The Tool December 2018 Newsletter is out, and since it’s mostly about me (of all people) I can assure you all there there is no actual Tool news contained within.
BMB: How do you get your Tool-related news? How regularly do you check other sites? Do you have sources with other sites that give you a heads up as well as friends close to a band member that give you some inside info? I remember giving someone news to give you that I couldn’t post officially. Did you get this? (It was from someone that knew Danny.)
MATT: These days, social media is the king for up to the minute Tool news. The Toolband Subreddit is probably my primary source of information these days – if something has been posted on the internet that’s Tool related, it’s normally on there sometimes within minutes of being posted. It’s a firehose like environment, with a range of Tool news and discussions coming thick and fast. On Fourtheye I tend to take the quality over quantity approach, and I think my readers prefer the more curated feed as opposed to the wild west of social media.
I have a few sources that give me snippets of info here and there, though I’d note that many of them have been pretty quiet the last few years. I don’t want to be that guy who keeps bugging people all the time, so tend to let them come to me with information if and when they have any. The common link is that they are almost always friends of Danny! A couple I know nothing about other than their email address, one in particular having provided a quite interesting recording from what I think was the Loft a few years ago…
Haha so Maynerd was right!
LOL
Awesome! Well done man 🙂
Thank you Matt for disseminating all the information about Tool that you can. I appreciate it. Also, thanks for staying in contact with the Tool family from such a distance. And, putting up with the few of us that enjoy your message board. Cheers! 2019!
Oh … and Happy Trails 😀
That’s one of the decent, fan friendly things I’ve seen from the group since they had to become more necessarily cloistered after they blew up in popularity. Obviously the days of close contact with an unofficial webmaster like Kabir are gone, but those were heady times and you’re the only other one who’s seemed to manage to gain any access. Awesome they gave you a shout-out.
Well done Matt – and yes I’d like to join in on the appreciation of the work you do! Happy 2019 to all! Back in July I was lucky to see Danny and band play a cracking version of No Quarter at ‘The Baked Potato’ which was a highlight of 2019 – I love LA! Aside from the Europe dates I’d be interested to gauge what everyone’s prediction for the band are in the 2nd half of 2019.
*2018
Hmmm, 2nd half of 2019 for TOOL? I’d say there’s a slight chance another festival or summer show/s gets added somewhere to their schedule for July 2019 (maybe). Based on Maynard’s comments about being unavailable from August 1 to October 15 (perhaps each year), I’d say a North American tour kicks off late October, November and December (e.g. East coast) and then the tour moves around from say January 2020 through to March 2020 and finishes on the West coast. Then rinse & repeat with North American & European festivals & shows in the summer (May, June, July) and maybe… Read more »
^Also, wherever they don’t hit on their first trip/part around North America, they’ll pick up the following year on the ‘2nd version’ of their tour for the USA etc.
Was this done over email? Also, you never answered the second part of the question:
BMB: If you could hear Tool play any song live, what would it be? Also, what would you like to hear on the new album that you don’t think you’ll hear?
MATT: Tool love visiting Australia, so I’ve been lucky enough to tick most of my boxes from their last 3 albums.
I don’t really have an answer to the second part of the question, as I have no real expectations of the next album other than it sounding like Tool. With that said, maybe it’d be cool to have an acoustic track on the album.
Congrats on the recognition but like Ive said before – the closer you get the less you can say. You obviously know more than you can tell cos the band are leaning on you somewhat, otherwise you would have told us about the recording from the loft. Why cant you tell us about it? And doesnt that compromise Fourth Eye?
Can you post the demo recording from the loft? I feel like we need to start fueling the 2019 hype train
http://loudwire.com/maynard-james-keenan-completes-recording-vocals-new-tool-album/?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter_4511503
We are definitely getting an album by May.
I can’t believe it’s so close now.
I was driving yesterday and it really dawned on me that we will have an album shortly. It’s really happening. For the first time I am actually excited. I am now starting to think about which direction their sound will go. What will it sound like? I generally don’t feel like that about any music anymore, even from bands I like. I’m kind of in shock about it as it’s been so, so long since of felt this way.
I’m very stoked as well. Can’t wait.
Release date soon surely. MJK putting the pressure on.
Fuck yes. Maynard basically saying its in the bands hands now. This is great news. He also shot down a surprise in the thread release so we’ll get a def date. The anticipation is really hitting me big time. I think we are going to hear a Lateralus level effort (my personal fav Tool album for sure)
*surprise release
I agree with that sentiment. Lateralus is my favorite but 10,000 Days was also special. Has there been any mention of who they worked with in the studio?
^Joe Barresi
They did confirm it’s Barresi again?
Maynard answering a fan’s tweet sounds like all is not well in Paradise finishing up this long-awaited album. This is what I feared. I had hoped they could complete it feeling equally happy about it, rejuvenated, anxious to tour on the new music, etc. His work ethic may no longer align with theirs, if it ever did. But with his/their sense of humor it may be all part of trolling fans till the bitter end. Who knows? ACrowleybeast tweeted, “I know that when I am forced to linger on a book longer than I would like to, I feel like… Read more »
Adam was in high spirits about the album when I went to their VIP in 2017. Justin was on fire that night and Danny was walking around barefoot hanging out in the middle of the some 100 or so people that showed up for VIP. Maynard knows the drill and I’m sure he understands that they all work differently than he does. In the VIP Adam described it as them all having a different paint brush and approaching the art in a different way. They like to respect that process I’m sure. Also, they have all had kids, some have… Read more »
Maynard being frustrated by the way the other three work has been a thing since Lateralus. It’s perfectly ok and normal for him to express this. I have no doubt he’s aware of the “troll” value of the tweet either.
At the end of the day, I believe that if any of the members of the band felt the frustration wasn’t worth the outcome, they’d leave and the band would be done. One day they will reach this point, but today is not that day.
How did this interview come about? Blair didn’t have anything interesting to say?
I chat with Blair semi-frequently via email. He didn’t have much to say regarding Tool lately, but did mention he’s working on a book about synths with Danny.
ya, must be a thing these days. Geddy Lee just put out his book/collection on his bass guitars.
sounds neat they are making a book on synths.
nothing to worry about cause maynard answered ”slow death” he just answered the question. people look into things too much sometimes.
ya, new album finally. a fall tour of NA is what i figure will happen after all the wine stuff is out of the way. coolio
That’s cool. Danny seems pretty passionate about sythns. I’m getting the feeling we will get a good dose of them on the new album.
That dose of synth he injected on the last few tours for his drum solos was pretty amazing.
he uses a lot of organic sounds or something. there is more synthy stuff with the pads then it sounds like from what i can tell. on 10k he used some real preset sounding stuff on intension which seemed out of line for him. it prob wont sound overly ”synthy” he doesnt use it that way entirely accept for those live solo things.
he better interview cEvin Key in his book! 😉