is so great. The rest of us feel it but can't put it into words. Her first album Little Earthquakes is definitely "desert island good". Her live concert at Sessions at 54th Street 1998 is incredible. If you watch it in its entirety you'll catch Tori being interviewed by Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. It's so interesting to hear her talk. One of the reasons she resisted having a band, especially a drummer, is because her music is delicate and she likes to feel her way through it - she didn't want a drumbeat forcing a rhythm..."You can't make love to a metronome" she said. However, a drummer friend of hers insisted she give someone a chance who would understand her because he thought it would really free her to focus on her piano and singing instead of trying to maintain a beat. That genius was Matt Chamberlain. ua-cam.com/video/9qOjGLRgl2o/v-deo.html
This is a gift. I'll never be 18 lying in my dorm room again, listening to Tori through the wall from next door and feeling my world both open up and crash around me as I find myself (far too many myselves feeling exactly the same) being exposed in all my fragility and strength...but seeing you discover and fall in love with her takes me as close as I can get to living that moment again when I did the same.
In '96 I was dragged along to see her by a couple of friends, and fell in love with her instantly. She's been one of my favourite artists ever since. Saw her again just last night in Edinburgh. Still mesmerising.
For those of us who have been listening since her debut album, it's amusing to see someone discover her brilliance so many years later. Tori doesn't need a "click-track". She's a live musician who has mastered her instrument.
Tori plays piano like Jimi played guitar. I’ve been saying this for years. It’s symbiotic with the person. Like an extension of her soul, a sixth sense, perfectly woven in with her voice.
Two powerful songs, one written from her own experience of being raped and the other honouring her father. When I saw her perform these back in the 90's in a recital hall it brought tears to everyone. Little Earthquakes record is a true masterpiece. So much of her genius shines through in all her compositions. Tori, Joni Mitchell and more recently Aurora are all fascinating songwriters who bring something special to music-there is a depth to it very few can achieve.
If this performance of Winter doesnt hit you right in the feels then you dont have a soul. Its a beautiful song. And it definitely hits different know that im a father to a little girl.
I’m 43 now & have been IN LOVE w/ her since the 7th grade. 1st concert I drove to after getting my license. She is EVERYTHING. Watch her interviews as well. Shes touring again right now and I expect you to be there! She’s a genius ❤
Back in 1991, I was a metalhead guitarist/bassist. A studio engineer friend made me a mixed tape with a few Tori Amos songs. He said "Just listen to them". The “Winter” track was on there and I fell in love with that song so much that I learned to play it on piano by ear. It’s such an emotional performance.
She's amazing. This song is sooooo heavy. And yes, she DID live that. This should surprise noone. This is what talent sounds like. No autotune. No metronome. Just raw talent.
having us listen to her a cappella for the first song was perfect because when the next song started it really drove home that it was the piano accenting her singing and not the other way around.
Musicians get it. Now you understand why her fans are so rabid. She was a child prodigy. Playing Beethoven and Mozart by ear at age two and a half, makes her all the more impressive. Seeing a fellow musician discover her in real-time, brings us such joy. Thank you for sharing it with us. Like us, you are forever changed. Welcome to the fold, young man. We're glad you're here.
First saw Tori Amos when I was 15 and she single handily inspired me to learn the piano. Her music is incredible and she’s so not given the respect she’s due.
What a joy it is to experience someone discovering this legendary artist in real time. I take so many things for granted, but at no other time in history would it have been possible to have this experience. Thank you for sharing it.
So, I loved loved loved Little Earthquakes back when I picked it up in '92. Then fell in love again with Under the Pink in '94, Make sure to dive into the EPs from that era. The "rejected" songs from Little Earthquakes (found on the b-sides) are simply stunning.
I saw her at Bonnaroo one year. It was early in the day and the girls dragged me to it. I told them "If this shit brings me down I'm going to move on". I was blown away. She put on a high energy show and just killed it. We stayed for the whole set.
You’ve been missing out BIG TIME. I envy you getting to discover her for the first time. Her first four albums are phenomenal front yo back. Boys For Pele is my favorite because it dark, strange and beautiful.
Boys For Pele is a masterpiece, and my fav album as well. She brought out so many Pele girls in St Louis Friday night, including Blood Roses. I felt like I was transported back in time.
Sometimes listening to Tori, especially in 90's early 00's, I feel like I am intruding and have to remind myself that it's a performance; that I am invited.
In the early 90s when Little Earthquakes came out I listened to it on the way back and forth to therapy on my Walkman. I was a teen and required to go after an... incident. Tori Amos helped me more than the therapist. Not sure what would have happened to me without Tori's music. It always helps not being alone. My daughter, Tori, turns 23 this year. (I love music and just found your channel thanks to this video. Subscribing.)
This is why we truly believe Tori is an otherworldly nymph who’s blessed us with her magic. I got to see her play me and a gun live, in 2001, followed by Cooling. I’ll never forget it. The audience was so silent. Most of her concerts. Everyone sits. Respectfully. Only thing I remember from that show.
LISTEN TO ALL HER ALBUMS especially the first 6 or 7. AWESOME. Boys for pele, choir girl hotel my favs. I was glad to be alive when she was at her peak
Sitting in a theater listening to her do “Me and Gun” was an experience. You could heard a pin drop. I saw her live in 1998 me and ex boyfriend went to see her for his birthday during the Plugged tour, it was one of the tours where she had a band with her. I have been a fan of Tori since 1994 when my best friend Jessica introduced her to me. She has the most beautiful voice and arrangement and the piano playing it’s just bliss she is therapy for a lot of people.
Every time I saw Tori perform in person felt like I was seeing a once in a lifetime performance. It felt so intimate, as to be uncomfortable, like you’re witnessing someone going through something that is powerful and private. The best part is that she was acutely aware of the power she held over the audience and she had her way with our attention and emotions. She has to be in the highest tier of all time live musicians.
Welcome to the club dude. Tori is the most underrated musician of our generation. And this isn't her with the band. She's 58 and has still got that addictive presence in every live show.
Tori is one of those non metal artists that metalhead dudes like me love, because somehow she is metal AF, and she makes me cry with her beauty and power. Been a fan since 92.
Word.
My thoughts exactly. I'm a huge metal fan, yet I had Little Earthquakes on repeat back in 92-93 and love it still.
EXACTLY. Same
For all our goofball theatrical fun, we metalheads *love* authenticity. Amos is just a beacon of blazing authenticity and her softly sung lyrics and emotional performances are as hard as the loudest scream or hardest riff.
Her and Fiona Apple are probably the most metal singer-songwriters
I'm literally sitting here crying watching someone else feel the awe and joy of Tori Amos. She's in her own class.
Same!
Same, always makes me cry, doesn't matter when I listen
Same here 😢
She's the one that if you attend her concert everyone stares at you if you're not blubbering away like a child as opposed to people staring if you're the only one crying. She emotes better than anyone I've ever seen.
There ain't any others that's for sure.
The Goddess of Piano. 💖❤️💕💗
I’m literally crying. Having seen her 27 times live, and meeting her three times, I’m still so happy when other musicians discover her talent for the first time. This made my week.
27 times?? You are so blessed 😊
Crying too ❤
I cried too! She was a genius of vulnerability and music.
100% with you. I sobbed like a child all the way through Me & a Gun and the first segment of Winter because I know these songs so well, their backstories, and other performances of Winter in particular where emphasis was placed in different ways from this one so as to tell the story about her and her dad with even more clarity and emotional resonance.
As a fellow musician, I'm just over the moon when I can help others discover Tori who wouldn't otherwise be interested. It feels like such a gift in both directions.
I've never seen her love, but have loved her since little earthquakes
She doesn’t have the gun - he does.
You can never truly understand this song without knowing that feeling but empathizing with it is much appreciated by those who have felt it.
I haven’t lived that exact situation, but a similar one where I very likely wouldn’t survive. The way she describes her thoughts is so spot on.
It is based on a real experience she had - the guy had a knife but she changed it to a gun for the song.
This is close to an experience I had at 19...from a cop. The first time I heard the song, 18 years later, I knew immediately that the man had the gun.
Even me and my friends who hadn't at the time ever gone through anything the same. From her words, voice atmospheric feel, we as young women just knew what she was telling, its visceral.
Vulnerable spaces where people end up, these people can relate. We just sat quietly. It was the last song, but it was at least 2 mins past the last song. You had to wait for it.
100%. Sending you love
You will note that, unless she's feeling it and closing her eyes, Tori ALWAYS looks directly into the audience. She sits angled on her stool so she can better face the people facing her. She is the *quintessential* story teller. She grabs you with her eyes and mesmerizes you with her words and music. It's no surprise that the audience, who absolutely knows the words and could sing a-long, is dead silent. She creates an emotional connection that you can be in the middle of 10,000 people and *know* that she is singing directly to you. That is the magic of Tori Amos.
❤
this is true. her shows are like church. you stay quiet and let the spirit wash over you. or I assume that's how church is supposed to go, not practicing myself, but I've been to several Tori shows ;)
Saw her peer into the camera on Letterman long ago. She transfixed the viewer/listener. Genius artist. The best.
I think her looking at the audience really came from her years playing piano bars as a teen.
Beautifully said.
I cannot adequately explain how powerful it was to find her music as a young woman when this first came out.
I’m an older fan since’96 and I don’t think it dawned on me to wonder why the girls at school weren’t fans. Then again, I should’ve recommended her.
@@Egoblivion I still point teenager girls toward her music. 🙂
She’s done a lot for all of us. I’m a gay man raised in a conservative church and felt suicidal as a teen. She showed me how to have courage to confront them because of Crucify and being a minister’s daughter and standing up to the church. She saved all of our lives. Hugs
@@tidalboxer I'm glad you found the strength and courage it took.
Tori is remarkable in many ways.
@@tidalboxer Wow dude, I’m kinda effeminate but not gay and i also felt suicidal…conservative church upbringing but couldn’t bring myself to believe and being surrounded by people who _”know_ that even not positively believing will send a person to endless torment in hell.” There was a lot of pressure but being the child of a minister (I didn’t know that) must’ve been really hard!
Being effeminate and even often asked of i was gay, I’ve wondered “what if i was” and thought about how difficult that would’ve been. I honestly can’t say I’d still be here…Kudos to you!
Her discography is a wonderful rabbit hole. “Boys for Pele” is still one of favorite albums ever 🎶 ❤
Her most abstract and my favorite
I just listened to that album yesterday, it never fails to floor me
While he was reacting I was like, what's my favorite song,.... so hard to tell, but I know Boys for Pele is my favorite album :D
I think my favourite is From The Choirgirl Hotel but all her albums are awesome
Yep, Pele for me too. But Choirgirl is close. The again, Night of Hunters is a piece of art.
I danced to Winter with my Dad at my wedding and now that he’s gone it’s so hard to hear. But I almost hear him whisper in my ear “when you gonna love you as much as I do” and that’s such a blessing she’s given me to lock onto that.
I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm so happy for you that you had such a wonderful father. You're very lucky, though that makes the loss harder.
Watching Michael fall in love with Tori’s talent is heartwarming and brings me right back to 1992
Great year😊
@@charitysghost1207 *pretty good 🙂
There's little else like (re)discovering a great artist at the same time with a friend and that's what he does right here. Great time! .
@@heroflying Ha!
“Otherworldly” yes indeed, took me back to listening to her for hours at a time❤️
Little Earthquakes is one of those rare albums with not a single bad song. Timeless.
The same is true for just about her entire discography up till the early 2000s.
💯
Ah yes, you have been Toried✨✨✨
I felt and still feel the same exact absolute jaw dropping, soul melting, heart wrenching awe and beauty of her, even after 25 years
Tori helped me with my own healing. She is such a great example of turning pain into beauty.
When I look at Tori's face, I see her showing her soul. When I look at Michael's face, I see him truly seeing her soul.
A glass of wine head phones and the entire little earthquakes album and it will enlighten and change you forever. Not only musically but from the perspective of a woman. Thank you for hearing her.
Thank you! I now have my Saturday night planned👍
Little Earthquakes is such an brilliant album.
I totally agree
Couple bottles or a nice red wine, good headphones and Boys for Pele will warp you through an entire bitter sweet relationship and leave you with a doughnut hole.
that album helped me through some rough times..
Please tell me someone else already told you this BUT Tori didn't often perform Me and a Gun live because it IS such an emotional song. I was lucky enough to see it live. After she sang it, she had to leave the stage for a few minutes to re-gather after bringing herself to tears. All that aside, this is my favorite song of hers but I've never seen this live version. Thank you for sharing To the person who said Little Earthquakes is their deserted island album...same!
MAAG is one of her most performed girls.
I’ve only seen one performance where a singer was brought to tears by a song (Over the Rhine). Your experience must have been amazing.
Her cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit is amazeballs. Cornflake Girl and Silent All These Years absolute masterpieces.
100%
She does a stones cover for angie. Unreal
A piano is simply an extension of Tori's body. There is no way to know where she ends and the piano begins. A true legend.
Wonderfully put, so very true. She is one of a kind...
"where she ends and the piano begins" Pick out Your Cloud.
I saw Tori perform in 1995 and I swear I felt like from the moment she started playing until the moment she finished, not a single person in that performance hall took a breath. She casts such a powerful spell with her presence. It's otherworldly.
“Presence” is a real thing. It’s possibly the best word to express it. Yes, I can see how she may have it. It really makes you reevaluate who stands out from the concert archives of our mind.
I felt that way back in the early 99s and she STILL has the same affect on audiences. She’s captivating.
You're so right. I saw her at the Greek around that time. I was a casual fan, and was shocked at the absolute silence during the songs and the complete pandemonium in between. One of the absolute greats! (One of the other things I remember from the night is that a beetle landed on her keyboard. "If the song sounds a little different, it's because I'm playing around my friend here.")
I saw her in Cambridge in a acoustically perfect hall and it was a magical privilege she held us all in rapt attention. Breaking our hearts and filling us with joy 💐💐💐💐
Saw her during the same tour. Amazing!!
Tori is a religion and I loved watching you discover her. My brother's first girlfriend introduced me to her music when I was in middle school and it changed my life. Her covers are incredible as well.
I normally am not a fan of covers, but one of my favorite parts of her live shows are when she does a cover or two, especially because she generally does a different cover in every city.
Tori IS a religion ❤
I miss this level of artistry being _common_ in the music industry. It was everywhere in the 90's. The talents were insane. There were more artists who cared about telling stories, having meaningful lyrics, and exorcising demons. I don't know exactly when, but the number of those artists dropped, many disappeared, and we didn't see many new ones come along.
"Hair is gray and the fires are burning, so many dreams on the shelf." As a 53 year old songwriter that never pursued the dream of a music career because of my own self doubt, I feel those lyrics so deeply. Long time Tori fan, love her so much.
Same here
Same
Same again…😔
52. Started late, but in the last 5 years I’ve put in at least 1000 hours (maybe 2000) and have written 50+ songs…and have real ambition to get them out. It’s never to late🥰
@@zeroout7207 That's awesome. I recorded and released my debut album at 51 and plan to record my 2nd album in the coming months. I've got enough finished songs for 6 full length albums and I'm always writing. I may be the only one listening to my music but at least I have one fan. HA! 😆
OOh damn, bro! My sister was a huge fan in her adolescence and got to meet and greet and received a hug from her after a concert and obviously cried, lol. Forget the "hugging saint", go get a hug from Tori Amos, lol.
Welcome to the Secret Spell of Tori Amos. She has enchanted me for over 30 years now. I can’t imagine my life without her music and her knowledge.
@H. Fritz Sorry, I don’t hear it. They both have high soprano voices but sound totally different, imo.
Influenced by because Kate is older and had released albums, but Tori and Kate have completely different music personas.
@H. Fritz she actually said she avoided listening to Kate in the 80s because she heard the similarities herself and didn't want to be unduly influenced.
@H. Fritz I don't know what makes you think you know inside the mind of either of these women, but i will take them at their words on it and not you, random youtuber lol.
@H. Fritz tori and kate bush are completely different lol similar but very different
Her Little Earthquakes album was the soundtrack to my coming out. Before I came out, I listened to "Silent All These Years" almost obsessively. Afterwards, it was "Precious Things." She was the first concert I ever went to. She has a special place in my heart.
Exactly. She gave awareness to how society was oppressing women and all other non-cisgender people and brought it to the masses with hit songs. Most who like her don’t even realize that she’s tugging at those centuries old issues. Then, on top of all that, her songwriting is untouchable and her musical technique is genius. Wisely, she’s decided to not bother anymore, since now America has moved even farther back to the dark ages. She was an awakening call to all of us. Some of us heard it and were changed for life.😊😉
@@MetricMod is non cisgender a binary term?
@@naj3844 I'm pretty sure that "non-cisgender" is the dumbest term I've ever heard come out of this ridiculous new trend.
"OK, there is this small percentage of the population, and there's gonna be a ton of different names for all of them."
Gotcha.
"So we are going to call the majority of the population "cis gender."
Hmmmm, I don't really see why we need a new name for all of us, but OK.
"I'm glad you are following so far. Now we are going to call everybody who isn't that majority of the population "non-cis gender!"
Did you really just give us a new label, so that you could say that you are "non-that label"?
@@TryMyMartini well said
@@TryMyMartini Tell me you're a sour person without telling me you're a sour person
This and Rick Beato. It's refreshing seeing other artists' Toriphoria. Not only do they get to technically describe her skill and musicality, but also inadvertently exude joy when one gets to release that talent.
Yes!! The Toriphoria. It’s making my heart explode hearing these guys really see her and give her all the accolades she deserves. She has done so much for so many people❤❤❤
Three artists I don't listen to often enough because I can't do it without crying, Sinead O'conner, Jeff Buckley and Tori Amos. They all go to a place that transcends anything you can speak in tangible terms. Tori is among the giants and we're lucky to be alive when she's with he among us.
I couldn't listen to Tori for years because of that but eventually got past it and I'm so glad I did. 🙏
OMG watching this I immediately thought of how I felt when I truly found Jeff Buckley a couple years ago. Floored. I do believe they definitely transcend this space.
Oh…Jeff. Yeah. Oh man. I always wonder about the songs we would’ve gotten from him. Add Whitney to that list.
Jeff Buckley is one of those for me too, sometimes Radiohead as well though I've gladly come through recently to be able to enjoy them again thankfully. Tori has been attached to so many bittersweet memories of youth I 'm glad to have seen this and be reminded of her.
The Lion and the Cobra :)
I think her sense of time is even more stunning on her covers. Her version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is straight up haunting.
Haunting....her cover of Slayer's Raining Blood
Her Eminem's Bonnie and Clyde cover still haunts me.
"Real Men," too.
SO HAUNTING!!!!
My teenage angst was woeful not anger filled - Tori’s version of SLTS is the one to which I can relate.
"You need multiple lifetimes to get this good" - I've always thought Tori Amos might be what it looks like if an elf wanted to play piano for vanilla mortal folks.
She came back for another turn on the wheel to make us all feel it. To really show us what life is.
Her song Spark was about her miscarriage. So beautifully powerful. She pulls from, especially in these early years, from her experiences. It doesn't get any more raw than Tori Amos.
Raspberry swirl.. Yep, she is married to a man but also has a very similar love for a woman. He father, being a preacher, she also sings about in the early years ago. Way to much to say about Tori. 😍 ♥ Thanks for reacting to her.
Icicle was a revelation to us. A religiously sexy one.. hilarious.
Much of choirgirl is thematically about her miscarriage but I think iieee is where it’s most directly referenced. Seeing her play this live she cradles her stomach at very specific moments. She is such a genius performer and songwriter.
@@musicthief75love that song ieee
@@musicthief75 She talks about the meaning of Iieee in VH1's Storytellers. In the same show, she talks about her grandmother's role in Precious Things.
"The things they can't teach you, she has in spades" .... Perfect way to describe someone who's musical talent seems to be otherworldly and transcend instruction. Her talent comes from her every fiber, like as if just being born already that good.
It's not a performance. It's just soul sharing.
Omg yes!!
This exactly.
I’ve always described Tori as a filter for the devine,translating pure light and energy into sound and love.
Sometimes I cry when I find an artist that is new to me Not necessarily because of the words they are singing, but because I am 64 yrs old , and I finally found them . Amazing the music I have found to grow old with .
Crazy that this Tori Amos performance is from 32 years ago yet it still resonates today.
I've never met Tori, but her music has been part of the soundtrack to my life for the past three decades, so she feels like an old friend who's shared her secrets with me, in confidence. I'm forever a loyal fan.
I so love that you've discovered Tori at age 39. I believe she is someone who should be remembered like Mozart or Chopin. She creates timeless masterpieces. I discovered her over 30 years ago when a local record store (yes those things did exist in another enchanted universe long ago) was playing her music. I was startled to hear someone so amazingly unique. I didn't even know if I liked her at first. But I bought "Little Earthquakes," and quickly sunk into her musical, poetic, and spiritual world that resonated directly with my soul. Of all my musical saviors, Tori Amos is the most profound to me. Welcome to her world, Michael! You've only just begun! You're going to love the adventure!
She is absolutely next level. So awesome to see you discover her genius in real time.
Fun fact: I cannot listen to ‘Winter’ without weeping
wait until you see her playing two pianos simultaneously and killing it
Yessss thisssss it will blow his mind 😂
“I Can’t See New York” on two pianos is my favorite.
I'm 42 and have been listening to Tori since I was about 14 or 15. She is the best. Just saw her live again a few days ago and it was lovely as always. You have a long way to go in discovering all of her music 🥰. I can really recommend the B sides as well. Lovely to see your reaction to her music. She calls her fans "ears with feet" Enjoy! xoxo
43 now and listen to her since I was 14. Love the ears with feet anecdote. Funny thing is I choose for myself sometimes the nickname nose feety (I´m German, so the same with the -chen at the end for making it sound more cute, but yeah, very funny parallel. 🤣🤣
The B sides are oftentimes so wonderful. Today I heard a remaster version by a young man who´s a big fan, and I never heard the song before (live version: Om la Boomleigh. The young guy/pianist himself is Tobin Apollo)
I've been listening to her since I was 9.
Yeeesss to the B-sides. Purple People is one of my favourites. Edit: I'm the same age and discovered her around the same time as you two. #EWF
I’ve seen her eight times. It’s the only show I’ve ever seen that people are silent as she sings. She is a Goddess
true.
Except the Camden crowd. Man that was an eye opener for me.
I agree. I've seen her so many times my friends stopped going with me. Lol
So now I go by myself.
Wow, you're so incredibly perceptive...you hit the nail on the head when you said "this is someone who makes music because she HAS to." Those who know the story behind her solo debut Little Earthquakes will appreciate that comment.
Also, the fact that you instantly grasped her humour, which goes over most people's heads due to the darkness of the lyrical themes.
Great content, mate. If you continue reacting to Tori, I will keep returning! If you appreciate a challenge, I would love to see you react to her third album Boys For Pele...although, that record is the definition of a "grower" so first-time reactions are rarely rewarding. But being as perceptive as you are, I'd say there's hope! Lol.
Gday from Down Under!
Boys for Pele is my absolute favourite. I just love it so very much. I'd watch that reaction for sure.
This is so great to see Michael - I've been listening to Little Earthquakes since it came out (I'm 45 now) and I STILL have this reaction to songs like Winter, and hearing it takes me back to those teenage 90's moments like no other album of that period. Little Earthquakes is a landmark album that got lost in the seismic shock that was grunge, but it's utter perfection - a haunting, complex, singular set of songs that stands alongside the best art of the last 60 years.
Yes!!! ❤
I have been listening to Little earthquakes since it came out. I met her at HMV at her record release and was lucky to have met her.
Raises a hand for another now 45 year old who *ran* out to buy Little Earthquakes when it was released in 1992. I remember seeing the video for Silent All These Years on the ITV Chart Show one Saturday morning and was mesmerised. The music was so different to anything else in the charts, there were elements of Kate Bush and all the older female singer songwriters I loved (unusual for a teenager back then, everyone was into grunge and indie), and when I got the album home I played it to death! So good!
Later I felt vindicated in my own musical choices - despite them not being considered cool by my peers - when Tori said in an interview that the one sing she wished she wrote was by one of my favourite artists.
Also a 45yr old fan here! Although I didn’t fall in love until 1999 when I finally listened to Under the Pink for the first time and then the rest of the albums borrowed from friends of mine. But I was stunned and refreshed and obsessed almost instantly and have followed her ever since ❤❤❤
Little Earthquakes and Tidal by Fiona Apple absolutely helped shape me into the woman I am today. The silent feminism and fuck the patriarchy messages that came from them was pure genius.
She is one of the key people of my made up genre. Pissed off pianists. I found her in 93 with little earthquakes and instantly fell in love with her and this album. Definitely a favorite. Love seeing you experience this experience
I need to know who else is in your made up genre? I really like the idea of this!
Tom Waits? Randy Newman?
Pissed off pianists: it's PoP, but not like you think.
Yes please, I wish to explore this Very Real Genre further, thank you.
Nina Simone?@@DrSkeff
I was 23 in 1995.. deep into Heroin. Loved her... I lived. I got a 16 year old daughter now. I did it. Because of the Grace of God....
Tori has been my favorite singer since I was 17 and I'm now 42. She's amazing, her depth and creativity and artistry are unmatched in the way she emotes ❤
These two songs are kind of integral to the Tori Amos mythology and really important to hear. I know you started with a bop like Muhammad, but the real rewarding thing with Tori's music is where is she going to take you next? Harpsichord punk? Full scale late 90s arena rock? Smooth industrial electronica? An Eminem cover? A road trip album? Her personal Ziggy Stardust x 5 as a girl band? A song cycle of reinterpreted classical music? A SEASONAL RECORD? Tori is wired like no-one else. She is up there with the likes of Joni, Jimi, Prince, Bjork, Tom Waits in that no one can do what she does, and she can ONLY do what she does. Dive in - the water is fine! Sometimes it's rough, sometimes it's freezing, sometimes it's the clearest blue, but it's always gonna be a swim to remember.
Yes!!!!!!!! Thank you for articulating this:)
And her musical! (The Light Princess)
"You need multiple lifetimes to get this good" is a perfect expression of a sensation that I experience from time to time. Well said.
I always loved that line. "Boys get discovered as winter melts, Flowers competing for the sun." It's that age when you want to be noticed, but so does everyone else.
Her poetry is extraordinary.
There's a few artists who can evoke memories and tell story so well - Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Nick Cave come to mind - but its the performance Tori gifts that makes it so powerful.
My friend Dan Phelps toured with her, Matt Chamberlain on drums. I got in to her in 93. First 4 records are killer
Don't sleep on Under The Pink. That's an incredible album. She can bend time. One of the most incredible dynamic performers alive
Under the Pink and Little Earthquakes are two of the most perfect albums I’ve ever heard! 🙌❤️
You are absolutely correct. Her first 4 are unbelievable.
"She can bend time" comment of the year :)
EXATLY what I said. First 4 records are phenomenal front to back.
I was gobsmacked by this. Ultimately snapped out of it by my 8yo daughter walking in the room and saying, “daddy what are you doing”. Realizing I have goosebumps all over, tears in my eyes, smile ear to ear, and my ice cream cone melting on my nights stand lol. Wow!!!
Play tori for your daughter. Many daughters will tell you that Tori helped teach them strength.
I walked into a record store in Honolulu in 1992 and they were playing a song from Little Earthquakes and I asked the clerk "who is that???" he told me and I bought the CD right then and there. Life changing artist. LOVE that you did this.
Silent All These Years was the first song I heard of hers on the radio in the UK when it came out here. I burst out laughing at much of the lyrics and knew I'd love her from then on. Wait until he sees her playing two pianos at once and singing!
Yep another metalhead that absolutely adores her.
I saw her at the Palladium in '94 and of all the gigs over the years, that was my favourite gig of them all. And by a distance!
Tori is a goddess…true goddess. So beautiful, such talent. As a Gen Xer I feel lucky to have been a part of the period where she blossomed as a fantastic artist. She does not get enough love and praise.
I’m currently 20 years old, at the heart of gen z. When I was a baby, my mother (early 80’s millennial) would sing Me and a Gun almost as a sort of haunting lullaby, she was (and still is) a soul saved by music, graced to see the beauty in artists like Tori Amos, Portishead, Veruca Salt, Jeff Buckley, etc. in her life as she grew older. Last week we sat down for a drink in the place I called home just months ago, and she really picked apart the different songs and things that made her into the astounding woman that took the opportunity to raise her two children into people that can really see the beauty in the pain and love for others. Adore that woman with my whole heart, and the music she brought to my life when we had nothing but the bond of mother and child.
@@whomstisthis that is an awesome story. Thank you, for sharing.
Jackie's Strength is one of Tori's songs that isn't as raw, but it packs so much lifetime into one song. I don't feel like I've wasted time when I listen to her lyrics.
I fell in love with Tori at 14, and I have never fallen out of it. She essentially set the tenor of my life, and it's lovely to see someone else discover her like this.
Your face starting at 13:15 is EVERYTHING. I love this so much.
Loved your comment “ that’s what a real artist is. You create it because you have to” I couldn’t agree more. You can’t capture what she has in a bottle. That is pure raw emotion out into beautiful music. She just owned that room had everyone memorized I bet. What a great performance …I’m floored.
It’s just mesmerising!
So glad you found her! She is so intense, both fragile and strong, poetic and fun, her voice is so good and her piano is perfect. Talk about stage presence! I love her
This came up today and I'm going through some tough times. I'm not ashamed to say I had to pull over and ugly cry on the side of the road. If art has any purpose its to connect and Tori has always been a part of the soundtrack of my life. Thanks Michael. needed this today.
Same. I always find her when I need her too.
Been a Tori fan from the beginning. Always a joy to see someone else discover her artistry.
The entire Little Earthquakes album is astonishing
It really is! ❤️🙌
Dude, you have a massive library to discover. She has multiple ballads as beautiful as this one, and her first 5 full records (and EPs from this period) are brilliant and diverse. The last two from this era (Songs from the Choirgirl Hotel and To Venus and Back) are my favorites. I think my favorite ballad of hers is Marianne. Found your channel via Ren, and I love it!!!
Love Marianne! Also 1000 Oceans! Stunning!
Choirgirl is ELECTRIFYING!
Marianna is in my top 5. I’m pretty sure it came out of an improv she did while messing around in the studio. Incredible.
For some reason I can’t edit my comment but I meant “Marianne”. It would bother me forever if I didn’t correct that. 😂
I also think that Natalie Merchant is an underrated musician/artist by the mainstream. While they have different styles, they have some things in common--both powerful, deep, spiritual, sensitive, passionate, perceptive women and in touch with and more integrated with their inner Yang/masculine side than the average. Older souls in other words, that can express that older soulness and depth well via music.
Natalie Merchant is my favorite. From 10000 Maniacs to her solo career.
Natalie is a great talent, not other worldly like Tori however.
I’m so ecstatic when I see people discover and then learn Tori. Her talent is unparalleled and masterful. Seeing her live is an actual religious experience. She’s touring right now.
Zl zsz😅l z😂 JCPenney to zpzp. 😊😊😂 9:31 😊pfi 10:08 10:10
I’m literally watching this in tears. I remember being absolutely in awe of her and her talent when this was new. To watch you discover her and to feel the way you do…..takes me back and brings those feelings back in myself.
Do yourself a favor…..dig into all her music. It will change you.
Tori Amos is a true prodigy. Her story is nothing short of astonishing.
Please more Tori Amos - listen to Precious things live from New York 1996 - what a journey that performance is - like nothing you will ever see or feel
You MUST go see her on tour this summer. I hope she continues to tour for many more years, but GO SEE HER NOW! Try to see her in a smaller venue loge seating is always great.
She has gone down a half step or so on some stuff to accommodate life, but her live shows are still as incredible as they were in the 90s.
She plays a ton from her first several albums and always throws in at least one amazing cover song.
Please get tickets for this tour!!!
As homework for the show, listen to her discography from start to finish. At least the 1st six albums, much of her live performances are pulled from those albums.
Also check out her amazing covers and b-sides... great example is her cover of smells like teen spirit. It's incredible.
Edit: if the Beacon Theatre in NYC os within reach for you, it's an amazing venue to see her at, or somewhere like the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank NJ ( I'll be at that one :) )
Just go see her, I can't stress it enough lol
Growing up I loved music because it was my only refuge. I didn't fit in among the boys and the girls weren't interested. I navigated the world mainly alone. There were way points along the way. When I came across Tori Amos a new world opened up. I cannot overstate how much the 10 or so artists that became not just foundational artists for me but my actual foundation mean to me. I can only guess at what I looked like hearing her for the first time but seeing your reaction reminds me of having those same feelings.
Yes, this!
This, every word!! 🙏❤️
I've watched this performance of Tori Amos countless, countless times, and I was like, he is NOT ready 😂😂😂 Her performing Baker, Baker from 1994 live is another one that just hits.
I found Tori when I was 13...41 now....I was SA'ed by my father my whole childhood and then raped by another abuser in my 20s....The only reason I am alive today is because of this woman and her music. I never felt alone with her playing in my ears. This song saved me. Im glad you found her...her catalogue is incredible . This story is a true story with a few changes in the real events. After playing a show one night....in her early years...piano bar to be exact....she gave one of her regulars a ride home....instead of a gun he actually had a knife...he assaulted her and told her he was going to cut her up into pieces. He also had her sing hymns as he assaulted her. He left to go buy more drugs and she was able to escape.
That whole album was mad genius. One of the best of the 90s. Winter is a stone cold killer.
Now days when someone mentions 90s music she never gets spoken of, I rather like that because they wouldn't understand.
Also the recording quality is great! I always take out this album to listen to a new hifi upgrade, insanely good in every aspect
Watching you fall in love with her was a lovely thing. I was blessed to see her live in a small theater in the 90's. You could hear a pin drop. We all hung on her every breath. At 22 yrs old, she was the soundtrack to my life. So wonderful to watch others discover her pure genius.
I too saw her in a tiny venue around that time, probably ‘92. It’s the only time I saw chairs in that place and I believe the only show I ever saw there where the headliner was the only act. Mighty rare back then and even rarer for essentially an unknown. The silence in that place was also unusual and even carried over to the crowd exiting. I don’t recall my date and I saying a word until we got to our car. A VERY memorable show. Edit: It was Oct 30, 92.
@@joeyoungs8426 That is so cool! I kept looking for the theater...back then it was called "The Henry Ford Theater", now just The Ford. What an amazing time! :)
@@littlem39 I saw the same show at the Brunswick State Theater. :) My friend got me the ticket for my 18th birthday. She was 10 ft in front of me, just she and her piano. Saw her 2 more times after that. Wish I could go see her again on her new tour.
I was 17 when I first discovered Tori. I'm 43 now. She has remained my favorite musician and person, although I have never met her. It's cool to see people still discovering her.
It takes a real musician and artist to recognize another one. Thanks for breaking down WHY Tori is so great. The rest of us feel it but can't put it into words. Her first album Little Earthquakes is definitely "desert island good". Her live concert at Sessions at 54th Street 1998 is incredible. If you watch it in its entirety you'll catch Tori being interviewed by Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. It's so interesting to hear her talk. One of the reasons she resisted having a band, especially a drummer, is because her music is delicate and she likes to feel her way through it - she didn't want a drumbeat forcing a rhythm..."You can't make love to a metronome" she said. However, a drummer friend of hers insisted she give someone a chance who would understand her because he thought it would really free her to focus on her piano and singing instead of trying to maintain a beat. That genius was Matt Chamberlain. ua-cam.com/video/9qOjGLRgl2o/v-deo.html
This is a gift. I'll never be 18 lying in my dorm room again, listening to Tori through the wall from next door and feeling my world both open up and crash around me as I find myself (far too many myselves feeling exactly the same) being exposed in all my fragility and strength...but seeing you discover and fall in love with her takes me as close as I can get to living that moment again when I did the same.
You said it perfectly.
Same
In '96 I was dragged along to see her by a couple of friends, and fell in love with her instantly. She's been one of my favourite artists ever since. Saw her again just last night in Edinburgh. Still mesmerising.
For those of us who have been listening since her debut album, it's amusing to see someone discover her brilliance so many years later.
Tori doesn't need a "click-track". She's a live musician who has mastered her instrument.
Tori plays piano like Jimi played guitar. I’ve been saying this for years. It’s symbiotic with the person. Like an extension of her soul, a sixth sense, perfectly woven in with her voice.
Two powerful songs, one written from her own experience of being raped and the other honouring her father. When I saw her perform these back in the 90's in a recital hall it brought tears to everyone. Little Earthquakes record is a true masterpiece. So much of her genius shines through in all her compositions. Tori, Joni Mitchell and more recently Aurora are all fascinating songwriters who bring something special to music-there is a depth to it very few can achieve.
okay have to check out Aurora since you mentioned her in such company!
@@alisonhebert6792 Start with the early stuff, the contemporary might be too much of a jump from here ;)
I would put Fiona Apple in with those three too. A perfect Mt Rushmore of indescribable genius
Love❤ aurora
@@ks5553 I didn’t think she could top When the Pawn…until Fetch the Bolt Cutters came out.
One of the greatest musicians of the 90s, and WAY underrated. A true genius!
If this performance of Winter doesnt hit you right in the feels then you dont have a soul. Its a beautiful song. And it definitely hits different know that im a father to a little girl.
I’m 43 now & have been IN LOVE w/ her since the 7th grade. 1st concert I drove to after getting my license. She is EVERYTHING. Watch her interviews as well. Shes touring again right now and I expect you to be there! She’s a genius ❤
Went to see her 3 weeks ago in Amsterdam. It was amazing!! Been a fan for over 30 years, just like you!
Back in 1991, I was a metalhead guitarist/bassist. A studio engineer friend made me a mixed tape with a few Tori Amos songs. He said "Just listen to them". The “Winter” track was on there and I fell in love with that song so much that I learned to play it on piano by ear. It’s such an emotional performance.
Every Metalhead I know (myself included) was mesmerized by this when it came out. Little Earthquakes is in my top albums of all time list 100 percent.
@@davesmith5604 Big Thrash fan in the 80s who heard Silent All These Years late 91 & have never stopped listening to Tori since
She’s transcends genres.
Winter is my favorite song from Tori. Remember listening to it on 99X in Atlanta in the early 1990's. She's one of a kind.
She's amazing. This song is sooooo heavy. And yes, she DID live that. This should surprise noone. This is what talent sounds like. No autotune. No metronome. Just raw talent.
raw talen to carry the raw emotion's and conflict,, wow
Not has Michael only found Tori, I think he's really understood the power of the piano as a solo instrument.
having us listen to her a cappella for the first song was perfect because when the next song started it really drove home that it was the piano accenting her singing and not the other way around.
This video is not only about how great Tori is, but also about great you are. Thanks Michael.
Awwwwwzzz
Musicians get it. Now you understand why her fans are so rabid. She was a child prodigy. Playing Beethoven and Mozart by ear at age two and a half, makes her all the more impressive. Seeing a fellow musician discover her in real-time, brings us such joy. Thank you for sharing it with us. Like us, you are forever changed. Welcome to the fold, young man. We're glad you're here.
First saw Tori Amos when I was 15 and she single handily inspired me to learn the piano. Her music is incredible and she’s so not given the respect she’s due.
What a joy it is to experience someone discovering this legendary artist in real time. I take so many things for granted, but at no other time in history would it have been possible to have this experience. Thank you for sharing it.
“You’re going to want to stop, but be so glad you didn’t” is exactly my experience. You’ve encountered a gold mine of talent and expression.
Little Earthquakes is an absolute killer debut record. Not a single duffer on it, its a superb album.
So, I loved loved loved Little Earthquakes back when I picked it up in '92. Then fell in love again with Under the Pink in '94, Make sure to dive into the EPs from that era. The "rejected" songs from Little Earthquakes (found on the b-sides) are simply stunning.
I saw her at Bonnaroo one year. It was early in the day and the girls dragged me to it. I told them "If this shit brings me down I'm going to move on". I was blown away. She put on a high energy show and just killed it. We stayed for the whole set.
You’ve been missing out BIG TIME. I envy you getting to discover her for the first time. Her first four albums are phenomenal front yo back. Boys For Pele is my favorite because it dark, strange and beautiful.
Boys For Pele is a masterpiece, and my fav album as well. She brought out so many Pele girls in St Louis Friday night, including Blood Roses. I felt like I was transported back in time.
@@PianoGirl76 it was my first album. It’s so dark and beautiful.
Sometimes listening to Tori, especially in 90's early 00's, I feel like I am intruding and have to remind myself that it's a performance; that I am invited.
In the early 90s when Little Earthquakes came out I listened to it on the way back and forth to therapy on my Walkman. I was a teen and required to go after an... incident. Tori Amos helped me more than the therapist. Not sure what would have happened to me without Tori's music. It always helps not being alone.
My daughter, Tori, turns 23 this year.
(I love music and just found your channel thanks to this video. Subscribing.)
At 52, I discovered her (via Rick Beato) a few months ago. Unbelievable talent. Tori Tori Tori!!!
This is why we truly believe Tori is an otherworldly nymph who’s blessed us with her magic. I got to see her play me and a gun live, in 2001, followed by Cooling. I’ll never forget it. The audience was so silent. Most of her concerts. Everyone sits. Respectfully. Only thing I remember from that show.
LISTEN TO ALL HER ALBUMS especially the first 6 or 7. AWESOME. Boys for pele, choir girl hotel my favs. I was glad to be alive when she was at her peak
Sitting in a theater listening to her do “Me and Gun” was an experience. You could heard a pin drop. I saw her live in 1998 me and ex boyfriend went to see her for his birthday during the Plugged tour, it was one of the tours where she had a band with her. I have been a fan of Tori since 1994 when my best friend Jessica introduced her to me. She has the most beautiful voice and arrangement and the piano playing it’s just bliss she is therapy for a lot of people.
Every time I saw Tori perform in person felt like I was seeing a once in a lifetime performance. It felt so intimate, as to be uncomfortable, like you’re witnessing someone going through something that is powerful and private. The best part is that she was acutely aware of the power she held over the audience and she had her way with our attention and emotions. She has to be in the highest tier of all time live musicians.
Welcome to the club dude. Tori is the most underrated musician of our generation. And this isn't her with the band. She's 58 and has still got that addictive presence in every live show.