This is just something me and a friend were discussing earlier. I know everyone's first response would be something along the lines of 'no fucking way' (mine too), but it's happened in the past and as far as i can tell the band has grown stronger because of it. Does anyone have some interesting (and inevitably controversial) ideas?

I think right now Tool are the best band around, and that their line-up is flawless. They should and will remain as they are as long as there is a Tool.

But if i HAD to choose an individual i think i'd say Maynard would be the prime candidate. As much as i love him (no, worship him), did anyone else hear the latest album/see Tool on their latest tour and feel that maybe the little bald-headed chap had lost his edge a tad? The other guys are just so mind-blowingly on top of their game right now i can't imagine any of them being excluded! WHO could fill Maynard's shoes, on the other hand, is something i can't really answer, hah.

Dude, you should post more in Socialize and less in 10,000 Days.

The last 2 threads I've seen by you have nothing to do with 10KD.

Just saying...

Also, I would not replace a member of Tool. Any other combination would not be the same band to me. If I absolutely had to, I'd probably axe Justin...but that's only because they once survived without him, so they could probably do it again.

I just figured this was the place to talk about Tool in 2007. The mods will save me. Or ban me :S...

They probably won't care, but more people might pay attention. Not everyone searches view new posts the way I do.

Fuck, I must be really bored... I normally would have never replied to this thread.

last time i went onto interact i read a thread made up entirely of people boasting about how their relatives were dead. i never went back.

He's still recovering from Ticks and Leeches.

Maynard is definitely the weakest link. He's irreplaceable, but under the right circumstances, he's expendable.

Every other member is 100% vital to Tool.

All I can say... Definitely not Justin. Don't axe that guy, or any for that matter. All I know is if you've liked Tool past the Undertow album, you have Justin to thank for a lot of that. He's totally underrated. I saw them last night. I mean the guy fucking KILLS and plays perfectly with Danny.

Every member of Tool is vital. Maynard might have had a an "off" album, in some peoples opinions, but he helps bring a lot of personality and colour out of the band. He's one of the most notorious frontmen in music, so I couldn't personally see Tool without him, especially if he goes back to writing lyrics the same way he did on Lateralus or Ænima. As for the rest of the band, they are equally as important. Every member has a fairly unique style, and to replace any one of them would make a noticeable difference.

At least we can all agree that if danny left the band, tool = Dead

A lot of people have also said that maynard in fact tries very hard to present this persona of mysitque and obscurity to his fanbase. Im not gonna lie, even with the personality and colour maynard brings, it is sometimes so overly pretentious im embarassed to listen to it around people. I kind of think hes being kind of a hypocrite nowadays. Because as much as he seems like he doesnt care and blames the fans for reading too much into it in the past, he is full of shit. When i first discovered tool, all that esoteric shit was part of it. Hands down. For anyone to deny it, well you just were'nt there. Im not saying maynard should still be the same maynard, ironically that would be probably make it more fake. But i just feel like maynard is too much of a rockstar now. There used to be a difference from when i saw other bands and then when i saw Tool. Now, because of maynard, i dont get that. Personally i would like to see Thom York fill in for the nard for a few shows.

My opinion is Adam could probably be replaced. His licks aren't that hard to copy. But i still wouldn't like to see anyone leave!

If you ask me, Danny and Justin are the backbone of Tool (they're the tightest rhythm section I've ever encountered.)

1. Can't replace Danny: no one can do what he does.

2. Can replace Adam: someone else can easily play his parts, but they just couldn't come up with the tones and stuff he creates.

3. Can't replace Justin: haha I just like him too much. But realistically, I'm sure you can find another bassist to take his place.

4. Can't replace Maynard with another voice or another lyricist, but Tool could easily survive without him. The vocals are sublime and the lyrics are downright beautiful, so there is no chance for substitute.

Asking what member you could remove from Tool is like asking what limb you could remove from a human body. Sure, the person could still function but not anywhere close to the best of their ability.

However, as much as I love him and as much as I know I'll get flamed for this, I really feel like if Tool had to lose one member or cease to be entirely, the easiest to replace might be Danny. Danny Carey is my favorite drummer in music, but as creative and unique as he is I think his style and his contributions might actually be the easiest to mimic if your goal is to make Tool sound as much like Tool as they can with only 3 of the 4 members.

No one can sing or write lyrics like Maynard. At all. Ever.

Adam's tones and the way he uses the guitar and uses notes and sounds for atmosphere is nearly impossible to truly duplicate. Although you could come very, very close. On second thought Adam might be most expendable. Hard to say.

Justin incorporates the bass into the music better than any bass player...maybe ever. Most bands have the guitar as the driving force and the bass is sort of the groundwork. But with Justin he is so creative that he has the ability to make the bass the centerpiece of the melody in a lot of the songs. That's one of my favorite things about Tool.

I'd like to see tool get another new member -> 5 of 'em ;D

Could be so strange, that'd id like it haha

Umm, you sure? He elevated the entire rhythmic aspects of the band. It became next-level shit.
Neeeeeeeeeeexxxxxxxxt Leeeeeeeeeeeveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel!!!

They should retire the band as a whole, but, something tells me Maynard is fucking with us.

If we remember all the ''clipping'' discussions, this album has different, and in most cases extremely difficult vocal demands when played live; Maynards performance on stage reflects that above all else, that, plus the fact that he seems to be equally at the concert and somewhere else entirely.
There aren't any moments like the end of Pushit on this CD, so we can't say he's lost his edge.

If they make another album (i fucking doubt it), they would prove us all silly for doubting him.
He's nearly fifty, not 100.

....fixed

You're talking about a guy who walked in the front door of a venue un noticed while throngs of fans surronded James Iha's tour bus at an APC show. Somehow to me, that doesn't seem like putting forth a lot of effort into your obscurity.

These guys don't want dudes back stage after shows ... can you blame them? Pussy only; isn't that one of the major factors in Rock 'n Roll?

You can't replace any memeber and have the same band. You may be able to ask who's the weakest link (Justin) but the chain itself is thicker than any other.

Well they would probably add another guitarist. No more double-tracking for Adam :(

Replacments??? WTF

The band is perfect just the way it is now.

I will say, each of them have enough talent and creativity to do something else other than Tool and I'm sure it would be great as well. ***

maybe you were at that one show where that happpened, but as i recall "the singer in Tool" is pretty much the main reason people even heard of a perfect circle.

Simply put: the members can be replaced, but the creativity emanating from the four of them cannot be replicated by anyone or anything else.

I'd very much like to see tool dissolve. Only to start a whole new band with the exact same line-up (adam, justin, maynard, danny).
Just a new strange name, a new Intention style'd name. that could be happy strangeness too haha.

i could replace adam....

if maynard decided to leave tool, they could still work as a band. just take a look on triad.

He's in there, just not crooning.

yea but the point is that adam, danny and justin rocks on this track. a instrumental tool album would be a mindblowing experience.

Deftones feat maynard - passenger

if anything, i could perhaps replace adam. maybe with steph from the deftones or frederik thorendal from meshuggah. i'd like to hear what the guitarists (1 or both) from isis and opeth would sound like too.

maybe it's just cos im a guitarist and would like to hear something really different guitar-wise?

replacing maynard would be my next bet, though i can't find a match for him lyrically. i think mike patton and the singer from opeth would be great to hear, or maybe chino from the deftones tho i think he is too lazy for tool. or even josh homme would be interesting in the mix somewhere

Everyone who says no one can sing as well as Maynard is retarded.

The haunting quality of his voice would undoubtedly be hard to replace, but his technical ability is surely not the greatest.

My bad. Yeah, I agree with you wholeheartedly (not being sarcastic.)

"Triad' is one of my favorite tracks and as an instrumental, it is best ever.

I certainly wouldn't dare turn my back on Tool if they produced an instrumental album. I'm sure that it'd be intimidating for Justin, Adam, and Danny, but I think it could be done. I only say that if something were to happen where Maynard would no longer be in the picture. They would have to look into featuring other people in their jams, but I don't think they'd mind or have a problem getting great musicians.

My dad and I happened to be discussing this subject the other night. I don't think it really matters because at this point none of the members need to keep Tool around to make their lifestyles work. If they lose one member I think the others would decide to shut it down and go on to new projects. I'm dying for Danny, Adrian Belew, and Les Claypool to do an entire album together; those 3 songs are awesome.

Danny is not replaceable at this point in time. There are some great drummers of the past that might be able to fill those shoes but I can't think of any current era drummers that could pull it off.

Maynard is the voice of Tool and I think we'd all be confused to hear another voice singing his lyrics. His writing would also be hard to replace since he's the main driving force for lyrics in any band he is involved with.

Justin is a serious bass player that I think really helps tie things together when combined with Danny. Lays a solid foundation for song writing and puts a lot of energy into live performances. Though after seeing Trey Gunn live I think Justin's playing ability is probably replaceable.

Adam is the creative force in many aspects such as art design and atmosphere of their songs. However, his playing ability is replaceable and you could hire somebody to do the art.

Adam would have your arse. Read it in the faq somewhere. I know it seems pretty sarcastic and probably is, but it's the truth as well.

Peace.

I think it's quite obvious. If their were a member, or a "peice" of the whole that left, died, or otherwised changed. TOOL would no longer exist. Untill, of course, the missing portion were replaced, regenerated, or otherwise overcome. Then the whole of the band would exist again.

TOOL is like a being. Having its own will and intension.

methinks

THIS GUY IS OUT OF HIS SKULL!!!! WOW i think your a weed doer or you do alot of beers

PEACE.

LOfinL @ "weed doer"

Holy shit *wipes tear...*

*on the floor*
I'm a weed doer!
ooooooohh, heh.

Dude... have you ever watched any of the music videos that Adam mindfoiled us with?

Edit: Err.. and those riffs arent replaceable. adam is a genius on guitar riffs.