There's a thread about a possible new album but there's a need for a generic, let's talk about new TOOL news and everything else. Maynard James Keenan is currently LIVE on the Joe Rogan podcast and Maynard is saying that, even this late in the game and despite what Chancellor and Carey have been saying lately . . . Maynard STILL has no music to write lyrics to!!! He's actually talking at length about the band's process and how long it takes. He says "It's so tedious and so "Rainman" . . . also "It's great and it's their thing". He's saying a lot. "Nothing's tracked or recorded, stuff's just written". He's saying that he's been given music and had begun writing melodies and lyrics . . . and then the band comes back and the song's been changed!
I watch Joe's podcast pretty religiously but didn't see Maynard was on until about 2 hours in so I'll probably watch it tomorrow. I'm not holding my breath for a new album, ever. If we ever get one I'll consider it an extremely nice and unexpected surprise at this point. Which is fine, because Undertow, Aenima and Lateralus will last me my entire lifetime, I never get tired of those albums. 10,000 Days was a little underwhelming.
Which indeed they may have to, at this rate. I sincerely hope you (and I) have enough years left to be able to hear the next Tool album, whenever that will be. I love 10,000 Days, but the sheer duration of the album is a bit off-putting. I have to set aside quite a bit of time to absorb it every time I listen, which is not as often as Lateralus.
I've been listening to Faith No more's first record "The Real Thing". I think TOOL were kinda influenced by FAITH's sound. Lotsa drums and bass on the "Real Thing" have a sound Tool would adopt.
There have been a few high quality boots compiled from the recent tour and the band is sounding really great. An interesting topic is the band has been tuning down on some tunes to suit Maynard's aging voice. It also sounds like Maynard is using a chorus effect on his vocal that sometimes almost sounds like auto-tune but I'm not saying it is! Here's one
In a recent podcast with Joe Rogan, Maynard stated they were for sure recording the new album with vinyl in mind. It sounded as if they were or would be recording to tape. Interesting little tidbit.
According to Danny Carey (I can't remember where I read it), each Tool album has been recorded on tape. Side note, am I the only one who hears distortion of some 10,000 tracks?
Don't worry Tool fans. It's all in the plan. Tool formed on February 28th, 1990, which was exactly 10,000 days before May 2nd, 2006, the very day that they released their album 10,000 Days. Tool's next album only has a short wait, as it will be released on September, 17th 2033, which will be exactly 10,000 days from May 2nd, 2006, the day that they released the album 10,000 Days. You read it here first.
Eh, yeah, I was counting back from today's date to 1990. My bad. Still, expect that new album September, 17th, 2033.
Maynard has 2-3 songs that he's writing melodies and lyrics for but he says that he's been at this stage a few times and they keep changing the music on him! If you do the adult math, we won't be seeing a TOOL album til next year and then maybe even later. THE REAL THING was Mike Patton's first FNM record, sorry. Again, lotsa"Toolisms" in their music, I've been cranking TRT for a few months and it's ridiculously good.
TOOL is always in rotation in one medium or another in my life. Much like King Crimson, Tull, Yes etc. Would/will be great to hear some new material. Well, I guess by the time we hear it, most of it will be old by default just by the length of the writing process haha. This band has thrown a few curves to it's fans in it's past. Maybe they are closer to than they want us to know.
Ticks And Leeches, the song that chronicles the lawsuit against their record company... That break that's just past the 7-minute mark... Pure, unfiltered rage as played by amped-up guitars, punctuated by threatening drumfills and a sneaky bassline. Ohboy, the band's on fire there!!!
O yeah. I get into some serious head-banging/strutting action when that tune's on. It has a weird temporary/epicness about it at the same time, and almost inarticulately intense (like Hooker with a *****).
Had it playing in the car today on my commute back home. Loud. The first part that discusses the emotions the band/singer went through has a drawn-out feel, like someone who's pent up with rage but is too tired to fight. (Sucked dry?) Then that brooding part appears, like a revenge of sorts is in the works. There's this reflective, emotional quality to it that's hard to put into words, but it's to the band's credit they pull it off so effortlessly. Then, ofcourse, the big pay-off, and I'm always too early or too late to fall in with the band when I'm slamming on the wheel.
Wasn't Lateralus a couple of seconds shy of 80 minutes? I agree with most that 10.000 Days is a bit spottier than the three albums before it. Vicarious, imo, is their weakest album opener. A bit too been-here-done-that (Schism comes to mind). Some other songs take a bit too long to get going. But highlights like Jambi, Keys/Rosetta, Right In Two and The Pot can measure themselves with the best the band ever did.