“The commercial music world which I had been a part of for so many years lost its sparkle. My focus became the creation of music which would slow down the brainwaves, so inducing a state similar to when we mediate.” WorldYearsStatesLostFocusCreationSlow DownSparkleCommercial Music Author:John R. Levine
“Sound, and therefore music, can help shape or reshape our thoughts, even our cells.” HelpingSoundShapesCellsOur Thoughts Author:John R. Levine
“When I am able to be present, listening - really listening - to a viewpoint described through someone else's lens, I am here in the now and alive.” AbleAliveListeningLensesViewpoints Author:Tori Amos
“In order for my live performance to work, which is about generating a focused energy for about an hour and a half, it is necessary for me to listen and take in someone else's focused energy the day of or the day before the live show. That can transpire through a conversation, or inspiration can occur by looking through any type of visual book which sparks a narrative. That narrative then becomes today's seed and can then take root in music terms, where a sonic tree begins to grow.” BookShowsInspirationTodayOrderEnergyGrowsTermHoursHalfTreeTypeConversationRootsPerformancesFocusedSeedsNarrativeVisualsSparksLive Performance Author:Tori Amos
“There certainly are situations where I feel not empowered or uninspired. Particularly when the person's agenda is to intimidate through abusing their position or their authority. When I am present and in a nonreactive state, then I can become like snake and slide through their "intimidation net" back into the creative plane. When I am in a reactive state, I usually regret responding, because usually all that happens is that the intimidator feels righteously vindicated.” FeelsPersonsI CanStatesHappensSituationCreativePositionRegretAuthorityPlanesAgendasSnakesEmpoweredSlidesIntimidatingRespondingIntimidationUninspiredVindicated Author:Tori Amos
“Vulnerability can be empowering as a songwriter and storyteller.” VulnerabilityEmpoweringSongwritersStoryteller Author:Tori Amos
“If you can surrender your protection devices, in order to track the potentially raw and perhaps elusive emotions that are the song's DNA, then that is creative vulnerability, which is ultimately hugely empowering.” IfsSongOrderEmotionCreativeTrackProtectionSurrenderVulnerabilityEmpoweringDevicesDnaElusive Author:Tori Amos
“There are quite a few very funny people in my life. You know those people who don't mean to be funny, they just come out with these zingers that just make you howl with laughter. Usually you find these people in the road crew. A good crew is a key to a healthy funny bone.” PeopleKnowsMeanKeysHealthyLaughterBonesCrewHowlFunny PeopleFunny Bones Author:Tori Amos
“Getting people to go above and beyond the call of duty can be achieved but only if you, the artist, are willing to go above and beyond any and all calls of duty yourself.” PeopleIfsArtistWillingDutyCall Of DutyAbove And Beyond Author:Tori Amos