Tool!

hbar said:

I consider TOOL to be the most musically talented band in existence. Guitar, bass drums, vocals, lyrics and the entire musical compositions are simply 2nd to none.

That said, it's easy to understand why they aren't more popular: they just aren't as musically accessible as most bands. Their songs are in complex time signatures and have unusual compositional structures and phrasing. Extreme variations in tonality and dynamics along with lyrics that are often very uncomfortable to think about makes for less popularity among mainstteam fans.

Most importantly, in order to truly appreciate the music, a lot is required of the listener. Most people listen to music as background noise while they're engaged in something else and usually on a cheap sound system from mp3's. TOOL music doesn't come across that way. You must really pay attention while listening with no distractions and have a decent music player with a high quality source. IMO, the album 10,000 Days is worthless unless you can listen to it from begining to end at a relatively loud volume with no interuptions. Most people are unwilling or unable to invest that much effort.

My $0.02.

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All true. This is why the best music generally actually seems to be meh (or even bad) at first and requires at least several playthroughs paying attention.

Great music requires effort not just on the part of the artist, but the listener as well.

hatedheretic said:

whoa whoa whoa, lets ease on the brakes there a bit.. Lady Gaga is not your average "pop star".. if anything I'd compare her to a modern popish Alice Cooper and David Bowie before i'd throw her in with Pink or even worse the troll doll Nicki Minaj (sp?)

and she didn't just fall into stardom with her first song, she worked her way up the traditional way; and it's that reason i give her mad props...along with that she actually has a great voice and can actually write her own music.

and greed; she actually caused amazon's website to crash when her latest album came out and she had them sell it for $1 ....

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I don't doubt that she worked. I just feel that her substance free lyrics show a calculated stab at getting RICH.

If TOOL sang about "I gotta reason you could take me home tonite" I would likewise scoff at them.

Songs like Hooker with a Penis and Prison Sex display to a me a calculated attempt NOT to appeal to the lady gaga rank and file. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

hbar said:

I consider TOOL to be the most musically talented band in existence. Guitar, bass drums, vocals, lyrics and the entire musical compositions are simply 2nd to none.

That said, it's easy to understand why they aren't more popular: they just aren't as musically accessible as most bands. Their songs are in complex time signatures and have unusual compositional structures and phrasing. Extreme variations in tonality and dynamics along with lyrics that are often very uncomfortable to think about makes for less popularity among mainstteam fans.

Most importantly, in order to truly appreciate the music, a lot is required of the listener. Most people listen to music as background noise while they're engaged in something else and usually on a cheap sound system from mp3's. TOOL music doesn't come across that way. You must really pay attention while listening with no distractions and have a decent music player with a high quality source. IMO, the album 10,000 Days is worthless unless you can listen to it from begining to end at a relatively loud volume with no interuptions. Most people are unwilling or unable to invest that much effort.

My $0.02.

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Totally Agree........

Brewing a batch of Bikini Blonde Lager and listening to 10,000 Days.

Not a bad way to spend a Wednesday.

The best music out there is the stuff u need to spend time on. Any time I hear a new song and think this is real good after 20 times hearing it gets old. If hear a song by a band I like and I think so so I know it's going to be great. First time hearing schism I thought well ok and the first time I listen to lateralus I thought well ok now it unmistakable great. One of the best songs off lateralus though they are all great is ticks and leeches but it took time to realize its greatness. By the way GO BRUINS !!!!

Tool is the Pink Floyd of this generation. Incredible music and lyrics. Not everyone gets it, but not everyone tries very hard. Its like IPAs and Belgians....got to put the work in before the rewards come pouring in.

chumpsteak said:

Tool is the Pink Floyd of this generation. Incredible music and lyrics. Not everyone gets it, but not everyone tries very hard. Its like IPAs and Belgians....got to put the work in before the rewards come pouring in.

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I agree. Music that for generations will be dissected and discussed for there complex yet simple greatness. Music that u listen to over and over and still find new sounds and difference paths to take. Always a new experience with TOOL and FLOYD

46andbrew said:

I agree. Music that for generations will be dissected and discussed for there complex yet simple greatness. Music that u listen to over and over and still find new sounds and difference paths to take. Always a new experience with TOOL and FLOYD

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The Pink Floyd reference makes me think of The Mars Volta. I have been re visiting them lately after quite a few years and it immediately got me thinking of Tool. It has been awhile since I listened to them and this thread has convinced me it has been too long. With that said are there Mars Volta fans here as well? If not I would suggest a listen. They are great for a lot of the same reasons Tool are.

Frances the Mute is incredible. Amputechure is mind blowing.

I've seen them about a dozen times. I still prefer the show they did in 93. Not that the others weren't good. Just that there was only about 100 of us watching and it was in the second smaller stage, so we were right up front. Way stripped down then what came of them later.

j1laskey said:

Frances the Mute is incredible. Amputechure is mind blowing.

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Frances the Mute changed the way I perceive music. Loved Amputecture as well. TMV is probably my second favorite band after Tool. It's too bad they broke up, but they were clearly getting kind of burned out so maybe it was for the best.

jeffersonjames said:

The Pink Floyd reference makes me think of The Mars Volta. I have been re visiting them lately after quite a few years and it immediately got me thinking of Tool. It has been awhile since I listened to them and this thread has convinced me it has been too long. With that said are there Mars Volta fans here as well? If not I would suggest a listen. They are great for a lot of the same reasons Tool are.

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The Mars Volta is a great example of how the best music is rarely ever immediately recognizable as such and requires the listener to put the work in for it, but I was always much more partial to the rawer, more stripped down, but no less emotive (and perhaps even moreso) At The Drive-In. It's such a shame they broke up, even if it's what inevitably paved the way for the former.

cheezydemon3 said:

I don't doubt that she worked. I just feel that her substance free lyrics show a calculated stab at getting RICH.

If TOOL sang about "I gotta reason you could take me home tonite" I would likewise scoff at them.

Songs like Hooker with a Penis and Prison Sex display to a me a calculated attempt NOT to appeal to the lady gaga rank and file. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

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well to be honest, they both hit the radio with singles that reached the ears of the masses from their debuted albums....and lyrically she has pushed boundaries within her genre; Judas for example.. The song she did with Tony Bennett shows just how vocally talented she is as well.. jesus; i feel like i'm on a massive Gaga soapbox here lol, i think she's way more talented then the majority are willing to give her credit for.



on the topic of Tool; this was one of the cooler fan made lyric vidz i've come across....

JAMBI
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MfPc6pmRsg

Another tool fan here. I've was lucky enough to see them during that small venue 10,000 days tour.....one of the best nights ever (wedding night and a few others with the wife clearly rank higher). I also got to have one of the caduseus wines from the cornville vinery/tasting room......its the only time I've ever heard that town mentioned outside the few people i knew who lived there. Got the wine and saved it for graduation, ended up saving it for a few years longer and it was some of the best qines i've ever had (and living near napa i get to have a lot of good wine). Man i just can't say enough good things about Tool, apc, puscifer, caduseus, and merkin, none have ever failed to impress. As some have already said though, sometimes it takes a second listen (or taste) to appreciate the awesomeness.

As for the gut complaining about the fan club business, as someone i think pointed out, none of their fan clubs are officially run by or asociated wi the band, which means while they used to get some special attentions from time to time, the band had no contract/garantee/agreement to give any special perks to any of the clubs.

**. Please excuse all the spelling and typing errors, im on a small device, and between big fingers and crappy auto correct....well you get the ide

Love Tool, love APC. I don't have a "favorite" band, but I've gone through phases of listening to mostly Tool over other bands. I'm not sure how I feel about MJK himself. I'm not always in the mood for the slow progression or atmospheric sound (less of that with APC, more anthemy) but they will always be some of my favorite music. I think most people fall squarely on either side of liking them or disliking them.

emjay said:

The Mars Volta is a great example of how the best music is rarely ever immediately recognizable as such and requires the listener to put the work in for it, but I was always much more partial to the rawer, more stripped down, but no less emotive (and perhaps even moreso) At The Drive-In. It's such a shame they broke up, even if it's what inevitably paved the way for the former.

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Very true. My usually routine when buying a Tool album was to skip through, only playing the most catchy and accessible tracks. Sometimes putting the album away for awhile, concluding they didn't quite hit it on that one. End up playing through as background music while I occupy myself with something. Realizing that the whole album is badass, especially that slow sounding song I didn't have patience for. Playing the album 5 times over the next week or two.

bottlebomber said:

Love Tool, love APC. I don't have a "favorite" band, but I've gone through phases of listening to mostly Tool over other bands. I'm not sure how I feel about MJK himself. I'm not always in the mood for the slow progression or atmospheric sound (less of that with APC, more anthemy) but they will always be some of my favorite music. I think most people fall squarely on either side of liking them or disliking them.

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The incredible thing about MJK, IMO, is the sophistication of his songwriting/composing, DESPITE the lack of any in-depth formal education in music theory. It's absolutely remarkable.

bottlebomber said:

Very true. My usually routine when buying a Tool album was to skip through, only playing the most catchy and accessible tracks. Sometimes putting the album away for awhile, concluding they didn't quite hit it on that one. End up playing through as background music while I occupy myself with something. Realizing that the whole album is badass, especially that slow sounding song I didn't have patience for. Playing the album 5 times over the next week or two.

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Conversely (without trying to sound too EAC), the music that even most "appreciators" of said "best" music tend to immediately get into and initially enjoy the most, usually turns out to be the most forgettable.

And really, this is typically all true of just about any form of art, from the visual arts to the gustatory arts (e.g. food, drink, BEER; i.e. "acquired tastes")!

If you haven't seen this it's worth checking out.

Damn, thought that was Primus

Cool as hell vid and music is great not to keen on the vocals though

And if you haven't seen TOOL live at JC Dobbs in 1992 yet I recommend a youtube search.

Ya that vid is great Maynard sounds great

46andbrew....great username! Nice take on tool.

Thanks John I'm always trying to pair things inspired by TOOL. Their art and music is very inspiring

Agreed. Their musicality and lyrics are artful! Not many bands out there these days that can put together albums like they can.

Old thread but absolutely count me in. Maynard is an exceptional artist. Haven't heard anything about his wine venture the last few years after watching a documentary chronicling his grape endeavor. If his business savvy is anything like his music genius I'm sure he's doing well.