Torie Tyson
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By Paul Autry
My experience with Torie Tyson came in true rock 'n' roll form. I recieved a copy of her latest, three song, self titled release and I was quickly impressed with her style, which, to me, sounds like The Rolling Stones with a female singer.
After hearing her three song release, I was impressed enough to request an interview, which, of course, was granted. I spent some time on the phone with Torie, which was more like a conversation between old friends instead of an interview. When it came time to type up that conversation, the only voice I heard on the tape was my own. It seems I had my machine hooked up the wrong way. How rock 'n' roll, huh? Luckily, Torie was nice enough to give me another call to answer the same questions all over again. And this time, I had my machine hooked up the right way and, finally, our conversation was captured on tape. When I did this interview, the only music I heard from Torie was her three song release. Her previous, full length album, "You're Gonna Get It In The End," wasn't in my collection and it wasn't until after this interview that a copy made it across my desk. So, I experienced her recorded history
backwards. Due to circumstances beyond my control, this interview was put on the shelf for quite some time. I had every intention of using it, but, I never got around to putting it into print for one reason or another. Right here, right now...finally...is my interview with one of rock 'n' roll's most unique voices, the one and only, Torie Tyson.
TORIE TYSON:
I did a full length CD about two years ago. I was working with someone else and I co-produced it. It's got some cover songs and original material.
PAUL AUTRY:
Now, with your full length album and your three song CD, was that your first trip into the world of music or do you have you done anything else?
TORIE TYSON:
Oh, I have demos, things that I've done. Stuff like that lying around.
PAUL AUTRY:
Anything in circulation?
TORIE TYSON:
Not really. They were just different things I've done that really weren't...just regular demos.
PAUL AUTRY:
How has the public and radio reacted to your music? Are you getting a positive response?
TORIE TYSON:
Yeah. So far, it's been pretty good, actually. I've been on a few radio stations out here locally. It hasn't gotten me signed or anything. But, it's gotten my name out there and people have heard it, so, it's cool.
PAUL AUTRY:
Any plans for a video release?
TORIE TYSON:
Maybe in the future, ya know. But, not right now.
PAUL AUTRY:
From what I've read, you seem to have a pretty cool stage presence. For the people who haven't been lucky enough to see you live yet, can you tell us what a Torie Tyson concert experience is like?
TORIE TYSON:
It's pretty wild...it's fun...they'll get their money's worth, put it that way.
TORIE TYSON:
You wanna hear the whole story? Okay, here's what happened. They told me that we were supposed to be on at a certain time. When we got there, they wanted us on earlier, which was impossible because most of the band wasn't there yet. So, that was pressure right there...waiting for the
band to get there...blah, blah, blah. We finally go on, the show was going really good, the crowd was with us. I had my crowd there plus I had other people that were there. They were like, we had to rush the show because they wanted to get this other band on and it was their fault. Towards the end, the crowd wanted another song. I said to them, if you want it, you're
gonna have to ask for it. So, the crowd starting chanting "MORE," so, I started another song and they took the sound, they cut us off. So, I said well, whatever and just stopped. I couldn't keep going because the mic was off...I tried. But, how can you sing without a mic? So, that was it, that's what they did to us.
PAUL AUTRY:
With that show and some of the other stuff I've read, it seems that you got tagged as a "bad girl." Is it safe to say that that's who you really are?
TORIE TYSON:
Ah...I guess they say that because I'm not waif-like and I'm not singing victim songs, if you know what I mean. I think they tend to think "bad girl" if you're not in that category.
PAUL AUTRY:
Since you mentioned you don't sing victim songs, how would you describe the style of music that you're playing?
TORIE TYSON:
How can I describe it? It's just basic...some of it's good time music, some of it's intense in its own way.
PAUL AUTRY:
I was listening to your CD before you called and the one song, "You Push Me Down," kind of reminded me of The Rolling Stones.
TORIE TYSON:
Yeah, I really like that. I'm glad you said that. It's pretty cool to be compared to them.
PAUL AUTRY:
How did you get involved in the music business?
TORIE TYSON:
Well, I was an actress as a kid. My mother was actually the
singer of the family. She did clubs, played in New York. But, she got out
of it when she got married and had me. When I was acting, out of the blue,
I happened to go to a club one night and I noticed there were singers who
were getting up there doing three songs and someone came up to me and asked
if I sang and I was like, not really. I was thinking of a different career
at the time because the acting wasn't taking off like I wanted it to.
Anyway, I got his card and I waited a few months and I finally called him
and I started going to his workshops that he had, where you could get up
and sing. That's how I really got into it, I liked it and that's how I got
started.
PAUL AUTRY:
How did you hook up with Alex Kane, who some people might
remember from Life, Sex, Death?
TORIE TYSON:
A friend of mine, who was in a bass player in a group called
D'Molls. He knew Alex from Chicago...I'm from Chicago, but, I was out here
already. I didn't know them from Chicago, I met them out here. Anyway, I
was introduced to Alex and I asked him to do a few dates with me and it was
really great and we started writing together.
PAUL AUTRY:
How is the songwriting process handled?
TORIE TYSON:
I write the lyrics. Whoever I write with handles the melody
because I don't do it. I wish I could do both, but, I don't. I only do the
lyrics.
PAUL AUTRY:
Do you play an instrument?
TORIE TYSON:
No, I don't. But, I tried drums when I was a kid, I didn't
stick with it though. I could've been another Karen Carpenter, who knows
(laughs). I feel my body is my instrument. I have a good band...as long as
I have a band behind me, what I'm doing is fine.
PAUL AUTRY:
What are your long term plans and do they include music. Or is
there anything else you wanna do?
TORIE TYSON:
Well, I don't rule anything out, let's put it that way. I
obviously wanna go to the next level now, be it to get a deal or whatever.
I'd really like to get on a soundtrack. I'd love to be the biggest
superstar, that's my dream. But, as long as I can work at what I love to
do. Like, take a singer like Tom Jones, he was big at one time, he's still
sort of big. But, he still keeps his name out there. Or Debbie Harry, she
works in films. As long as I can keep doing, in show business, what I wanna
do. But, I still wanna be big, ya know?
PAUL AUTRY:
Since you have a good band behind you, will you continue to
promote yourself as a solo artist or will it evolve into a band project?
TORIE TYSON:
I don't think it ever does when you're a solo artist. As long
as they appreciate what's going on...I'll always be a solo...unless Van
Halen asks me to join (laughs) I hear they lost another singer.
PAUL AUTRY:
Anything interesting happen since the last time we talked?
TORIE TYSON:
I just did another song. I didn't write the song, but, they
asked me to record it and it came out really good. That's something I'm
working on, trying to get it on a soundtrack. I'm writing some new stuff
with someone else that I'm working with. I think it's gonna be pretty good,
but, who knows. We'll see.
PAUL AUTRY:
What do you think of the current music scene?
TORIE TYSON:
As far as today, and I hate to say this, but, there's really nothing out there...it's mostly teen and country music out there.
PAUL AUTRY:
Spice Girls!
TORIE TYSON:
I don't think so. I mean, I can appreciate what they're doing.
But, I can't say that I look up to it, if you know what I mean.
PAUL AUTRY:
So, you wouldn't want to be a Spice Girl?
TORIE TYSON:
Well...I don't rule it out.
PAUL AUTRY:
What are your influences?
TORIE TYSON:
As far as influences...whoever gets me going. For example,
when I look at Elvis, I still get excited even though he's been dead for so
long.
PAUL AUTRY:
Or so they say.
TORIE TYSON:
Yeah, I know. I like people who have fire in them. Tina
Turner, The Doors, Janis Joplin, Sly & The Family Stone. As far as today,
I'm trying to think of who I like...
PAUL AUTRY:
Britney Spears!
TORIE TYSON:
Oh, God, please. Lord no. I'm into anything that moves me,
anything that's real and has an edge to it.
PAUL AUTRY:
Final comments?
TORIE TYSON:
Yeah, let's get back to some good music again. Music is gonna
change again, eventually. It always does, it goes through stages where
nothing's happening. Like everyone's saying how bad it is now, which I
agree. But, eventually, new artists will come along and they're gonna break
through it all. We need some new faces, people that have an edge to them.
Maybe it'll be me!
Since the basis of this interview was to promote her current, three song
release, I thought it would be a fitting end to speak a few words about her
previous release, "You're Gonna Get It In The End," which, in my opinion,
is an album that hasn't been given the exposure it properly deserves.
The album is a combination of rockin' originals and interesting cover
tunes. Torie covers such tunes as Sweet's "Fox On The Run," the written by
Prince/done by Cyndi Lauper tune "When You Were Mine" and, the true
highlight, Rod Stewarts "Hot Legs," for which Torie has an exceptionally
nice pair of herself...yeah!
Her original songs still come off sounding like The Rolling Stones with a
female singer, which I find to be a rather cool concept. I can picture Mick
Jagger doing some of Torie's material, songs like "User" or "Rock Will
Never Let You Down." Torie also lets loose, going into a more straight
forward rock mode with tunes like "I Really Want You" and "Change Your
Ways." All in all, this is a well balanced album that's a guaranteed good
time.
http://www.torietyson.com
Copyright 2000, BallBuster, The Official Int'l Underground Hard Music Report |
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PAUL AUTRY:
Since I only heard your three song CD, can you tell me a little bit about your other music?
PAUL AUTRY:
I read an interesting article that said there was some tension between you, your band and a certain venue that you were playing. What was the deal with that?