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precious-things-digest Tuesday, February 7 2006 Volume 11 : Number 013
Today's Subjects:
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Re: Look back at 2005 [handal@r2d2.reverse.net (Richard Handal)]
"Fade to Red" Review ["Jeffery Kleismit" <jeffkleismit@hotmail.com>]
yet another toriamos.com newsletter [wojizzle forizzle <woj@smoe.org>]
Re: Look back at 2005 ["pete lambert" <prl1973@btinternet.com>]
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Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2006 11:44:26 -0500 (EST)
From: handal@r2d2.reverse.net (Richard Handal)
Subject: Re: Look back at 2005
Lou said:
> While it's nice to see Tori alone the guys are missed. It seems
> disloyal to have left them out on the second half.
I don't know this, but I formed the impression that Matt Chamberlain may
have had too many things going on to have put them aside without earning
a lot less money and prestige than he would have had he gone out with
Tori on tour. Even if that's a false impression, surely he does a ton of
studio work, and he certainly doesn't consider his career wedded to
Tori's. Matt's an extremely in-demand session drummer, and he seems to
like going in and quickly recording songs for one act after the other.
He also has a self-titled CD that just came out in November, and may
have been highly involved with getting that out. Or her people may have
seen how the demand was likely to have been for tickets to the band
concerts and thought it would have been too expensive for the venue
sizes they'd have been relegated to playing. The point is that we don't
begin to know how the equation was weighted on anyone's end of it, and
there may have been many reasons for how it balanced out.
*My* experience is that the band shows have been palpably lacking
something since it became a trio act, and I much prefer the solo
concerts over them--for whatever that may be worth.
Sorry the music isn't doing the magic with you as it used to, Lou. I
think the concerts are at least as moving and breathtaking as they've
ever been. I wish I could have attended more than four of them last
year.
Be seeing you,
Richard Handal, H.G.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2006 12:36:17 -0500
From: "Jeffery Kleismit" <jeffkleismit@hotmail.com>
Subject: "Fade to Red" Review
Hello all!
I posted the following review on several message boards and send it to
several websites as a way of getting the positive word of mouth going for
"Fade to Red." I thought I would send it out here as another alternative!
Enjoy!
"FADE TO RED"
Tori Amos
The latest Tori Amos release is a video retrospective, gathering together
all of her videos from throughout her solo careerwith the exception of
Glory of the 80s and Strange Little Girl. "Fade to Red" offers new fans
and old regulars the first chance to own these videos with DVD-quality video
transfers and remastered in Dolby 5.1 surround and PCM stereo audio. All
songs were remastered by Jon Astley; one might look on this fact with
hopeful anticipation of further Rhino remasters of her earlier work, as
Astley has worked with Rhino re-releases before.
The video quality is fantastic throughout "Fade to Red," and the audio is
impressive as well. The only issues I have experienced with the DVD playback
have been with a couple of the Cindy Palmano-directed videos. On my
lower-end (cheap) DVD player, during Winter and Crucify, the video
became very jumpy and the audio cut in and out. On my high-end Sony machine,
though, everything played flawlessly. Both of the discs are immaculate. In
other words, if you experience similar hiccups with the playback, its
probably the player and not the discs themselves. The menus on the DVD are
animated, with Toris video clips playing within frames to make them look
like individual photographs and Toris songs making up the background music.
Theres even one especially nice transition using a clip from the Winter
video.
The packaging for the release is very high-quality, and the Past the
Mission cut-out is my favorite part, with a cut-out church from the video
shoot holding the set's paperwork in place. The track lists and title on the
packaging are stamped in an auburn foil, and the whole color scheme and
appearance of the materials seems very lush and rich. The images behind the
discs and on the discs themselves carry a water theme; the discs show the
baptismal tub of Crucify and the rainfall behind Tori from 1000
Oceans, and behind the discs are again a pool of water and rainfall.
Overall, I find the packaging to be quite impressive.
Many people have written me regarding the audio commentary track Tori
provides for numerous videos and the presentation of the videos themselves
(i.e., wide- or full-screen). As a result, I have listed the videos below,
along with the format of each video and one teaser quote from Toris
commentary for each. FS stands for full-screen, and LB stands for
letter-boxed, as I have no idea how to tell if something is technically
true widescreen or not. In the commentary, Tori recollects about the
locations where the videos were shot, the individuals she worked with at the
time, and the process of translating the music into images. It is really a
fascinating listen. Toris comments are entertaining to hear, with her
anecdotes being a mix of lucid looks-back and political-religious Torispeak.
As fans, I think weve all grown used to that by now.
In the end, I would recommend "Fade to Red" to new and old Ears with Feet
alike. As collectors that seek the elusive complete collection, many fans
will snatch this DVD set up regardless of what any review says. For the
casual fans, it offers many the chance to own the videos and see them in
high-quality form for the first time. For others still, the videos can be
seen somewhere other than online, where ones connection speed might hinder
the streaming experience. Everything about "Fade to Red" screams quality,
and I, for one, am hoping to see more Tori-Rhino-Epic re-releases in the
future!
- -Disc One-
1. Past the Mission (FS)
I loved the idea that this priest was really kind of the talk of the set
because the women were saying, you know, If we had a priest that looked
like that, wed go in to church a lot more often!
2. Crucify (FS)
Ive always had a thing for waitresses, and I thought that we needed some
cheerleaders. [] I liked the idea that Anne Boleyn has these cheerleaders.
I think she deserves some cheerleaders.
3. Jackies Strength (LB)
Shes seeing people that had all these ideas about who they were going to
be. [] And then, something happens on the way to your life. [] The driver
of the taxi, we brought him back from the Spark video, and we thought he
was an important element; hes the guy that has a, not a complete finger,
and youll see him in Spark, and we liked having that tie because Toris
past is . . . um . . . you know, something that even I dont know sometimes.
I think she gets up to all kinds of things. [] Young Tori is trying to
remind her of an agreement they made
4. A Sorta Fairytale (LB)
The girl who ended up wearing [the shoe] was a dancer with a size ten foot,
which is not easy to findten pairs of size ten Sergio Rossisin a very
short amount of time! [...] There were leg people, and there were arm
people, and there were head people. I think the arm and leg did get along
quite well. I think they hooked up!
5. Winter (FS)
I remember coming out in a collared sweater because Karen Binns, the
stylist, thought well, yeah, childwomangirlit all works in a sweater. And
Cindy said, What in the world is she in? And Karen said, Well, I love the
material. And Cindy said, Well, do something to it, Karen. And [Karen]
said, Oh, girl, Im gonna push knit in a way you aint never seen knit
pushed.
6. Spark (LB)
We wanted her to be kinda protected in this shroud. I was really into Twin
Peaks the first season when it came out, so I liked the idea of a complex
story.
7. Sleeps with Butterflies (LB)
Id be on blue screen for hours and hours [] and theyre yelling, Youre
on a mushroom now! And Id say, I wish I were on many!
8. Cornflake Girl U.S. Version (LB)
This is sort of Mean Girls before Mean Girls.
9. Hey Jupiter Dakota Version (FS)
I dont see this as Tori choosing to die or to commit suicide. I see this
as an angel thats happy and an angel that really believes theyre going to
a good place.
10. Silent All These Years (FS)
I liked the idea of music box, trying to break out of it as a musician.
- -Disc Two-
1. Caught a Lite Sneeze (FS)
This period of composing for me was a harpsichord and pianotimelines were
crossed. If you think about it, its crawling inside the bloodline of the
piano that leads to the harpsichord and back.
2. 1000 Oceans (FS)
I began to see that the earth, as a creature, is separate from our life. If
we live in cities, shes almost like a ghost; you dont hear her. [] But
sometimes we can see her: the crazies, the broken-hearted, the artists.
3. God (FS)
I didnt really foresee . . . um . . . what it was going to be like having
hundreds of rats crawling all over you. [] Karen Binns was threatening the
rats, [] You get anything on my garment!
4. Bliss (FS)
Lilith Fair was going onusually in the same town we were in, and we were
in arenas, plugged in, rockin the houseand I think both messages were
extremely important because it was different aspects of the Feminine.
5. China (FS)
I was humbled by this stark, gorgeous place I call home now. [] I stayed
and watched until every last rock of the stone piano was pulled back to sea,
and when I said goodbye, I didnt realize that I was really saying, Ill
see you soon.
6. Raspberry Swirl (LB)
This really was, you could say, a collaboration Karen Binns had with the
directing team. [] The casting, of course, was pretty central to this, and
. . . um . . . Karen was quite rigid about what the casting should be, and
Ive always loved the fact that shell say to me over and over again, Come
on girl, we have to represent the children!
7. Talula The Tornado Mix (FS)
I guess you could say its a performance video more than a story video.
Clearly, there are elements of investigation; I was investigating Southern
culture with this song, Talula.
8. Sweet the Sting (FS)
The truth of it is: when you go live, there is no lip synch live. You know,
there are artists that use DATs when theyre onstage; I mean thats just
because theyre not really musicians who can perform live. Theyre artists
who are studio-accomplished, but theyre very different things. And I sort
of, I love the challenge of having to do it [] I think all of that makes it
magical or, you know, a train wreck. Thats the danger of it. So, if you use
DATs, then youre really not very dangerous, are you?
9. Pretty Good Year (FS)
Karen Binns was very much about the dancers and what they needed to be
expressing as they carried Tori to the chairthese muscle-bound guys in
briefs lovingly delivering this woman; thats one of my favorite moments, I
guess.
- -Bonus Features-
1. Cornflake Girl U.K. Version (FS)
The song was inspired by Alice Walkers The Temple of My Familiar and how
women treat each other. And again, I had my buddies on the side trying to
get me through it, and the women who wouldnt help me through it, well they
werent invited to the set, obviously.
2. Professional Widow Remix (FS)
This is one of the renditions of my work that I always kind of was proud of
because I dont think that it disrespected the musicians on the original. A
lot of what you hear was on the original master. [] And I am a sucker for a
good bass line.
Thanks again,
Jeff Kleismit
_________________________________________________________________
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Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2006 14:33:55 -0500
From: wojizzle forizzle <woj@smoe.org>
Subject: yet another toriamos.com newsletter
- ----- Forwarded message from Tori Amos <ToriAmos@epicrecords.com> -----
Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2006 14:29:18 -0500 (EST)
From: Tori Amos <ToriAmos@epicrecords.com>
To: woj@smoe.org
Subject: Hear More Tori Amos Audio Commentary From Fade To Red DVD
FADE TO RED: THE VIDEO COLLECTION!
HEAR MORE NEW AUDIO COMMENTARY FROM TORI, ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF THE DVD, SHARE THE E-CARD AND MORE!
As you know by now, FADE TO RED: THE VIDEO COLLECTION DVD will be released on February 14, featuring videos from 1991-2005 on 2 discs! Over 21 videos remastered in 5.1 Surround Sound plus behind the scenes footage and all-new audio commentary by Tori.
To listen to her NEW commentary from "1000 Oceans", click here:
Quicktime
http://www.rhino.com/fun/listeningparties/ToriAmos/oceans.mov
Real
http://www.rhino.com/fun/listeningparties/ToriAmos/ocean.ram
WindowsMedia
http://www.rhino.com/fun/listeningparties/ToriAmos/ocean_56.asx
http://www.rhino.com/fun/listeningparties/ToriAmos/ocean_100.asx
For your chance to win a copy of FADE TO RED, go to http://www.indie911.com/ and click on the Tori banner to enter.
See Tori's "A Sorta Fairytale" video on IFilm.com! http://www.ifilm.com/
To open the e-card and send it to a friend, click here:
http://www.rhino.com/flashcards/tori/
To pre-order the DVD, click here:
http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=970295
http://www.thetoristore.com/
To add Tori as your friend at MySpace.com, click here: http://www.myspace.com/toriamos
For everything else concerning the FADE TO RED Video Collection, all things Tori, and to sign up for the mailing list, click here: http://www.everythingtori.com/
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Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2006 23:02:45 -0000
From: "pete lambert" <prl1973@btinternet.com>
Subject: Re: Look back at 2005
Hey Guys,
I've been meaning to write a thought provoking post of my complex views
about the TBK, the tour, and the live CDs, but keep not doing it, which is
bad.
So in the meantime:
TBK - Over-egged. Some songs masterpieces, some not. In the past i learned
to love complex songs I didn't get at first (Pro Widow), but here I havent
learned to love some songs that sounded like easy listening. But she cant
hit my bull's-eye every album. Garlands best song she's written in 10 years.
Tour - The bottom two octaves of the piano are back! Odd that she played so
few TBK songs (i went to 4 shows and got no Parasol no Toast no Garlands and
only one Knickers and Butterflies), but there is so much competition to get
on the set-list.
Live CDs - Cant believe people are going "ewww she didn't include Toodles Mr
Jim, I'm so disappointed" Err, hello? Is there any recording artist in the
world who could offer such variety over 6 shows? Only 2 tracks on every
show, only about 4 on more than 3 of them. Rattlesnakes! Carbon! Spring
Haze! Horses! Doughnut! Every disc has a scattering of unique gems.
More later...
Pete
xxxx
# change, my dear
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End of precious-things-digest V11 #13
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