Cheesegreater

You're awesome. You know... I wish I was just a little older so that I could have gotten into the evolution of their live shows. I'll be 22 in a few weeks, and I really only began listening to Tool when I was about 15, and it was certainly casual at first. I knew they were great hard-rockers and my friends who introduced me to them really reenforced that idea. I remember when I first heard them I didn't see what all the hype was about, and I was almost annoyed about not being able to hear the singer well at times. Now, of course, I love that style of singing, and it really blows my mind. But at the time, I was just thinking "Yeah, these guys sure are loud as fuck, but I like Nirvana, In Utero better." Something like that, bearing in mind my previous experience with music and all.

The hook for me was 46 & 2. I remember just listening to the album and thinking, hey track 2 was pretty cool with the drum thingy. Then later I'm just hit with this awesome smooth ass bassline. The whole build up was great, and the shadow lyrics were so mysterious and cool to me. What did "Change is coming through my shadow. Now is my time. 46 & 2 just ahead of me." all really mean. My friends were totally right. Years later I stumbled on this site and read the FAQ. It blew my fucking mind. I knew they were deep and poetic, and they were definitely my favorite band, but holy fucking shit I was blown away by all the meanings. I realised that Tool's goal was to change people's lives through music; I see now that they are 21st century philosophes. I then set out a personal goal to see Tool live in my lifetime no matter what. I went to the Dallas show last year for my first show. What an unforgettable experience! I'll be seeing them again in two weeks and I'm very stoked.

But I wish that I could have seen their live shows over the years. And to those of you who've had that chance, you are all very fortunate. They are composers just like Bach and Beethoven. If you were to put heavy distortion on a lot of classical riffs, what is the result? Moving metal the likes of Tool. Lateralus is my personal favorite second to Aenima, barely. I would have loved to have seen them on a Lateralus tour, but that time has passed. I think they're just the greatest band ever. I really see what people are saying about the Pink Floyd similarities. I told my mother the same thing one time, and she agrees. They are both bands meant to take the listener on a journey, especially with Tool's latest works. I hear people razz on their latest tours, and I really think they're being snobs about it. Lateralus may have indeed been a slightly more emotional/moving show for me to see, but they certainly left an impression when I saw them last. I remember thinking, this will be one of those experiences I'll never forget and always recollect fondly. The show was astounding and Tool were really in their element, even if Maynard was a little sick. There wasn't a soul I talked to after the show that wasn't like "Oh my God!" or "That was totally fucking awesome!" People knew they had just got through seeing a living musical legend, Tool.

So we're all totally right to say these things. Comparing them so classic acts like Led Zepplin. Hell, even Maynard himself said that he wanted Tool to be one of those timeless bands like Pink Floyd. He fucking said that himself. I don't know if you guys have ever had the privilege of talking to a cool hippie or anything, but they're hilarious. One I know pretty well once said, "Man, we thought music was going to change the world. Free love was everywhere and drugs were legal." He'd lean back and say this with a glow in his eye, very relaxed, always holding back a little laughter. Other good times we missed out on. I kinda wish we could be hippies, but society is taught to hate people like that, or associate them with being bums, stinky and unintelligent. Okay, they can sometimes be stinky, but bums?? Well, in my experience definitely not. They are usually very self-sufficient people, just trying to voice that little "Fuck you!" to the man by not conforming in some ways, and they get a bad rap for it.

I think Tool is great at getting people to really think. They're good at offending you so you want to investigate why they say the things they do, only to find that you are in complete agreement with them most of the time. They tackle the real and tough issues in humanity that people have a bad habit of repressing. That's why when you go to a show we might find ourselves throwing our hands up in the air Shakespearean-epic style with the music simply because we are finally getting it out of our system. A sweet release of pent up emotions so to speak. These guys change people's... take that back, they go so far as to mold people's lives in a positive way, and THAT is a very commendable and very hard thing to achieve.

I hope they keep doing what they do. I thnk if they do another album, it will be a little more relxed all the way through for the most part. They are getting older. That doesn't mean they should stop, it just means they're probably going to really relax you with their next album. It will have it's intensity of course, and the music will be masterful; I just think they're not going to be as well... "peircing" with their next album. Maynard will probably back off a little more, and do more mellow vocals too. Which is really fine considering he still does that kind of singing wonderfully. The next album will be just as or more thought evoking than Lateralus. This all me talking out my ass, but you if you guys fancy a new album, that's very likely what will be in store. I look at it as a great thing. I mean, I really don't know if they'll have another album after this one, but it's nice to dream, and I think it's possible.

Sorry for the rant. I just love Tool, and this a very cool thread because it's been voicing opinions I've held the whole time.

-Spiral out