Soo out of place?

[couldbe]

I'm sure this has been mentioned countless times but I'm still new here and can't find it...

I'd like to know first, if anyone else finds this song outta place in the context of the entire albums flow, especially between parabol/a which would then in turn go right into Lateralus? Seems it would be so much better without out this song in the way, but secondly and more importantly (since this is the way the album is), I'd like to know if anyone has any thoughts as to how this would fit right where it is, making the transition that I seem to be missing.

And please no 'holy gift' nonsense, thanks.

[Crissaegrim]

I've always looked at Lateralus as 3 acts and Ticks and Leeches acts as a break for the listener to recover from Parabola before they have to delve back into the deep thoughtful mode of Lateralus-D/R/T.

Parabola/Lateralus/Reflection/Triad all take a lot of concentration and focus to really understand and enjoy and they leave you exhausted as a listener and Ticks and Leeches gives you a nice moment of re-energizing you because there isn't much to get about that song, its just good headbanging. They even follow the theme in Act 3 by putting in Disposition. It is the same idea only smaller because Lateralus is very much a part of Reflection.

[inka]

I'm sure this has been mentioned countless times but I'm still new here and can't find it...

I'd like to know first, if anyone else finds this song outta place in the context of the entire albums flow, especially between parabol/a which would then in turn go right into Lateralus? Seems it would be so much better without out this song in the way, but secondly and more importantly (since this is the way the album is), I'd like to know if anyone has any thoughts as to how this would fit right where it is, making the transition that I seem to be missing.

And please no 'holy gift' nonsense, thanks.

I thought that way for some time, but now I feel it's in the perfect position. At first I must say I was stunned 'cause Ticks and Leeches was the first track I heard off Lateralus, when I went to buy it on the day it was released. I went to the record shop and that song was on, loud as hell, and I was thinking "OMG is that tool please say it's not", because I was anticipating something along the lines of Salival. Yeah, it's stupid to have expectations, and yeah, I was very happy when I heard the rest. Whoops I got lost I wasn't supposed to open up about this...

Anyway, the context in this very subjective interpretation being that oftentimes people who venture in to the spiritual realms of life will first go through a 'oh joy and bliss and love, I am letting go of all the grudge I was bearing and everything is relative' -phase sprinkled with only minor doses of doubt. That might take weeks, a year or a lifetime I guess. Then come the dark places. When and if one finally confronts the darkest little holes hiding beneath the conscious layers of the mind and has them thrown to his face, with all the insecurities and fears that have been safely kept and continuously enforced in the past. Only after suffering is maximized alleviation follows, it's a like test to make or break you. I think that the structure of Lateralus reflects this process nicely, even though I seriously doubt that this would have been tool's intention or whatever. I always thought that e.g. "is this a test / it has to be / otherwise I can't go on" in The Patient was talking about this, but now I'm also starting to feel Ticks and Leeches in a new way.

I guess I'm so deep in Western culture and myths that this phoenix-phenomenom comes t mind first, burning all through until you can be born again. Oh well.

[couldbe]

sorry for creating this thread and being the proverbial forum n00b, i just now found the archives (i was astounded that there weren't that many old threads devoted to lateralus, now i know why...), thanks for the replies though

[SpiraMirabilis]

I'm sure this has been mentioned countless times but I'm still new here and can't find it...

I'd like to know first, if anyone else finds this song outta place in the context of the entire albums flow, especially between parabol/a which would then in turn go right into Lateralus? Seems it would be so much better without out this song in the way, but secondly and more importantly (since this is the way the album is), I'd like to know if anyone has any thoughts as to how this would fit right where it is, making the transition that I seem to be missing.

And please no 'holy gift' nonsense, thanks.

I agree with you actully. I do find Ticks and Leaches out of place in the album. I know that it can be nice to have a break in the album, but I don't think it works as a break. To be honest, I think its in there because Tool didn't want to waste a good song.

[discocj69]

It's the only Tool song that I skip. Parabola, Lateralus and Reflection are 3 of my absolute favorite Tool songs. Lateralus/Disposition/Reflection/Triad has such an amazing flow. If only Parabol/a had led into that...

[Joshenstein]

I'm a big fan of the song all together. For me it puts in to perspective tool's range. While their very cerebral one minute the next they remind you just how hard they can thrash...

I've never seen tool live but i've definitely seen alot of setlists on here and not one mention of Ticks and Leeches. What's up with that?

[SpiraMirabilis]

Too much strain on Maynard's voice apparently.

** Why haven't they played "Ticks & Leeches" live yet?

All of the songs with lyrics from "Lateralus" have made it onto setlists so far except for this one. Maynard recorded vocals for this song after all the others, and threw his voice out completely for a few days as a result of the screaming. In Oor Magazine (May 2001), he says "the band can hassle me all they want about Ticks & Leeches, I won't do it live. Three weeks it cost me. I couldn't sing a high note."

[nmayhew]

I saw a video of it live on youtube.....

[iAMtheMA!]

no, it absolutely fits. and i'll explain...

tool is trying to get a messege across to us (they seem to find it their mission on this planet). and they must be aggrivated that a very few have actually latched on to their meanings, so this song kinda might be an attacks on us, or at least they're yelling at us to get it together. maynard sings that he wants us to suck in the meanings sooooo much that we choke on it, feel it - find out that's real. he's shoving it down our throats - that which we couldn't swallow on our own. we drain them by asking them to play and make new things for us ('cause they fuckin' destroy with every new album), sure, but they are the patient for a reason - what they want us to drain from them is the messages behind these songs. start at the recommended reading lists, s'go dig already.

oh, and this messege is nothing new (the idea of ascending didn't start with forty-six & 2). it was set from day one in "sweat". for...example... "it drags me under and takes me HOME", keep going with that one to "i am wide awake and heading back HOME", "it's time for you to bring me HOME". i wouldn't be surprised if this is the very last of tool from that last lyric (maybe just maynard?). who are we to keep him?

no offense (seriously), but why are people so goddamn oblivious to this notion??? why would tool create the largest background complex in music's history (as far as i know) if they didn't have something behind it?! tool, apc, hicks - they're there - three seperate careers, at least (i've a sneaking suspicion that tmv's amputexture refers to the same things, too - i'd say look for "she" and "home" in that album - sounds weak, maybe, but that's just where i'm starting you on that idea).

[Big Fat Matt]

It fits perfectly, especially with my "Big Fat Story" theory, which i will re-post if you want.

[iAMtheMA!]

i want. :) please.

[27 Years]

You know, I actually like it there. You have this incredible piece in Parabol/Parabola, you need a break before the greatest Tool song of all time. I feel that the incredible drum beat of Ticks and Leeches gets the job done well.

[Luosdasa]

Lyrically and meaninglynesslyness, i spose it doesnt really fit... but i find that the heavy beat of ticks and leaches is absalutely perfect where it is. A nice change in pace, givin you another rush. I personally find i lose a bit if i skip it, and go strait from parabola to lateralus, kinda like the whole experience lacks that little bit of raw ooph ticks gives ya.

[Phorty]

How could TOOL go without including a track like this?

Its completely relevant to the atmosphere they must've been in while going through the whole label incident while dealing with the numerous pressure's associated with the industry ( side projects, touring with other bands, dissectional and so on).

It just makes sense , i mean , if you went five years in between journal entries for example , when you finally got back to writing in it ,wouldnt you make a notation of a significant event in your life that had occured during those years and almost drastically altered it?

[Mr. Electric Ocean]

I'm really getting sick of this "is Ticks and Leeches supposed to be on the album" nonsense. They obviously thought it should be and it is. Why is it on there, you ask?That is irrelevant because you'll never know for sure, but obviously all the members agreed that it fit on the album and it is. End of Story.

[Big Fat Matt]

i want. :) please.

aight. be up in a few.

[Xicked]

"I embrace my desire to swing on the spiral...
... and still be a human"

IMO "Ticks and Leeches" represents this perfectly. It represents the human qualities that are still within us even if we are transforming. If all of us eliminated our egos completely, we would all be walking clones of one another. No emotions, no opinions. "Ticks and Leeches" represents the aspect of Self that is still present within us. Anger is a valid human emotion.

[philipg]

parabol/ parabola and lateralus are both such enigmatic and hypnotic songs, its nice to just rock out in the middle.
this song is kind of like an intermission, a chance to vent some anger when the other songs are so inspirational and uplifting.
every cd seems to have the really angry, heavy song, at least starting with aenema because all the songs on undertow and opiate were a little angry.
aenema would probably be hooker
10 000 days- the pot
and of course ticks and leeches for lateralus.
that and the song totally kicks ass, its so full of raw energy

[Ishmael]

This song is put here as a sort of slap in the face to the listener. This song can be interpreted in the same grain as Hooker With a Penis from Ænima. It's a more subtle FU to the fans that had a specific "sound" in mind for Lateralus, whether it met that "sound" or not. By placing it here the band is essentially messing with you.

At first I hated that it was on this CD and skipped it 80-90% of the time. Now that I came to the realization above I listen to it as a FU right back muahahaha.

[bgparanoid]

mmm..pancakes..mmm

[Forever In Debt]

This song is put here as a sort of slap in the face to the listener. This song can be interpreted in the same grain as Hooker With a Penis from Ænima. It's a more subtle FU to the fans that had a specific "sound" in mind for Lateralus, whether it met that "sound" or not. By placing it here the band is essentially messing with you.

At first I hated that it was on this CD and skipped it 80-90% of the time. Now that I came to the realization above I listen to it as a FU right back muahahaha.

Muahahaha...I get a kick out of that. But I see what you meen by a slap in the face. It doesn't fit, so maybe they just put it in their to send a totally different message.

[MU152762]

i love this song being on the album simply for the drums. i think as far as just the drums go it is some of danny's best work. it so loud and abusive but it somehowas an amazing flow to

[rintoot]

This song does seem kind of weird in between Parabol(a) and Lateralus...im guessing they did that on purpose though...course I always feel like Lateralus should have ended the album with DRT coming before it...we arent the artists though

[harry_manback19]

This song does seem kind of weird in between Parabol(a) and Lateralus...im guessing they did that on purpose though...course I always feel like Lateralus should have ended the album with DRT coming before it...we arent the artists though

No way, DRT is definitely an ender. That is the most amazing display of deepness, musicality, and flow that i ahve ever heard. Those three songs together make a powerhouse of audio bliss, rivaled only by Pink Floyd's Echoes (23 minutes in paradise!)

Yeah, but i think this post was supposed to be about ticks and leeches? I think that fits right in where its at. It does fit in with the Parabola and Lateralus, but regardless, Maynard rocks in that song. He goes friggin crazy! I LOVE IT!

[rintoot]

No way, DRT is definitely an ender. That is the most amazing display of deepness, musicality, and flow that i ahve ever heard. Those three songs together make a powerhouse of audio bliss, rivaled only by Pink Floyd's Echoes (23 minutes in paradise!)

Yeah, but i think this post was supposed to be about ticks and leeches? I think that fits right in where its at. It does fit in with the Parabola and Lateralus, but regardless, Maynard rocks in that song. He goes friggin crazy! I LOVE IT!

the scream in the beginning is fucking SICK

[mjkajdcjc]

It's the only Tool song that I skip. Parabola, Lateralus and Reflection are 3 of my absolute favorite Tool songs. Lateralus/Disposition/Reflection/Triad has such an amazing flow. If only Parabol/a had led into that...

Damn, I can't believe what I'm hearing...

You just made Danny Carey cry...

[Forever In Debt]

...we arent the artists though


That is one of the most logical things ever said on this site.

[PShepherd11]

I've always felt like Schism/Parabol(a)/Ticks and Leeches had a love/hate relationship thing going with those three songs in a row.

Schism - Trying to make things work, rebuild communication
Parabol(a) - No better feeling on earth than to be with this person, barely remembering "who or what came before this precious moment"
Ticks and Leeches - Feeling of being drained by something or someone, nothing more to give to this situation or person

Although I didn't like that it came after Parabol(a) because I felt it was a sad ending to the trio of songs, so I usually skipped it (after Parabol(a)) and just listened to it by itself. I like the song, just not there, because it ruins the happy ending for me.

[tomisatool]

I guess, it doesn't seem really appropriate with the other titles on this CD, but then, why does Tool have to be? They thought it fit so it must. It's like when people see a painting and go.."eh, this shouldn't have any green." but if they were to look at it without they'd think "wow, this picture needs something more."