Tori Amos in conversation with Busy Philipps at Live Talks Los Angeles

Tori Amos in conversation with Busy Philipps
discussing her book,
"Resistance: A Songwriter’s Story of Hope, Change, and Courage"
Tori Amos is a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum singer-songwriter, pianist, composer, and, with Ann Powers, the New York Times bestselling author of Tori Amos: Piece by Piece. She has released fifteen studio albums, including her latest, Native Invader, in 2017.
Since the release of her first, career-defining solo album Little Earthquakes, Tori Amos has been one of the music industry’s most enduring and ingenious artists. From her unnerving depiction of sexual assault in “Me and a Gun” to her post-September 11 album, Scarlet’s Walk, to her latest album, Native Invader, her work has never shied away from intermingling the personal with the political.
Amos began playing piano as a teenager for the politically powerful at hotel bars in Washington, DC, during the formative years of the post-Goldwater and then Koch-led Libertarian and Reaganite movements. The story continues to her time as a hungry artist in Los Angeles to the subsequent three decades of her formidable music career. Amos explains how she managed to create meaningful, politically resonant work against patriarchal power structures-and how her proud declarations of feminism and her fight for the marginalized always proved to be her guiding light. She teaches us to engage with intention in this tumultuous global climate and speaks directly to supporters of #MeToo and #TimesUp, as well as young people fighting for their rights and visibility in the world.
Filled with compassionate guidance and actionable advice-and using some of the most powerful, political songs in Amos’s canon-this book is for anyone determined to steer the world back in the right direction.
Busy Philipps is a New York Times Best-Selling author, actor and activist. She hosted the late-night talk show Busy Tonight, on E! for which she also served as Executive Producer alongside Tina Fey. In 2018, she released a collection of humorous autobiographical essays in her bookThis Will Only Hurt a Little. As an actress she is best known for roles in cult TV classics like Freaks and Geeks, Dawson’s Creek, Cougar Town, ER, and, most recently, HBO’s Vice Principals. She has appeared in fan-favorite films such as Made of Honor, I Don’t Know How She Does It, He’s Just Not That Into You, White Chicks, and The Gift. She also was one of the writers of the hit film Blades of Glory.As an advocate and activist, she testified before Congress on reproductive rights and launched the #youknowme campaign on social media, in which she implored other women to go public with their own stories. In 2019, Philipps joined the Advisory Board of SeeHer, the Association of National Advertisers’ leading movement for gender equality in advertising and media. SeeHer is a collective of marketers committed to creating and supporting content that portrays women and girls as they really are.

[@RosieDozie]

Tori is such a calm listener .. Wonderful peaceful energy ✨

[@justinsperanza3673]

Busy is very good here because she has done her homework and really knows Tori's career and work! It is refreshing that she is asking in-depth questions.

[@BG-mj1wp]

Tori is a beautiful soul. I was fortunate to meet and hug her during my freshman year of college at Colombia College Chicago in 2001, after having multiple dreams where I hugged her. She's wise and singular.

[@suziejane1008]

Tori asked us all in Manchester 2007 to come down to the front at the Apollo and we did! It was amazing, x I came from Scotland and it was amazing.

[@thegildedpagestudio6485]

I absolutely ADORE everything that Tori does - she's been such a tower of strength throughout my life since my late teens many years ago, and I can't possibly imagine existence without her. SO much love and so many hugs and blessings, Tori xXx

[@Smjourney1223]

This is a very powerful interview. One of my favorites in describing Tori’s process in creating her music.

[@thegildedpagestudio6485]

Oh god I adore you, Tori - thanks so much for empowering me and others that desperately needed it so much! You've always been a beloved mentor, and you always will be xXx

[@thegildedpagestudio6485]

Such a wonderful interview! My huge thanks to Busy and Tori for this very meaningful, articulate and illuminating conversation. I felt like I was in the space with them, and I cherish this beautiful experience xXx

[@888lola]

Interviewing is such a skill. Think about the percentage of time that Busy talks in comparison to how much space she gives or doesn’t give to let Tori talk.

[@Msaprilconquest]

I was impressed.

[@thecabinwitch6689]

Busy kept interrupting her so annoying

[@DeedeeEntertainment]

Interviewer was so self focused she barely let Tori speak...

[@rybigbee01]

Busy asked all the questions a true fan would. Excellent dialogue!

[@Lucas-ym7yl]

I thought Busy did a great job. You can tell she is a big fan and she did her homework too. I liked this conversation.

[@msmegs93]

Wow! Tori looks amazing, rested, and centered. I'm so glad she's doing a virtual book tour, bc when I heard of the upcoming tour originally, I had fears for her health, but glad they are able to do this instead. She has always put her fans first, but we love her, and dont want to risk herself. 💗

[@n8vsprt315]

An Amen (non-religious💝😉😇) to that. Not just her, but her family, friends, roadies & most importantly all of her fans - those that have just discovered her🎶, those who came in later (~c.2000+), & the fans who’ve stuck w/her from the beginning multidimensional, layers of both symbolism/her personal truth/&the stories from fansgut-wrenching & awe-inspiring

[@msmegs93]

@@n8vsprt315 Like me as well- fan since 1992, when a dear friend who has since passed, told me of her, and to watch for her first-ever video "Silent All These Years". I did, and was mesmerized, had not seen any talent as amazing since Joni Mitchell. Who could have known the incredible composer that she would become? So glad I found her, and so are my 2 daughters. 💞💫

[@m2holisticstudio882]

Absolutely love this conversation about the muses 🌟 That’s why Tori - you’re a healer through your music and it is a humbling and breakthrough experience to see you live 🌀🔥✨🧚🏼🦄

[@jsnedd66]

i have just got my first ticket to see Tori ,I have been a fan for 30 years.see you in Glasgow 14 March 2022 at the O2 Tori.

[@TheUndeclaredNation]

i mean c'mon this is the best interview w/ tori. busy so right for this. emotional and revelatory

[@nicolas2970]

Being from Phoenix yes Arizona is a Magical place;). I have had the joy of Tori in my life since 1992 .I've also had the incredible feeling of "me and the muses" albeit on a much smaller stage LOL ironically a couple of times in a gay bar ! I was not aware that Busy lived in Arizona before; crazy, small world love both these talented women.

[@666chinchilla]

wonderful interview.many,many shows.

[@katielawrence5420]

I love Tori Amos.

[@emilybinder698]

When I watched in Minneapolis just thank you so much

[@jenimcleod1553]

Can't wait to go listen to Marianne with this new knowledge... and read the New Yorker article! Marianne is definitely one of my favourites! (Although... I would say that about alot of other songs too... hehe)

[@davidragland6161]

I also love Marianne!! It’s such a singular, poignant piece.

[@constancemiller3753]

I agree. I remember VH1 Storytellers and all she revealed about her songs then. This is a treasure.

[@thedeepblueskys]

I really enjoyed this interview because it was not a typical one. Busy was busy talking about her personal experience and although people in these comments expressed there dislike for that, it was kinda refreshing to watch and listen to how Tori responded to her energy. Especially the story Busy told of how she snuck up to the front row once at her show. I’ve seen Tori kick out a couple girls for doing exactly the same thing before lol. Plus busy brought up some good questions about some subjects that don’t usually get discussed in most Tori interviews. So for the reasons of how others may be turned off by the interview, it actually did the opposite for me. It was Busy’s fate to sit in that front row, bump into Tori in certain places, and get to do this interview. Rather it was good or bad is irrelevant to this fate.

[@thestepfordlife2015]

Agreed. Tori reflects. Tori responds.

[@thedeepblueskys]

@@thestepfordlife2015 yes, it’s nice to see her do that. She’s like thinking “this one likes to talk, let her speak” it’s almost as if it was refreshing for Tori to not do the usual interview format with the same questions she answers over and over. Sometimes in different ways, but with the same subject matter. Also with Busy doing a lot of the talking, I could tell it made it more interesting for Tori to just answer a question here and there. Or at least this is how I see it. It’s kinda a little like if they were FaceTiming without record on.

[@sarahEjansen]

Push that wall Tori. You are still as gorgeous as ever, inside and out.

[@pedrotejada4556]

Such an amazing woman. So empowering.

[@matotomato]

OMG.. it is so cute when she says fucker.

[@kylefrom2003]

I love these 2 women ! ❤️

[@MetalHeadAZ]

I met tori in Salt Lake City.

[@kevine3190]

37:31 chills 😭😭😭

[@cavejelly]

Less Busy talking and more Tori.

[@thestepfordlife2015]

With all the comments on Busy I expected a nightmare interview. This is decent. Be kind, guys!

[@willbfreed]

Great women!

[@ericsebastiancarlos6379]

Theres no such thing as a one king or queen or prince or princess of everything...they are multiple and you guys rock...😇😇😝💎💎 Go ireland Cus it is england Ireland needs its land back yo

[@rexel666]

"We need to look to Nancy Pelosi and AOC." Jesus Christ, did she actually say that?! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@SteveHughesOfficial]

I nearly fell off the earth….she has no idea what’s going on. Unbelievable

[@TheUndeclaredNation]

SHE MISSPOKE LOL

[@upendasana7857]

OMG Tori is so graceful and patient sitting listening to this woman...gosh this is an interview!! we want to listen to Tori not her...all the pausing and stopping and starting and talking about herself...blah blah....gosh it was awkward and stopped the flow of any conversation...poor Tori,must be so hard having to listen to those who are just not on her wavelength but she does it so well but I'm sure has to go scream in the wind sometimes too !!...lol

[@emilybinder698]

I put a camera between my legs, LMAO

[@elizabethgode1763]

😘❤🥰🙏

[@jenimcleod1553]

❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@jessica1733]

who is busy philips ...how is she an artisit or " famous" , were her parents famous ?

[@belllabean]

she is an actor. maybe been a singer & dancer too over her years performing, i am not sure though

[@edinsonluhmann3038]

I just know her from Dawson’s creek or whatever was that show called.

[@belllabean]

@@edinsonluhmann3038 exactly, me too. but she started out(tv) in 'freaks & geeks' which i am not sure really ever came to nz, but i would like to watch it. i heard it's pretty good

[@joemccarron199]

Busy Phillips is an amazing C onniving, U nholy, N arcissistic , T rollup

[@davidmenke7552]

Busy is so arrogant and full of herself. I hate that Tori is talking to her.

[@constancemiller3753]

She's just on a different wavelength. Tori has lived. She's not trying to get attention. Busy is just not there.

[@AlongCameMary]

The sneaking into the front row story is cringe-y. I think Busy is trying to prove what a fan she is and it's just coming off as unprofessional.

[@TheUndeclaredNation]

what are you talking about

[@thecabinwitch6689]

Busy just isn’t the right person to interview Tori you can tell she’s just listening to respond she is disingenuous and just seems to want to hear her own voice

[@TryMyMartini]

You couldn't possibly be more wrong.

[@thecabinwitch6689]

@@TryMyMartini oh I know her personally Gtfoh

[@TryMyMartini]

@@thecabinwitch6689 That literally makes no difference in this discussion.