i read on the FAQ of this very website that the piano was inserted behind this phone message to make it sound more like a love poem, but the way it always came across to me was that the piano made the song melodramatic, sarcastic and absurd, all of which i mean in good ways.
My cousin told me this long story about this a while ago, not sure where he got it, let me see what I can remember from it...
Someone (either a band member or a friend or the band, can't remember exactly) had a party and then this guy (Harry Manback) comes in uninvited, and they basically booted him out. So our friend Harry, humiliated and angred calls up the host of this party, and leaves the message we hear in the song. Tool, then deciding to humiliate him further, takes his angry/thretening message, and places the love song kind of piano in the background to make fun of him.
The whole purpose of this song is basically just to make fun of Harry Manback from leaving that angry message.
From what I know, this was a message left on MJK machine by his landlord, who happened to be the vocalist for Green Jelly. They thought it was Funny and decided to put music behind it to make it sound like a love poem. I think it was just a joke between the two bands. :)
MW
Since the one thing we can say about fundamental matter is that it is vibrating, and since all vibrations are theoretically sound. Then it is not unreasonable to suggest that the universe is music and should be perceived as such
__________________ One thing I an't is a Saint without a sin.
«Pain Fetish inside you.»
«Made by Sex.»
The problem with that theory is that the track is called Message TO Harry Manback, not Message FROM Harry Manback. So if Harry Manback is a pseudonym for Hotsy Menshot it would have to be a message he received.
Originally posted by Jerk off From what I know, this was a message left on MJK machine by his landlord, who happened to be the vocalist for Green Jelly. They thought it was Funny and decided to put music behind it to make it sound like a love poem. I think it was just a joke between the two bands. :)
The message from the landlord is at the end of Disgustipated. The TDN FAQ (http://toolshed.down.net/faq/faq.html) had this to say about Message to Harry Manback:
G39. Is "Message to Harry Manback" an actual phone message?
Yep, someone left someone a threat. Yes, they actually meant it as a threat. So no, it wasn't concocted by the band. (Though the piano part was obviously added in to make it sound more like a love poem).
G40. OK, so who was that message for? Who is Harry Manback?
Danny had this to say about it in some interview:
"Message to Harry Manback is a recording of the words of an uninvited Italian guest who came to Maynard's house one day. A so-called friend of a friend of a friend of Harry's .... Before we finally managed to figure out that nobody really knew him, he had already emptied the fridge and run up a huge phone bill. He got kicked out of the house."
Harry Manback is a pseudonym for the real recipient of the message, presumably a past roommate of Maynard's: Hotsy Menshot of Green Jello.
Originally posted by Graffing The problem with that theory is that the track is called Message TO Harry Manback, not Message FROM Harry Manback. So if Harry Manback is a pseudonym for Hotsy Menshot it would have to be a message he received.
According to the FAQ, this message was not to Maynard. See the message I just posted in this thread.
As a result, this would very well be TO Harry Manback, and Tool would be an observational third party.
Originally posted by Chris_Brightwell According to the FAQ, this message was not to Maynard. See the message I just posted in this thread.
As a result, this would very well be TO Harry Manback, and Tool would be an observational third party.
That's what he said. :)
I was about to bring that up, too.
The FAQ says this Italian guest went to Maynard's house. This eliminates Tool from being a third party - Maynard kicked him out, and he left the message on Maynard's answering machine. Otherwise, none of this would make sense. As if it does now :P
Thus, Harry Manback can be one of two people:
A) Maynard
B) The Italian guest
Explaing answer B:
The song itself could be the message, not the recorded one on the answering machine. Tool made the message sound quite funny, so maybe the message is to the Italian guest: "Hey buddy, fuck you."
Edit: Why would this guy send the message to Hotsy Menshot (if that's true), when he ransacked Maynard's house? I didn't consider this idea. Woops.
Last edited by Genocidal; 12-02-2002 at 11:49 AM..
(straight from the FAQ)
G40. OK, so who was that message for? Who is Harry Manback?
Danny had this to say about it in some interview:
"Message to Harry Manback is a recording of the words of an uninvited Italian guest who came to Maynard's house one day. A so-called friend of a friend of a friend of Harry's .... Before we finally managed to figure out that nobody really knew him, he had already emptied the fridge and run up a huge phone bill. He got kicked out of the house."
Harry Manback is a pseudonym for the real recipient of the message, presumably a past roommate of Maynard's: Hotsy Menshot of Green Jello.
If Hotsy Menshot and Maynard were room mates, this would explain why the message was left on "Maynards" answering machine. Tool would still be a third party. Hope that helps.
Actually it just says he got kicked out. It doesn't say WHO kicked him out. Also, by third party I mean that the message was not intended for any of the members of tool.
dude they had the party and the italian guy shows up, they eventually figure out that hes not who he says he is. He gets booted and later on calls maynards and hotsy's anwsering machine. leaves the message and hotsy gets it. maynard tthninks its funny, someone lays down a piano part, and boom bam, you got yourself message to harry manback. a pseudonym for Hotsy Menshot.
OK, well we know Harry Manback is obviously a fake name. THe guest was Italian who are know for there body hair. So, HM and/or MKJ get this message on the answering machine. They, as a retaliation put the piano background on it and throw it on a CD. Now you have Message to Harry Manback.
Thats just what i think.
MW
__________________ One thing I an't is a Saint without a sin.
«Pain Fetish inside you.»
«Made by Sex.»
Ahh I see what you're getting at... Hairy Man Back? LOL never thought of it that way... But I agree with idiotboy that it does sound sarcastic/absurd. And humorous.
Originally posted by Jerk off From what I know, this was a message left on MJK machine by his landlord, who happened to be the vocalist for Green Jelly. They thought it was Funny and decided to put music behind it to make it sound like a love poem. I think it was just a joke between the two bands. :)
MW
Since the one thing we can say about fundamental matter is that it is vibrating, and since all vibrations are theoretically sound. Then it is not unreasonable to suggest that the universe is music and should be perceived as such
No no, It is said that the vocalist was the one behind the Disgustipated message (personally, I think it's Bill Hicks). This message is from an Italian guy who was thrown out of MJK's house.
Originally posted by Jerk off OK, well we know Harry Manback is obviously a fake name. THe guest was Italian who are know for there body hair. So, HM and/or MKJ get this message on the answering machine. They, as a retaliation put the piano background on it and throw it on a CD. Now you have Message to Harry Manback.
Thats just what i think.
MW