Tool : "The Band "

After a long time ,infact ,only after "Alice in Chains" in the year 2004(It took me some time to realise the full breadth of AIC) ,has any band impressed me to such an extent as "TOOL".Tool stands out as a completely different rock band admist stupid bands with a fixed formula of soft verses & loud choruses.Their song are generally longer than the 3-5 minute format of MTV.So, they don't get much airplay there.Considering these & the fact that TOOL is basically a 'dark' band,the success TOOL has earned is noteworthy.

Like any other good band,you take your time to get adjusted to their different sound.First time listeners may not find any fucking rhyme in the long TOOL songs.They may even find it too "HARD" for their taste.But,like a polished stone each & every song of tool is precise & accurate.Every stroke of drum is in place,where it needs to be.The Songs like the ones from AIC grow on you.And,boy do they grow!!With every listening of the song, the song becomes better,better and better.The greatest thing about this band is that once you get used to the abrupt pace of the songs,they just blow yur mind away.Some categorize TOOL as a "Psychedelic Mathematical Rock",though it is very tough to put this band in one genre,because of the wide spectrum of their music.Mathematical because of the complex rhythm changes, haunting vocals, and an onslaught of changes in dynamics.

The key to liking the music of TOOL are three things :

a)The "primal" voice of lead singer J maynard keenan.
b)The unusual spiritual kind of lyrics.
c)And most importantly the precise & incessant drums by Danny Carey.

For eg, the song "Ticks & Leeches".This is one of the "Hardest" song from the Band.It starts of slow with a brilliant Drumming by carey ,then is joined by wonderful guitars.By the time Keenan makes his presence felt,the song already would be categorized as "Hard".If you just keep your attention to only the drums in this song, you will feel the awesome rhythm in the song.The two minute slow piece which comes in abruptly in between ,with guitars only gives a very good idea of the rhytm of the song.But,Drums ,Drums & Drums are the key to this and many other tool songs.

Talking about Lyrics,they are never simple.With praying for a complete disaster to fall on L.A. in the song "Aenema",to the mystically spiritual "Parabol & Parabola".

So,in the end,they are an awesome band.And Guess what ? They are releasing their new album in May 2006 ,after a long period of 5 years ,after their last multi-platinum grammy winning album "Lateralus".So,it's hi-time to become a FAN.

Some of my favourite lines from Tool songs are :

(These are not complete songs but only the parts that I like )

AEnema

Fret for your figure and
Fret for your latte and
Fret for your hairpiece and
Fret for your lawsuit and
Fret for your prozac and
Fret for your pilot and
Fret for your contract and
Fret for your car.

It's a
Bullshit three ring circus sideshow of
Freaks

Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call LA
The only way to fix it is to flush it all away.
Any fucking time. Any fucking day.
Learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona bay.


Fuck L Ron Hubbard and
Fuck all his clones.
Fuck all those gun-toting
Hip gangster wannabes.

Fuck retro anything.
Fuck your tattoos.
Fuck all you junkies and
Fuck your short memory.

Fuck smiley glad-hands
With hidden agendas.
Fuck these dysfunctional,
Insecure actresses.

EULOGY

Will you? Will you now?
Would you die for me?
Don't you fuckin lie.

Don't you step out of line.
Don't you fuckin lie.

You've claimed all this time that you would die for me.
Why then are you so surprised to hear your own eulogy?

You had alot to say.
You had alot of nothing to say.

Come down.
Get off your fuckin cross.
We need the fuckin space to nail the next fool martyr.

To ascend you must die.
You must be crucified
For your sins and your lies.
Goodbye...

HOOKER WITH A PENIS

All you read and
Wear or see and
Hear on TV
Is a product
Begging for your
Fatass dirty
Dollar

So...Shut up and

Buy my new record
Send more money
Fuck you, buddy.

PARABOL & PARABOLA

We barely remember who or what came before this precious moment,
We are choosing to be here right now. Hold on, stay inside
This holy reality, this holy experience.
Choosing to be here in

This body. This body holding me. Be my reminder here that I am not alone in
This body, this body holding me, feeling eternal
All this pain is an illusion.

Alive, I

In this holy reality, in this holy experience. Choosing to be here in

This body. This body holding me. Be my reminder here that I am not alone in
This body, this body holding me, feeling eternal
All this pain is an illusion.

Twirling round with this familiar parable.
Spinning, weaving round each new experience.
Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing.

This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality.
Embrace this moment. Remember. We are eternal.
All this pain is an illusion.