Publication: The Boston Globe
Date: September, 2001
Transcribed by
Kyle Wall (shaggy5225@hotmail.com)
Kyle Wall (shaggy5225@hotmail.com)
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