Why are people OBSESSED with Tool?
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- Опубліковано 8 тра 2024
- Why are people obsessed with Tool? I look at the history of Tool, Maynard James Keenan's relationship with their fans, the real meaning of their lyrics and imagery and more.
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0:00 Intro
2:15 Early years of Tool
6:21 The many myths of Tool
7:00 "Undertow," Beavis & Butthead & "Anima"
11:02 The humor and absurdity of Tool
14:32 Why are people obsessed? - Розваги
Check out my second channel! ua-cam.com/users/FinnMckentyPRMBA
Hey long time fan, you rule, love the content, have you done a Video on Mens Recovery project, Born Against and Sam McP yet? I looked around your videoeses but couldnt find one. Really like to hear your take on them 🤘
Man, THIS was a _really great_ fuckin' video! Thanks for sharin' with us. _Annnnnnnd..._ SUB'd ya! 😂😂 (Sorry, today's my Friday. I'm a lil stoked for tonight. Didn't mean to freak anybody out. Good day.)
Gotta say, I think you're severely underestimating how prevalent the Tool Trolling in the fandom is. Maybe it was different in the 90s and early 2000s, but with the internet, Tool fans were clear to be very self aware among themselves, albeit with a strong appreciation for the music which naturally does come off as somewhat snobbish to people on the outside. But we recognise and embrace Maynard's trolling quite a bit.
Why do I get the feeling this guy is talking out of both sides of his mouth. On the one hand saying tool fans think they are deep and somehow above everyone (which is true but only to s small degree) and that’s just ridiculous and they take it too seriously and then later saying on the other hand they are deeper than tool fans realize ???? Come on this guy is talking about a minority of the blind who happen to not realize that when tool makes fun of its fans it better not take it seriously or you will be one of the few idiots who Maynard is talking about. Yes those ppl are insufferable. Death threats??? How many true tool fans who know and love tool and have experienced their shows and discographies on a level this UA-camr doesn’t seem to want to explore will fathom because of a small % of their fanbase do not understand the music, do not understand the absolutely hilarious jokes they play or get bent when they do, or looking for shit in the albums that isn’t there (I think back to the overlaying of wings for Marie and pt1 and 2 as being the “real” song) and making tool out to be priests who must act a certain way(their expected way) or else they crumble.
Those are not the vast majority of tool fans. But they probably are the most annoying and most vocal and quite frankly act like this guy and down their noses at everyone who doesn’t see eye to eye with them. I’m this guy is a very a tool because he takes himself and his intellect too seriously to contemplate being open honest and humble enough to reaLize he doesn’t have to look down his nose at any tool fan (or non-tool fan tool fan,i.e. closet tool fan comparable to a preacher who argues against homosexuality on Sunday but the rest of the week secretly has homosexual affairs) no matter what and just lumps us all together with the writer of death threats or the few who are so self righteous in their tool fandom. This guy is basically a tool fan arguing against a minority of tool fans who haven’t actually used tool as a tool along their journey of life and haven’t changed with tool as they have through their Progression through the years.
They are the best contemporary band of all time imo. I am so l gratefuk their art has helped me a though tough tunes because they were brave and bough enough to be vulnerable enough the lyrics and music. They have had a profound effect on my escaping religion, being humble and a good person, working through a lot of early anger I used to have to taking responsibility for myself and my life perception of the world and yet knowing I don’t know much and that’s ok. It’s the experience and the fundamental change in thought processes that can only occur if you’ve ever had complete ego deflation and when you finally “learn all matter is condensed to a slow vibration. that we are all one dream experiencing itself subjectively. There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream and we are the imagination of ourselves. Here’s Tom with the weather. “
Above is a great example of deep truth mixed with irreverence and humor. To think he is the only person who realizes that tool easily is the best ever at being able to pull this off successfully while also making incredible works of art that will stand the test of time because they remained true to their goals and values and truths and they wanted absolutely no outside influence because they are one of the rare group of artists while all very different had some fundamental beliefs they would not compromise on and than goodness for that. It likely is what made their art soo resonate with anyone that has being oneself truly a central goal of their life without compromise and without apologizing if they offended. And it is likely the zealous but ignorant tool fan or what I will refer ti this omen above is the epitome of deep truth mixed with irreverence is where it’s depth ends is to be as blind as death threat throwing tools that say they are tool fans. I have no doubt they think no they know they are took fans tbey just don’t get the journey. Without the logical conclusion to tools various serious art that is incredibly vulnerable honest while also presenting it with an air of irreverent mocking that makes one realize even the worst isn’t that bad. And the best isnt that good. And the jokes have simmered down a little in their music but it’s still there in interviews and live shows.
- [ ] the very irreverent jokes to the fans leading to the conclusion we shouldn’t take ourselves so seriously nor our perceptions of truth seriously and that while we are different in our own ways it’s only through creation of whatever you can create and whatever form that takes and the destruction of the ego pointing to some greater thing like peace love and understanding and while also laughing at how we all sometimes miss that our own or belief that believing things based on authority is not the single largest in enemy to us living in the truth is their genius. No other band that I have heard has mixed this blend of philosophy, vulnerable truth telling and humor in a way that is expressed through an accessible medium of their style and approach to making music for anyone who cares to use the tool they’ve given us to help us actually grow into better humans, with good logic and ethics and that hilarious snub to both authority, themselves and their fans such that anyone who cares to can become a Similar tool by following their example through the years and what they were and who they are now to help each other and in spreading that incredibly freeing message. Know yourself truly. Be vulnerable. Rid yourself arrogance. Your emotions are your responsibility. Therefore your perception of the world is literally the only free will we have in this place and once it’s realized you see it over and over. You stop blaming and criticizing and let people be who they are without judging them. They’re simply blind. And it’s sad. Similar to the blind homosexual preacher who says all homosexuals are hellbound in the afterlife. He missed the very Message he was supposed to carry and anyone who missed the message tool carries is for they have been forthright about it all. Maybe the irreverence made it seem they didn’t mean it ? But that whole climax thing was absolutely true until he took it to a funny place which doesn’t erase it he truth if what he said it only mocks their lack of knowing if it really means anything. To me it does. And se you read the comments especially one above their climaxes are second to none imo.
@@galaxiphant You're right. I absolutely _love_ TOOL & I'm a complete fckin' _moron!_ 🤣🤣🤣🤣
The real question isn't why they're popular, but why can we not be sober.
I see what you did there ...
The clear obvious answer. The ideas they share as a band are profound. Ever since Undertow (read the lyrics to the song), the message from the band has been consistent: human beings are hearing voices telepathically in the mind. All people know they are psychic, but people want to play head games instead of growing out of religion, lying, and authoritarianism. All human beings want a psychic planet filled with love and peace. It would be more fun, and less stressful. It’s a massively popular idea underneath the surface socially, and Tool put it out on the forefront. All of Maynard’s lyrics are about spiritual awakening, and then spiritual growth.
The very first Star Wars movie also revolved around that idea: hearing voices in the mind from the spirit world. The idea is all over music. 311 is another band that is really into it.
Because being sober sucks. 😂
I don't agree with this I believe that tool is an entity in itself. Their signatures alone are mathematics which everything is based on
Maynard said in an interview: "We take our music seriously not ourselves".
This explains his attitude about Tool's music, its fans, fame, etc.
Maynard takes himself pretty seriously.
@@savagelocke5548 Can you give an example of him taking himself seriously, maybe someting he says in an interview?
@@Badz_B34chst4r 1:20
Yep I seen that interview! Totally agree!
It's just like how they came up with their name. What would be funny to see on a shit, oh I know people labelling themselves a tool lols
Tool will lose relevance when Shakespeare loses relevance.
Pfft Shakespeare will lose relevance before Tool loses relevance. 😂
@@thescarletgraywitch8052 Relevance will lose Pfft before Tool loses Shakespeare.
When you see them live , you’ll understand that in spite of what they might say with off the cuff remarks …the effort they give during every live performance shows their genuine love of their fans. You don’t give your best to people you despise. And they give their best at every show .
I can confirm this! I have been to a tool concert and Maynard says at the last song that he loves his fans and that they are awesome and to stay awesome lol, yes he can make it look like he is being mean but he really is just joking around and loves his fans
Criticising a fringe group of your audience doesn't mean you hate your fans.
Saw them as a drunk kid in the 90's at Ozzfest, hooked ever since. I played all the metal for my baby boy and he likes them the most of all the metal. They are just good at music
I've realized that they even insist on absolutely no devices during a show, not for intellectual property reasons - Their recordings are out there, and they don't DMCA them. It's because they want everyone to be absolutely *present* and really live that experience. And then they even have the genuine goodness to pull everyone back out of the trance at the end and sort of sober you up before releasing you back out into the world. Legends.
@@jpdoe9005 agreed. That was my point entirely
I first heard TOOL about 8 years ago. Became an immediate fan. Their musicianship is perfect.
Here’s the kicker: I’m 70.
Yes, but your 70 in 2023...that's ALOT different than 70 in the 90s....your basically 40
@@sportsfix6975 I believe I stated I discovered them 8 years ago. Now I know I’m old, but I still know basic math. I wish I was 40, 8 years ago😄 have a nice day✌️
@@fritty9927 happy to know someone a bit older enjoys great music
I discover them just 10 years ago. I was cable coiling on the edge of a duel stage at a Metal festival in Sydney and I could look out at this sea of Tool fans… the hair still rises on my arms to think of it!
I'm 71 and a fan for years. They are something else! I loved A Perfect Circle too.
For me Tool is just a great example of passionate and talented artists coming together as musicians finding a perfect language to paint a big picture.
Just perfectly said
Well said
They’re easily the most well rounded band over the past 40 years. Maynard is right with John Lennon, & prince when it comes musical genius
Tool was invented for acid.
TOOL is a psychedelic band, guys, holy shit, why don't you understand this. If you have done psychedelics then TOOL is easy to get into, and TOOOOL is the BEST and most progressive psychedelic band since the 70s. PLEASE FUCKING UNDERSTAND THIS SHIT
“I am IN TOOL. I am IN Pucifer. I am IN A Perfect Circle, and…your mom.”😂🤣😆🤔❗️
The odds that 4 musicians as talented as them all found each other is what astounds me. I'm a drummer so obviously I'm mesmerized by Danny Carey but Justin is also one of the best bassists on the planet. The 'Tool Sound' is Justin. Lateralus is my favorite record of all time. Legitimate Perfection IMO
It’s akin to the cosmic luck of the likes of The Beatles, Metallica, RATM, SOAD, Radiohead
agreed about Lateralus... nothing will ever top it.
@@interdimensionalsteve8172 except aenima
I am a drummer, and Danny Carrey frustrates me with his magnificence
The TOOL sound is Adam Jones, period.
I think their music is mesmerizing, it has hypnotic droning repetative licks. They're like the metal version of pink floyd.
I like that analogy.
they're boring asf 🥱🥱
My other favorite!
They have done some drugs, that you probably have never heard of. It's a part of it, whether people like it or not.
Dude I’ve been telling people that since I found out about them. It’s a perfect way to explain it to people are into classic/prog rock.
I just love how the fan's love for Maynard outweighs his utter distain for them.
It's like being in a toxic relationship, where you are treated like garbage all the time, and yet you can't back away.
Disdain
@@Darthflips Woops!
similar to PrImus...
@@dewdew34 you know what, when I saw primus live, Les hardly said a word to the audience and just dipped when the show ended.
The fact that they take so long to bring out albums shows their patience and discipline to perfect their songs
Yeah but Fear Inoculum is boring as fuck compared to literally everything else they’ve ever written, it’s like if they just did a bunch of different versions of Jambi except they don’t build to a sick breakdown
@@juliuslemon-merinque2549disagree. Fear Innoculum was outstanding. Pneuma, 7empest and descending are just incredible
@MatthewFrazierr that's 3 songs, surrounded by nonsensical BS I can't stand.
@Gottiline_Ace but Invincible is also gold. Relisten to it. There's alot more there than I thought at first.
A few years is patience. A 5 year span let alone 13 years of rehashing the same worn out setlist with no new material like it's The Country Bear Jamboree at Disneyland is something else entirely. That's a sign that within the context of their lives, Tool means far far less to them than it once did. Saw them 7 times from 92 to 2007. I'll buy their music, but I wouldn't spend a dime to see them live again. Not to mention, Maynard's self aggrandizing pseudo intellectual rants grew old to me 20 years ago. Shut up and play.
My friend showed me Lateralus album on acid trip. From that moment everything changed.
As someone who is a huge Tool fan but not a crazy one I love this band and part of what I love is the dichotomy between humour and serious musicianship. You can’t deny they’re one of the best.
And the angel of the lord came unto me
Snatching me up from my place of slumber
And took me on high and higher still
Until we moved to the spaces betwixt the air itself
And he brought me into a vast farmlands of our own Midwest
And as we descended cries of impending doom rose from the soil
One thousand nay a million voices full of fear
And terror possessed me then
And I begged Angel of the Lord what are these tortured screams?
And the angel said unto me
These are the cries of the carrots, the cries of the carrots!
You see, Reverend Maynard
Tomorrow is harvest day and to them it is the holocaust
And I sprang from my slumber drenched in sweat
Like the tears of one million terrified brothers and roared
"Hear me now, I have seen the light!
They have a consciousness, they have a life, they have a soul!
Damn you! Let the rabbits wear glasses! Save our brothers!
Can I get an amen? Can I get a hallelujah? Thank you Jesus!
Yeah, I think the part that makes me feel a certain way - I suppose disappointed is the best word - about the crazy fans is that they take the band too seriously.
They have an industrial track in german about baking a cake, a track mocking scientology, a track making fun of the music industry, one addressing a specific fan that accused them of selling out, one that's just the .fm hijack by that supposed area 51 employee and much more stuff that's simply goofy silly things, they're not this exoteric high mind motherfuckers. They're technical and skilled yes but they're not this all-seeing gods. The band has incredible profundity and it has merits on that but it isn't only that.
@@JUJUJUNO as a Tool fan I literally don't care what the lyrics are about lol I just hear "I know the pizzas fit" and I like it
@@JUJUJUNO ignorance is bliss
@@JUJUJUNO wear the grunge like a crown
To me, Tool is just like my generation's Pink Floyd. Like them or not, they make some beautiful/unique music.
That’s a good comparison
Yeah I can see what you're getting at, although I would to say that Floyd had funky groove and tasteful guitar licks and solos, Gilmore had a lot of feel. Tool doesn't really have that same funky groove or feel; they're very mechanical and robotic, but I mean there's nothing wrong with that if that's what you like
@thepossessor mechanical and robotic? Bro you don't actually listen to Tool. At best you judge
Tool doesn't have a funk sound they have like grunge metal but there's tons of melodic harmony in they're music. It's just got a darker, heavier tone than Led Zeppelin
Unique maybe, but most certainly not beautiful.
@@thepossessor That's a matter of perspective bro, the grooves hooked me at 9yrs old. Floyd doesn't groove to me, it flows and sways. Buuuut that's just my perspective.
I'm 46, listened to Tool since the mid 90s, went to see them for my first time, last night in Montreal. That wasn't a concert...it was a spiritual experience.
agreed , going to my 5th time seeing them in January and I keep telling everyone that it's not just a concert it's an experience
Are you 46 and 2?
I’ve also listened to them since the 90s. Even at age 12 I recognized there was an element of their music that set them apart from other bands. I appreciated their music more as I got older especially after lateralus. That album had a spiritual Ascension theme to it and that’s the mindset I would have listening to it. I would interpret the lyrics to what I felt they meant and I would explain them to other people to prove the depth and talent tool has. I really believed tool had some information about life that could help me spiritually awaken to the truth I was looking for.
Well I eventually had that spiritual awakening 4 years ago and gained the knowledge I thought tool was helping me to learn. Now I know that Maynard and the members of all of his bands are Luciferian. His music is spiritual and it’s amazing, unfortunately it’s evil and all of my interpretations of it were wrong. The reason it feels like tool concerts are spiritual experiences is because that’s exactly what they are and what they’re intended to be. If you look back on everything tool has done knowing their ideological beliefs you realize all the fisting references and all the dark apocalyptic overtones from aenema are to be taken literally, and the theme of lateralus is the worship of the all seeing eye of Lucifer which is referenced by the eyes on the album artwork and the music videos. Maynard was born in Ohio which has a huge population of Luciferian/Wicca people, he was molested as a child which is customary in that community. He loves the fact that for over 30 years he has mocked ridiculed and deceived his fans who for the most part are totally clueless about the bands true identity. The name tool is also to be taken literally, their music is a tool used by Lucifer through Maynard to lead millions of people away from God.
I am 45 and saw them in 2001 for the first time. I remember saying that dying would be OK after the concert - because I had seen everything. Well, I am very gratefull that I did not die. And I was wrong about "have seen everything" for sure...
im gonna see them for the second time in June in Budapest
I started Listening to Tool after this video
All the hype and praise they receive is WORTH IT AND 100% correct
awesome!
tight.
Aenima 46&2
Not being condescending, how old are you?
@@manasseh36 27
Tool acolyte here and I will tell you why I am so obsessed: The climaxes. Every (or the vast majority) Tool song has a climax around 3/4 of the way through the song. It’s always the best part of the song and it sounds even better with the 6-7 minute buildup. Examples include: “Between supposed lovers” in Schism; “Feel inspired…still be a human” in Lateralus; “Overwhelmed as one might be… I forgot my pen” in Rosetta Stoned; “Something kind of sad about” in Stinkfist. It’s funny, because Tool’s songs don’t always necessarily catch me right from the start, yet they’re my favorite band by far, because those climactic moments, within the full context of the whole song, are the best musical moments I have ever heard. They only work with the entire song, which functions as a buildup, so nothing is extraneous either.
Check opeth out if you haven’t yet cause there’s a lot of climaxing in their old music and a lot of the new music as well the old stuff is just heavy asf
Gotta love a Great climax but if that is all you focus on you miss some incredible self illumination. Don’t get me wrong it’s what got me into tool. 46&2, stinkfist, bottom, the patient and of course lateralus. But now it’s songs like reflection I really can both go to this place of self awareness and ego deflation I think is what a lot if what they exhibit in all their interviews and especially how they changes their shows. Think about where Maynard stands now in shows. In the back. Hardly any lights and only his silhouette. It’s him being a part of something bigger and they always talk about how they’re all equal everything 4 ways. Etc. they are a good example of how to live a good life.
As a long time Grateful Dead fan I know exactly what you’re talking about. I had the pleasure to see Tool live a few days ago and it reminded me so much of the Dead.
You can also choose to only listen to the drums, or the bass or the guitar or the voice...
It becomes 5 different yet the same songs!
Grudge has the best climax and yes you are absolutely right
I am 112 years old, I have been listening to TOOL since the first time I step my foot into the time machine and dialed the 90's. After I heard them for the first time back then, I have been spreading their music throughout the galaxy and many other galaxies as well as different dimensions - 4d, 5d many many D dimensions and can confirm - TOOL is the best band to have ever been created by a life form of any kind.
Can and This Heat were better. Got into them after Tool.
I am interested in joining you on your next expedition. We will need to stop off in 1997 so I can berate my teenage self into making better choices. I hope you don't mind.
#FakeNews - Fact checked by Fake News
To me, Tool's Lateralus is the most amazing piece of music ever composed. I think Tool deliberately wanted to give their fans something truly amazing, but wanted them to find it on their own. "Recognize this as a holy gift..." At first, I thought that the song Lateralus was about tripping acid - discovering true color by seperating the body from the mind. At first listen, I imagined the bending envelope as an intense visual. After becoming more familiar with the track, however, I had reformed my interpretation to something broader: think deeper. Lateralus, perhaps because it is the album's "title track", serves as the central clue for a puzzle that a friend of mine had read about somewhere on the internet. "All I know is that there is a different order for the songs - something about two spirals. Oh yeah, and thirteen is in the middle." After scavenging through endless google search results, I gave up on finding more about this 'alternate order'. Intent to figure the album out, and very curious about the spirals - I put on the proverbial 'thinking cap'. I understood how the spirals could have a lot of significance, in that the album's title track offers the inspiring, "swing on the spiral of our divinity and still be a human..........And following our will and wind we may just go where no one's been. We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one's been." In my internet scavenging, I had read one review, written by a drummer, who mentioned that Danny Carey's drum beat formed a fibonacci sequence during the song Lateralus.
By all this time I guess you have learnt to swim !
My 7 year old son is nuts about Tool he loves them so much, I'm so proud of him.
6 year old son’s walkout song for baseball is Jambi…. I shed a tear when he said that.
I got into Tool with Vicarious, and i was super into the message of that song and how it felt really insightful. Then my brother told me to listen to Rosetta Stoned from the same album, and he told me that's what I sounded like. That moment got me to realize that Tool is really about the combination of crass humor and interesting philosophical ideas, and made me like it way more
Tool's humor is a reminder to everybody that while you can explore deep stuff, you shouldn't take yourself so seriously
that is absolutely the best way to explain it
One of them said something like that, "we take our music seriously, but never ourselves"
That's a nice interpretation 👍
Bit like The Smiths
I love how they start every live show by yelling "Arruuga? IT'S TOOL TIME!"
I dont think so Tim
There's Tool fans who take themselves seriously, and then there are Tool fans who are in your mom.
First time I saw Tool was when they opened for Primus on NYE 1995. A lot of the crowd were like WTF because they couldn’t mosh to the weird time signatures. 🤷🏻♀️
I’m 45, and have been following Tool over 3 decades. We grew with the band. Their live shows are mind blowing. And their music hits me on an emotional level that other artist don’t even come close to. Their also masters of their craft. Also, plenty of occult stuff to keep you busy.
You are my people!
I am 48 my first TOOL show was in 93, their live shows are only comparable to that of Pink Floyd,
When was the last time you saw them? Also we’re you at Epicenter?
Cringe bro. Pure cringe.
Yes yes and yes. I'm 40 and I 100% agreed with every word u said. 🤘🤘😎🔥✌
I saw them like in Nashville probably in 2002. Tricky opened, and was fantastic but Tool fans booed almost the entire set. When Maynard came out, he laid into the fans and ended by saying it was an honor to share the stage with a true artist. So, I can understand why Tool dislikes many if not most of their fans, but I also think they troll the fans in a purposeful semi-abusive relationship which oddly draws the fans closer to them.
Amen!
For me personally, I was a very average Tool fan in the 90’s. However, when Lateralus came out I was in a fairly dark place in life. A friend offered me a free ticket to their 2001 tour. And gave me an 8th of 🍄 for $5 bucks. I legitimately left that show with a completely new perspective on life. It’s something that I can’t even articulate. The vibe and message they projected at that time was extremely powerful to me, and by the end of the show I came to realize a lot of things I thought were important at the time just weren’t. Education immediately became my forefront and I started leaning music, my life just started expanding. My social circle changed and I suddenly found myself around accomplished successful people. It’s such a cliche thing to say this bands music saved my life, but that is the honest truth.
And you some how paid $5 for a “Free” ticket. How exactly was it free again?
@@Bobby_Uterus I got the ticket for free, paid $5 for the 🍄🍄🍄. Looks like that part got cut out tho.
@@schism480 ahhhhh! Well that makes a lot more sense! The entire story actually.
That's so lucky.
Tool almost never comes to my country, much less my city. They were supposed to in 2020, I had even bought VIP tickets. But then they had to cancel. I'm sort of afraid I'll never get to see them live, but I got to see Roger Waters play last year, so anything is possible.
Same. But not sure if it was the music or the 🍄🍄🍄🤠
We barely remember
Who or what came before this precious moment
I remember discovering this band at a local record store. I picked up the lateralus album and was immediately amazed by the transparency and layers of the album artwork. Then when I discovered the work of Adam Jones it was game on. This was the art band I have been seeking. I got lucky and met Alex Gray somewhere toward the end of that long hiatus of the band not releasing new content. I had a super fun conversation about tool with him. Then I ended up giving him some of my own metal art and he was blown away. It was great meeting Alex but I hope one day I can meet Adam. His work and the rest of the band inspired me to be a better designer.
Maynard's voice just has this energy to it. it's entrancing and his cadence is so unique. His range is insane and he just has a way of just making your hair stand on end.
Somebody described it as jonie Mitchell combined with Black Sabbath. I thought that was pretty accurate as Maynard loves jonie
@@justinschexnayder8485
These kind of ridiculous statements about the band is why people who don’t like them hate Tool fans. This is SO off base and laughable. How are people supposed to take this seriously?
@@justinschexnayder8485 Thats a perfect description. Joni (Blue) is a huge vocal influence for him (the way they both cascade through notes) & musically Black Sabbath is the biggest influence to their guitar work (along w/ every other good metal band). IMO what makes Tool & Deftones unique, what sets them apart, is they sing/write melody on top of metal. Writing melody is hard. Most metal bands bypass that challenge via screaming. In their case, Maynard can scream too, but when your verses are just good quality singing, it makes the screaming parts in your hooks hit that much harder. It's balanced in a world of metal that typically is very one dimensional.
@@photonfartsqueeze6694 Exactly!
@@photonfartsqueeze6694 Dude you almost made me choke lol
Great video! Tool's humor is definitely underappreciated. I have huge respect for their longevity. Waiting 13 years to close out their record deal with Fear Inoculum was a smart move. Whether intentional or not, it puts them close to retirement because Danny Carey just turned 62. I hope they release more music before they call it quits, but even if they don't, what a career
:O Danny Carey is drumming like that at sixty fucking two? Jesus.
Maynard’s dick!
Iirc one of them said they'd be playing until one of them dies
He can drum like hell even at 62. Imagine what he can do when he turns 63
@@Kharmatos13 Metallica members are older than that & still playing fantastically
I think the beauty comes from the hypnotic, tribal rhythms and vague lyrics. You can pull meaning from it no matter who you are. It's basic pop theory. You are the focus, maynard is singing about specific things he knows or feels, but you literally can put yourself in the lyrics.
And everything else just hypnotizes you to fall into the vague obscurity. Alot like astrology.
I enjoyed your video about them even though I was never able to get into their music. great channel. Keep up the good work.
Tool is one of those bands that fits the jester archetype. They are both serious and laughing simultaneously. They interlace insight within mockery at the same time; duality, balance, perfect union of contrary things etc
c g jung would approve this
Like Mr. Bungle lol
@@Sebas_Mendez_Kinoman well yeah that's obvious. tool is a different flavor, less cartoonish circus-pilled than Mr. Bungle
@Sebas Méndez ever heard of black midi? First band I've heard in 30 years that sounds like Mr Bungle
@@GeorgeousGeorgeousGeorge yep i did recently in fact, very good band and its good to hear something like Mr. Bungle nowadays
Lateralus is the definition of the perfect album for me. I was hooked from the first tones and i am even hooked 22 years later.
There’s nothing like that MASTERPIECE. What an album. I’m very happy I saw them several times on that tour. Goodness was it amazing.
Yeah it's a top album for sure. Not sure if the best all time. But on the short list. Perfection.
@@benjaminroe311ify Lateralus the song might be the best rock song ever made. It's so incredibly emotional and great.
Got it when it came out - I was 14 years old. Popped it in my walkman and listened to it. Got so hooked I just kept on walking til it ended.
Especially the way the sound/production quality is married with the music in this album is absolutely unsurpassed ever, anywhere. I am not saying that as some cult following or cray fan, I'm saying that as an appreciator of many, many, many types and genres of music. Lateralus has a very special place and should be canonical material for anyone getting into sound engineering, in my opinion. (Which I'm not, but it's just fascinating to me that I've never heard anything like it. It's just a league on it's own, really....)
It's because they are hypnotic and mesmerising. And at the same time very hard, clean and technical. Plus they keep the burn up over 10-12 minutes, to epic climaxes. And also keep it up for two hours on stage. If you're into any of that stuff, Tool is pretty good. If you like all of the stuff I mentioned, Tool is the perfect band. They cemented their status with fear inoculum imo, showing they still got it in the studio too.
The mars Volta is also super hypnotic but def not as close to being big like tool
Loved this! Thanks! Casual Tool fan. Never knew about all the humor in their work.
I randomly got tickets for a show and was blown away from the live sound. Saw them 21 times since. Tool live is absolutely amazing.
👍
so it's safe to say that you know about the fettuccine sequence
@@Jackzay90 LOL
If you took away the band part and thought of it as a business, in any sector, you’d have four highly intelligent, hard working, creative individuals who have openly spoken about how integral communication is between two humans or teams/bands/groups/units.
That’s just scratching the surface.
Those are all ingredients for success.
if they were a business, they'd get sued for creating a hostile work environment through their insistence on making allusions to anal sex and other stuff like that. you can do that on an album, you can't as CFO.
Idk if I'd agree with that. If you look at the band's merchandise, you can see a constant stream of awful low quality merch, while they refuse to stock proper physical copies of their music. I am a massive tool fanboy, but whoever designs their stuff is really out of touch
Between supposed brothers...🔊
I don't get this analogy really. Tool IS a business already, but the guys in the band mostly don't make the business decisions
@@ileutur6863 I’d agree with that. Their merch does NOT reflect the quality of their music. Kind of strange since Adam Jones is a sculpture artist but maybe it’s a bit out of his realm.
Great video I subbed! Looking forward to more videos from you
Decent analysis. Subscribed. Want to hear more of you.
Back in 1993 a buddy and I were hanging out in his bedroom listening to music and he literally said to me, "do you want to hear your new favorite band?". From the first riff on Intolerance I was in hooked. That bass! That guitar tone! Those fucking drums! Maynard's voice and amazing lyrics! I had never done drugs before so I can't relate but I imagine it's the way a junkie feels the first time shooting heroin. That started my life-long love affair with Tool. Call me pretentious, I simply don't care. No other band has come close to moving me the way Tool does.
Same, same...
Ive got my sister to thank for the introduction. Tool is the only band that I was able to jam in the car alongside my grandmother ❤
The real question is why arent they more popular? The drummer Danny Carey has to be one of the best drummers ever, watching the pneuma live playthrough with the camera just on Danny is incredible to watch, just him alone is worth the ticket price, I swear the guy has 2 brains
Yeah man I always try to get seats near the side of the stage middle of the first level so I can see Danny playing, it's special to see such a great talent doing their thing in person.
8 brains - 1 for each tentacle
Because their lyrics make you question your reality. Not good for consumerism, politics, and big corps
Probably too much time between albums and the short attention span of the general music-listening public.
when the surviving members of Rush did a tribute concert for Taylor Hawkins and Neil Peart Danny Carey got the honor of playing YYZ and nailed most of it
I got into Tool 4 years ago when I saw someone react online to Pneuma. Thereafter I listened to Lateralus (song) ,Tempest and The Pot,Schism,Sober. All brilliant. But what took it over the edge for me was Adam's guitar solo in Stinkfist..That really got me deeply into listening to their entire discography and there are moments of power,beauty, intricacy,intensity and so much more. Brilliant group.
I first heard Tool at a "house party" that smelled like vomit, cigarette butts and bong water... Whenever I hear Tool, I smell Tool.
Most important element in my opinion is that they're just really good musicians. Danny is a virtuoso and possibly one of the best drummers of all time, Justin could also be considered as one of the best bassists in Rock, and Adam has a unique tone and playing style that gives Tool their unique sound. They just play really well together. I'll never get tired of Danny's drumming.
I agree. Danny is undeniably one of the greatest drummers of all time, and Justin's playing is just... french kiss. Adam's tone is nice, but I don't think that he is a very good guitarist, and most of his riffs are just paraphrases of whatever Justin is playing. To me, Adam is just a cheap Justin and the most replaceable in the band. Maynard is a 6/10 singer, but his lyrics are 9.9/10. Some of the only lyrical writing I prefer is that of Sufjan Stevens.
As for if it's the most important element... I disagree on that part. It's how it sounds and makes you feel that matters. But them being godlike musicians certainly adds a lot as well.
Edit: accidentally called Justin Danny at one point!
@@Mathemusician3141 I agree completely about Adam, but not regarding Maynard. He’s a very skilled singer IMO. That’s the thing, though. We can’t all have the same opinions
@@Mathemusician3141 nerd
@@TrevorLahey3 I think he's just wrong. Maynard is an objectively fantastic singer
Adam is a special effect artist and the creative genius behind a lot of their videos which just stick with you. So Adam is underated in terms of talent.
I really feel like tool doesn't get enough credit as a gateway band to heavy music. They mix in just that perfect level of extremity into certain songs. I just did not get harsh vocals at first, but stuff like the 20 something second scream on the grudge and so many other songs as well as the sheer CHUG on most of 10,000 days were a huge opener for me. I loved them, and that mixed with prog eventually led me personally to stuff like djent and eventually metalcore and deathcore. Love them goofy boys
Hard agree. Besides Linkin Park’s discography, Ticks & Leeches was one of the first songs with screaming I really enjoyed and it’s been all downhill ever since lmao
this is why i like albums like frozen niagara falls by prurient because yes the album is still very harsh but it somewhat easy to get into
Jambi was my first exposure to djent-y guitar so I definitely agree - though, long term, the band I'm most glad Tool pointed me to was Kyuss, who are about as good as California high desert rock gets IMO
I also think they don't get enough credit as an influence for the djent sound. Back when Lateralus came out not many prog bands were using low tunings and Meshuggah did a lot of touring with them at that time. And as you said, the amount of chug on 10,000 days turned a lot of people to that sound. I know it did to me. Some years and a few more strings and here we are.
@@educostanzo honestly, kind of, yeah. I mean, they never got lower than drop D if I'm not mistaken, but Vicarious in particular to me opens with just a straight djent riff. Just think of it on an 8 string and I think it would fit right into an ERRA or periphery song
I'm not one of these people obsessed with the band or Maynard, but I do think it's the best band of all time! Their albums just keep getting better and better and it's the only band I will want to listen to at any given time(Lateralus+ especially). Tool is right up there with and above Pink Floyd, The Doors, The Rolling Stones etc. in my mind
My fun Tool story.
Went to see them for the second time down in Charlotte, and one of my best friend's, who was not in their music, was convinced to join us by another friend, who convinced him to go because he told him he'd enjoy the visuals.
We get to the hotel next to the coliseum to pre-game, and him and I decide to walk down the street to get beers for everyone. As we are coming back with two cases of beer, we are walking back with two strangers. A couple--an average looking guy and his smoking hot girlfriend. Both decked out in Tool gear. The guy was obviously outkicking his coverage. She was stunning. And all three of us were trying to explain the obsession that so many Tool fans, at some point, had for Maynard, to my friend.
The guy with the smoking hot girlfriend, looks at my friend and goes..."yeah...I'd (felate) him."
I will never forget the look on my friend's innocence-now-destroyed face.
Most normal Tool fan opinion
The attraction to Tool reminds me of the attraction to things like early JRE. It attracted people who were interested in thinking about deeper topics but weren't on a super academic humanities track in their education for whatever reason. If you were exposed to those ideas earlier nothing that they do is mind blowing, but they filled a void that a lot of intellectually curious people who weren't being assigned philosophy texts to read felt.
Good analysis
Or the short version: music to make stoners feel smart
Great analysis. Kind of like philosophy for beginners. You dont need to be smart and well read to be into philosophy. But if you dont know much about it, and youre not particularly well read, and 20 years old, Joe Rogan is gonna be more entertaining than reading Karl Jung for a couple hours.
As a long time Tool fan I can tell you their fanbase is exactly like what you're seeing right now with Sleep Token. There's fans who think their music is a dope new take on the genre and then there's fans who think that Vessel is leaving them secret love letters in the liner notes of their albums
Also seriously talented tho…
Sleep Token are one of the most over rated bands I think I’ve ever heard. Maybe thats what my dad thought when I was listening to Tool as a teenager though.
@@euronymoosmaybe. But from a musical standpoint they are definitely solid. Especially their drummer 2. Not really my thing either but I have to give credit where it’s due.
I just randomly stumbled across your channel. I love these deep dives. You have yourself a new subscriber, sir!
Thank you!
Excellent job bro❤
As a big tool fan, I appreciate this video. Thank you for highlighting how big of trolls they are. Probably the part I have enjoyed the most. Their April Fools jokes, trolling the fans and music tv personalities, and ridiculous humor has always been the best part.
Concur. Honestly, it's the best part. After being bombarded with self reflection a dick joke is perfect timing. The most attractive part is the humor of it all. Once you reach a certain point, you can't help but laugh at it.
They haven't done a good April Fool's joke in awhile :/
@Jameson Craighead I think once it became a big known thing they stopped it, but yeah they were really great.
So, your a “big Tool” fan 🤪
@@alpur214 They haven't done anything in a while. Still raking in the money from Fear Inoculum before they do anything else.
“I had them each switch instruments, play on the bowls, take one loop and try some improvisation. Things of that nature. The look on their faces was priceless. I might as well have been wearing hippy beads and bunny ears. I could just feel Stephen (Carpenter) thinking, ‘What kind of acid trip crap is this?'”
-Maynard working on Passenger with the Deftones
Saw them at this year's Toronto concert and purchased a band signed $900 drum head, no shame! Love it.
Shout out to my Cousin Ashley im from California and i was visiting family in New York and she was playing Schism hella loud in the shower one day and it stuck with me in the back of my head so i started looking up their other songs and i really appreciate how they really wanna take you on a musical journey and make typically longer songs almost feel short sometimes
Been a fan for over 3 decades. I don't know how to articulate why I love their music so much. It's like their sound unlocks a place deep inside me and take me on an emotional and intellectual journey.
No other band does this for me. I thank the universe for bringing Maynard, Adam, Dany, and Justin together.
Couldn't have said it better. So I'll shut up now. 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
All the yes ❤
We know dude.
From a songwriters perspective, the "not knowing" the meaning of lyrics, whether juvenile or profound, is literally the point. The lyrics are a mastery of entendre. There are both simplistic, literal meanings and then, if you care to read/listen/think again, they are deeply profound. Tool fans ultimately appreciate this duality in the lyricism that is largely absent in popular culture with few exceptions. The fact that they are masters of their craft technically, is just icing on the cake. Tool provides a transcendental, ethereal atmosphere in which the juvenile and profound are one and the same. I have endured more personal growth through contemplating the Tool experience than any other band in recent memory. Long live Tool.
lmao this nigga really went and said this in public
@@actualturtle2421 I mean he ain't wrong, but at the same time he's missing the point of what he's saying himself.
The depth of Tool is kind of like the punchline to a joke. Everyone gets it and enjoys it, but if you go ahead and explain it it instantly is no longer funny, and you look like a sod for not being able to just let the joke be a joke.
The bitcoin portrait just invalidates the whole argument lmao.
@@daniloberserk Honestly the bitcoin portrait perfects the entire argument. Average tool fan lmao
@@actualturtle2421Then again, the average tool fan is a fucking tool, so they’ll obviously fall for scams
I can't think of a another band that just takes you on a journey with their songs in the way Tool does.
They just build and layer, and fill out the sound and then isolate a single riff. Bass picks up and just pulled you along. Carey then just throws in some throbbing jungle beats and then blasts some insane technical jumble,
Yeah they have a tongue in cheek humor, and they don't have to take themselves so serious, but man, some of the lyrics are really profound, Maynard's voice. Come on.
Loved them since I was 15. Now 42 and Maynard and all his bands keep getting better and older music stays extremely relevant like.
Tool is just a sound that fits a certain mood. Being stoned and walking or driving somewhere wit an album going is just an atmospheric experience. Specifically 10000 days and lateralus. Absolute Rollercoaster albums.
I can attest to this
Fits a certain mood😂
When I was in college (and before.......and after, tbf lol) I had massive, pervasive insomnia. I'd walk all night with my walkman cd player and just listen to music all night. Usually tool. Lots of NIN and a mishmash of other things too, but mostly tool. Graduated in 97. Listening since 94.
It always cracks me up when they release an album and people get pissed off it's been so long. The best thing about this band is they don't give a sh!t if anyone likes what they do. That what makes a musician/artist good.
Thanks to a friend, I was introduced to Tool and A Perfect Circle twenty one years ago. That friend she's now my wife. So I feel a connection to Tool and APF that transcends music.
My experience is opposite. My husband got me into Tool!
I'm a 61 year old black man and I still listen to Tool and the perfect circle. But to answer your question it's simple great music. Five albums in 30 years and of course by far the music videos.
tool makes me feel something no other band does
I remember when I was in High School I started branching out my music taste because I was taking up learning the drums and was getting involved in my school's music scene. I had a close friend named Ciaran who introduced me first to Korn, then Slipknot and finally TOOL. I will never forget the first time I listened to Lateralus, The Grudge and Schism. It was weird because no band I'd ever listened to had impacted me as much as TOOL's music so I instantly fell in love with them. Now about 4 - 5 years later I still love TOOL passionately and I think they are a fantastic band with amazing musicians who each are extremely talented at their respective instruments. Anyways short and long of it TOOL taught me to spiral out hahaha
My wife is the Tool fan between us. I like them well enough. I will say, however, that I have thoroughly enjoyed their live shows. Seriously, it's such a great show!
It's about "The Show" and not the band it's i've seen them over a dozen times... Truly amazing live
I’ve been listening to tool since the 90’s. It took me about ten years to hear them for the first time.
Having two guys from Green Jello (parody band) and another that works in Hollywood, it's a no-brainer where they are coming from. Maynard's perceptions are his, and he's a trip.
Regarding the music, the other three spend months fine tuning the compositions and Maynard usually brings lyrics afterwards once the premise of the song's structure has been established. Again, Maynard is just a human yet very talented writer and singer. His lyrics usually suggest dual meanings.
Even though I am a drummer and love the way Danny plays, as he is one of the top current drummers currently, the one instrument that stands out for me in Tool is the guitar, Adam Jones. AMAZING guitarist. His sound is spot on.
Been a fan since 1991, when I saw them @ Lollapalooza (New Orleans). Saw ROTM too. Hell of a show.
I think one of the reasons why TOOL is so appreciated is how much of their music isn't merely "heavy" like a lot of other metal bands, but rather it feels very methodical and intricate. It feels "creepy" and "unnerving" and even sometimes "sinister". It's not merely about scariness of raw power, but the scariness of calm and focus. It's like how in some comics or anime where the strongest villains aren't the biggest.
I dunno if I described it well since I'm not even really a fan, but that's the impression that I get from their music: cold and calculated.
Well said, I agree. Tool does sound quite damn unsettling in some places. In other places though, they're one of the most profound and invigorating bands of all time. Parabol & Parabola still gives me goosebumps and makes me tear up all these years later, it's so full of life.
Ever heard of Meshuggah? They'd creep the hell out of you. If Tool is cold and calculated, then they're a virus-infected quantum computer in the cold dead void of space.
The music feels like grinding machines behind a tortured jester, at Anema has that ambience about it
@@M4RCi92 Meshuggah. A band that created their own genre. I saw them a few months ago. Blown away. Wow 🤩
To me is the whole package, they deliver an experience that no other band comes close, from the aesthetics, lyrics, subject matter, the occult messages, the mockery and humor, the atmosphere of each song, the progressive build up to a strong climax and stronger ending, the unique live performances, the awesome music videos (the old ones at least), and most importantly how incredibly talented each member of the band is.
and they are genuinely good, compassionate people.
I’m so glad that you mentioned the cookie recipe. I never knew!! Such a pleasant surprise.
Tool is awesome. And, let's be honest, any fandom has at least a small group of toxic fans. T-swift fans and K-pop fans are actually the worst, though.
Because they are uncompromisingly authentic, their lyrics are so meaningful and vulnerable AND poetic you cannot completely fathom it but you get it from a gut level.
Yes! And they make the same song, over and over, just with different words.
Yes. I felt an incredibly profound feeling within my gut when I heard one of their songs about ass cheeks. Actually, thinking about it more... it was probably just bowel movements.
Someone once told me "you don't listen to T00L. You experience T00L"
And that really resonated with me because I can see how someone can listen to them like they would any other band (just listening to the lyrics) and be like "this is lame" or "I don't get it" offhand. But once you really get into it.. experience them.. and recognize them for their talent. You realize that they are some of the few actual musicians in today's age.
I think that any good music is experienced, not heard. You listen to music you like, and you experience music you love. It isn't just TOOL. Music can make you feel something, but sometimes music makes you feel something that could not ever possibly be explained, or experienced in any other situation. That is the beauty of truly loving music.
Some examples of what I mean here:
20th century classical composers such as Morton Feldman and Karlheinz Stockhausen didn't write music that catches your ear, or makes you hum it. It creates an atmosphere, makes you imagine something, and simply makes you feel like you are living somewhere completely foreign.
To me, that is how music should be. An otherworldly experience.
"You realize that they are some of the few actual musicians in today's age."
Dude, this is absolutely why TOOL supafans get mocked all the time. What a preposterous pretentious position to take. Omega cringe
They have that same kind of deep psychedellic vibe that has really only been achieved by one other band: Pink Floyd. But they did it through the zeitgeist of the early 90's. Angst, super distorted riffs, and yet with a toolish sense of humor. I don't think there will be another band like Tool. They cracked the code on their own terms and it fuckin' works.
That was me-I told you that. And I am as right today as I was then.
Ugh, dude. Come on.
TOOL has a song and artwork about the comedian Bill Hicks, who talked about evolution and mind expanding drugs, so yes TOOL was inspired by deep, thoughtful people, and they can often present it in a comedic way, the same way Bill Hicks did.
I have listened to tool since waaaaaay back. You have a lot of very good points. Good video!
I snuck into Coachella many years ago and only remember seeing Tool. I was tripping on mushrooms and Maynard did this long monologue about how he wanted to buy a ring with a golden popcorn kernel on it so when he punched someone, he would leave an imprint of the popcorn on their forehead. That was such a great experience.
I was at that show, he was talking about how everyone should love their mother, I think the mushrooms may have skewed your memory lol
@@sportsfix6975 they’ve played there multiple times, which year did you see them?
@@Mr_Case_Time I'm kidding,
@@sportsfix6975 ooooohhhhhhh…………
@@Mr_Case_Time 🙃
Tool just reminds me of my childhood. Staying the night at my best friend's house, jamming out to some Tool and and playing round after round of Magic The Gathering late into the night. Some real warm and fuzzies right there. It wasn't until we all grew up that we finally understood just how incredible their music really was.
RAD!
I met a tool fan once, never again.
I just found out about one of the members being from green jello/jelly, 3 little pigs was my shit in early childhood lol
never again what?
Im a massive music fan 1st & foremost I now in my 50's now. I was right into Punk in the late 70's early 80's. I respect all good live performers & have seen a helluva lot of bands live. When I 1st heard Tool, I thought they were decent with a few catchy parts in their songs. But then something happened when for some reason I decided to listen to them a bit more.. I soon realised how good they were. Their music is very intricate, they're brilliant musicians. Once you get into them, that's it you're hooked. They're the best band in the world for me now. Every song seems to be an epic piece of music. They're very intelligent people without a doubt as well as top top musicians.
57 here and just went to see TooL at The Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood Florida in January. The Greatest Show On Earth
TOOL’s music finds you. When you’re ready.
I bet you're the guy everyone tries to get out of riding with. 🙄
@@imjustsam1745 Hey, what's wrong with cruising around listening to a 14 minute song about opening your third eye? 😆
@@kevingrems or your 2nd butthole
Never have I ever heard a Tool song and thought "Well that one was definetely among the weaker ones." And that's their genius to me: They simply do not have mediocre tracks, all of them are uniquely brilliant. And if that takes them thirteen years for one album, so be it. It's worth the wait.
This! I love this sort of band. It’s only a few who don’t have a single mediocre track.
I dont care for about half their stuff. But the other half is mind-blowing
Just went to their concert yesterday! Fucking amazing!!
What an awesome channel. This is great stuff.
Back in the 90s Tool always felt like my secret mysterious underground band that not alot of people knew about,well thats definitely changed.
I see Tool as a group of dudes who like to have fun and do what they love. Sometimes it's serious, sometimes it's not. Such is life.
Some good observations. Thanks for the video.
Just listened to Lateralus and Fear Inoculum, I loved both and I think what I appreciate the most is their inspiration from King Crimson.
I'm a big fan of KC and its the only group I listened recently that has the same musicianship as KC. I searched in neo-prog a lot because I'm not a big metal fan, but they are really what should mean progressive and not just a thing when you do lenghthy song with a lot of synths, never heard that Tool fans were like that lmao, kinda remind me of KC also
I am a TOOL fan since the 90ies. The "problem" with this band is that their songs just melt my brain despite I've listened to these tunes hundreds of times. When the first chords of "vicarious" start playing, I just go nuts. I can't help it! 😅 Their music is complex, it is full of dark humour, it is dead serious sometimes, but after all, it is freaking primal and RAW!
Yeah it's insanely good. If schism or the pot comes on.. I crank it and if anyone talks to me they better be dying or something
TOOL is simply poetry & musicianship put together.. a perfect circle and puscifer are both also amazingly artistic. They perform messages. They perform poetic literacy. It's beautiful.
also butts
as a tool fan, i find it poetic that the band name describes its fans as well.
I have loved tool for 4 years now and recently saw them on october 27th in calgary they have this energy all the way from undertow all the way up they have this raw down to earth sound and its nothing but amazing
I saw them open for Bad Brains and Living Colour in the 90s before Sober came out. They blew everyone’s minds.
The thing about Tool, is that their songs present you with the full situation, but no answers. Which is radically different from most bands, who give you all the answers but rarely give you a complete look at the situation.
Good point
Absolutely. It’s the figure it out part that I love. Very cerebral those dudes.
What???
How the fuck did you just so succinctly sum up their song content
You are 100% correct with the being too serious fans. I love the humor and double entendres. Its like they're sophisticated court jesters
Damn, you nailed exactly how i have always listened to tool for 30+ years.
When i heard Opiate in the early 90's, i thought it was pretty obvious that they were having a laugh at music culture, and wanted to kinda make you think about why people do what they do.
Every album afterwards i always went into it expecting that Maynard had written his lyrics so that they were double-entandres. And behind the vocals would be some really innovative music or percussion.
I once saw an interview with Danny where he explained their recording process, and he said the only real concepts going in are to learn as many new techniques as possible and see what they come up with. And thats how most songs came together. No grand plan, no big "stylistic" choice.... but to simply create something cool. After that, Maynard would go in and write creatively over the top. Obviously, he has an incredible way to use the english vocabulary, and mixing cool slang and phrases to fit.
I always just assumed after that that the songs represented how they saw music and what stupid crap was happening around them at the time.
When Blue Travellers released The Hook, i immediately thought Tool took that song's mantra, and really ran with it
To me, they hold a dear place in my heart for just being the music that was most there for me during some of the worst parts of my life. They helped me get through some really bad shit and helped me come out a better person, helped me discover how much I loved music and how much I wanted to help others with music. I'm now a composer and teacher and their music is a big part of me getting there.
I've seen Tool countless times live. One of my fondest memories was 2007/2008-ish during 10k Days Touring, and they stopped in Peoria, IL. Melt Banana, a Japanese noise rock band was opening for them. I love Melt Banana, but having a 3 piece noise rock band in a huge arena is certainly a strange combination.
The audience from Peoria, IL, was not very fond, at a certain point boos and chants started coming up, things like "We Want Tool", etc Melt finished their set, and out came Tool.
About half way through the set, all of Melt Banana was brought on stage, jamming with Tool while MJK and Yasuko (singer from Melt) sat in the middle of the stage and played War. The card game, war.
I know they had jam sessions with other opening acts in the past but I'm pretty certain this was a direct response to the crowds reaction to the band. It was awesome.
Saw them once in jersey. Maynard hid in the corner the whole show with his back to the stage. Severely disappointing and disrespectful if you ask me.
Well, I'm 69 and just saw my first TOOL concert last week. It was great! I have been a TOOL fan for about 10 yrs now.