Re: The never-ending Kate/Tori debate

[Marcel F G Rijs <mfgr@bart.nl>]

Hi,

heisjohn@juno.com wrote:
>Marcel F G Rijs  wrote:
>> "An attempt to pass her off as a Kate clone"? Well excuse me, but I think
>> I've missed something here.It's true that when I read a review of "Little
>> Earthquakes" in early 1992,  Tori was compared to the likes of a.o. Kate
>> Bush, but that was also the way I got to listen to Beverley Craven, Sam
>> Brown and Mylene Farmer, to name but a few.
>> Upon listening to the album I saw every comparison fade away - except for
>> the fact that, simply said, they both play the piano and they both are
female.
>
>Help me out on this one here...  You deny that Atlantic Records in the US
>marketed her as a Kate clone -- yet you indicate that you bought it
>*because* of the very same marketing!  I don't get it...

I dunno much about the US marketing, but in this part of the world there
was no specific marketing for "Little earthquakes". In fact, I don't recall
there being any marketing at all until the end of 1992, when "Crucify" was
slowly catching on a low level of popularity. By that time, the record had
already become gold in Holland.
The remark I'm referring to was made by 1 reviewer, who happens to be a big
fan of Kate Bush. His remark was recycled by a few others, but it was not
inspired by the record company at all.

>I can't attest to how WEA marketed Tori outside the US, but here in the
>states, the plan was specific, thorough, and extremely obvious.  In a
>couple record stores in South Florida, Tori came to be known as "the poor
>man's Kate".  The cover of Little Earthquakes probably started the whole
>thing, but the "feeding frenzy" that developed over  the rapid succession
>of singles with non-lp b-sides (topped off with a slew of promo-only
>configurations) made the moniker stick.  The joke was: "Hey, if you can't
>afford the Kate stuff, pick up a handful of Tori.  Some of it's bound to
>be collectible eventually!"  The best part of the joke was -- it all came
>true!

Again, I can't say much for the US situation, however I do understand that
there was indeed a certain effect *created* by the record company over
there. ToriFans know that she was 'exported' to the UK, because Warner knew
she would be more easily accepted by the higher level of acceptance in
Europe for experimental, 'alternative' if you will, music.
What certainly is not true is that Tori was marketed in the US by these
B-sides releases- these were predominantly made in the UK. I can only
recall "Crucify" and "Winter" being released in the US, (perhaps "Me and a
Gun as well), the latter being a limited edition that was so limited that
it is still available both in the US and in Europe, the former a 'regular'
release, still available as well. 
The collectability was created by releasing more singles in the UK, which
always happens, with any artist, BTW.

>Jordan's (by way of Larry) original post said exactly that -- Tori and
>Kate do not sound anything alike.  (Tori's a bit vulgar for my tastes --
>but that's the subject of an entirely different post...)  BUT, you simply
>can't deny the fact that Atlantic Records marketed Tori to specifically
>cater to Kate's fans.

Okay, I won't deny it, simply I know too little about it. But tell me this:
how would they have done it otherwise?? At the time, the general US public
was more "narrowminded" than these days, and you will have to admit that
the marketing (if it happened that way) worked. Tori Amos was one of the
artists who was at the forefront of a host of other female artists who were
not to be categorized easily. 
And then there's the very sensible reaction of  "S.Irani-lewis"
<MDA95SI@sheffield.ac.uk>:
>
>Marketing rarely has anything to do with the artist......you 
>shouldn't hold the marketing managers limited imagination against 
>her.......its fairly obvious she has one! :-)

I rest my case.

Anyway, the marketing was not the altogether focus of this particular
debate. My reaction was most importantly written to state that it's
ridiculous to say that Tori Amos is no good - or at least not as good a
musician as Kate is. Fact is, no marketing concept is big enough to
disguise the Fact  that Tori Amos is one damn fine musician. The question
is not if Tori Amos is as good as Kate Bush, I'd go so far as to ask if
Kate Bush is as good a musician as Tori Amos???

Greetings,



Marcel Rijs
"Conan the librarian"
Den Haag, Netherlands, EUROPE
Email: mfgr@bart.nl
WWW: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/marcel
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