The dramatic arrangement itself was about eighteen minutes long, and I would have to say, even after having only heard it once (and, more importantly, without the vocals) it was the most impressive piece I’ve heard them do. I could only imagine what it was going to sound like with Maynard’s vocals, which he was working on from the other side of the glass. I asked what the working title of this organized pandemonium was and Justin told me. Even though the name could and probably would change when Maynard was finished with the lyrics, I’m not at liberty to reveal the working title (in case it sticks), only to say that the initials are L.K. When they finished the song there was silence in the room. Adam then glanced at me and said that it (meaning the arrangement) wasn’t quite finished yet. “NO – it IS!” I told him, just messing with him, knowing that he is the consummate perfectionist. “That’s the new single” I joked, after guessing how many minutes long it was (after all, it might have only been fifteen minutes). “Well, my part isn’t finished” he said. Adam then asked me if I’d heard the song that I missed while I was out eating lunch. I told him that I had a couple of times, but that was a few weeks ago. He said that they would play it again because they f**ked it up the first time. Before they began, Justin walked over to the mixing console and began picking through the bowl containing the colorful assortment of newfangled jelly beans, searching for quite a while for a particular color/flavor. Adam also hunted for a certain color – a golden-yellowish one that he wanted me to try, claiming it tasted like buttered popcorn. When the heathen near-vegan declined, he popped it in his mouth and subconsciously began f**king around with a chthonic riff on his silver burst.

During the break, MJK emerged from the other room and flipped me a guitar pick that had something like “I don’t really play guitar” imprinted on it. Having remedied a glitch with the electronic drums, Danny began to tell his band mates a story which he’d already told me involving a very strange incident that occurred somewhere out in the California desert. This was told to him by a friend and former band mate (no spinner of yarns), and involved some kind of anomalous lights and an apparent abduction (either by shadowy government types or otherworldly/other dimensional beings) that contained elements that researchers like Jenny Randles would call “The OZ Factor” and others would refer to as high strangeness, but would certainly be considered by the former as a “rogue case.” We all listened intently as the series of events surrounding the “abduction” or what ever occurred as told to Danny by his friend got even more bizarre. It ended with the main person involved encountering what sounded like classic MIB types. When Danny was finished, he, Maynard and I all agreed that a field trip was needed. But first Danny would need to find out exactly where the incident occurred.

With the story finished, the band played the song that I had missed. This one was no adagio either – another dimension splitter or encounter with A’ano’nin, that was about ten minutes in length and executed to perfection. During a section midway through the piece, when I closed my eyes, I could envision a whirling cone of ‘twisted sound’ piecing the aethyrs. “What the hell is in those jelly beans?” I asked. Afterwards, as Adam, Justin and Danny worked on a certain section of another new tune, I went into the other room, the one I call the Outer Void (Ain Soph) to talk to Maynard about the planned field trip, about the music business in general and about his Arizona vineyards. I also asked him if he’d make his “green sauce” for naan bread, as I was planning on making my spicy Vindaloo for a Yuletide festivity that was still in the planning stage. And, no, I wouldn’t reveal the recipe (for either).


Back in the ‘jam’ room, the guys had worked out a certain part and were playing it together when either Adam or Justin was thrown off by a cowbell sample triggered by Danny. When the inevitable SNL/Blue Oyster Cult bit came up, there was a knock at the door. This turned out to be Ann from management. She had an envelope containing a couple of Lakers tickets for Danny who was going to the game at the Staples Center that night. I asked Adam if he was going too, but he said that he and Maynard were going to a movie instead. It was about twenty minutes until the usual quitting time, and Adam asked the others if they wanted to call it a day. Justin didn’t. He wanted to work some more on another section – “string together some pieces” he said. As I watched, he walked over to the Dry-Erase message board and wiped the slate clean. So much for the birthday cake or whatever it was (anniversary?). I left for a minute to look at something in the “Outer Void”, and when I returned, the board was filled with those mnemonic triggers that represented the various parts of the composition that was being arranged. Memoria technica or not, whatever was written there, it was only decipherable to the members of the band, but, looking at it, I fondly recalled one night during the Anima or Lateralus days, when, during a drinking bout, I erased part of the formula and replaced it with my own. By doing so, I’ve always wondered whether or not in some way I contributed to a Tool song.

After experimenting on the arrangement for about a half an hour, it was time to call it a day. I put on my jacket and told the guys that I was going to go sit in the parking lot that is the 101 freeway. Justin said something about loving the traffic, and then mentioned a pub in Santa Monica that served a wonderful selection of Belgian ales. Oddly enough, he didn’t say he was going there - just that such a place existed.


When I returned home I got a phone call from my horticulturist friend down in sunny San Diego. During the conversation with Soror Petallpynx, I told her that I’d just returned from the loft where I listened to some new prog-metal. “How did the new material sound?” the surfer asked. “Very perichoretic” was my answer, but when it came to specifics I told her that I had signed a confidentiality agreement. However, I did mention the jelly beans. “Were they jelly beans or jelly bellys?” she wanted to know. “I don’t know, but there was one that Adam said tasted like buttered popcorn.” “That’s my favorite! There’s also one that tastes like caramel corn… and the toasted marshmallow one tastes like marshmallows toasted over a campfire.” “Is there one that tastes like Belgian ale?” I asked her. If so, I guess I’ll have to go back to the loft in a few days to try one. It wouldn’t be too bad to hear L.K. again either.

Just some interesting stuff about the new album

We've (almost) all read that before. Next time, please try posting a link. Thanks:)

my bad, apparently this guy is planning on dropping in on another session here in a day or two

The latest Toolband.com entry confused the hell out of me. I thought we had gone back to last month again.

And Faaip De Oiad did a number on me yesterday. During the time I wa slistening to it, the building i was in suffered a well timed power cut. Not fun

I don't really like Toolband.com...

Their webmasters are just a bit nuts I think, and the updates, at least lately, have little to nothing to do with Tool, at least that's what I've read. TDN might not have many updates, but at least they seem like they came from a sane source. I'm sure all this will change when the new album comes out.

I don't know if this has been addressed here yet, but is anyone else anxious to see if the guys picked up some lower tunings for this new album? Everything they've written up to Lateralus, save three songs, was in D...and while the music is some of the best ever IMO, I would love it if they had some songs in B, or C tunings...hell, even A if they felt like it! After seeing how well Dream Theater go back and forth from every tuning under the sun (well, almost, I've never seen them use C# or Bb) I would love to see Tool do the same thing. I would love to see Justin get ahold of a 5 or even better, 6 string bass...his creativity on a 4 has amazing me, imagine what he could do with another string or two? :thumb:

Toolband.com is more of a blog at times when ther eis not a lot of news floating around regarding tool. It can be a bit cryptic, but I just love some of the things Blair posts.

As for the alt tunings, it would be interesting to hear a few more lower tuning songs, or even for Adam to try a few standard tuning alternatives, even if they are lower tunings as well. From the sounds of it thought, the experimentation with tones and effects has gone to the next level again, im not sure if Justin has done the same, but i did see an article on Adam's practice space, and he has a few new stomp boxes and some bizzare pieces of equipment (one looks like an ammeter with uneadable dials).

And a 5 or 6 string for Justin would look sweet at the very least.

*BEWARE RANT AHEAD*

I hate alt tunings, I have only recently been able to stick drop D (my ear is getting better and i dont have to tune to anything now) I appreciate the way adam uses the shapes in this tuning. But to go lower? CGCFAD (dropped C standard) is ok i spose. But unless you wanna sound like slipknot its not too advisable to go lower. Leave the low work to justin is what i say, Adam is the guitarist and the reason i appreciate him so much is the way he fills in melody lines with riffs etc. I don't reckon he could do this as well with Low tunings.

*/END RANT*

[QUOTE=clearvision]*BEWARE RANT AHEAD*

I hate alt tunings, I have only recently been able to stick drop D (my ear is getting better and i dont have to tune to anything now) I appreciate the way adam uses the shapes in this tuning. But to go lower? CGCFAD (dropped C standard) is ok i spose. But unless you wanna sound like slipknot its not too advisable to go lower. Leave the low work to justin is what i say, Adam is the guitarist and the reason i appreciate him so much is the way he fills in melody lines with riffs etc. I don't reckon he could do this as well with Low tunings.

*/END RANT*[/QUOTE]


i hate down tuning, but billy howerdels C# F# B E G# C# is awesome. I have my LP standard permanently tuned to that

[QUOTE=clearvision]*BEWARE RANT AHEAD*

I hate alt tunings, I have only recently been able to stick drop D (my ear is getting better and i dont have to tune to anything now) I appreciate the way adam uses the shapes in this tuning. But to go lower? CGCFAD (dropped C standard) is ok i spose. But unless you wanna sound like slipknot its not too advisable to go lower. Leave the low work to justin is what i say, Adam is the guitarist and the reason i appreciate him so much is the way he fills in melody lines with riffs etc. I don't reckon he could do this as well with Low tunings.

*/END RANT*[/QUOTE]

The lower tunings only work well in certain ways. For example, Will haven (god knows if anyone kne wthem on here) used drop B exclusively and it fit so well with the angry nature of their music. But some bands use it to try and create an angrier sound, but it just seems like a gimmick. The times tool have seriously down tuned, it has worked well (end of parabola anyone?)

My rant on drop tunings are those people that complain about drop D. Although i wont start complaining, ill be here for a while.

And I really do need to put my old guitar into the step and a half down tuning soon. thats as low as ill go though

[QUOTE=Adam Jones is GOD]The lower tunings only work well in certain ways. For example, Will haven (god knows if anyone kne wthem on here) used drop B exclusively and it fit so well with the angry nature of their music. But some bands use it to try and create an angrier sound, but it just seems like a gimmick. The times tool have seriously down tuned, it has worked well (end of parabola anyone?)

My rant on drop tunings are those people that complain about drop D. Although i wont start complaining, ill be here for a while.

And I really do need to put my old guitar into the step and a half down tuning soon. thats as low as ill go though[/QUOTE]

me too, hey did i show you the silverburst im looking at? its the sexiest one EVER. Adam Jones would be proud

[QUOTE=clearvision]*BEWARE RANT AHEAD*

I hate alt tunings, I have only recently been able to stick drop D (my ear is getting better and i dont have to tune to anything now) I appreciate the way adam uses the shapes in this tuning. But to go lower? CGCFAD (dropped C standard) is ok i spose. But unless you wanna sound like slipknot its not too advisable to go lower. Leave the low work to justin is what i say, Adam is the guitarist and the reason i appreciate him so much is the way he fills in melody lines with riffs etc. I don't reckon he could do this as well with Low tunings.

*/END RANT*[/QUOTE]

I hate the people who automatically think that any lower than C is automatically a Slipknot song for something :rolleyes:

Tool has already used two variations of drop B anyway, once on Prison Sex and once on Parabola, and both worked very, very well, and neither sounded anything like Slipknot has ever written.

Dream Theater pulls out the 7 string often enough, and nothing they've written sounds like Slipknot either. Not even close.

I personally love alt tunings. They only increase the amount of things you can play, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Meh, I just find it a pain in the arse tuning down. I was looking to learn some chevelle stuff the other day, but its just a bitch tuning down to A or whatever that song was. To be honest though if you're gonna tune past dropped C you may aswell kick your bassist out of the band. Both Adams tunings were only on the bottom strings still alowing him to do what he does best. I find that he supports maynard alot of the time, if he tuned down to A then he would have to play miles up the neck. I think he should stick with drop D and maybe go to drop C if he really wants, screw the howerdel tunings and 7 strings.

this is probably irrelevant to what other people are saying but i will say it anyway. i have been listening to quite a lot of tool lately. they are actually really good. i used to listen to them about 5 years ago. but now i like them again. schism and the grudge are amazing songs.

the song opiate is maynard challanging organised religion. just think about wat u hear he's saying that the church considers people not smart enough to make their own choices

has any1 else noticed that the opiate cd is summarising their career.
sweat-heavist just like the undertow album
hush-saying that he doesnt care just like some songs on aenima
part of me - slow almost spoken lyrics just like lateralus

so knowing all this we shoud be able to fig out wat the next 3 albums will be like

mmmm perhaps, yet i think in my opinion that the next album will be their heaviest to date, but thats just me.

^ Well they toured with Meshuggah, so they might draw some influences from them. And I'm pretty sure Tool have said themselves that it will be their heaviest album yet. It should however, be nothing short of amazing.

I've heard a rumor that the new **** will be more influenced by meshuggah. I don't know if it's true, but you can imagine what tool could do with the combined sounds.
I missed some of the downtuning talk, and i personally dont like to downtune, but if the song i'm trying to learn in downtuned i'll do it. but i'll only play songs in the tuning for like a week, so i dont have to tune again.(my guitar doesnt go from d to c#or B then back to d very easily.)

Anyone know why tool neva brougt out a live dvd????

Probably so they can laugh at people who say "neva"

:lol:

to the downtuning talk, i also hate downtuning, well past drop d, because i have one of those pain in the *** floyd rose bridges and those bolts on the top of the neck (not sure if you know what im talking about...) and its kinda hard to tune your guitar with that stuff. but i usually have my guitar in drop d because ive been obsessing over playing tool songs lately

/FINALLY sat down and started learning tool

learn eulogy, lateralus, and stinkfist. well learn what you want, but i recommend those. very fun and easy to play

The meaning of Forty Six & 2?
 

can anyone help with the meaning of Forty Six & 2? Been trying to figure it out.

i read somewhere that its about DNA, like how we have 46 chromosones in our DNA and 2 more would make us the ultimate being.

[QUOTE=Uber-Termite]Anyone know why tool neva brougt out a live dvd????[/QUOTE]

One word;

Salival.

^ I didn't think the DVD was live, only some of the songs on the CD. I don't however, have Salival (yet), so I'm just going from what I've heard.

[B]Taken from the "official" TOOL FAQ @ [url]http://toolshed.down.net/faq/faq.html[/url][/B]

[QUOTE]G36. What does it all mean, 46, 2, shadows?
You could write a whole FAQ for this one question alone; the major underlying principles relate to chromosomes and Jungian theory. Some of the ideas behind this song are based on the teachings of Drunvalo Melchizadek. Here's a snip of an interview with him (Leading Edge, 12/95):
"There are three totally different kinds of humans on the Earth, meaning that they perceive the One reality in three different ways, interpreted differently. The first kind of human has a chromosome composition of 42+2. They comprise a unity consciousness that does not see anything outside themselves as being separate from themselves. To them, there is only one energy - one life, one beingness that moves everywhere. Anything happening anywhere is within them, as well. They are like cells in the body. They are all connected to a single consciousness that moves through all of them. These are the aboriginals in Australia. There might be a few African tribes left like this. Then, there is our level, comprising 44+2 chromosomes. We are a disharmonic level of consciousness that is used as a steppingstone from the 42+2 level to the next level, 46+2...These two additional chromosomes change everything."

Rachel Wells (eileen@loop.com) has written this moderately long, excellent summary of all the relevant Jungian concepts:

"Anima / Animus (pronounced On-ee-mah):
In Jungian psychology, the anima refers to personality traits regarded as feminine that are often repressed into the unconscious of males while the animus refers to traits regarded as masculine that are often repressed into the unconsciousness of females.

Although suppressed from conscious awareness, the anima/animus influences our behavior in powerful ways. In most individuals,it is projected onto people of the opposite sex and accounts for the experience of falling in love with someone we hardly know. As the unconscious pole of the self, the counter-ego represented by the anima/animus can also be a guide to one's own unconscious realm. It is often experienced as the guiding female (if you're male) or male (if you're female) presence in dreams.

The Shadow:

In Carl Jung's personality theory, the ego represents the individual's sense of personal self. The sense of personal identity is purchased, however, at the expense of certain tendencies that are rejected as 'not-self'. According to Jung, these rejected traits come together as a kind of unconscious 'counter-ego' which he termed the shadow.

We may become unduly anxious or irritated when in an environment or around a person that in some way reminds us of repressed aspects of our self. If a person has rejected his or her own sex drive, for example, that person may feel irrational fear or anger around an overtly sexual individual. The shadow may appear as a person in one's dreams, usually as an individual of the same sex.

Of all the archetypes, the shadow is the most powerful and potentially the most dangerous. It represents everything about ourselves that we fear and despise.

The meaning of 46 + 2:

According to Melchezedek, our planet is covered with geometrically constructed 'morpho genetic grids'. These grids extend from about 60 feet under the Earth's surface to about 60 miles above the Earth, arranged in geometric patterns (see 'Sacred Geometry'). Each species has its own grid, which supports life, and connects the consciousness of its particular species. Before any species can come into existance or make an evolutionary step, a new grid must be completed. When a species becomes extinct, that particular species' grid dissoves.

A new grid was completed in 1989 - the 'christ-consciousness' grid. This grid will allow humans to evolve into our next version. We'll develop two additional chromosomes (which are really 'geometrical images' designed to resonate with our specific grid) for a total or 46 + 2.

The main change will be a shift to the "unity consciousness". Every cell in your body has its own consciousness and memory. You, the higher being that occupies your body, make the millions of different consciousnesses in your body work together as one being. How does this relate to this grid? Think of yourself as a cell and the grid as the higher being. We will still have individual consciousness, but will be united in the form of a higher being in order to work as one entity."

Scientifically speaking, humans don't appear to be evolving new chromosomes (or much of anything else; thanks to technology). If you want to learn more, search the web or take a class! [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=magicaltroll834]:lol:

to the downtuning talk, i also hate downtuning, well past drop d, because i have one of those pain in the *** floyd rose bridges and those bolts on the top of the neck (not sure if you know what im talking about...) and its kinda hard to tune your guitar with that stuff. but i usually have my guitar in drop d because ive been obsessing over playing tool songs lately

/FINALLY sat down and started learning tool[/QUOTE]

yeah, i know what you mean, even if you use a tuner it's still hard to properly get the tuning right, that's why i use my old guitar for downtuning (Tool, some pantera) and my beautiful green esp for standard (opeth \m/)