Cheesegreater

Guys, I'm pretty sure this has to have been brought up before, but pardon a relatively new member. And by the way, I'm posting on the Lateralus forum because it happens to be my favorite and I feel it pertains pretty well to my subject.

The question or statement is this: Do you guys feel that it is a common trend for fans of Tool (anyone for that matter) to dismiss or not embrace their newest album?

I mean, I listened to Tool a little and was introduced to them in 10th grade with Aenima by happen-stance and didn't think too much of them, though I did like Eulogy and Forty-Six and Two. I didn't smoke weed at the time or do anything "bad" so to speak either (just mentioning that as an aside). 11th grade I smoked a little but didn't drink or anything else. I remember my mom won a little (drawn out) lawsuit and she gave me a few hundred bucks to spend on "Anything I wanted." At this time I was getting into Tool, more so than Nirvana for instance, and I was realizing they might be my favorite band (after a year or so of listening). I got a nice-ass stereo and their newest album which happened to be Lateralus. I knew that I liked Schism. Needless to say, after I had bought my killer stereo and a single Tool album all the money she gave me was gone; no biggie, I was 16 haha.

All I can say is that I remember the album "growing on me". Eon Blue and the Patient became awesome to me over time. Then the Grudge really hyped me up too. It took a long time, but eventually I came around to "Lateralus". I know it sounds silly to say the last song I got in to on the album was the one that ended up being my all-time favorite, but that's exactly what happened. I was beginning to play guitar at the and I finally started to appreciate the time changes of which before I really had no knowledge of.

Point is, Lateralus didn't "hit me" for a good time. The whole album even. Then somehow over time it became this beautiful, unprecedented, very progressive, and masterful album to me. I know I'm not stating anything that hasn't been stated before, but that is quite remarkable. I even remember thinking "Man, I should've got Aenima." But now, five years later, I see it totally differently.

I know we grow, and our tastes in music change, but this band is so approachable to many people if they are willing to listen to it... not just hear it in the background. One could argue that I just changed a little through my life experiences (which is certainly true to some degree) and that is what made me get in to this album, but I think that's not the only thing. This is the only "spacy/trippy" statement I'll say: If we are all "one mind", it makes sense that an album such as Lateralus is a subject matter that needs to be approached or embraced when the listener is at that point in their life when they are ready. The messages aren't meant to be taken lightly. Does Tool have a sense of humor and love life in general? Yes, but a lot of their subject matter deals with real world approaches to issues that are difficult to talk about. This doesn't make them negative, just inquisitive. The Undertow album was obviously negative , but they have evolved a little from that initial disgust of the world, IMO.

I believe their music and lyrics have something in common in that they are both out of the norm or out of our "comfort zone". They strive to bring one to a somewhat vunerable state of listening to where their can soak in the music/message deeper than usual.

Please realize that I'm just sharing my past experiences. I know there are plenty of who really got in to Opiate when it first came out or Undertow and I really want to hear their story too. I love all the albums in their own unique way. A lot of people here seem to want to point out which song is better than the other and that some folks are I guess inferior to others for liking some songs as opposed to others, but please put all that aside.

I know that I've seen a few posters here say that 10,000 Days totally sucks, and they are waiting for them to release their real album. Well everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think that is needlessly cold. Also, another reasone I wanted to start this thread is the fact that I've heard (at least at the time it was released) that Lateralus was "Tool selling out, cause they didn't curse anymore" or they were "stooping to the level of rap-metal" among all kinds of other shit. I found the whole "cursing" thing to be absurd. I mean, in "Ticks and Leeches he says "Take, take, take all you can fuckin' take. I've nothin left to give to you." But people couldn't hear the cursing as clear as they did in Aenima so Tool sold out. I'm just telling you how others have summized it.

When someone tells you, "Hey man, I've listened to this, and I honestly can't stand it." and you say "You need to give it another chance" or "There's more to it than you think" people genarally seem to take offense to it whether it be pride or some other variable. Out of all the bands out there Tool is the epidome of a band that people need to give a chance. If you think they're not very talented or too loud or sending a bad message, it's more than likely that you need to come around to them, rather than you were right about them not having talent or what have you. Of course all I'm saying is very opinionated, but think about it. I'm sure some of you have had friends that kind of shook their head (in disappointment) and laughed off Tool only to later really get in to what they're doing.

For those of you that have gotten lost as to what the point of this thread was: "What's your opinion on Tool and the general acceptance of their new albums by fans of the previous albums, and do you think their is a trend where a lot of those fans will come down hard on the new album and say bad things about it only later to "learn" (for lack of a better word) to appreciate it?

I would appreciate any responses and feedback. And again, I apologize if you guys have engaged in plenty of other posts pertaining to stuff like this, but I would really like you're input.
Thanks guys.

Tool rocks

tomisatool

I first heard Tool when I was 4, in my basement. I remember watching late night MTV and seeing Sober. The song gave me nightmares. Years later, I found Stinkfist by chance on the internet. I loved it. This Tool song took me (for some reason) into APC, where I spent my time for a good year or so, until I realized that Tool's music was something I really connected with. Now, I put some Tool on my Ipod, and really listened to the same, I don't know...ten songs for awhile.
Then 10K Days came out. I remember skipping school to get to the FYE by my house as early as possible to buy the new album. I bought it, and listened to it intently. The album art, everything was so intriguing I loved this cd.
I took my strides through Tool's music backwards, in that being only 16, I began with 10k Days and basically ended with Opiate. After hearing Undertow (which is my favorite album by a longshot) I know now what Tool came from, and as much as I liked the idea of my own spirituality, I love the feeling of pure aggression and feelings that aren't watered down (undertow).
Tool's work to me is a collection of music that I know I will always listen to, new and old.

__________________
No one is innocent