TOOL (BAND)
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'Tool' is an American rock band, formed during 1990 in Los Angeles, California, that consists of drummer Danny Carey, bassist Justin Chancellor, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan.
Emerging with a heavy metal sound on their first release, when the genre was dominated by thrash metal, they were later seen at the top of the alternative metal movement with the release of their second full-length studio album ''Ænima'' in 1996. After an ongoing evolution of their sound and continuous efforts to unify musical experimentation, visual arts, and a message of personal evolution on ''Lateralus'' (2001), their most recent album ''10,000 Days'' (2006), as well as respective tours, they are generally described as a style-transgressing act and part of progressive and art rock.
Relatively long and complex releases, controversial song lyrics and cover art, and their unorthodox music videos resulted in a rather ambivalent relationship between the band and today's music industry,[1] at times marked by censorship, and the bandmembers' insistence on privacy.[2] Nevertheless, Tool receives critical acclaim, has won Grammy Awards, performs worldwide tours, and produces albums that top the charts in several countries.[3]
History
Early years (1990–1992)
During the 1980s, the future members of Tool had all moved to Los Angeles. Both Paul D'Amour and Adam Jones wanted to enter the film industry, while Maynard James Keenan studied arts and later worked applying spatial design concepts to remodeling pet stores. Danny Carey performed as a drummer for Green Jellÿ,[4] was a studio drummer for Carole King, and played around Los Angeles with Pigmy Love Circus.[5]
Keenan and Jones met through a mutual friend in 1989.[6] After Keenan played Jones a tape recording of a fun band project, Jones was so impressed by his voice that he eventually talked his friend into forming their own band. They eventually started jamming together, but were still on the lookout for a drummer and a bass player. Danny Carey happened to live above Keenan and was introduced to Jones by Tom Morello, an old high school friend of Jones and former bandmate of Electric Sheep.[7] Carey began playing in their sessions because he "felt kinda sorry for them," as other invited musicians were not showing up.[8] A friend of Jones later introduced them to bassist D'Amour, who completed the band.[9] After only a few gigs, the band was approached by record companies and only three months into their career Tool signed a record deal with Zoo Entertainment.
In March 1992, Zoo published the band's first effort, ''Opiate'', which borrowed its name from Karl Marx's famous quote, "Religion is the opium of the People."[10] Described by the band as "slam and bang" heavy metal[11] and the "hardest sounding" six songs they had written to that point,[12] the EP included the singles "Hush" and "Opiate". The music video for "Hush", created to promote the single and the band's dissenting views about the then-prominent PMRC and its advocacy of censorship of music, featured the band members naked with their genitalia covered by the PMRC-promoted parental advisory stickers[13] and their mouths covered by duct tape. To support ''Opiate'', the band began touring with Rollins Band, Skitzo, Fishbone, and Rage Against the Machine to positive responses, which Janiss Garza of ''RIP Magazine'' summarized in September 1992 as a "buzz" and "a strong start".[14]
''Undertow'' (1993–1995)
The following year, Tool was able to release their first full-length album, ''Undertow'' (1993), because many of the songs on ''Undertow'' had already been written at the time ''Opiate'' was released. The band began touring again as planned, with an exception in May 1993. Tool was scheduled to play the Garden Pavilion in Hollywood, but learned at the last minute that the Garden Pavilion belonged to L. Ron Hubbard's Church of Scientology, which the band felt, clashes with "the band's ethics about how a person should not follow a belief system that constricts their development as a human being."1 Keenan recalled that he "spent most of the show baa-ing like a sheep at the audience."[15]
After several successful concerts on the second stage during the Lollapalooza road show later that year, Tool was offered the chance to play on the main stage. On Lollapalooza's last night, a hometown concert in Los Angeles, Tool was introduced by Bill Hicks, who had become a friend and influence on the band after being mentioned in ''Undertow's liner notes.[16] Hicks jokingly asked the audience of 60,000 people to stand still, and help him look for a lost contact lens. Question & Answer with Kevin Booth The boost in popularity gained from these concerts led ''Undertow'' to be certified gold by the RIAA in 1993 and a year later receive platinum status,[17] despite being sold with a censored album cover by distributors such as Wal-Mart.[18][19] The single "Sober" closed in on becoming a hit single by March 1994 and won the band Billboard's "Best Video By A New Artist" award for the accompanying stop motion music video.
With the release of Tool's follow-up to "Sober", "Prison Sex", the band again became the target of censorship. Due to the symbolic portrayal of child abuse, the American branch of MuchMusic called the band into question by deeming the respective music video—like "Sober", mainly created by guitarist Adam Jones—too graphic and offensive,1 and MTV stopped airing the video after a few viewings.[20]
In September 1995, the band entered the studios to record their second album. At that time, Tool experienced its only line-up change, with bassist D'Amour leaving the band amicably to pursue other projects. Justin Chancellor, a member of former tourmates Peach, eventually replaced D'Amour,[21] chosen over competitors such as Kyuss' Scott Reeder, Filter's Frank Cavanaugh, Pigmy Love Circus's E. Shepherd Stevenson and ZAUM's Marco Fox.[22]
''Ænima'' (1996–2000)
This version of the ''Ænima'' artwork shows a dedication to satirist Bill Hicks, "another dead hero."
After Justin Chancellor came on board, recording of the already-begun ''Ænima'' continued. The band enlisted the help of producer David Bottrill, who had produced some of King Crimson's albums while Jones collaborated with Cam de Leon to create ''Ænima's (later Grammy-nominated) artwork. The album was released in October 1996.
Satirist Bill Hicks had been an inspiration for the band and is noted as such in the liner notes of ''Undertow''. Two-and-a-half years prior to the release of ''Ænima'' Bill Hicks died, and the album is dedicated to his memory. The band intended to raise awareness about Hicks' material and ideas, because they felt that they "were resonating similar concepts."[23] In particular, ''Ænima's final track "Third Eye", is preceded by a clip of Hicks' performances, and both the lenticular casing of the ''Ænima'' CD packaging as well as the chorus of the title track "Ænema" make reference to a sketch off Hicks' ''Arizona Bay'', where he contemplates the idea of California falling into the Pacific Ocean.[24] Eventually, "Ænema" would win Tool their first Grammy Award.[25]
The first single from the album was "Stinkfist", which had difficulty gaining airplay, and was shortened by radio programmers. Additionally, MTV renamed the music video of "Stinkfist" to "Track #1" due to offensive connotations,[26] and the lyrics of the song were altered.[27] Responding to fan complaints of censorship, Matt Pinfield, the host of MTV's ''120 Minutes'', expressed regrets by waving his fist in front of his face on air while explaining the reason for the name change as he introduced the video.26
A tour began in October 1996, only two weeks after ''Ænima's release. Following numerous appearances in the United States and Europe, Tool headed for Australia in late March 1997. April 1 saw the first of several April Fools pranks related with the band, most of them being initiated by Kabir Akhtar, webmaster of the semi-official fanpage t.d.n, announcing that:
"…while on tour in Australia, Tool's tour bus was involved in a serious highway accident. Early reports from Zoo Entertainment are that at least three of the band are listed in critical condition."[28]
The hoax gained wide attention, and was eventually exposed on radio and MTV. Akhtar later posted an apology, claiming that t.d.n "will not indulge itself in such outlandish pranks in the future", a false claim as later pranks would prove. The tour continued the next day as originally announced. Eventually returning to the United States, Tool appeared at Lollapalooza '97 in July, this time as a headliner, gaining critical praise from ''The New York Times'':
"Tool was returning in triumph to Lollapalooza after appearing among the obscure bands on the festival's smaller stage in 1993. Now Tool is the prime attraction for a festival that's struggling to maintain its purpose. … Tool uses taboo-breaking imagery for hellfire moralizing in songs that swerve from bitter reproach to nihilistic condemnation. Its music has refined all the troubled majesty of grunge."[29]
''Ænima'' matched Tool's successful debut, selling equal numbers.[30] It featured the Grammy-awarded "Ænema" and appeared on "Best Albums of 1996" lists,[31] with notable examples being ''Kerrang!''[32] and ''Terrorizer''.[33]
A legal battle that began the same year impeded the band from working on another release. Volcano Records—the successor of Tool's by-then defunct label Zoo Entertainment—alleged contract violations by Tool and filed suit. Tool looked at offers from other record labels, an action not allowed by the contract, according to Volcano. After Tool filed a counter suit stating that Volcano failed to use a renewal option in their contract, the parties settled out of court. The parties later agreed to a new contract and a three-record deal.[34] This legal battle put a great strain on the band and delayed work on their next album. During this time, Keenan founded a new successful band, A Perfect Circle, with long-time Tool guitar tech Billy Howerdel, while Jones joined The Melvins' Buzz Osborne and Carey Dead Kennedys' Jello Biafra on other side-projects.[35]
At this point, rumors that Tool were breaking up began to spread,[36][37] until the band released the ''Salival'' box set (CD/VHS or CD/DVD) in 2000, effectively putting an end to the rumors.3 The CD contained one new original track, a cover of Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter," a live cover of Peach's "You Lied," and live recordings of old songs arranged differently from their studio counterparts.[38] The VHS and DVD both contained four music videos, with a bonus music video for "Hush" on the DVD. Although ''Salival'' did not produce any singles, the hidden track "Maynard's Dick" (which dates back to the ''Opiate'' era) briefly found its way to FM radio when several DJs chose to play it on air under the title "Maynard's Dead".[39]
''Lateralus'' (2001-2005)
In January 2001, Tool announced a new album, ''Systema Encéphale'', along with a 12-song tracklist containing titles such as "Riverchrist," "Numbereft," "Encephatalis," "Musick," and "Coeliacus".[40] File-sharing networks such as Napster became flooded with bogus files bearing the titles' names. During that time, Tool members were outspokenly critical of file-sharing networks in general due to the negative impact on artists that are dependent on success in record sales to continue their career. Keenan had this to say during an interview with ''NY Rock'' in 2000:
"I think there are a lot of other industries out there that might deserve being destroyed. The ones who get hurt by MP3s are not so much companies or the business, but the artists, people who are trying to write songs."[41]
Only one month later, the band revealed that the new album was actually titled ''Lateralus'' and that the name ''Systema Encéphale'' and the tracklist had been a ruse.[42] ''Lateralus'' took Tool a step further towards art-rock[43] and progressive rock[44][45] territory. ''Rolling Stone'' wrote in an attempt to summarize the album that "Drums, bass and guitars move in jarring cycles of hyperhowl and near-silent death march. … The prolonged running times of most of ''Lateralus' thirteen tracks are misleading; the entire album rolls and stomps with suitelike purpose." Joshua Klein of ''The A.V. Club'' in turn expressed his opinion that ''Lateralus'', with its 79 minutes and relatively complex and long songs—topped by the ten-and-a-half minute music video for "Parabola"—posed a challenge to fans and music programming alike.[46]
The album became a success the world over, reaching #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart in its debut week.[47] Tool received their second Grammy Award for the best metal performance of 2001 for the song "Schism".[48] During the band's acceptance speech, drummer Carey stated that he would like to thank his parents (for putting up with him) and Satan, and bassist Chancellor concluded: "I want to thank my dad for doing my mom."[49]
In 2001, progressive rock pioneers King Crimson opened 10 concerts during Tool's tour to promote ''Lateralus''.
Extensive touring throughout 2001 and 2002 supported ''Lateralus'', and included a personal highlight of the band: a 10-show mini-tour with King Crimson in August 2001, during which the progressive rock veterans opened for Tool. During a show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre Keenan stated: "For me, being on stage with King Crimson is like Lenny Kravitz playing with Led Zeppelin, or Britney Spears onstage with Debbie Gibson."[50] The tour eventually came to an end on November 24 2002 in Long Beach, California at Long Beach Arena.
Although the end of the tour seemed to spell another dormancy for the band, they did not become completely inactive. While Keenan recorded and toured with A Perfect Circle, the other band members released an interview and a recording of new material, both fan club exclusive. On March 31, 2005, the official website announced that "Maynard has found Jesus" and would be abandoning the recording of the new Tool album temporarily and possibly permanently. Kurt Loder of MTV contacted Keenan via email to ask for a confirmation and received a nonchalant confirmation. When Loder asked again, Keenan's response was simply "heh heh."[51] On April 7, the official Tool site posted the following news item titled with the Bill Hicks quote "Christians, huh? So forgive me." It then explained, "Good news, April fools fans. The writing and recording is back under way."[52]
The writing and recording proceeded for the follow-up to ''Lateralus''; meanwhile, a ''Lateralus'' vinyl edition and two DVD singles were released, and the band's official website received a new splash intro by artist Joshua Davis.[53] The "double vinyl four-picture disc" edition of ''Lateralus'' was first released as a limited autographed edition exclusively available to fan club members, and publicly released on August 23 2005. On December 20 2005, the two DVDs were released, one containing the single "Schism" and the other "Parabola",[54][55] a remix by Lustmord, and the music video with commentary by David Yow and Jello Biafra, respectively.
''10,000 Days'' (2006-present)
Fifteen years into the band's career, Tool had acquired what Dan Epstein of ''Revolver'' described as a devoted, "cult" following,[56] and as details about the band's next album emerged, such as the influence of ''Lateralus'' tourmates Fantômas and Meshuggah,[57] the rumor mill surrounding new Tool-releases resurfaced.[58] A main controversy was the album title. After rumored titles such as ''Teleincision'' had been dismissed, a news item on the official Tool website announced the new album's name was ''10,000 Days''.[59]
Nevertheless, speculation continued and reached a point where it was alleged that ''10,000 Days'' was merely a "decoy" album to fool audiences until the day of release, which eventually proved false when a leaked copy of the album was illegally distributed via filesharing networks a week prior to the official release.[60] The album opener "Vicarious" premiered on US radio stations on April 17, and the record was released as announced on May 2 2006 in the US, and debuted at the top spots of various international charts. ''10,000 Days'' sold 564,000 copies in its opening week in the US and was number one on the Billboard 200 charts, doubling sales of Pearl Jam's self-titled album, the closest competitor.[61] However, the critical reception of ''10,000 Days'' was less favorable than its predecessor ''Lateralus'' (as indicated by a Metacritic average score of 68[62] compared to 75).[63]
Tool appeared at many big festivals during their ''10,000 Days'' tour. Here, they play the orange stage (main stage) at the 2006 edition of Roskilde Festival.
After the release of ''10,000 Days'', a tour kicked off at Coachella on April 30, 2006. Similar to the ''Lateralus'' tour of 2001, it was followed by a handful of shows in smaller venues and theaters in the U.S. and Canada. Tool returned to North America later in 2006, then playing in large arenas and amphitheaters with support by Isis, after which they returned to Europe to present the stage show in cities not covered by the first leg, this time with Mastodon as the opening act. During a short break early next year, after touring Australia and New Zealand, drummer Danny Carey suffered a bicep tear during a skirmish with his girlfriend's dog,[64] casting uncertainty on the band's upcoming concerts in North America. Carey underwent surgery on February 21, and the following recovery led to the postponement of several gigs, yet the Bonnaroo Music Festival 2007 appearance was never in jeopardy.[65] On June 16, Tool appeared as a headliner, with a guest appearance from Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello on "Lateralus".[66]
Meanwhile, the packaging of ''10,000 Days'' gained Tool the distinction of "Best Recording Package" during the 49th Grammy Awards in February 2007, but their first single "Vicarious" fell short in the category "Best Hard Rock Performance" to Wolfmother's "Woman".[67]
In an interview conducted May 2007, Justin Chancellor stated that the band would continue their tour probably until early 2008 and afterwards "take some time off".[68] He qualified this by adding that the band has already written new material and will surely release another album at some point down the road. A possible project until a next album is to make a "band movie", Tool movie in the works? a possibility the band has reportedly thought of for a long time. The ideas range from "a narrative story in a surreal fashion with as much money and special effects" as possible to "pockets of all of that or something that's live or the band playing." And although Carey stated that the necessary know-how was at hand due to the many relations to artists working in the movie business,[69] Jones dismissed: "It's just talk right now."
Musical traits, genre and influences
Tool has gained critical praise from the ''International Herald Tribune's C.B. Liddell for a complex and ever-evolving sound.[70] Describing their general sound, the All Music Guide refers to them as "grinding, post-Jane's Addiction heavy metal", and ''The New York Times'' sees similarities to "Led Zeppelin's heaving, battering guitar riffs and Middle Eastern modes".[71] Their 2001 work ''Lateralus'' led the All Music Guide to compare it to Pink Floyd's ''Meddle'' (1971), but thirty years later and altered by "Tool's impulse to cram every inch of infinity with hard guitar meat and absolute dread". The band cites some of its influences as King Crimson,[72] The Melvins,[73] and Meshuggah.
Musical traits
A component of Tool's song repertoire relies on the use of odd meter time signatures. For instance, Justin Chancellor describes the time signature employed on ''Lateralus''' first single "Schism", as 6.5/8 and that it later "goes into all kinds of other times".[74] The album's title track "Lateralus" also displays shifting rhythms, as does ''10,000 Days''' (2006) "Wings for Marie (Pt 1)" and "10,000 Days (Wings Pt 2)".[75]
Beyond this aspect of the band's sound, each band member experiments within their musical scope. ''Bass Player'' magazine attested Chancellor's bass playing a "thick midrange tone, guitar-style techniques, and elastic versatility". As an example of this, the magazine mentioned the use of a wah effect by hammering "the notes with the left hand and using the bass's tone controls to get a tone sweep", such as on the song "The Patient" (''Lateralus'' 2001).
Completing the band's rhythm section, drummer Danny Carey uses polyrhythms, tabla-style techniques, and the incorporation of custom electronic drum pads to trigger samples, such as prerecorded tabla and octoban sounds.
Maynard James Keenan's ability as a vocalist has been characterized more subjectively by the ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'': After his performance during an Alice in Chains reunion concert in 2005, freelancer Travis Hay saw him as "a natural fit at replacing Layne Staley".[76] Regarding his role in A Perfect Circle and Tool, ''The New York Times'' wrote that "both groups rely on Mr. Keenan's ability to dignify emotions like lust, anger and disgust, the honey in his voice adding a touch of profundity."[77]
According to ''Guitar Player'' magazine, Adam Jones is not dominating any particular guitar playing technique, but rather combines many techniques.[78] For example, the All Music Guide wrote that he is "alternately utilizing power chords, scratchy noise, chiming arpeggios, and a quiet minimalism" in "Sober".[79] Additionally, the band uses forms of instrumental experimentation, like the use of a "pipe bomb microphone" (a guitar pickup mounted inside a brass cylinder) and a talk box guitar solo on "Jambi".[80]
The band puts an emphasis on the sound of their songs and attempt to reduce the effect lyrics can have on the perception of songs by not releasing song lyrics with any album. Lyrical arrangements are often given special attention, such as in "Lateralus". The number of syllables per line in the lyrics to "Lateralus" correspond to an arrangement of the fibonacci numbers and in "Jambi" the metrical foot iamb is used.[81] The themes of their lyrics include philosophical and spiritual issues—specific subjects range from evolution and Jungian psychology in "Forty-Six & 2", to organized religion in "Opiate" and transcendence in "Lateralus". Keenan also explores personal issues, such as the album name ''10,000 Days'' and the album's title track, which refers to the twenty-seven years Keenan's mother had to suffer from complications of a stroke until her passing away in 2003.[82]
Genre allusions
The band is often described using broad genres and critics have placed them in many different genres over time.[83] Specifically, Tool "slipped into the definition of alternative rock during the post-Nirvana era" when playing Lollapalooza in 1993, at a time when their first full length album ''Undertow'' had just been released. Their next album, ''Ænima'' (1996), landed them in the alternative metal genre,[84] although they were also referred to as post-metal by ''Variety'' and the ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'',[85][86] a term which would not come into wide use until the next decade.[87]
The band's ongoing evolution continued to involve musical and visual art experimentation on ''Lateralus'', and their live shows during the supporting tour, which sparked the use of the terms art rock and art metal, for example by Brett Milano of the ''Boston Herald''.[88] Simultaneously, the band expressed their kinship with one of their prime influences, King Crimson, whose first albums are considered to have pioneered progressive rock, by launching a joint mini-tour. Comparisons between the two were made, MTV described the bands as "the once and future kings of progressive rock", and the ''Rolling Stone'' and All Music Guide reviews of ''Lateralus'' also considered it to be progressive rock.[89] However, longtime King Crimson member Robert Fripp downplayed any influence his band had on Tool. In an interview with Tool, he touched briefly on how the two bands relate to each other:
"Do you hear the influence? There's just one figure where I hear an influence, just one. It was a piece we were developing that we dropped. And it's almost exactly the same figure: three note arpeggio with a particular accent from the guitar. So I do not think you could have heard it. That's the only thing." (Robert Fripp during a "Tool Army" exclusive interview)[90]
The band itself has a satirical point of view on this debate:
"As far as the prog references go, we embrace them. However, we would prefer our new moniker, which is a Mulligan stew of progressive rock, Bulgarian folk metal, rock ’n’ roll, ’80s disco and Christian rap that we like to call Munge." (Maynard James Keenan cited in Boston Herald, 2006)
Influence on other bands
In Maloof and Newquists' book, ''The New Metal Masters'', Tool is described as influential in modern metal. Sean Richardson of ''The Boston Phoenix'' sees System of a Down, Deftones, or Korn as examples of Tool's "towering influence" on the genre.[91] Moreover, Keenan's unique style of singing has been repeatedly seen influencing artists such as Pete Loeffler of Chevelle.[92][93] When asked about "these bands who list Tool as an influence" during an interview with the Australian music magazine ''Drum Media'' Keenan replied:
"I do not really see the connection. Because there is some intensity in some of our songs, I think these bands pick up the surface noise, and that's their influence. … When I hear these loud, goofy posturing idiots jumping up and down, more concerned about their hairdos than their music, it's just we do not do that, what am I missing? There's nothing to the music that moves me, or compels me to want to sit down and listen to it, which is unfortunate. Maybe I'm just a cynical old bastard."[94]
Visual arts
Part of Tool's work as a band is to incorporate influences of other works of art in their music videos, live shows,[95] and album packaging.[96] In particular, Adam Jones doubles as the band's art director and director of their music videos.[97] Another expression of this is an official website "dedicated to the arts and influences" on the band, dissectional.com.
Music videos
:''See also: Tool discography''
Screencap from "Sober", directed by Adam Jones and Fred Stuhr.
The band has released seven music videos but make personal appearances in only the first two, which the band states is to prevent people from "latching onto the personalities involved rather than listening to the music." With the exception of "Hush", all of Tool's music videos feature stop motion animation at least to some extent. The videos are mainly created by Adam Jones, often with the help of artists such as Chet Zar,[98] Alex Grey, and Osseus Labyrint.[99]
Their "Sober" music video, where "evil little men dwell in a dark dungeon with meat coursing through pipes in the wall,"[100] prompted ''Rolling Stone'' to call it a groundbreaking, epic clip, and ''Billboard'' voted it "Best Video By A New Artist".
No videos have been released to accompany any of their songs off their latest release, ''10,000 Days''. The video for "Vicarious" was "nearly finished" in July 2006[101] but has yet to be released.
Album artwork
Responsible for most of the band's artwork concepts is Adam Jones, and each release contained artwork by collaborating artists. ''Ænima''[102] and ''Salival''[103] included artwork by Cam de Leon, ''Lateralus''[104] and ''10,000 Days'' featured work created by Alex Grey. The releases earned positive critical reception, with a music journalist of the Associated Press attributing to the band a reputation for innovative album packaging.
''Ænima'' was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Recording Package,[105] but failed to win. Tool's next album nominated in that same category, ''10,000 Days'', did win in 2006. Adam Jones, art director of ''10,000 Days'', worked to create packaging that features a pair of stereoscopic lenses for viewing 3-D artwork and photos. Jones has been a lifelong fan of stereoscopic photography, and expressed a desire for the packaging to be unique within budget, as well as reflecting 70s artwork that he appreciates.
Live shows
Tool performing live in 2006, showcasing an elaborate light show, using ''10,000 Days'' artwork as backdrop.
Following the first tours in the early nineties, Tool has performed as a headline act in world tours and major festivals such as Lollapalooza (1997), Coachella (1999 and 2006), Download Festival (2006), Roskilde (2006), Big Day Out (2007) and Bonnaroo (2007). They have been joined on stage by numerous artists, such as Buzz Osborne and Scott Reeder on several occasions, Tom Morello and Zack de la Rocha during their 1991 tour, Tricky, Robert Fripp, Mike Patton, Dave Lombardo and experimental arts duo Osseus Labyrint[106] during their 2001–02 ''Lateralus'' tour, and Kirk Hammett, Phil Campbell, Serj Tankian and Tom Morello during their 2006–07 tour. They have covered songs by Ted Nugent,[107] Peach,[108] Kyuss and the Ramones.[109]
Live shows on Tool's headline tour incorporate an unorthodox stage setting and video display.[110] The bandmembers' designated positions on stage see singer Maynard James Keenan lining up in the second row with drummer Danny Carey on an elevated platform, while guitarist Adam Jones and bassist Justin Chancellor stand in the first row at the respective edges of the stage.[111] No followspots or live cameras are used,[112] instead the band employs a great amount of backlighting, to direct the focus away from the bandmembers, to big screens in the back and the crowd. Breckinridge Haggerty, the band's live lighting and video designer, explains that the resulting dark spaces on stage "are … for Maynard. A lot of the songs are a personal journey for him … and he feels more comfortable in the shadows."
The big screens are used to playback "looped clips that aren’t tracked to a song like a music video. The band has never used any sort of timecode. They’ve always made sure the video can change on-the-fly, in a way that can be improvised. … The show is never the same twice." During the ''10,000 Days'' tour, the video material consisted of over 6 hours of material, created by Adam Jones, his wife Camella Grace, Chet Zar, Meats Meyer and Breckinridge Haggerty. Some of the material created by Chet Zar has been released on his DVD ''Disturb the Normal''.[113]
Etymology
The band has circulated several stories surrounding the origin of their name. One speculation revolved around lachrymology, a pseudophilosophy that the band has stated was founded in 1949 by Ronald P. Vincent after the death of his wife in a snow plowing accident. Danny Carey alleged that the name "Tool" means that the band served its fans as a tool through which those people would come to understand the concept of lachrymology.[115] The band has since ceased to promote this explanation. Maynard James Keenan gave a more direct approach to explaining his band's name in an interview in 1994:
"Tool is exactly what it sounds like: It's a big dick. It's a wrench. It's also what it sounds like: It's a verb, it's a digging factor. It's an active process of searching, as in use us, we are a shovel, we are the match, we're the blotter of acid, your tool; use us as a catalyst in your process of finding out whatever it is you need to find out, or whatever it is you're trying to achieve."[116]
Discography
Main articles: Tool discography
Studio albums
★ 1993 - ''Undertow'' (2x Platinum, Zoo/BMG/Volcano: USA)
★ 1996 - ''Ænima'' (3x Platinum, Zoo/BMG/Volcano: USA)
★ 2001 - ''Lateralus'' (2x Platinum, Volcano II/Tool Dissectional: USA)
★ 2006 - ''10,000 Days'' (Platinum, Volcano II/Tool Dissectional: USA)
Others
★ 1991 - ''Tool'' a.k.a. ''72826'' demo (Toolshed)
★ 1992 - ''Opiate'' EP (Platinum, Zoo/BMG/Volcano: USA)
★ 2000 - ''Salival'' box set (Volcano II/Tool Dissectional: USA)
Further reading
Some sources that go beyond the scope of this article are listed below.
Live shows
Includes technical details about Tool's gear and the mixing process during the 2001–02 ''Lateralus'' tour.
★ Crank It Up: Live Sound Secrets of the Top Tour Engineers, , Clive, Young, Backbeat Books, 2004,
Lyrical interpretations
An interview with Keenan about his lyrics' philosophical aspects, conducted by Ph.D. Christopher W. diCarlo, University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
★ Interview with Maynard James Keenan
Notes
1. Tool - Stepping Out From the Shadows
2. Angry Jung Men!, , Loraine, Gennaro, Livewire Magazine,
3. Tool Biography
4. Cereal Killer
5. Tool Bio: Danny Carey
6. Guitar World Presents Nu-Metal, , Jeff, Kitts, Hal Leonard, ,
7. The New Metal Masters, , HP, Newquist, Backbeat Books, ,
8. C3
9. A Sober Look At Tool, , Katherine, Turman, Circus Magazine,
10. Interview with Maynard James Keenan
11. E8
12. Tool Guitarist Adam Jones is a Master of Many Trades, , Loraine, Gennaro, Guitar School,
13.
14. Fresh Blood, , Janiss, Garza, RIP magazine,
15. 33 Things You Should Know About Tool
16. Hard rockers hail comic genius Bill Hicks., , Janiss, Garza, High Times, 1997
17. Tool Timeline
18. TOOL on Videos, Censorship, Art, And Why You Should Never Let A Guy Named Maynard Put You In A Cage, , J.R., Griffin, Axcess,
19. Heavy Metal Thunder: Kick-Ass Cover Art from Kick-Ass Albums, , James, Sherry, Chronicle Books, ,
20. A Tool for the Truly Cool. Big hit of Lollapalooza tour gears up for second album
21. Tool Bio: Justin Chancellor
22. Sink or Swim - A Conversation With Tool's Justin Chancellor, , Rob, Fiend, Gavin Magazine,
23. Another Dead Hero Andy Langer
24. Dead 10 years, Hicks still makes us laugh
25. 40th Grammy Awards
26. The "Track #1" Fiasco
27. Nu-Metal: The Next Generation of Rock and Punk, , Joel, McIver, Omnibus Press, ,
28. Tool News: April Fools 1997
29. Lollapalooza's Recycled Hormones: Rebellion by the Numbers
30. Never Wanted To Be Rock Stars But They Are, , Edward, Fruchtman, Circus Magazine,
31. Tool - Aenima
32. Kerrang! End of Year Lists
33. Terrorizer End of Year Lists
34. C15
35. Home Improvement, , Rosanna, Slater, Classic Rock,
36. Breslin hosts heavier sound
37. Tool tops weekend menu.
38. Tool's latest worth salivating over
39. H26
40. January - march 2001
41. Interview with Maynard James Keenan of A Perfect Circle Gabriella
42. Tool Tinker With Album Title, Set Track List
43. Lateralus review
44. Lateralus Review
45. Lateralus Review
46. Lateralus review
47. Discography Tool Laterlaus
48. Grammy Award Winners
49. Alicia Keys Takes Five, 'O Brother' Gets Most At 44th Grammy Awards
50. Tool Stretch Out And Slow Down In Show With King Crimson
51. Maynard And Jesus Split: The Conclusion
52. Tool: News
53. Joshua Davis - Projects - Web - Tool
54. ''Schism'' DVD review
55. ''Parabola'' DVD review
56. Do What You Wilt, , Dan, Epstein, Revolver, 2006
57. Tool Hammer Away At New Album
58. Is anyone listening?
59. TOOL: New Album Title Revealed?
60. Tool Planning Summer Tour Around Keenan's Wine Harvest
61. Tool, Pearl Jam Claim Billboard Chart In The Name Of Rock (May 10, 2006)
62. Tool: 10,000 Days (2006): Reviews
63. Tool: Lateralus (2001): Reviews
64. TOOL : NEWS - TOOL Newsletter February 2007, e.v
65. Tool extends tour through mid-July
66. Tool, All-Star Zeppelin Jam Highlight Bonnaroo Day One
67. Awards Winners List
68. Tool returns to Bossier on Thursday
69. Tool movie in the works?
70. In Sight/Music & Arts Tool frontman: 'I have not smashed up 1 hotel room'
71. Lollapalooza's Recycled Hormones: Rebellion by the Numbers
72. Augustember 2001 E.V.
73. Nobody's Tool Jason Pettigrew
74. Handy Man: How Justin Chancellor Frames Tool's Metal Madness, , , Scott Shiraki & E.E. Bradman, Bass Player, 2001
75. 10,000 Days… and beyond, , Ken, Micallef, Modern Drummer, 2006
76. Alice in Chains owns stage in tsunami-relief show full of surprises
77. Self-Confidence, and a Tattoo
78. Mysterious Ways
79. Sober Song Review
80. The Making of Tool's "10,000 Days"
81. Tool Newsletter, July 2006
82. 10,000 Days Review
83. Tool: An Appreciation
84. Ænima Review
85. At the main stage… Dave Ferman
86. Live Performances: Tool Troy J. Augusto
87. ''In the Absence of Truth'' Review
88. Power Tool: Maynard James Keenan and band craft epic art-metal
89. Turn on Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock, , Jim, DeRogatis, Hal Leonard, ,
90. Tool Army exclusive interview
91. Perfect circles - Tool connect on Lateralus
92. Lucky 'Thirteen': Keenan bolsters potence
93. Chevelle to play in Austin, remains unique despite criticism
94. Happy Meals Versus Tool Albums, , Rod, Yates, Drum Media,
95. Tool's gold: Progressive rock band jewel of the underground scene
96. Tool Guitarist Wins Grammy For 'Best Recording Package'
97. MUSIC MEETS ART Name the band Tool's fave artist
98. Tool Time
99. OSSEUS LABYRINT a laboratory of random mutuations…
100. Weird Album Title for Tool Greg Heller
101. Tool Newsletter July 2006
102. G4
103. Salival Figure
104. High Art: Alex Grey and the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors
105. D11
106. Tool, The Melvins, Osseus Labyrint - April 24, 2002 - Sydney, Australia @ Sydney Entertainment Centre
107. Tool
108. D9
109. Tool Take Radio City—''Rockers salute the Ramones during epic set''
110. Tool thrills audience
111. Flailing Wildly to Escape the Darkness
112. 700 Clips for 10,000 Days
113. What is it?
114. Visual Artist Cam De Leon's Lawsuit Against Rock Band TOOL Allowed to Proceed Lowe Law Lawyers agency
115. Let Not My Tears Fall Unnoticed: Being the Secret Joys of a Lachrymist
116. Tool Rules, Zappa, Moon Unit, , , RayGun Magazine,
External links
★ Toolband.com - official website
★ Dissectional.com - "dedicated to the art and influences"
★ ToolArmy.com: The Collective Unconscious - official fanclub
★ The Tool Page (t.d.n) - "semi-official" website
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