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music
T▼O▼R▼I A▼M▼O▼S
The redheaded singer and songwriter talks about life and music
By Jenny Brannan Kansan staff reporter
Tori Amos' fire-red hair flows as she straddles the piano bench to face the audience and share nakedly, through song, her experiences with religion, sex, guilt and abuse. When the moving female vocalist and pianist, who released the 1992 gold record "Little Earthquakes", caresses the keys of her piano on stage, she jumps from delicate notes to powerfully pounding examples of one woman's feelings.
"Ihad to find a way to feel like I didn't have to answer certain questions," Amos said. "This isn't the National Enquirer. Sometimes I wonder — can I really say this?"
When Amos performs at 8 p.m. on Sept. 23 at the Lied Center for a crowd of more than 2,000, she will play songs that touch on serious issues, such as rape and abuse, with a liberating honesty that stems from her personal experiences.
The song "Me and a Gun" from her album "Little Earthquakes" is based on her rape.
Since then, with funding from Atlantic Records, Amos has set up the first national Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, RAINH, to help people who have survived traumatic sexual abuse experiences. The service automatically connects the caller with the closest of 341 rape crisis centers in the country. The number is 1-800-656-4673.
Amos said the songs she wrote helped her to heal, but the effect they had on others was out of her control.
"You have to let your work go once you've written it," Amos said.
Amos said that her extraordinary gift made it difficult to lead a typical childhood.
"I was pretty isolated because people didn't know how to react to me," she said. "They feel funny, so I feel funny. You go more into your talent because no one wants to hang out with you."
She said she had believed in creative freedom for the pianist, and the teachers had tried to make her play and read music in a very rigid way. She could play music by ear and the instructors tried to break her of this talent.
"We had real different views on what a musician was,"
"moss said. "How can you or I decide how a composer wants a piece plaved."
"When you're young enough, you still have balls," Amos said. "You don't care what your peers say."
Amos tried many different ways to break into the music business, including playing in piano bars and cocktail lounges as a teenager.
She said she had decided to examine what she wanted from her music after the flop of her first album, "Y Kant Tori Read." in the '80s.
"I was kind of brought to my knees," Amos said. "I had to look at what my intentions were, and I wasn't being fulfilled."
After that, she began to write the songs that made up her album, "Little Earthquakes," which has sold 1 million copies worldwide.
She said she had started to understand and to ask herself what was holding her back before from being creative.
Now, after her newest album, "Under The Pink," has
been released, Amos said that she had to be careful not to suppress her emotion and revelations as she gained exposure.
"The more exposed you get, the more they get to know you," Amos said. "The tendency is to pull back in — feel too exposed."
The KU Student Union Association in conjunction with
Contemporary, a musical promoting company, worked to bring Amos to Lawrence for a sold-out show.
Janie Plesser, SUA Live Music Coordinator, said that a show such as this would bring diversity to the campus.
"I don't think this is music you'll see everyday in Lawrence." Plessera said.
Arts & Reggae Festival
The International music fest draws thousands for everything from Caribbean to spiritual music
COURTESY OF TEMPEST ENTERTAINMENT
Wort-A-Girl
By Anne Loeper
Kansan correspondent
Frisbee disks, dogs, and arts and crafts will be as much a part of the Fifth Annual Arts and Reggae World Music Festival as the music.
David Clarke, festival coordinator, said the event's atmosphere was a lot like the University of Kansas' Day on the Hill — except the festival lasts three days.
The festival's theme, "One Love and Unity through Reggae Music," is supposed to reflect the laidback atmosphere of the festival and the fact that it brings many kinds of people together. Clarke said.
The festival features 17 bands. It begins tomorrow and ends Sunday at 40th and Mill streets, which is a park in Westport at Kansas City, Mo. The gates open at 1 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
"People just chill out, bring lawn chairs and Frisbees," he said. "Tents are also ontional."
Bands and performers from as far away as the West Indies and as close as Kansas City will perform. Clarke said this year the festival has expanded the type of reggae music offered.
Renee Bassett, bassist for Green Care, said the band enjoyed playing at the festival because it gained exposure to a younger crowd. Usually Green Care plays at bars for a crowd that is 21 or older.
Last year's attendance was about 12,000 people. Clarke said the new style of reggae might draw an even larger crowd.
"We're introducing Caribbean music this year, whereas usually it's mostly African music," he said.
This is the third year the band has played at the festival, she said. The members started out years ago playing at The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St.
Bassett said the unique aspect of Green Care
Other bands scheduled are Bigga, a rock 'n' roll bandean band and protege of Bob Marley, and Worl-A-Girl, an all-girl dance hall group with rhythm and blues influence.
was the fact that all six members sing. The band is scheduled to play from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Morgan Heritage is reggae's version of the Partridge Family, with seven brothers and a sister singing of spirituality and community.
The Mighty Sparrow is a native of the West Indies with music influenced by African, Creole, Eastern and Jazz rhythms.
Tickets are $8 each day in advance at any Ticketmaster outlet and $10 at the gate. No grills, fireworks or coolers are allowed at the festival.
Band Schedule
Friday - Singers International
Friday — Singers International 2-3 p.m. Opening Ceremony
3-4 p.m. AZ-ONE
6-7.15 p.m. Infrared Rockers
7:45 - 9 p.m. Bigga
Saturday — Reggae Dancehall
1:30-2:30 p.m. Steelie Banks
2:30-3:30 p.m. New Riddim
4 - 5 p.m. Wicked Act/ Andrew Bees
5:30 - 6:45 p.m. Windy Shaw
7:30 - 9 p.m. Worl-A-Girl
12-1 p.m.Irie Tribe
Sunday — World Music Mix
1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Alkebulan
3-4 p.m. Green Care
4:30-5:30 p.m. Scotty's Riddim
6-7 p.m. SDJ
7:30 - 9 p.m. Morgan Heritage
9:30 - 10 p.m. Mighty Sparrow
SEPTEMBER 15, 1994 PAGE 4B
Lawrence Nightlife Calendar
The Bottleneck
737 New Hampshire St.
Salty Iguanas. 10 p.m. tomorrow. $4
Grither and Amputatee, tonight, no cover charge (18 and over)
Loaded in Lawrence compact disc-release party with Monterey Jack, Danger Bob and Slackjaw, 10 p.m. Saturday, $5
Skankin' Pickle, 10 p.m. Sunday, $6 (18 and over)
Consolidated and "Artis" the Spoonman, 10 p.m.
Monday, advanced tickets $8 (18 and over)
Men Saunders & The Rainforest Band, 10 p.m.
Tuesday, advanced tickets $8 (18 and over)
Lonesome Hounddogs with Lov's Revenge, 10 p.m.
Wednesday, $3
Danger Bob with Yah Yah Little Man, 10 p.m.
Thursday, $3 (18 and over)
Mulligan's
1016 Massachusetts St.
Darrell Lea, 9:30 tonight, $2 (21 and over), $3
(18-20)
Ricky Dean Sinatras, 10 p.m. Friday, cover charge Skin, 10 p.m. Saturday, cover charge
Boulevard presents Acoustic Open Mike Night, 9 p.m. Wednesday, no cover charge Acoustic Juice, 10 p.m. Thursday $2.99
Acoustic Juice, 10 p.m. Thursday, $2-3
642 Massachusetts St.
Liberty Hall
Reverend Horton Heat with Tenderloin and Paw, 8
tonight, advanced tickets $12.50
1601 West 23rd St.
River Valley Music Cafe
Limbo Cafe with Shallow,10 tonight,cover charge Dixie Dregs,10 p.m. tomorrow, advanced tickets $12.50
The Imposters, 10 p.m. Saturday, cover charge
The Moth, 10 p.m. Sunday, cover charge
Danger Bob, Camper the Madman and Sufferbus,
10 q.m. Monday, power charge
Johnny Clueless, 10 p.m. Wednesday, cover charge
John Paul and the Hellhounds with Little John and the Rhythm Rockets and Moe Blues Band, 10 p.m. Thursday, cover charge
Granada Theater
2023 Massachusetts 10. Scotty Riddim Band. 10 tonight. $3-$4
Mondo Disco with D.J. Ray, 9 p.m. tomorrow, $4-5
Lily inguanas, 10 p.m. Saturday, $4-5
Santy Iguanas, 10 p.m. Saturday,
Club 7, 9 p.m. Sunday, $3.4
lub 7, 9 p.m. Sunday, $3-4
Monday Night Football, 8 p.m. Monday, no cover charge
'80s Night, 9 p.m. Wednesday, $5 or $4 with a KUJD
Al Brown and Inner Force, 10 p.m. Thursday, $4-5
Full Moon Cafe
The Jazzholes, 9 tonight, no cover charge
The Atomic Sideshow, 9 p.m. tomorrow, no cover charge
Ashiklar, Gerald Trimble and Peter Stephenson, 9 p.m. Saturday, no cover charge
Kris Wade, 8 p.m. Thursday, no cover charge
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