as much as i like this song i always skip over it. the thing is that it seems out of place betwen "Parabola" and "Lateralus" the 2 song seem to flow together....
I personally think that this is one of the best and most dynamic songs TOOL have have ever made. the agressivity hidden in the music gives to this song the role of the edge point of the album, because the songs following ticks and leeches are more calm than this. and i think this is the right song for the right place of the LATERALUS album.
__________________ I want something good to die for, to make it beautiful to live...
Grohl, this is a great song, but after digesting Lateralus as a whole I can't help but wonder why this song is right in the middle of the Lateralus album. So this is following up on Convoy_X's impression. The sound and topical matter of "Ticks" to me suggests it would be more appropriate on the Aenima record, where Tool has a similar song that criticizes fans, "Hooker with a Penis," and other angry songs like "Aenema." Is it merely to serve as a counterpoint on this record? Because it's full of rage that comes out of nowhere, after the hymns to communication and forgiveness that precede it. Then there is more mellow and reflective songs, until finally Triad bursts forth with primal intensity and eclipses "Ticks" in sheer power — but in a more natural, organic way, I think. "Ticks" just seems out of place to me here, not consistent with the themes of the record. And I wonder if that is another reason why the band almost never performed it live on the Lateralus tour, besides the fact that it was hell on Maynard's voice.
In conclusion, because I am a metalhead at heart, when I first heard Lateralus this stood out right away as my favorite track, perhaps because I was still in Aenima mode and connected with it more immediately. But after repeated listens this tune has taken a backseat to the more subtle charms of songs like "Reflection" and "Parabola" and "The Grudge." "Ticks" is just about my least-anticipated song at this point.
on AENIMA there were segues between every song after H.
these segues helped to fit the songs together
Hooker wouldn't really sound in place RIGHT before jimmy
you need some time off from the intensity
so there is Intermission
the problem with Lateralus is they only make 80 minute CDs so far
and Danny said in an interview that the manufacturer would only guanrantee 78 minutes(or 79, I forget)
so they didn't have enough time to put segues between the songs(I heard they wanted to)
and in the case of Ticks And Leeches, I think it needed it
it doesn't fit in RIGHT before Lateralus
to Metalanarchist
it is true that the way how lateralus follows ticks and leeches is pretty "awkward" but it´s not bad I think
about the live appearances
Tool were in Czech Republic only once - OZZFEST may 2002,but they played ticks and leeches there-it was a really cool concert,but Tool are not as known here as in U.S. so people realizing that they do not know and understand this type of music went away to buy a beer. there were only few about 500 people watching the performance of Tool but it was PERFECT!!!!!
hornz up!
__________________ I want something good to die for, to make it beautiful to live...
I aggree that the missing segues on Lateralus affect recepticity, but frankly the only one I really like… and don't skip on a regular basis, is the Schroder version of Jimmy. I could go on about this but will stick to the point: One imp. factoid to remember- T&L was written in a different TIME. Band interviews tell us that it was played around with for a few years before they recorded the version included. I think the band plain liked the song and finally had it polished to knife edge gleam.
Grohl yesterday i read an interview with maynard from a mag about "ticks". He said that after recording "ticks" he couldn't sing a high note for three weeks and so he said it is never played live. I missed ozzfest ( gutted! ) but would like to know if they did play it live as i think this is such a powerfull, dynamic piece which i think maybe is a little diffrent than the rest of Lateralus but wouldn't fit in better anywhere else.
