Jam! Music web site
November 23, 1999

Updated December 1, 1999


There was an interview with Meatloaf from the Canadian Press which was posted to the Jam! Music web site on November 18, 1999. In one part of the interview, Meatloaf made comments about Tori that were very wrong. At my suggestion, many Toriphiles emailed Jam! to complain about the article and set the record straight. On November 23, 1999, Jam published several of these letters and made it a news story! You can read the article, which includeds Meatloaf's comments and some of the letters Toriphiles sent to Jam!, below.

Assuming you can stomach it, you can now listen to a RealAudio sound clip of Meatloaf dissing Tori at the Jam! Music web site. It was this interview that was quoted in the article they published last week. I am not sure what the source of the sound clip is.

Now that Meatloaf's comments have been publicly refuted, I am no longer asking people to email Jam! I am quite satisfied and thank all of you who wrote to them. It turns out that this incident DID receive a lot of attention, both in the U.S. and overseas! Here is a summary of that attention:



The Jam! Article About Toriphile Reaction To Meatloaf

Fans respond to Meat Loaf

On November 19, JAM! ran an interview with Meat Loaf that originated from the Canadian Press (not from JAM! as some readers believe). In the interview, Mr. Loaf made a disparaging remark towards Tori Amos. We present some of the feedback we have received about this quote:


That attitude can be blamed on rock's youth, he says, an elitist paradigm "about entitlement and about rock being real and you can't do it unless you write it -- unless you live it, you can't be it."

"They're not used to sharing. I heard Tori Amos speak up and say: 'If my audience doesn't give me something then I don't think they're entitled to anything.' That's not an exact phrase, but I wanted to slap her -- that's the most insane thing I've ever heard in my life. She's not the only one that thinks it."


These words are grossly inaccurate. Tori is one performer who has a consistently close
relationship with her fans, arguably one of the best in the music business. She has said in interviews that she works off of her audience, meaning that she can feel the excitement and feed off of it to make her performance stronger and give it more life ... Before she goes on stage every night, she reads 10 fan letters and takes requests so she can connect with the audience. Tori has also worked to found RAINN, a crisis line for rape and incest survivors. She is an inspiration to all her fans.

I also am upset by Meatloaf referring to slapping her. What kind of message does that send? I think he is very ignorant and should think before he speaks.

Thank you,
Teresa Pliskowski


I just read the Meatloaf article and frankly, I am disgusted. Either he is misquoting Tori Amos, or is flat out an asshole. Please give him an obligatory slap for me.

Sincerely,
Miriam Garcellano


I found that the interview with Meatloaf was an outrage because of the comments that he made about Tori Amos. What he said was completely wrong and ridiculous, Tori loves her fans and she always gives her audience all that she has. The statement was ignorant on Meatloaf's part since he obviosly knows nothing about Tori Amos.

Stick to what you know about Meatloaf.

Sara Jane


Well I'm really dissapointed in MeatLoaf. I was one person who was happy to see someone with so much passion make a return to what he loved most. But here he comes all cocky and hotshit deciding he's gonna bad mouth the real artists in the world, well you know what? He can keep shooting his mouth off because he's getting his last five minutes of the fifteen he's been granted. Bat Back to Hell. And he can take his acting career right with him ... Maybe he better stick to other people writing his words for him because he sure can't come up with the right ones on his own. He should leave the real thinking to those that are capable of it.

As for him slapping Tori; bring it on big boy, bring it on.

Very Sincerely
Scott R Kowalchyk


Dear Jam,

I wished to write and set the record straight about Tori Amos. For some reason, Meatloaf has been criticizing her recently, on television and in print and interviews. However, his information is decidedly incorrect.

I would like you to tell both Meatloaf and your readers that Tori is a co-founder of RAINN,(Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) that has helped countless young women (and men) deal with problems of sexual and physical abuse. I'm not sure why Meatloaf thinks Tori Amos "doesn't share," given her active participation in RAINN. It is because of Tori Amos' participation in RAINN, Meet & Greets, and innumerable charity concerts, that she is often considered to have a UNIQUELY close relationship with her fans. Quite the opposite, in fact, of an insulated rock star.

The website address of RAINN is www.rainn.org, and I would appreciate it if you would direct your readers, and Meatloaf, to this site.

Thank you for your attention in this matter,

Dr. Michael Quinn
Carlow College


I am upset by the article on your site where Meat Loaf talks about slapping Tori Amos.

I think what Tori was trying to say is that if the audience doesn't give her a good vibe how can she give them her best performance. I have herd Tori speak about this several times. Meatloaf has selected hearing.

Keep up the great work over there!

Thank you for your time,
Shaunte Hernandez


Hey Jam!,

I just wanted to make a complaint about the recent article featuring Meatloaf and his comments about the singer/somgwriter Tori Amos. I am in no way indicting Jam!, but I feel that Meatloaf (a disgruntled down and out rocker himself) had absolutely no clue what he was talking about.

I feel that Meatloaf has gone a little too far with entirely too little support for his comments. Thanks.

Sincerely,
a Tori fan


I found this article slightly offensive.

The part where he says that he wishes to "slap" Tori Amos is ridiculous. Yes, he's entitled to his own opinion, but still...that's a bit violent and it doesn't make him a very good rolemodel if he's advocating assault.

Shanna
Concerned Fan


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