page: 
 title: Tool's wish: repaired lives
author: Steve Morse

Like almost every major band, Tool took time off to reflect 
after last week's terrorist atrocities. But the group is glad to 
be touring again because it believes strongly that its music 
can promote harmony during these critical times. 




''We've always considered our music to be a healing 
process,'' says drummer Danny Carey.




''It's our `tool' to work things out with each other and try to 
communicate with each other and learn things. And it's good 
for everyone - us and our audience - to get together.''




As for the recent tragedy, Carey says, ''It all comes about for 
the same reasons - people are building up barriers between 
each other, whether they're political or religious or 
whatever. ... But the whole point of art is to rip down those 
barriers. It's something that can transcend and bring people 
together. That's why we're in this business.''




Tool has become a superstar band - the group sold out 
tonight's date at the 19,900-capacity Tweeter Center in 50 
minutes.




''It hasn't been an easy battle, but our main thing all along 
was that we recognized from the first time we got together in 
our little rehearsal space that there was something special,'' 
says Carey. ''We've tried to remain true to the chemistry that 
happens when the four of us get together. We want to take 
that as far as we can and hopefully keep communicating with 
each other on deeper and deeper levels. It takes courage 
and a lot of different things to bare your soul with each other, 
but the more you can do that, the more worthwhile it all 
becomes.''




Tool is a powerful, Pink Floyd-influenced unit that has 
released four CDs in the last decade -
 ''Opiate,'' ''Undertow,'' ''Aenima,'' and the new ''Lateralus.'' 
The last offers an eerie forecasting of current events in 
songs ''Eon Blue Apocalypse'' (''I'm still right here, giving 
blood, keeping faith,'' sings vocalist Maynard James Keenan) 
and radio hit ''Schism,'' with the verse, ''Watch the temple 
topple over, bring the pieces back together - rediscover 
communication.''




A number of Tool songs have an apocalyptic flavor, which 
suits the moment. ''I think there is a collective 
unconsciousness, or some sort of consciousness, that you 
can tap into if you're open and brave enough to let 
everything go and be part of that.''




Tool's music has a cosmic bent, but also a skill level and 
vision way beyond that of most peers. Just look at the 
percussion samples on the new CD. 




''I've been taking tabla lessons and they've helped expand 
my rhythmic horizons,'' he says. ''I worked on that a lot in 
the last two or three years. And if I hear a sound, I can 
sample it. Instead of hauling around a lot of different 
instruments, I can just push a button and I have all these 
sounds. You just try to find textures that complement each 
other.''




Tool's latest CD was delayed because of the success of 
Keenan's side project, A Perfect Circle, which became a 
multiplatinum act. Did that create tension? 




''It stretched our patience at times, but we all knew that 
Maynard went into it with noble intentions,'' Carey says. ''And 
in the end, it allowed us to improve on our arrangements. ... 
So it all worked out fine.''



Posted to t.d.n: 09/23/01 09:51:43