Tori Amos Releases ‘Strange Little Girls’ Reissue Without Neil Gaiman

Tori Amos, the renowned singer-songwriter and pianist, made waves in 2001 with the release of her unique conceptual covers album, Strange Little Girls. The album saw Amos take on songs originally written and performed by men, transforming them into her own distinctive, introspective style. Tracks on the album ranged from Slayer’s “Raining Blood” to Eminem’s “’97 Bonnie And Clyde” to the Beatles’ “Happiness Is A Warm Gun.”

Now, Amos is preparing to unveil a new vinyl edition of Strange Little Girls, featuring additional covers and notably missing contributions from a specific collaborator. This vinyl release marks the first time the album will be available in this format. In addition to the original album tracks, the vinyl will include two B-side covers of David Bowie’s “After All” and Alice Cooper’s “Only Women Bleed.” Amos will also present two previously unreleased covers: Elvis Costello’s “Hoover Factory” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Growin’ Up” from his classic debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ.

Amos shares a long-standing friendship and creative partnership with Neil Gaiman, a respected author and comic book writer who served as her daughter’s godfather. Gaiman contributed to Amos’ previous work, including her recent Little Earthquakes graphic novel. However, Gaiman’s reputation faced severe allegations of sexual misconduct in the past year, with numerous women coming forward with haunting stories of his behavior. Furthermore, one of Gaiman’s former babysitters filed a lawsuit against him and his ex-partner, Amanda Palmer, for rape earlier in the year.

Last year, during an interview with The Guardian, Amos expressed shock and dismay over the accusations against Gaiman. Reflecting on their relationship, she stated that the alleged actions did not align with the Neil Gaiman she knew. Despite the troubling nature of the allegations, Amos refrained from making public statements, as she lacked direct involvement in the events and had received only positive feedback about Gaiman’s work from fans.

Amos recently shared the complete credits and acknowledgments for the upcoming Strange Little Girls reissue on her website, noticeably omitting Neil Gaiman’s name. This deliberate exclusion suggests that Gaiman’s contributions have been effectively removed from the project. A representative for Amos declined to offer further comments on the matter.

The double vinyl release of Strange Little Girls is scheduled for February 20th, providing fans with an opportunity to revisit Amos’ innovative interpretations of iconic songs while honoring her artistic vision.