Y Kant Tori Read (album) - Promotion and Release

Promotion and Release

The eponymous album was released in 1988 to dismal sales, and the band split shortly after. Its lack of success and subsequent deletion has made it one of the most sought-after Tori Amos collectibles, fetching upwards of $1,000 in compact disc format in original longbox. At the height of Amos' career vinyl copies would often sell for between $300–500, but due to the decline of music collectibles and the heavy pirating of the record, they now frequently sell for between $50–80.

Because of the scarcity of legitimate copies of the album it has been heavily bootlegged, so much so that an extensive FAQ on the topic was created 1. Generally, bootleg versions stem from one of the first editions to surface, on a foreign label called "Pacific Records". These usually have six 'bonus tracks" from later in Amos' career: "Song For Eric," "Ode to the Banana King (Part 1)," "Happy Phantom (Live,)" "Ring My Bell," "The Happy Worker" and "Workers." Other editions, particularly one that surfaced in Germany, were issued to intentionally resemble the original and rip off legitimate collectors.

The number on the spine of the original CD reads 81845-2. The majority of imitative bootlegs list this number incorrectly because their stolen artwork is taken from the easier-to-find LP version of the release, which had a different release number.

Non-promotional copies of the record are more desirable than promotionally issued copies. (The reverse is generally the case in music collectibles.) Because the record sold so poorly, the majority of commercially-released copies were recalled, stamped with a gold promo stamp, and given a cut-out mark. Thus there are actually more promotional copies of the record than not.

Several singles were released to promote the album, though most promotionally and not commercially. "The Big Picture" was released as a 12" vinyl promotional single with unique artwork; "Cool On Your Island" was issued as a 7" vinyl promotional single with a special edit version of the song; it was also included as a b-side to a promotional CD featuring the song "Groovy Kind of Love" by Phil Collins. (On "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" Amos told a story from this era of being stopped by police while traveling through Germany because her friend was carrying marijuana; when she told the police officer that she was "on a CD with Phil Collins," she was set free.)

One music video was produced for the song "The Big Picture", featuring Amos prancing around a "ghetto city" sound stage set in thigh-high boots and a halter top.

Amos has continued to play a select few songs from this album ("On the Boundary," "Etienne," "Cool On Your Island," and snippets of "Fire On the Side") live in concert.