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My Tool Top 10: #5 Stinkfist

Stinkfist is the second Tool song I ever heard (or at least remember) and was the first to really drag me in. I’d heard Sober on the radio before, but hearing Stinkfist played on afternoon on Triple J by Adam Spencer seemed to do it for me. The mix of the distorted and clean vocals are what sticks in my mind, and the next day I was down at the record store purchasing Aenima. The rest is history!

Really though, Stinkfist is a pretty straight forward song. It doesn’t feature much in the way of progression or weird time signatures, it’s just a solid rock song with the Tool twist.

It’s a great live staple as well. The combination of the catchy vocals, the late song extension as well as Adam’s video make it a fan favorite, and certainly a highlight of the set for me.

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Krazy
Krazy
10 years ago

Same here regarding this song “dragging me in”. I never liked Sober- not even much of a fan of Undertow to be honest, Prison Sex kicks ass though. I remember hearing the song and didn’t even know who it was. When I found out first thoughts were something along the lines of ‘This is the same fucking band!?!?!?!?!’

Z-Werewolf
Z-Werewolf
10 years ago

I started guessing at #6 so I’m 1 for 2. Lateralus is going to dominate the top of the list isn’t it? You’re favoring Botrill Hellboy! Let’s hope he comes back for the new album… They were on to something!

nemesis
nemesis
Reply to  Z-Werewolf
10 years ago

get Botrill back and ask Paul D’Amour to help write songs, that would be my dream for the next album

DRURY
DRURY
10 years ago

Stinkfist was fun to see being written live and to hear the final version on Aenima was really strange for me. I love the extended middle they’ve added since and it would be great to hear them nail a really solid rock song like this on the new album.

bob
bob
10 years ago

well i have a built in mechanism with the more popular songs to not call them favourites for some reason. i dig stinkfist but i didnt put any of those big hits on my top 10 really. Jambi is about as close as i got to putting that on their. its not that i dont like the songs but their so over played and ive heard them live at shows sooo many times i just cant put them in a top ten list! for better or worse i missed out on ur choice for this one! ya, the extended bridge… Read more »

dickleiper
dickleiper
10 years ago

yep, this was the song that draw me in too….

the light/laser show for this song from the recent Aus/NZ tour was nothing short of mindblowing!

Pgrantham
Pgrantham
10 years ago

Yeah, this is the song that also drew me in. It showcases everything good about Tool in a radio-friendly span of time.

Danny’s high-hat hook is what really made me go, “Damn, that is so tasteful!” That “PSH, dududu duh, PSH, dududududuh.”

The last time I saw them on acid, during the extended part, towards the end of it, his bass drum rolls were sending cyclones of fury into the audience. It was beautiful on all the senses. I’ll never forget those images…his whole drumset and him were emanating with vibration.

Maynerd
Maynerd
10 years ago

Stinkfist, my lord I obsessed over that song when I first heard it. I had been a huge Tool fan for about 3 years before, had heard that they were working on Aenima and was so excited to hear a song from it. I remember when Richard Kingsmill played it for the first time on a Sunday night on triple J, I had a cassette in and recorded it and seriously listened to that song two or 3 times a day until the album came out. I still remember buying Aenima the day it came out and running home from… Read more »

bob
bob
10 years ago

ya, i remember my friend i ran into (who i didnt really hang out with yet at that time) said him and his friend he was with just heard the new tool song on the radio on their way to the bar. so there i am listening them tell me they heard new tool and i hadnt yet! it was really exciting and i couldnt wait to hear it. funny thing is i dont recall exactly were i first heard it when i did but i remember thinking the vocals were diff but it sounded like tool and it had… Read more »

Sweating12
Sweating12
Member
10 years ago

I actually registered just to respond to this post; or, rather the topic as a whole. As I watch this countdown to your greatest TOOL songs, I cant help but to inquire to the perspective you are taking. Are these the greatest TOOL songs written? Performed live? There are a few different dynamics to look at. But to stay straight forward, which I am sure thinking linearly is something we are all trained to do, I will try and complete your list from 5 to 1. I have to admit that I dont agree with several of your choices, as… Read more »

Z-Werewolf
Z-Werewolf
10 years ago

When I saw TOOL 2010
1. Third Eye
2. Jambi
(-) Ions
3. Stinkfist
4. Vicarious
5. Eon Blue Apocalypse
6. The Patient
7. Intolerance
8. Schism
9. Forty-Six & 2
10. Lateralus
11. Ænema

When I saw Tool 2012
1. Hooker With a Penis (First time since 1999)
2. Jambi
3. Stinkfist
4. Ticks & Leeches (First time since 2002)
5. Pushit (First time since 2007, album version)
6. Schism
7. Intension
8. Forty-Six & 2
9. Lateralus
10. The Pot
11. Ænema

Z-Werewolf
Z-Werewolf
10 years ago

I think them opening with Third Eye… is probably the most amazing thing… being completely high and in the zone and then opening with that song was just… FUCKING FANTASTIC!

ThatGuy
ThatGuy
10 years ago

Third eye as an opener is the best. I saw them perform an incredible show in San Diego in 2010 with third eye as the opener. Blew my mind and that place went apeshit. And the I remember literally being in a trance during Lateralus. Unreal. And then Hearing buddy say be felt the same ( his first tool exposure).
And sweating12, hellboy is giving HIS personal favorite, not necessarily the best tool songs. But I agree with his choices so far!

Z-Werewolf
Z-Werewolf
10 years ago

Hell yeah! Lateralus and Schism both put you in a trance live. Knowing how to play most of their songs really gets me into trance mode too because I focus heavily on certain things that any one of the 3 musicians do and LOVE LOVE LOVE when they add little things into the song… Just the smallest little off note, bend or pick scrape slipped into the normal riff just blows my mind.

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