Re: Kate vs. Tori

[chrisw@fciad2.bsd.uchicago.edu (chris williams)]

>Recently, there have been a few threads that have gone around about who is
>better: Kate or Tori.
>
>It would be interesting to find out what the artists think:
>	
>	* A lot of people say that Tori Amos is a Kate ripoff -- Does Kate
>	    listen to Tori Amos?  What does she think?  If she likes her
>	    music, it doesn't seem like Tori would be much of a Kate ripoff,
>	    since what artist would appreciate plagarism?
>
>	* Does Tori listen to / like Kate?  If, somehow, Tori doesn't
>	    even LISTEN to Kate, how, then, could she be a ripoff?

    Kate has repeatedly stated that she listens to very little pop music
at all, especially when she is working on an album. I actually doubt
that she has even heard Tori.

    This "Tori vs. Kate" thing was started by a misguided marketing
effort in the UK, that positioned Tori as "The American Kate Bush."
The differences are greater than the similarities. Other than being
women and playing piano, they have little in common. 
Tori has an intensely personal and direct lyrical style, compared to
Kate's obscure one. Tori is a tireless tourer, playing one nighters
for fourteen months in a row. Kate has had one tour. Tori has won
many fans via the intensity of her performing style, whereas Kate
toured as an immensely popular artist. 

    I don't believe Tori herself has any intention of mimicing Kate
in any way. Some of Tori's handlers have obviously taken some cues
from Kate's marketing and videos, but I don't believe Tori had much
to do with that.

    It's simply that some people have some mighty small pidgon holes
to stick a large variety of female performers into.


                          Chris Williams of
                             Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago
                               chrisw@fciad2.bsd.uchicago.edu (his)
                                 vickie@njin.rutgers.edu      (hers)
                                   katefans@chinet.chinet.com (ours)