Maynard's view on the band members

[KlepTIK]

I've read through a bunch of the posts here , but I haven't seen this idea before . I think T&L is Maynard's message to the other members . The work for this album began while Maynard was on the road with APC , and that time caused a lot of friction within the band - I believe it was Danny that mentioned that there was a time when they weren't sure if Maynard would come back . I know that the band was sending instrumentals to Maynard while he was on tour to start getting ideas for his vocals and lyrics , and I just imagined that at one point or another it kinda pissed him off that they were expecting him to turn his attention from the APC tour to the lyrics for Lateralus ("suck me dry") . And in typical fashion , he put that emotion into the lyrics - "hope this what you wanted ... hope this what you had in mind ... this what you're getting ... I hope you're choking" . I don't know , but the whole thing seems like a big "fuck you" from Maynard to the band .

[BDT]

Interesting I havent looked at it that way.

[KlepTIK]

I've been trying to track down that artticle where Danny (I think it was Danny) mentioned that there was a point where there was some doubt about Maynard coming back , but no luck yet . I did find this , though ...


Q - Was there any sense of possessiveness on the part of the boys from Tool when you were going out there, worried that you weren't going to come back?

Maynard - Oh yeah, absolutely. They won't admit it but yeah, definitely. There was a paranoia and justifiably so because, you know, we're all satellites.


If he hadn't said "justifiably so" , I probably would have dismissed his comment completely , but it seemed sincere .

[Insanekat]

That's very interesting. I also never saw it this way.

[La Eai Parach]

I like to think it's Maynard's message to us, venting some frustration..It's an interesting theory though, that it could be about the other members, but I just can't bring myself to believe that. Why would he get angry at them for sending songs to him to work on..I don't think that the other members of Tool would get together and say, "let's make an album, screw what maynard thinks, we'll just make him write lyrics, even if he's busy"

[Stiff13y3]

i cant help but think that perhaps it was a stab at people who illegally download shit off the net, music and movies and shit, you know the whole stealing jive, sorta in the vein of hooker with a penis. this has probably already been said and discredited a thousand times but i'll just go on thinking i'm right anyway :P

[PriceisRight]

as with most tool songs...this can work on any level where you are the host for someone else.

[Janos]

I believe T&L is MJK's concentrated anger and frustration during the time of the lawsuit shit, the APC tours, all this stuff. Plus, all these you mentioned (fans, haters, downloaders, bandmates, company), which feel correct. I don't think that it is directed to something in particular, it's just Maynard angry, like he feels everything in life tries to wash him away, tire him, bend him down on his knees. A retaliation of some sort. All of us have felt the same, I think.

[BlanketEffect]

It's a very insightful interpretation. I disagree, though. Given the level of which Maynard and the members of the band communicate and express themselves to one another I don't think he'd focus that kind of negative emotion on them.

Just my opinion, though. I really did like the idea.

My take is that it's about record execs/lawyers/suits. They demand a record is recorded so Maynard is saying 'well I sure hope this is what you were thinking of because this is what we're giving you' - a non-radio-hit type of CD full of 7+ minute long songs that blows everything before it out of the fucking water. I hope you fucking choke on it you greedy bastards.

[stevejols]

Yeah fuck.... good one

[duncang]

Thats a really interesting theory. I like it.

[bionic_anchovy]

Cool perspective.

[KlepTIK]

Given the level of which Maynard and the members of the band communicate and express themselves to one another I don't think he'd focus that kind of negative emotion on them.


The strong communication wasn't always present, though. ("re-discover communication"). Every member of the band has said numerous times that the whole Lateralus album is based around them falling out, and having to figure out how to make things work amongst themselves.

[Faltering]

I believe T&L is MJK's concentrated anger and frustration during the time of the lawsuit shit, the APC tours, all this stuff. Plus, all these you mentioned (fans, haters, downloaders, bandmates, company), which feel correct. I don't think that it is directed to something in particular, it's just Maynard angry, like he feels everything in life tries to wash him away, tire him, bend him down on his knees. A retaliation of some sort. All of us have felt the same, I think.

Janos' opinion has been expressed widely, and I think it's one of the only logical explanations I've seen...and if Ticks and Leeches happens to be about some other kind of contemptable parasite...then, I think the theme is evident all the same...this song is pretty cut and dry...nothing to pick out from between the lines...

But never in a million years would I say that this song is Maynard speaking to his fellow band members...like someone else said, given the level of communication between Tool as a band, as well as the fact that Tool sees itself as a 4 man "democracy", where the majority rules, what makes you think the other 3 members would tolerate Maynard writing such bitter and spiteful music towards the other 3 pieces of the band, let alone all concede to have it put on the album? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. You've seen the kind of companionship between Maynard and the rest of Tool...there's no reason to even ponder such an absurd thing...

And even if there was a time when Maynard was frustrated with Tool's expectations of him while he was working with A Perfect Circle (if there was, we have no reason to think so), his frustrations, at the very worst, would be expressed in an eventual decision to leave the band...which, as we know, was never the case...he wouldn't freaking come back from working with A Perfect Circle..."Yeah, sorry guys, you really pissed me off, so Ticks and Leeches is going to be about what a bunch of assholes you are for expecting me to contribute my FOURTH of the EFFORT in this BAND. So I hope you don't mind partially representing a song that pretty much talks about what dicks you all are."

...Furthermore...don't you think ALL of Tool has a SERIOUS involvement in the lyrical content of the songs? Considering what we know of the band members, it's more than safe to say that Maynard isn't the only one pushing these theories of higher understanding and self-reflection that Lateralus as a whole gives us. That said, what, would Tool all pitch in and say, "Hey Maynard, we were dicks, even though we really weren't because there's no reason not to expect someone who's in a band to contribute to the band, because that's what a band is, but all of that aside, let's write a tribute that expresses the extent of us being assholes to you. We're like Ticks and Leeches LOL"

Likely? No. Logical? Not at all.

No disrespect to anyone...you're all entitled to your own opinions, and I'm just sharing mine...but, sometimes it's really infuriating how people (not referring to this topic at all necessarily) really try to stretch Maynard's intentions further than they go...people are constantly drawing connections where they don't belong...trying to tie a SINGLE word from a song, and relate it to a completely incoherent/nonlinear theory from a song that's more than 10 years old, on a completely different album...that's not to say that lyrics certainly don't involve pieces of the past and oftentimes similar threads, because, of course, there will always be a common thread that IS Tool, that can be recognized as Tool...but for God sakes...some of the theories that people conjure are absolutely unthinkable...

Anyway...just my two cents.

[BlanketEffect]

I agree with your above post, Faltering. However, I can't provide the resource but I read Adam saying once that they (the band) leave the lyrics-writing to Maynard.

[Faltering]

I agree with your above post, Faltering. However, I can't provide the resource but I read Adam saying once that they (the band) leave the lyrics-writing to Maynard.

Oh, absolutely. I just meant that I think all of Tool is heavily involved in the music, meaning that I'm sure all of them are greatly familiarized with the lyrics.

I mean, I don't think Maynard would write lyrics that the band would outright disagree with, and then still have them recorded as such.

[BlanketEffect]

Probably not. There's not much compromise or cooperation in something like that, otherwise.

[djp4516]

can't buy this argument -

"blood sucking parasitic little tick"

"take what you want and then go"

he calls tool 'home', therefore i don't think this song is about the band.