Blair has released the May 2011 Tool Newsletter on Toolband this morning in which he discusses the Rapture, and then makes a prediction of his own regarding the release of the next Tool album…
May Tool Newsletter
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Tag Archives: Newsletters
Tool Newsletter April 2011
Blair released the April 2011 newsletter on Toolband/Army, and it looks like this month is a return to form of sorts. I discusses mainly the Royal Wedding and also touches on Tool‘s progress:
Q: “Hey, Can you tell me what the new Tool album sounds like?”
A: Well, so far, it sounds like Stockhausen meets Jimmy Durante. No, actually I haven’t heard any of it yet. I did, however, see the dry erase board the other night, and even took a photo of the incomplete (Tool) arrangement on it, only to be later told by a band member not to post it. I don’t know why, though. It was ambiguous as ever. In fact, any musician would have an easier time deciphering the Voynich manuscript. Even so, I’ll go way out on a limb and predict that the new stuff sounds like… Tool. Or at least it WILL once Maynard adds everything that he does to the equation. For truly, that’s when all the colored scrawls of chord progressions, time signatures, and other abstruse musical notations on the board become the kind of Tool composition you’ve become familiar with.
For those of you without the patience to read Blair’s work, that’s about all you need to know (hidden codes aside).
March Tool Newsletter, Other Stuff!
I had a busy day yesterday ingesting more beer than my body can safely hand. Fitting then that Blair releases the March 2011 Newsletter on Toolband that get the collection nuts of Fourtheye abuzz with excitement. Here’s an excerpt:
In the spirit of this newsletter about Tool memorabilia, "Merch" is going to be putting some nice stuff in the store tomorrow (consider this a head’s up). These items will include vintage tee-shirts (those now out of circulation), tour posters (maybe even a couple of signed ones), and at least one real gem that will have some fans salivating. In the meantime, keep hunting for those Tool rarities. They would sure look good next to that souvenir tour poster that you purchased at the last show.
Well all love a bit of Tool merch, and I know many of you have been hitting up Toolarmy in readiness for this sale, however as I write this tomorrow has yet to arrive and there are no goodies on the site. Perhaps tomorrow tomorrow… Looks like stuff is there – check the Collectibles section!
In other news, A Perfect Circle will be announcing on-sale details for their summer tour on the 4th of April. Presumably this will be the times that tickets go on sale and at what outlets. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of further dates, however there is plenty of speculation (and a gap in the schedule) suggesting that A Perfect Circle could be one of the acts on Lollapallooza this year.
Speaking of APC, drummer Josh Freese has released another range of unique purchase options for his latest EP My New Friends. The $75k package which included a ride in Danny’s Lamborghini was offered, and as I write this appears to have finally sold to someone! Presumably it was purchased for me as a gift for my birthday later this month – thanks in advance!
Tool merch is cool and all, but nothing would beat owning a genuine piece of Melvins history! Point your credit cards at this Ebay auction and buy King Buzzo’s old Hiwatt Cabinet. Current bidding puts it at US$405. Bargain!
February 2011 Tool Newsletter posted
Blair posted a relatively short, but somewhat exciting newsletter today. It basically talks about how Tool are quite focused on writing the new album at the moment. Here’s an abbreviated version of an already short newsletter:
Having returned from their recent tour Down Under, after taking a few days to recover from any jet-lag, and to take care of personal affairs, starting last Monday, members of the band returned to their studio/loft to continue writing and arranging new material. According to one band member, although Tool has received numerous lucrative offers to perform live (summer tours both here and abroad), they have (unanimously) decided to focus their creative energy on producing a new album. As a matter of fact, the all-important dry-erase board has been brought out and is, with each passing day, becoming filled with colorful scrawls relating to the various arrangements that are only decipherable to the band.
Make sure you check out that Fourtheye.com site – I bet it’s full of Tool news!
January Tool Newsletter
One last post before I hit the road – Blair has posted the January Newsletter on Toolband, which contains plenty of references to the current tour. It’s full of spoilers for those who are yet to see them live so consider yourself warned!
A Perfect Circle track recorded? Newsletter + Tool goodies on Ebay
According to a recent tweet by Antiquiet (and also on Billy Howerdel’s Facebook so I hear):
Maynard and I just got done tracking some vocal for a new APC song
Hopefully this means we’ll see a new A Perfect Circle track sometime in the not too distant future.
As I posted a few days ago the December Newsletter was just released. Now I’ve had a chance to read it, here’s a few things I’ve picked up:
- Tool are still writing for the next album and we probably shouldn’t expect a release until late 2011
- Adam has been in the UK doing stuff, and depending on how you read it, could have recorded with Robert Fripp, had something repaired (a guitar amp perhaps) or just had some beers.
- Things are maybe happening as far as the various Tool websites are concerned.
- Maynard is enjoying some more winemaking
- Tool nearly supported Rush in Brazil (or may do so in the future).
- Aaron Harris might post some notes from the road for us.
Feel free to add anything I missed below!
Finally hold your light from Toolarmy has had to reluctantly sell some of his Tool related goodies on Ebay. Here are the links:
- A Net Of Being limited print
- Sieban by Maynard
- A copy of 10,000 Days signed by Alex Grey
- A signed Chet Zar print
Happy Bidding!
December Tool Newsletter
The December Tool newsletter is now out! I’m just about to head into the office so haven’t had a chance to read it yet so have fun!
Tool November 2010 Newsletter
Sometime over the weekend (not sure when as I was away caving) Blair posted the November Tool newsletter on Toolband. Looks like an interesting read!
Haha classic:
Sounds like someone cracked a fat without a franger.
Nice one Blair, that New Orleans gig sounds awesome too…
Tool October 2010 Newsletter
Just to keep us on our toes Blair has released the October Newsletter at the beginning of the month rather than the end. It’s really just a summary of upcoming events that people should consider attending including an a gallery with some of Adam’s art on display, a Crowleymas celebration where Danny & Blair will be signing books and such, a Volto! and Cpt. Kirk gigs and an event at COSM.
Most importantly for Aussie fans it touched on the Big Day Out tour:
For those of you hoping for some solo tour dates to be announced, all I can say at this point is to keep checking the website
The way I read that suggests that solo tour dates would be happening, and stay tuned for the inevitable announcement on a Tool fansite. I wouldn’t get to bothered about Blair’s comment on the second Big Day Out. I’m sure he’s not suggesting that Tool won’t be playing.
Update: I mean to add that the second Sydney Big Day Out goes on sale at midnight tonight. Ballots to score remaining tickets for the Melbourne and Gold Coast shows start later this week as well. If you’re planning on going to Auckland, Adelaide or Perth, don’t go expecting them to remain available for too much longer…
Tool September Newsletter published
Blair published the September 2010 newsletter on Toolband this morning, which once again confirms that Tool are taking part in the Big Day Out tour. It does mention that fans are hoping for some solo shows, but neither confirms nor denies that these will happen, so I guess we’ll have to wait a little longer on that. Seems to me that they won’t be announced prior to Big Day Out tickets going on sale, so those of you in Sydney and Melbourne who want to see Tool this trip are probably going to have to grab tickets as soon as they go on sale, in case the Big Day Out sells out and there are no side shows announced. Personally I’ll be grabbing tickets to the Adelaide BDO, and then heading over to a sideshow should they happen.
Once again mentioned the possibility of shows in Hawaii. Sounds to me like this will almost definitely go ahead, though sources close to this fan site have no further information on this…
On the writing/recording front, the newsletter basically confirms what Justin mentioned in an interview yesterday: that the band are still writing and there’s no danger of them heading to the studio anytime soon. I wouldn’t count on them recording anytime before March 2011.
Finally, he also confirmed that Aaron Harris from Isis will join Tool on the Big Day Out tour, presumably as some kind of sound technician. Aaron seems to be really keen on getting into the recording business, and from what I’ve read has done some great work with Kiwi band Jakob, and I’m sure all of us here at Fourtheye wish him luck with all his post-Isis endeavours.