I realize that compromises come with age, but is that really Maynard's excuse? I remember when his live performances were identical, if not more impressive and powerful than the studio recorded counterparts. He used to truly stand out but ever since this tour for their new album, I can't help but feel like he either lost a bit of his passion and energy or his vocals just lost some range, power, and aggressiveness. Maybe he's just reached a new level of maturity and chooses to approach each song differently than the studio versions when he's performing them live. He seems to be more a part of the music than being the center of attention this time around.

The Pot -

He completely improvises the final scream at the end of the song when he sings it live and it lasts no more than 5 seconds.

Vicarious -

He mellows out at one of the studio recorded climax parts of the song and the climax at the end feels forced, even with the help of effects such as echo.

Don't get me wrong, he's one of the best singers the music industry has ever heard and despite not living up to his past performances, he still manages to "move" people with his singing.

Poor production imo.

...perhaps he's retiring?

But seriously, I think it probably just has to do with what is most comfortable for him to do, either physically comfortable regarding his vocal cords or metaphorically comfortable with his (and the rest of the band's)...mental cords.

Don't know... I saw him sick in Dallas. I was surprised.

If it's the age thing getting to him I wish he'd just drink some stem-cells or something. Here's my cheesy wish: I wish that even though they've done a so many shows in their career and they are probably feeling a little tired they'd realize that there shows change people's lives. I hate to say that because I certainly don't want to put a burden on someone like that, but a flawless Tool show is the type of thing that you'll never forget. They're great at "moving" people at their shows and that's okay because a lot of us hardly get to have experiences like that very often. At least where I'm from... seeing truly awesome top-notch music with a great stage show is rare. There's more bullshit in the music industry than ever, and Tool's music just really stands out amongst the heaps of garbage. People want to be able to say they've seen a Tool show. They know there might not be a next tour. You never know. I'm not saying they don't put their hearts in it because it's obvious they do. I'm saying that even though they have to feel like "Damn, I'm starting to get a little old." They need to realize that Tool is there life's work. If I were a lawyer, but was in a band that made it over 15 years, I would be loyal to the band first. I know that may seem shallow, but I think you know where I'm going with this.

If Maynard has lost a little vocal capacity that's completely understandable. But if he thinks he can pack the punch more when necessary, I think he should go for it. His vocals are still astounding, of course. Personally, I think he may unintentially hold back a little. I think if he could just tap into that creative state he was in for each song he'd maybe come across with more conviction. That's what makes his vocals sooo "stop-you-in-your-tracks" amazing. The fucking conviction in his voice. It's rightious, but in a great way. You know he believes what he's singing about. Maybe the best rock vocalist in our time?? At least lyricist.

all the extensive touring is bound to take its toll on his vox
they should just tour canada

Seconded.

I noticed a might more than holding back at the amphitheatre, and it was still the fucking coolest show i'll ever see.

Hate to say it, but he was kind of weak during Rosetta Stoned.

This is, sadly, the end.

But they could just tour the Amphitheatre.

ya i was front row against the rail, the closest i'll ever be, but i actually preferred the ACC show in 2001
thought his voice was weak on rosetta and wings

It's just like he wasn't there. WTF? But, maybe he's thinking about groupies. That's what it is, some succubus came along and snagged his life force.

So that's what we do: we go kidnap him, and bring him out of his funk.

Got any duct tape?

jevons, fight club style?

personally, i think the vocal performances of the pot and the end of vicarious are where he's really pushed his abilities to the limit, in a way like ticks and leeches. i have heard tons of bootlegs from this last tour of songs like stinkfist and 46 & 2 and it sounds perfect.

another theory, go back and watch video's from 94 of their shows and listen to maynard talk between songs. hear how high his voice was? then listen to him now, it seems much lower. do you think the 94 maynard could have hit the low notes of wings pt 1 & 2?

his voice isnt what it used to be. Like ive posted in the 10kdays area, most of his energy you saw on stage back in the 90s was from him hitting an awesome note or nailing a gut wrenching scream. He has to concentrate so hard now on not fucking the song up, that there is no room for him to be in the moment and just be 1 witht he music and feel it on stage. I love the man a whole bunch, but he needs to become a song writer and a lyricist and retire from singing, its only downhill from here people.

i get what you mean.
i just posted a similar response in the Pushit Salival section.

i dunno, Maynard's voice has just gotten very.....dry.
the setlists haven't featured vocally challenging songs such as Pushit, Eulogy, H, Cold and Ugly, Third Eye, The Grudge, Parabola etc. in all of 06 and 07.
stuff they still did on the lateralus tour.
the songs off 10,000 Days are below album standard on tour. people are pissed when he doesn't do the the huge vicarious climax and turns his back. he skips it simply because he can't do it. and when he does it, it doesn't really sound too good.

In my opinion, Maynards vocal zenith was the Aenima era. and that's simply 11 years back. you can't expect the man to be inhuman.

people should just take the smoking bans more seriously if they want to hear good Tool shows in future.

He is just saving himself for Tool's next and final album....

Wishful thinking, and oh God how i hope you're right.

what brings up the ***'s, just the three. It's been racking my brain for days, and i got nothing.
* + * + * = ???

his voice remains beautiful. does no one agree?

I don't think he's lost his touch. The voice is ever dynamic and changing, each incarnation is marvelous.

I'm not trying to break the man's balls. I think he's still better then all the other shit out there these days. He's fucking talented. But when I hear people talk about his vocals and energy back in the day, I have to wonder. Hell, I've even seen an old video of Hooker w/ a Penis. Dude, his vocals rocked the place. I could tell that just from a shitty video. He's still got it. I think a lot of his holding back is psychological rather than just physical restraint.

Thank You. And yes I agree.

He was sick for most of the tour, both times in Detroit he sang all of the pot and the end to Vicarious, and they sounded amazing. People get sick, and its hard to heal, when your a year into touring everynight.

Maynard is getting old, but I don't think this will do anything but change his style, not retire him.

i think his voice has become less his voice and more has an instrument. its more pART of the music now

i + m + o, ***.

Re: this thread topic...
It is a bit disappointing not hearing Maynard fully nailing Vicarious, and more recently the band just plain not playing the pot a lot of the time. I think it's fair enough if the nard's voice isn't handling it as well as it used to, but it's still a shame. I've heard some very good performances from 2006/2007 though which make me think he's still got it. Then again, there are performances from the early 90s which will probably never be bettered.

Fucking awesome! I would hope so! Even if I were to say that to him I would expect he would do that to me! He's still fucking incredible, and people have already said he's dropped jaws on some of the shows from the last tour. He would be like "I was sick! You disrespectful motherfucker! I'll be able to carry a tune a lot better than you when I'm fucking 80!" and keeps rambling as you pass out.

Funny shit.

Maynard has expressed interest in other bands such as APC and Puscifer, because he proclaims that he was unable to accomplish what he wanted to with the other bands. I believe that all the albums TOOL has made are somewhat of a documentation of their personal experiences and progression. As you transcend and include you tend to look at those past experiences a little differently, so it is my belief that this change is starting to come out in his on stage performances. The vocals are a muscle and when you start to change up the exercise (new bands and a different way of singing), everything changes.
I want nothing more than to go to a show (this weekend in Vegas, so excited) and be mind blown yet again. I will report back and let you know what I think.

Quit whining, Maynard's just fine...if ya' think he's lost it and ya' don't like it....stop listening and stop going to shows. I'll be there watching him play when he's 80yrs old with 3 teeth left and a trachea throat box thing if it comes to it...lol

Come to think about, that'd be pretty damn funny.

^^^he'd still sound better than any other fuckin idiot singer these days

Actually, if you are referring to the time Maynard choked the guy out on stage, it was a rear naked choke, not a Triangle choke. (Though he could probably pull that off while singing as well)

!!!
i have not heard of this!
do tell!
please

It was during "Pushit" in one of the shows during the second leg (?) of the Ænima tour. YouTube has it I think.

awesome! does anyone know WHY he he did it?
i'm assuming the guy jumped onstage or something

Yep, some stupid ass fan that ran up on stage and Maynard faked like he was about to give him a hug and then he spun him around into a rear naked choke and fell to the floor as the imbecile went nighty nighty. The lights go pretty dark so it's hard to see once he's on the ground but I swear it looks like he's punching him in the face too but, I wouldn't think Maynard would see that as being necessary after the guy's probably going to wake up shitting himself.

Im surprised maynard even takes the stage knowing theres so many half-wit, sideshow-freak, pedestrians in the crowd each time.

The way we are all treating MAYNARD reminds me of the way they treated Jesus. In the end, his most devout followers began questioning his divinity because he couldnt live up to THEIR demands. He wouldnt attend this sermon. He wouldnt bless this man. He wouldnt perform this miracle. We should all be exhaltant for MAYNARDS existence, let alone his contribution to TOOL.

i gotta find this video

hahahaha maynard is like jesus for sure! haha fake hug, damn thats hilarious.
but seriously lachrymantic, your right, and that makes sense! and thanks inner_eulogy

No sweat

So what your saying is that for all of the individuals who like tool and want to go to their concerts, getting excited and jumping on stage will automatically label them as a "half-wit" or "sideshow-freak". Lets all go to a tool concert and just sit there, no singing along, dancing, nothing, for you are jeopardizing your "status" by getting excited, and jumping on stage that just takes your status to an ultimate low. As far as the media is concerned were all “sideshow-freaks” just for being a tool fan and living outside the box.
Lets face it no matter which band, the dynamic of a concert is exhilarating especially with tool playing (yet again making their music so unique even in their live performances). You’re bound to let your guard down and let the music take control. It's funny how all these responses to what happens at a tool concert tend to be created around what "we" think the band wants.
My standard is different than yours, and yet I don’t label you for choosing different, it is what it is.

A "half-wit" or "sideshow freak" is close enough but I would prefer to say people like you are the ignorant disrespectful assholes that deserve exactly what that guy got. You'd be the same jackass throwing water bottles on stage too wouldn't you. There's a huge difference between enjoying yourself at a Tool show, singing and/or dancing and being the fucking idiot that runs up on stage disturbing the performance. How disrespectful can one be. Do you have any idea how much hard work they or any band for that matter put into putting on a great show and some asshole decides he wants to be a fucking showoff and run up on stage. I pity you, I really do for even supporting this type of behavior.