First Amendment Revoked

I normally believe in and support the First Amendment, but quite honestly I think Fred Phelps and his brainwashed drones should have their rights revoked, and be shipped-off to the Arctic...or some other place where there's no other human existence. The fact that this jackass is quoting the Bible, and is supporting his platform behind the mask of religion is disgusting. I would've rather kept Jerry Falwell around, if there were a choice. Hopefully Phelps's day is coming soon.

At first my heart filled with hatred for these people, but then I realized that's way too easy. Now my heart is just consumed with sadness.

Intersection

The "official" Tori week here on the blog is long over. I had a few folks leave comments on some of the posts so that's appreciated! I know there are more Tori fans out there though. I'm still thoroughly enjoying "American Doll Posse." Anybody have any opinions about the album? Now I'm just eagerly awaiting the release of some US tour dates!

On another note this past weekend I was really thinking of how the merging of popular culture and social media--particularly in this day-and-age--is really an interesting thing. Specifically as it pertains to the entertainment & art worlds.

Sunday I was kickin' it old school, watching Margaret Cho's "Revolution." For some reason I was jonesin' for some Margaret. Similar to what I mentioned in an earlier post, you are either a fan of Margaret's or you're not. There's really no in-between. Quite honestly I don't know how there could be -- she is vile, vulgar, and absolutely hilarious! You get turned on by her sort of humor or you don't; I can almost guarantee the majority of conservative folks do not.

Her sets usually contain references of self-reflection, how our country thinks people should look and act, and, of course, politics. Now, I have a friend who thinks celebrities & artists shouldn't use their fame or notoriety to push their personal beliefs. I respect that, and can understand that point-of-view. I must disagree, however, particularly when it comes to "artists": I believe that the role of an artist is to interpret and comment on what's going on in the world around them. If not for anything than just "waking people up" and making them aware of what's going on in the world around them.

Humor aside, Margaret is a prime example of celebrities utilizing social media to convey their platform. Margaret has an extremely active MySpace page, and a blog on her official website.

Tori's RAINN

Fans and non-fans alike can, for the most part, agree that Tori Amos is a fairly odd individual. Just watch some of her interviews and it's unarguable. Hey, I'm not doggin' it -- I am typically drawn to odd people! That's one of the reasons I think Tori's such an amazing artist. Despite her oddity even Tori's critics can't deny her positive contribution to the world. Specifically, her benefit foundation RAINN. If you aren't familiar with this extraordinary organization, it is The Rape, Abuse & Incest Nation. It facilitates programs that attempt to prevent sexual assault. It also aids victims of sexual assault and makes sure that attackers--those who have raped helpless victims--are not overlooked and are punished to the full extent of the law. Inside, you'll find statistics, counseling resources, prevention tips, news and more.

If you or someone you know have been a victim of rape don't let it go unnoticed. Please visit the RAINN website to find out more.

You can also contribute to the life of the foundation by visiting the RAINN online store. Here you can purchase gifts and merchandise, the proceeds of which are 100% given to the foundation.

Chameleon Extraordinaire

Any Tori Amos fan knows her music changes from year-to-year, album-to-album, and even song-to-song. Perhaps that's what makes her legions of fans so loyal: these changes keeps things new and interesting, and makes people wonder what's coming next. Wow, you know what? That's what a true artist does! Hmmm....

Similar to the changes coinciding with her music, Tori's image changes right along with it. This is one of the reasons I enjoy Tori Amos so much, as a contributor to the music world. Her physical being is merely an extension of her music; her image tells a story. I thought for this post it might be fun to take a retrospective look at Tori throughout the years, as well as this new album, "American Doll Posse".

American Doll Posse (2007):


Scarlet's Walk (2002):


To Venus and Back (1999):


From the Choirgirl Hotel (1998):


Boys For Pele (1996):


Under the Pink (1994):


Little Earthquakes (1992):

A Single Cranberry

I just found out former Cranberries lead singer Dolores O'Riordan is releasing a solo album. It's dropping May 15th, although I'm not aware if this is the official US release date. I'll have to do a little digging around about that. In the meantime, take a look at the video for the first single, "Ordinary Day":

How I Met Tori Amos

Perhaps I've misled some folks by titling this post "How I Met Tori Amos." I've never actually met Tori; not in this physical world anyway. Many, many times in my dreams (in a non-psychotic way, of course). What I was trying to convey with the title is the first time I was ever introduced to Tori in the music world.

Oddly enough--and without embarassment--I first heard Tori's unique voice while I was in college, working part-time at the store Structure. Yes, go ahead and laugh. But I'm proud to say I was introduced to some pretty phat music while I worked there, thanks to the company who was contracted to provide the soundtrack for the store. I believe they were a company based out of Seattle. Anyhow, the song "Blue Skies" came on and I was absolutely hooked. Of course now I'm not only a huge fan of Tori but also BT. In my opinion, "Blue Skies" is a killer track, and is an interesting collaboration -- I don't think Tori's really ever appeared on such a song.

Unfortunately I don't have a sample of the song I can provide, but if you're a Tori fan I'm certain you're familiar with the song. So I'm curious to know what other folks think about this song. Here's a poll for you:

Tori the Video Queen

We can probably all agree we live in an age where music just wouldn't be the same without music videos. They draw us into the lives of the artist, help tell the story of the song (OK, well more often than not this isn't true), and simply entertain. Like Tori Amos's music, her accompanying videos--which are all available on Tori Amos - Video Collection: Fade to Red--can often be disturbingly interesting. Sometimes they have a unique story, often they are beautifully shot, and quite frequently they make no sense at all and are quirky.

So I thought I'd devote today's "Tori post" to her videos. Honestly, I have a two-way tie for my favorite:

Caught a Lite Sneeze:


Spark:

Tori Amos Spark
Uploaded by skinandbones

What's your favorite Tori Amos video? (This is for a produced video, not a concert or live performance.)