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Tool (band)

A logo used by Tool in the mid 1990's

Tool is a rock music group formed in the United States in 1990 by vocalist Maynard James Keenan, guitarist Adam Jones, bassist Paul d'Amour, and drummer Danny Carey. Paul d'Amour left the band in 1995 and was replaced by Justin Chancellor of the UK band Peach shortly after recording for their third major release, Ænima, began.

Their music includes elements of heavy metal, progressive rock, psychedelia and art rock. Indicative of their various influences (King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Rush among them), Tool's music features a firm grasp of musical structure, unconventional time signatures, and inventive, often counter-mainstream culture subject matter.

Tool has long clashed with conventional television and radio due to their dark musical content and dry disposition: "Stinkfist", the first single from Ænima was initially shortened for radio play until overwhelming fan response compelled them to play the track uncut. The music video for the song was also renamed by MTV America to "Track #1" for its offensive connotations. Though the singles for Ænima received significant radio play, 2001's Lateralus featured songs averaging six and a half minutes in length, unwieldy for even the most ambitious disc jockeys. The length of the music video for "Parabola" clocked in at an unheard of ten and a half minutes, almost condemning it from being aired on mainstream music channels. In addition, the members of Tool avoid press, rarely grant interviews, and have only appeared in two of their music videos, "Hush", and very briefly in "Sober".

Tool are currently working on their fourth full length album which is expected to be released in 2005. Tourmates Fantômas and Meshuggah were cited as influences.


Members

  • Danny Carey (Drums)
  • Justin Chancellor (bass)
  • Adam Jones (Guitar)
  • Maynard James Keenan (Vocals)

Previous members

  • Paul d'Amour (bass)

Discography

Trivia

  • The band's singles and accompanying music videos include: "Hush" from Opiate, "Sober" and "Prison Sex" from Undertow, "Stinkfist" and "Ænema" from Ænima, and "Schism" and "Parabola" from Lateralus. "Hush" was the only video where the band members appear prominently, although they appear briefly in "Sober". Most of these videos were created with the help of interpretive dance duo Osseus Labyrint.
  • The title track from "Lateralus" was also released as a single, however no video was produced for it. Early pressings of the CD featured the song spelled "Lateralis," but this was corrected on subsequent copies.
  • Henry Rollins appears briefy on Undertow, reciting a spoken word piece on "Bottom."
  • Comedian Bill Hicks influenced and is well respected by the band. Samples of his comedy are featured on "Third Eye" and the booklet for Ænima has a tribute painting of him.
  • Timothy Leary is also an influence and his "Think for yourself, question authority" monologue introduces the live version of "Third Eye" on Salival.
  • Tricky appears, uncredited, in the video for "Parabola."
  • The String Tribute to Tool: Third Eye Open is a tribute album released in 2001. A number of Tool songs are rearranged for classical music string instruments (violins, viola, cello and a double bass) with at least three musicians. The lack of percussion is sometimes countered with "clicking" arco techniques. Tool's songs are mostly multi-sectioned, and the band's sophisticated grasp of harmony allows for an interesting instrumental interpretation. A second volume of string tribute titled The String Tribute to Tool Volume 2: Metamorphic was released in 2003, again containing various tool songs from all four albums. In a similar vain, 'A Gothic Acoustic Ensemble Tribute to Tool' was released in 2004. This tribute is performed on acoustic instruments.
  • The Opiate EP has a secret track called "The Gaping Lotus Experience." It fades in six minutes, six seconds into track six ("666").
  • The final track of Undertow, called "Disgustipated," appears as track 69 on early pressings of the US copies of the disc, on others it appears at track 30(the intervening tracks are all 3 second blank tracks). On European and other releases, the song appears as track 10 after a period of silence following "Flood."
  • Behind the CD tray on Undertow is a picture of a cow licking itself.

Reading List

Tool have listed the following books as recommended reading in their official newsletter. Reading these books is encouraged by the band as they provide a stronger insight to Tool's music and inspiration, and the philosophies used in their music.

  • Behold the Protong! by Stanislav Szukalski
  • Love and Sleep and AEGYPT by John Crowley
  • And the Ass Saw the Angel by Nick Cave
  • The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks
  • Squeak the Mouse by Massimo Mattioli
  • Nothing In This Book Is True ... by Bob Frissell
  • Earth by David Brin
  • Art and Physics by Leonard Shlain
  • Diary Of A Genius by Salvador Dali
  • Interior Design with Feng Shui by Sarah Rossbach
  • Archaic Revival by Terence McKenna
  • Hearts Aflame by Johanna Lindsey
  • The Dancing Wu Li Masters
  • The Mayan prophecies
  • The Legacy of the Beast
  • The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine
  • Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baignet, Richard Leigh & Henry Lincoln
  • What The Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula
  • Fourth Way by P. D. Ouspensky
  • Four Treatises Of Theophratus Von Hohenheim Called Paracelus by Paracelus
  • The Origin Of Satan by Elaine Pagels
  • Dune by Frank Herbert
  • One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
  • Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
  • Black Spring by Henry Miller
  • American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
  • Hellboy: The Lost Army by Mike Mignola & Christopher Golden
  • High Priest by Timothy Leary

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Reading these books is encouraged by the band as they provide a stronger insight to Tool's music and inspiration, and the philosophies used in their music. Something's Wrong (2001) was an album of covers, alternate versions of old songs, demos, and acoustic live performances and was released as an MP3-only album through emusic.com (http://www.emusic.com/). Tool have listed the following books as recommended reading in their official newsletter. Viva Wisconsin, a live album, was released in the United States in 1999 on the independent label Beyond, and was followed by Freak Magnet in 2001.
. Rock!!!!! (1995, Mushroom Records) was released in 1995, in Australia only. Tourmates Fantômas and Meshuggah were cited as influences. Guy Hoffman (formerly of the Oil Tasters and BoDeans) replaced him in time to record New Times (1994, Elektra Records).

Tool are currently working on their fourth full length album which is expected to be released in 2005. DeLorenzo left the group in 1993 to pursue a solo career. In addition, the members of Tool avoid press, rarely grant interviews, and have only appeared in two of their music videos, "Hush", and very briefly in "Sober". The group came back together in 1989, releasing 3 and then Why Do Birds Sing? (1991). The length of the music video for "Parabola" clocked in at an unheard of ten and a half minutes, almost condemning it from being aired on mainstream music channels. Ritchie also released several solo LPs. Though the singles for Ænima received significant radio play, 2001's Lateralus featured songs averaging six and a half minutes in length, unwieldy for even the most ambitious disc jockeys. The group then disbanded, with Gano releasing an album in 1987, the result of a gospel side project Mercy Seat.

The music video for the song was also renamed by MTV America to "Track #1" for its offensive connotations. Rex). Tool has long clashed with conventional television and radio due to their dark musical content and dry disposition: "Stinkfist", the first single from Ænima was initially shortened for radio play until overwhelming fan response compelled them to play the track uncut. Their third album, The Blind Leading the Naked, was more mainstream, pop-oriented, resulting in a minor hit with "Children of the Revolution" (originally by T. Indicative of their various influences (King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Rush among them), Tool's music features a firm grasp of musical structure, unconventional time signatures, and inventive, often counter-mainstream culture subject matter. The following year, the Violent Femmes released Hallowed Ground, which moved the group to a more country music sound. Their music includes elements of heavy metal, progressive rock, psychedelia and art rock. The debut album went platinum ten years after its release.

Paul d'Amour left the band in 1995 and was replaced by Justin Chancellor of the UK band Peach shortly after recording for their third major release, Ænima, began. The group quickly had a small cult following that never burgeoned into widespread popularity, although a few songs from this album did get some fame, the songs being "Add it up", "Blister in the sun", and "Kiss off". Tool is a rock music group formed in the United States in 1990 by vocalist Maynard James Keenan, guitarist Adam Jones, bassist Paul d'Amour, and drummer Danny Carey. The music was an innovative combination of American folk music and indie rock. High Priest by Timothy Leary. Gordon Gano (singer/guitarist), Brian Ritchie (bassist), and Victor DeLorenzo (percussionist) founded the group and were discovered by James Honeyman-Scott (of The Pretenders). They signed to Slash Records and released a self-titled album in 1983. Hellboy: The Lost Army by Mike Mignola & Christopher Golden. The Violent Femmes are a rock and roll band, originally forming in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the early 1980s.

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. Black Spring by Henry Miller. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Dune by Frank Herbert. The Origin Of Satan by Elaine Pagels. Four Treatises Of Theophratus Von Hohenheim Called Paracelus by Paracelus. Ouspensky.

D. Fourth Way by P. What The Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula. Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baignet, Richard Leigh & Henry Lincoln.

The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine. The Legacy of the Beast. The Mayan prophecies. The Dancing Wu Li Masters.

Hearts Aflame by Johanna Lindsey. Archaic Revival by Terence McKenna. Interior Design with Feng Shui by Sarah Rossbach. Diary Of A Genius by Salvador Dali.

Art and Physics by Leonard Shlain. Earth by David Brin. Nothing In This Book Is True ... by Bob Frissell. Squeak the Mouse by Massimo Mattioli.

The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. And the Ass Saw the Angel by Nick Cave. Love and Sleep and AEGYPT by John Crowley. Behold the Protong! by Stanislav Szukalski.

Behind the CD tray on Undertow is a picture of a cow licking itself. On European and other releases, the song appears as track 10 after a period of silence following "Flood.". The final track of Undertow, called "Disgustipated," appears as track 69 on early pressings of the US copies of the disc, on others it appears at track 30(the intervening tracks are all 3 second blank tracks). The Opiate EP has a secret track called "The Gaping Lotus Experience." It fades in six minutes, six seconds into track six ("666").

This tribute is performed on acoustic instruments. In a similar vain, 'A Gothic Acoustic Ensemble Tribute to Tool' was released in 2004. A second volume of string tribute titled The String Tribute to Tool Volume 2: Metamorphic was released in 2003, again containing various tool songs from all four albums. Tool's songs are mostly multi-sectioned, and the band's sophisticated grasp of harmony allows for an interesting instrumental interpretation.

The lack of percussion is sometimes countered with "clicking" arco techniques. A number of Tool songs are rearranged for classical music string instruments (violins, viola, cello and a double bass) with at least three musicians. The String Tribute to Tool: Third Eye Open is a tribute album released in 2001. Tricky appears, uncredited, in the video for "Parabola.".

Timothy Leary is also an influence and his "Think for yourself, question authority" monologue introduces the live version of "Third Eye" on Salival. Samples of his comedy are featured on "Third Eye" and the booklet for Ænima has a tribute painting of him. Comedian Bill Hicks influenced and is well respected by the band. Henry Rollins appears briefy on Undertow, reciting a spoken word piece on "Bottom.".

Early pressings of the CD featured the song spelled "Lateralis," but this was corrected on subsequent copies. The title track from "Lateralus" was also released as a single, however no video was produced for it. Most of these videos were created with the help of interpretive dance duo Osseus Labyrint. "Hush" was the only video where the band members appear prominently, although they appear briefly in "Sober".

The band's singles and accompanying music videos include: "Hush" from Opiate, "Sober" and "Prison Sex" from Undertow, "Stinkfist" and "Ænema" from Ænima, and "Schism" and "Parabola" from Lateralus. Paul d'Amour (bass). Maynard James Keenan (Vocals). Adam Jones (Guitar).

Justin Chancellor (bass). Danny Carey (Drums).