She was more me but I was early into my musical adventuring at the time and ironically my intro to her was her most experimental c.d. period Boys For Pele! Strange thing though, I had no influence to listen to it as much as I did, but at first I was like and then it sank in until I was addicted. Within the next month I bought whatever I could find in her catalog up to that point until I was in a euphoria with her music like a junkie and a heroin needle!
thanks Eberg
My advise is to start with either little earthquakes or under the pink. Tori is absolutely an acquired taste but I find once somebody gets her they are hooked. I've been such a long time Tori fan that some of my longtime friends have gotten here at different stages. I always say told you so.
I was hooked from the start - didn't need to acquire the taste for her, lol - from first hearing Crucify on the radio way back in '92, I thought wow who is this - must get the album (Little Earthquakes), so I did and I've been a fan since
As mentioned earlier Tori's pastor father went to great lengths for her to perform including playing at gay bars. I think that's personally amazing that a man of God would show such acceptance and this quote by him is awesome :
You play to people, you don't judge them. You share your gift and talent.
This was an opportunity for Tori to play all the material that was shunned at Peabody to an audience who would appreciate it!
Her set list usually included:
Gershwin
Cole Porter
Billie Holiday
Carole King
Billy Joel
Elton John
Selections by Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones!
with the three biggest songs being:
Gloria Gaynor-I Will Survive
Send In The Clowns
Feelings
Here's a cool story from Tori about how I will survive was an inspiartion to her:
Gloria Gaynor Story
As a bonus here's Tori with a Gershwin song:
Summertime
At 14, Tori also takes an interest in acting as Tori fans know she's had some bit parts in commercials and shows before singing. Her inspiration for the acting bug was said to be inspired by a love for
Bette Davis!
Tori's big acting gig in high school was the lead in Gypsy! On top of all this Tori also directed the children's choir at her church and wrote musicals for them. This exposure got her a lot of gigs.
Age 15
At age 15, Tori found she had a bone deformity
Chronic TMJ
which still affects her to this day. I found this fascinating because I honestly had no clue about it. It affects her to the point where she has to ice her jaw up before and after each concert! Here's her description:
You don’t know this, but I have chronic, chronic TMJ. I’ve had it since I was 15. Part of my jaw doesn’t go into the bone - which is a hook and pulling my skull to the right. And what happens is my right side goes into spasm and my neck and shoulder get almost paralytic. And so, I have braces at night I have to wear and I can hardly talk. I can’t do interviews in the braces although they would help me. That’s really where my handicap is - or because you can’t say handicap anymore, it’s my physical challenge
Ouch!
At 16, the big news for Tori was that she had her music pressed on record for the first time in a very small release. The song she contributed to was It's a Happy Day by Camilla Warton and Tori played the piano for it. Tori was really making strides in independence as she was left unparented at the gay bars and she was making her own demos at home with her newly acquired synthesizer.
Stayed tuned for the next entry as Tori officially becomes Tori and her career is just around the corner!
I was hooked from the start - didn't need to acquire the taste for her, lol - from first hearing Crucify on the radio way back in '92, I thought wow who is this - must get the album (Little Earthquakes), so I did and I've been a fan since
Great additions there Soot!! Really enjoyed the Gloria Gaynor clip
You know I had no idea she had chronic TMJ. I had a small battle with it and had to have therapy and cortisone injections into the jaw...but mine is very treatable...not CHRONIC..I could not imagine...yikes!!
Good for her getting out there everynight. I haven't had any problems as mine really developed after oral surgery a few years back, but I can still feel for her here.
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and then it sank in until I was addicted. Within the next month I bought whatever I could find in her catalog up to that point until I was in a euphoria with her music like a junkie and a heroin needle! 
