page: 
 title: Of Fairies, Ticks and Leeches: Tori Amos Talks Tool
author: Chris Norris

In preparation for his SPIN cover story on Tool, writer Chris Norris 
was able to wrangle an exclusive interview with Ms. Tori Amos on the 
subject of her good friend, Tool's Maynard James Keenan. While 
portions of the interview did appear in the story, we thought the 
entire piece was worth reading. And so, please enjoy the unexpurgated 
thoughts of Tori Amos on Tool, religion, Eminem and more . . . 

Q: What do you think Maynard's like, day to day? 

I think he probably wakes up wondering if he's going to wig or not 
wig. 

I think he really is this beautiful guy. And he has a deep spiritual 
currency. Where he believes that you can't separate yourself from 
what you create. He and I are very close friends and I feel that he's 
under no illusions that if you put it out there you cannot separate 
yourself from it, when the heat gets great. When people disagree or 
if you stir it up. You can't just collect the publishing check and 
not collect the controversy that you create with it. 

 Q: You both grew up in a fairly intense Christian backgrounds. Do 
you talk about religion much? 

We both have a real fascination about comparative religions. And we 
spend a lot of time talking about that, and what's been hidden. We 
talk about this one book sometimes, the Hidden Lineage of Jesus, and 
how we've been very manipulated through the ages about the 
information that's been withheld. I think that if we had the time 
we'd both be students somewhere. It fascinates the two of us, mainly 
because of the maniuplation that's gone on and the power of it. Music 
also can have that manipulative power. And I think that's where we 
both sit on the same side of the table. We both believe that whatever 
you put out there, the phrase, 'Oh I'm just kidding.. Oh, I didn't 
mean that," is fuckin' weak. That is a limp dick if I've ever heard 
one. 'I don't mean it.' 'You guys are overreacting.' Man, that's 
childs play. I just don't have a lot of respect for people that don't 
stand by their work, whatever it is. Then you're a hypocrite. 

Q: So neither of you are too into what you'd call "post-punk irony"? 

Wait a minute, I don't know what punks you know, but the punks I know 
are very serious. They had real issues. They thought Buckingham 
Palace should burn. They weren't kidding. I don't think punk was a 
joke for a lot of them. It was a revolution. It was about the 
classes, it was serious. 

I think, look, if you're gonna talk about beating women and then you 
turn around and say, 'I'm just kidding,' then all I can say is…Weak. 
Where are your fucking balls? If you're gonna talk about beating 
women, you better beat 'em. Or I'm not interested in you at all. I'll 
kick your ass. Cause I've got no problem kicking the ass of people 
who say that. You're just less than fumes from a fart. 

Q: I was struck by Maynard's sense of humor. I expected the 
seriousness and intelligence, the funniness suprised me. 

Humor is such a subjective thing because what you think is funny and 
what I think is funny could be very differnet things. What I like is 
he doesn't have a cheap sense of humor. And it doesn't compromise his 
beliefs. Whereas I don't think it's funny if you're hypcritical. I 
just think you're less of a man or less of a woman if you are. And 
that would be tough stuff to wake up with. That should make you want 
to rethink you're whole being. Maynard really stands where he stands. 
His beliefs aren't something he negotiates with. He doesn't change 
from one day to another so that he can get along with Spin or Raygun 
or whatever else the popular thought that week is. And that's why I 
respect him. There aren't a lot of musicians who are honest enough 
with their dark side and humble enough. And he knows his shortcomings 
and that's part of his beauty, and strength. 

Q: What are his shortcomings? 

Well, his main fault is that he hasn't sent me a bottle of Sassakia 
yet. He's gotten into red wine. And he hasn't sent me in a while. 
That would be his main shortcoming. 

Q: He a good email writer? 

Oh yeah. After you get one of Maynard's emails, you giggle. 

Q: What makes his voice so unique and striking to you? 

He has this melodic voice, this voice that can really sing. And he 
has this screaming voice. With a lot of people, one compromises the 
other. He really has, I guess you'd say, a forehand and a backhand. 

Q: How does he stand out in hard-rock today? 

Well, the thing about Maynard is that he doesn't believe in violence 
against women. Which he really stands very apart from a lot of these 
guys. I think a lot of these guys are very intimidated by women. And 
he isn't, clearly. I think he'd rather drink them than beat them. 

There are a lot of people, especially musicians, where they can be 
bought. They'll sell you up the river. You don't really know who 
you're real friends are. But he's a real friend. If he's your friend, 
he's a real friend. 
Posted to t.d.n: 05/19/01 23:32:35