Tool Revisited is a series of articles dedicated to analysing, and discussing a Tool related topic, be it a song, album, show, side project or anything really. I plan on publishing one of these every week or so, and hopefully it may fill in some gaps in your own Tool knowledge, or even just generate some interesting conversation. If anyone has any ideas for future topics (or even wants to be a guest writer) then let me know.
The first of these articles is about the Tool/Melvins collaboration Divorced. This 15 minute track appeared on the Melvins album, The Crybaby, which featured many such collaborations not only with Tool but with other acts such as Mike Patton, David Yow, Skeleton Key and Hank Williams III.
According to the liner notes from the album:
"Tool: What can we say about these generous monsters? They have consistently been models of integrity professionally and personally, no matter how big they get; an example a LOT of bands could learn from. Dale came up with the song, we recorded it, and they slithered away with the tape. The man-love we feel for these gents knows no bounds, and their sweaty hands have been all over this baby. Their massive artistry cannot be denied."
Divorced
Written by Dale Crover and the Melvins
Produced by the Melvins, Tool, Ryeland Allison and Vincent DeFranco
Recorded at the Lodge, Hollywood, CA
Tool appears courtesy of Volcano Entertainment II, L.L.C.
The track itself is a long, largely bass and drum driven track and also includes significant guitar riffs provided by both Adam Jones from Tool and King Buzzo from The Melvins. The track features no vocals of any note, except for a few screams, whispers and conversations. While not confirmed, it is assumed that Justin recorded the bass parts, and to my ears it sounds much like his sound and technique on the track.
Perhaps even more significant is the drum duel that takes place mid track between Danny Carey and Dale Crover. Though never confirmed, it is thought that Danny appears in the right channel of the recording, with Dale appearing on the left. There are some fantastic sections where both drummers exercise their considerable talents, making this track a must listen for those drumophiles out there. In some ways it feels to me that this track was a precursor to both Tool’s regular drum duels while on tour, and the future pairing of The Melvins with the guys from Big Business.
Shane from Toolshed summarised the track as follows:
1. keyboard/organ (sounds like it’s through a rotating cabinet)
2. sequencer percussion, electronic effects, with snare drum
3. left and right mixed drum tracks (Dale – left and Danny – right)
4. overdriven bass line (likely Justin)
5. whispered vocals (sounds like Buzz)
6. guitars, basses, and drums come in…heavy riffing
7. screaming (likely Buzz or Kevin [Rutmanis – former Melvins bass player])
8. repeat 3-5
9. repeat 6-7
10. drumming (Danny) over guitar feedback and playing, distorted bass
11. guitars, basses, and drums…heavy riffing (no vocals)
12. guitar solo and melody
13. drum solo duet (Dale and Danny) over guitar feedback
14. guitars, basses, and drums…heavy riffing (no vocals)
15. phone conversation (Maynard and someone) about a woman’s voice over trance music
As mentioned as point 15 in the list, at around around 13:30 into the song, this conversation takes place. At this stage I’m reasonably confident the “someone” mentioned above is Danny:
DANNY: what about Ryan?
MAYNARD: no, he blew it, he lost the number for the girl he met down here.
DANNY: oh,and Adam said she’s a beauty.
MAYNARD: she’s the one who has that fucked up voice.
DANNY: is she a rocket scientist?
MAYNARD: the fuckin…she has a voice like a fuckin’ modem dude!
DANNY: (laughs) sounds perfect!
MAYNARD: imitates a chick with a voice like a modem sayin’ some weird gibberish…(you have to hear it)
DANNY: (laughs heavely)
MAYNARD: then he got to work up there, you know Ryan gets off at work,i guess to show that he has a dick.
DANNY: (laughs again)
Are Danny & Maynard reading from some kind of script, or is this a genuine discussion. Who is Ryan? I guess we may never know.
For those that haven’t heard the track, here’s a Youtube link for you!
Damn good idea Hellboy! And I would love to write one of these at some point!
I’m THE Ryan! Just kidding… It’s not that it’s a bad track, but I’ve always felt that it leaves something to be desired. The lack of any real vocals by MJK is a let down. Just having him talk is a waste of his talents. Shame though. It could have been epic!
Danny Carey plays drums on the Skinny Puppy track ‘Use Less’.
That piece of information, however, has nothing whatsoever to do with the Tool / Melvins collaboration.
Just saying is all. Maybe you could do the next Tool analysis piece on the collab between Skinny Puppy and Danny Carey.
Or you could choose to ignore what I have just written.
[quote comment=””] Danny Carey plays drums on the Skinny Puppy track ‘Use Less’. That piece of information, however, has nothing whatsoever to do with the Tool / Melvins collaboration. Just saying is all. Maybe you could do the next Tool analysis piece on the collab between Skinny Puppy and Danny Carey. Or you could choose to ignore what I have just written. [/quote] Speaking of Skinny Puppy and Tool, I’d love it if someone could dig up more information on that Skinny Puppy remix of Stinkfist that got aired once on the radio in the US years ago. There’s an… Read more »
Hi rimb nice to meet you, and as that is your first post in 5 years I really hope someone finds that mp3 for you. 🙂
@hellboy – great first choice. I hadn’t heard that track until you posted it on the Listening To thread a few weeks back. Must have played it 1/2 a dozen times since then.
rimb – 14 minutes ago » Danny Carey plays drums on the Skinny Puppy track ‘Use Less’. That piece of information, however, has nothing whatsoever to do with the Tool / Melvins collaboration. Just saying is all. Maybe you could do the next Tool analysis piece on the collab between Skinny Puppy and Danny Carey. Or you could choose to ignore what I have just written. Speaking of Skinny Puppy and Tool, I’d love it if someone could dig up more information on that Skinny Puppy remix of Stinkfist that got aired once on the radio in the US years… Read more »
[quote comment=””]
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I’m no expert on Skinny Puppy. Perhaps you would consider writing a guest piece?
Great idea for a semi regular post! Look forward to reading more
Next topic:
No Quarter and the whispered lyrics.
Go!
[quote comment=”47727″]Next topic: No Quarter and the whispered lyrics. Go! [/quote]
A retrospect looking at the release of Salival and subsequent easter eggs, errors, and recording information dates/venues.
funny you say that. I was just coming to say there should be a Salival series. There seems to be no shortage of mystery surrounding that album
Thanks for doing this piece hellboy, first time I have heard this song! I liked it. That muted helicopter rotors effect that comes in and out in the beginning of the track sounded really funky through my headphones. And Maynard imitating the woman with the modem voice made me laugh, haha.
I haven’t heard it in a long time but it’s been around for a while…
[quote comment=”47727″]Next topic: No Quarter and the whispered lyrics. Go! [/quote]
I could be wrong, but I have watched live videos of this song live, and he repeates “it’s getting colder” and “lock the door”. You’re talking about the whispered lyrics during the segue, correct?
This is the video I am basing this off of:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5boyBnpXsaE
“Interesting” fact about Eulogy. Before Maynard sang “Standing above the crowd…Eager to identify” he would say “Hey, what’s it like to be French? Hey, brainwave, what’s it like to be French? Or are you Irish? I can’t remember. You remind me of Elvis.”
Download the Dallas ’96 bootleg (among others) and you’ll hear it.
Not sure if this applies to the studio version.
“Interesting” in this context means “Pointless fanboy info that’ll take up space in your mind, which could’ve otherwise been filled with lewd images”
Dunno how well off the Melvins are but they will certainly go down in rock history as one of the most important. Friends / mentors of Tool and Nirvana?! I read a great quote from Dale Crover once about how embarassing it was watching Kurt smash a guitar cos it took him about 15 minutes!
Cool tune, i dig. Pretty funny conversation at the end too.
Kinda off topic…but whats the opinion on MJK covering Terrible Lie? or Ass Kicking Fat Kid, etc…got some other MJK related stuff from years back that sounds ok, but not releasable in my eyes.
Well done Hellboy. You continue to produce interesting and informative content and have become the only relevant source for Tool news at this point. I would say Tool should hire you and fire Blair but then we wouldn’t have this fascinating corner of the interwebz to hang out in.
Excellent article, I look forward to the next “Tool Revisited” article. It would cool if we could get more individual songs and albums covered.
“Great idea for a semi regular post! Look forward to reading more”
+1
[quote comment=”47737″][quote comment=”47727″]Next topic: No Quarter and the whispered lyrics. Go! [/quote] I could be wrong, but I have watched live videos of this song live, and he repeates “it’s getting colder” and “lock the door”. You’re talking about the whispered lyrics during the segue, correct? This is the video I am basing this off of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5boyBnpXsaE%5B/quote%5D No I am referring to the studio version contained on Salival. It takes some serious ears to even hear Maynard whispering and at this exact moment I dont remember the time frame in the song. Its there, it was mentioned on a newsletter in 2001/2 that… Read more »
The No Quarter whispering is another recipe, isn’t it?
Some dude over at ToolNavy tried to decipher it not too long ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIEpmqfABt0 [1:09] (you’d) kill yourself, to kill your suffering? [1:17] you give yourself reasons to kill yourself [1:21] so you suffer. [1:27] would you do it? how could you? [1:33] two one three (???) [1:37] you’ll get my way, you should of. [1:42] you should of, you should of. [1:48] no memory of them coming home. — [1:54] radical reasons. [1:56] you could defy my only reason for __ __ __ [2:01] but you are not my only one [2:06] but you are not my own [2:14]… Read more »
i have a theory about the conversation recorded at the end of the song… i agree that it’s maynard and either danny, or adam, or buzz, or all of them together. HOWEVER, i believe the person they are speaking about is RYELAND ALLISON, who is credited in the liner notes as a producer of the song. my theory is that the conversation is the guys talking about who they could use for the “crybaby” vocals on the song, i.e. the screaming during the chorus, and someone asks… “what about RYELAND?”, not ryan. they go on to discuss the sound of… Read more »