Tool is an American rock band. Their music has been heavily influenced by King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Rush, among several others. Their overall sound has been described as "grinding, post-Jane's Addiction heavy metal" http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3r62mpb39ffo~T1 as well as "a primal sound as distinct as it is disturbing". http://www.rollingstone.com/artist/bio/_/id/213/tool?pageid=rs.Artistcage&pageregion=artistHeader
They have been listed as influences for bands of many different genres of rock and pop including alternative rock, math rock, nu-metal, and trip-hop.
Tool currently consists ofDanny Carey (drums)
Justin Chancellor (bass guitar)
Maynard James Keenan (vocals)
Adam Jones (guitar)
The band receive a moderate amount of exposure on mainstream television and radio, which may come as a surprise considering that many people perceive them as a "dark" band. They are known for unusual lyrics, often spiritual or primal in nature, and songs that feature "complex rhythm changes, haunting vocals, and an onslaught of changes in dynamics" http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:bv851vg3zz9a which prevalently results in a greater-than-average track length. Additionally, most of their music videos feature stop-motion animation created by Jones, in a style similar to the Brothers Quay that tends to perpetuate the perception of Tool as a "dark" band. Their albums have and continue to be sold by the millions.
Tool is currently working on their fourth full-length album. Tourmates Fantômas and Meshuggah have been cited as recent influences. There have been some rumors about the new release, including possible titles, potential DVD releases, and their respective release dates. Since the members of Tool avoid press and rarely grant interviews, there is little evidence to support these claims. Considering the rumor mill preceding the release of Lateralus in 2001, these reports are not likely to prove true. Still, a CD release is widely expected for the third quarter of 2005.
Tool was formed in 1990, when Danny Carey and guitarist/bassist Paul d'Amour met Adam Jones and Maynard James Keenan.
"I met Adam through Tom Morello of Rage (Against The Machine). And I was living beside Maynard. I never auditioned for them. I felt kind of sorry for them, because they would invite people over to play, and they wouldn't show up, so I'd fill in." (Danny Carey)
Tool immediately received recognition for their first commerical release, Opiate, borrowing the name from Karl Marx's famous quote on religion. The six-song record included the explicit singles "Hush" and "Opiate" which quickly gained attention. A video for "Hush" was created, but received little airplay both because of the video's dry disposition and the high amount of censorship that was necessary to meet FCC standards to play the song.
album-cover (1993)]] Tool were quick to release their first full-length album, Undertow, soon after Opiate. The band began touring with their fellows in the Rollins Band, Fishbone, and Rage Against The Machine. Eventually, they were hired to play the main stage at Lollapalooza in 1993, where they attracted great attention. This helped to boost the popularity of Undertow and the album eventually went gold. However, the band also received negative attention: with the release of 1994 single "Prison Sex" and its respective music video, directed and created by Adam Jones, the Canadian branch of MuchMusic called the band into question by deeming the video too graphic and offensive, in spite of its abstract nature. In its most direct interpretation, the song's lyrics are about child abuse. Singer Keenan has been quite clear about his antipathy towards his stepfather during early interviews, and therefore, during a meeting with MuchMusic that was supposed to clarify the situation, the only subject covered was Keenan's past and childhood. MuchMusic Canada never spoke to Jones about the nature of the video.
A clash of a different kind took place at Scientology's Celebrity's Centre in May 1993:
"Tool performed at Scientology's Celebrity's Centre, apparently not knowing that this was the home of the cult. Once they found out, they did not take it nicely. Between songs, Keenan, staring first at the lush grounds paid for by devoted L. Ron followers and then into the eyes of his own audience, bayed into the mic like a sheep looking for his shepherd's gate. 'Baaaaa! Baaaaa!' the singer bleated." (BAM Magazine, November 1994)
In September 1995, shortly after recording for their second album began, D'Amour left the band. In November, he was replaced by Justin Chancellor, formerly a member of Peach, an English band who Tool had previously toured with in Europe.
album-cover (1996)]] Some months later, in October 1996, Ænima was released. Once again one of the singles, "Stinkfist", had difficulty gaining airplay: the song was initially shortened for radio play and MTV America renamed the music video for the song to "Track #1" for its offensive connotations. Due to overwhelming fan response, most radio stations were compelled to play the track uncut. Ænima would be Tool's last studio album release for five years.
Ænima was dedicated to satirist Bill Hicks who died almost two years before the album was released. Some of Hick's performances are included on Ænima and Undertow, and include multiple bits about psychoactive drugs and a sample of a bleating sheep. Tool also derived the lyric "Learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona Bay," (the chorus of the song "Ænema") from another popular Bill Hicks bit about his distaste for Los Angeles.
In 1997 their label, Volcano Records, filed suit against Tool, because of contract violations. According to Volcano, Tool had been looking at offers from other record labels and were not allowed to. After Tool filed a counter suit and stated that Volcano had failed to use a renewal option in their contract, they settled out of court. They agreed to a new contract, a three-record deal. This legal battle produced a great strain on the band, delaying work on their next album. During this time, Keenan founded a side project, called A Perfect Circle, with long time Tool guitar tech Billy Howerdel.
Word of Tool's breaking up began to spread until the band decided to release the VHS/DVD/CD box set in 2000, spelling an end to these rumors. The box set, titled Salival, featured recordings of unique live tracks and B-sides, including a new version of "Pushit" that became extremely popular among fans and a cover of Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter". Although this release did not technically produce any singles, the hidden track "Maynard's Dick" briefly found its way to FM radio when several DJs chose to sneak it onto air without permission.
album-cover (2001)]] In January 2001, the rumor mill surrounding the band gained new life when Tool announced their new album, Systema Encéphale. Only one month later, they revealed that it was actually titled Lateralus and that Systema had been a ruse, much to the dismay of music magazines and commercial websites who had committed headlong to the fake title. Lateralus features songs averaging six-and-a-half minutes in length, unwieldy for even the most ambitious disc jockeys. The length of the music video for "Parabola" clocked in at an unheard of ten-and-a-half minutes, almost condemning it from being aired on mainstream music channels. Nevertheless, the album became a commercial success the world over.
After extensive touring throughout 2001, including a 10-show mini-tour with King Crimson in August, their latest tour came to an end on November 24th, 2002 in Los Angeles, CA at Long Beach Arena.
Although the end of the tour seemed to spell another dormancy for the band, they did not become completely inactive. While Keenan recorded and toured with A Perfect Circle, the other band members released an official interview conducted by (long-time toolband.com maintainer) Blair McKenzie Blake in which they answered many questions about the upcoming album, future DVD releases, and the new direction of their music. Members of the Tool Army were also given access to a recording of the three members jamming to some of their new material, sparking increased anticipation for the album to come.
The name "Tool" was alleged by drummer Danny Carey in a 1994 interview to mean that the band served its fans as a tool through which those people would come to understand lachrymology, a pseudophilosophy that the band has alleged was founded in 1949 by Ronald P. Vincent after the death of his wife in a snow plowing accident. However, it is more likely that the band made this up in order to create a unique backdrop for their own beliefs.
Lachrymology teaches the simple belief that crying is the best emotional release and should be encouraged as therapeutic. Tool's lyrical message often reflects this in their candid expressions of anger and frustration. People who endorse lachrymology often believe that it is only through pain (both physical and emotional) and recovery that an individual can advance him or her self, adopting a slight "whatever doesn't kill me only makes me stronger" mentality.
Other beliefs about the origin of Tool's name include a nickname for "brown-nosing" or potentially self-righteous army cadets. Maynard James Keenan attended West Point Prep School, and the first song on Undertow (titled "Intolerance") refererences a military honor code that admonishes all cadets, and which the "tools" follow to the letter: "A cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, and will not tolerate those who do." In a similar vein, the band created a segue track ("Useful Idiot") for Ænima that borrows its title from Soviet military leaders' name for low-ranking soldiers and citizen volunteers who followed all of their orders without question.
Based on one of the band's early logos and a humorous B-side, the name may originate in a slang term for male genitals.
It is very possible that the name could stem from all of these things.
Danny Carey (Drums)
Justin Chancellor (Bass guitar)
Maynard James Keenan (Vocals)
Adam Jones (Guitar)
Paul d'Amour (Bass guitar)
Joined Tool on stage:
Dale Crover (Drums) (The Melvins)
Aloke Dutta (Tabla)
Tomas Haake (Drums) (Meshuggah)
Hawkman (Vocals)
King Buzzo (Guitar) (The Melvins)
Mike Patton (Synthesizer) (Tomahawk)
Scott Reeder (Bass guitar) (Kyuss)
Zack de la Rocha (Vocals) (Rage Against the Machine)
Layne Staley (Vocals) (Alice In Chains)
Tricky (Keyboards, Vocals)
Singles
All of the members of Tool have their own side projects that exist both during and after Tool's own time for recording and touring. Most notable is Maynard James Keenan's band A Perfect Circle, which was formed during the legal limbo Tool encountered with their record label during the late 1990's. A Perfect Circle has since become a band of its own and Maynard has devoted ample time to them. Danny Carey works as a major player in both Pigmy Love Circus and Volto!. Adam Jones has had several collaborations with The Melvins, and Adrian Belew on occassion. As well as collaborating with other musicians, Justin Chancellor runs his own bookstore, called Lobal Orning, with the help of his wife.
The band's singles and accompanying music videos include: "Hush" from Opiate, "Sober" and "Prison Sex" from Undertow, "Stinkfist" and "Ænema" from Ænima, and "Schism" and "Parabola" from Lateralus. "Hush" is the only video where the band members appear prominently, although they appear briefly in "Sober" as well. Although the videos are directed primarily by guitarist Adam Jones, many were created with the help of outside artists, like the interpretive dance duo Osseus Labyrint and others such as Cam de Leon and Alex Grey.
Singles for which no official music videos were made include: "Opiate" from Opiate, "Eulogy", "Forty-six & 2", and "H." from Ænima, and "Lateralus" from Lateralus.
The 2001 CD release Lateralus produced pressings that misspelled the title track as "Lateralis" instead. This was corrected on subsequent copies. However, the differentiation between 1996's Ænima and its 13th track "Ænema" is intentional.
Initial pressings of Ænima had a lenticular cover. Later editions, with a regular case, included album covers for a fictional sixteen-album discography within the liner notes.
On Tool's second full-length album Ænima, there is a track titled "Message to Harry Manback", which, according to drummer Danny Carey, is "a recording of the words of an uninvited Italian guest who came to Maynard's house one day. A so-called friend of a friend of a friend of Harry's ... Before we finally managed to figure out that nobody really knew him, he had already emptied the fridge and run up a huge phone bill. He got kicked out of the house." Harry Manback is a pseudonym for the real recipient of the message, presumably a past roommate of Maynard's: Hotsy Menshot of Green Jellÿ. http://toolshed.down.net/faq/faq.html
Henry Rollins appears briefy on Undertow, reciting a spoken word piece on "Bottom."
Comedian Bill Hicks has influenced and is well respected by the band. Samples of his comedy are featured on "Third Eye" and the booklet for Ænima features a painting of him entitled "Another Dead Hero".
Timothy Leary has provided an influence on Tool: his "Think for Yourself, Question Authority" monologue (sampled from Leary's video, "How To Operate Your Brain") introduces the live version of "Third Eye" on Salival.
Tricky appears, uncredited, in the video for "Parabola". He and his band, including reggae artist Hawkman, have also joined Tool on stage, on songs such as "Reflection", "Triad", and "Opiate".
The String Tribute to Tool: Third Eye Open is a tribute album released in 2001. A number of Tool songs are rearranged for classical music string instruments (violins, viola, cello and a double bass) with at least three musicians. The lack of percussion is sometimes countered with "clicking" col legno and other bowing techniques. Tool's songs are mostly multi-sectioned, and the band's sophisticated grasp of harmony allows for an interesting instrumental interpretation. A second volume of string tribute titled The String Tribute to Tool Volume 2: Metamorphic was released in 2003 featuring two groups of musicians, including the group from Third Eye Open. Other tributes to Tool include: Finding Beauty in the Dissonance: A Piano Tribute to Tool, Chamber Made: The Baroque Tribute to Tool, A Gothic Acoustic Tribute to Tool, and the simply named Tribute to Tool which features various rock artists.
The Opiate EP contains a hidden song called "The Gaping Lotus Experience." It fades in at six minutes, six seconds on the sixth track ("666").
The final track of Undertow, called "Disgustipated," appears as track 69 on early pressings of the US copies of the disc, on others it appears at track 30 (the intervening tracks are all 3 second blank tracks). On European and other releases, the song appears as track 10 after a period of silence following "Flood."
Behind the CD tray on Undertow is a picture of a cow licking itself.
The inside cover of Undertow depicts two nude figures (a small man embraced from behind by a large woman), a profile of the same woman in a semi-fetal position, and an X-ray of a rear entry vibrator. The profile of the woman, held up to a light source, displays her encased in the rib cage sculpture on the front of the liner. These photographs were deemed too graphic, causing Wal-Mart to ban the explicit version of the CD and stock only an edited version with liner art featuring a giant bar code and a cynical note from the band.
For the most part, Maynard James Keenan requests that the band not perform "Ticks & Leeches" live if possible due to the immense strain on his voice. However, they have performed it before in spite of this, Maynard using heavy vocal effects and distortion.
In 2005, Tool's web domain Toolband.com was rerouted to a gateway to the known official Tool websites. According to Distortion Online, the Tool logo seen on the gateway page is not a new logo, but an invention by web designer Joshua Davis, who has reportedly been asked by Adam Jones to take over the Tool websites.
Tool have performed songs by other artists occassionally in their live sets. These songs include: "Spasm" (Peach), "You Lied" (Peach), "Stranglehold" (Ted Nugent), "Demon Cleaner" (Kyuss), "No Quarter" (Led Zeppelin), and "Commando" (The Ramones).
Tool have a long history of staging outlandish April Fools' Day jokes on their fans and the press, such as a falsified bus crash in 1997. On April 1st, 2005, Maynard James Keenan sent word via e-mail to his close friends and to MTV that he had "rediscovered Jesus" and that Tool would have to "take the backseat." Maynard later clarified that Jesus was a drunkard and "a total punk" whom he encountered while "location scouting" in Los Angeles.
Tool have listed the following books as recommended reading in their official newsletter. Reading these books is encouraged by the band as they provide a stronger insight to Tool's music and inspiration, and the philosophies used in their music.
Behold!!! the Protong by Stanislav Szukalski (ISBN 0867195193)
AEGYPT by John Crowley (ISBN 0553374303)
Love and Sleep by John Crowley (ISBN 0553374680)
And the Ass Saw the Angel by Nick Cave (ISBN 1880985721)
The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks (ISBN 0349101779)
Squeak the Mouse by Massimo Mattioli (ISBN 0874160707)
Nothing in This Book Is True, But It's Exactly How Things Are by Bob Frissell (ISBN 1583940677)
Earth by David Brin (ISBN 055329024X)
Art and Physics by Leonard Shlain (ISBN 0688123058)
Diary of a Genius by Salvador Dali (ISBN 1871592763)
Interior Design with Feng Shui by Sarah Rossbach (ISBN 0140196080)
Archaic Revival by Terence McKenna (ISBN 0062506137)
Hearts Aflame by Johanna Lindsey (ISBN 0380899825)
The Dancing Wu Li Masters by Gary Zukav (ISBN 055326382X)
The Mayan Prophecies: Unlocking the Secrets of a Lost Civilization by Adrian Gilbert & Maurice Cotterell (ISBN 1852309067)
The Legacy of the Beast by Gerald Suster (ISBN 0491034466)
The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine (ISBN 0806505494)
Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baignet, Richard Leigh & Henry Lincoln (ISBN 0440136482)
What The Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula (ISBN 0802130313)
Fourth Way by P. D. Ouspensky (ISBN 0394716728)
Four Treatises Of Theophratus Von Hohenheim Called Paracelus by Paracelsus (ISBN 0801855233)
The Origin Of Satan by Elaine Pagels (ISBN 0679731180)
Dune by Frank Herbert (ISBN 0441172717)
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez (ISBN 0060531045)
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (ISBN 0553211757)
Black Spring by Henry Miller (ISBN 0802131824)
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (ISBN 0679735771)
Hellboy: The Lost Army by Mike Mignola & Christopher Golden (ISBN 0743462823)
High Priest by Timothy Leary (ISBN 0914171801)
toolband.com Official site
dissectional.com Official site, "dedicated to the art & influences of the band."
toolarmy.com The official Tool fanclub.
toolshed.down.net A "semi-official" site containing extensive Tool-related material.
Distortion Online A Tool Fansite.
Vanilla Circus' Tool Book (PDF) Unofficial book of lyric interpretations.
Third Eye Gathering Music, art and philosophy event originally inspired by Tool.
Trade Live Tool Tool live recording trading site.
tool cult Archive of the old undertow.tool.com board featuring Tool-related discussions (1999-2003)
Tool currently consists of
The band receive a moderate amount of exposure on mainstream television and radio, which may come as a surprise considering that many people perceive them as a "dark" band. They are known for unusual lyrics, often spiritual or primal in nature, and songs that feature "complex rhythm changes, haunting vocals, and an onslaught of changes in dynamics" http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:bv851vg3zz9a which prevalently results in a greater-than-average track length. Additionally, most of their music videos feature stop-motion animation created by Jones, in a style similar to the Brothers Quay that tends to perpetuate the perception of Tool as a "dark" band. Their albums have and continue to be sold by the millions.
Tool is currently working on their fourth full-length album. Tourmates Fantômas and Meshuggah have been cited as recent influences. There have been some rumors about the new release, including possible titles, potential DVD releases, and their respective release dates. Since the members of Tool avoid press and rarely grant interviews, there is little evidence to support these claims. Considering the rumor mill preceding the release of Lateralus in 2001, these reports are not likely to prove true. Still, a CD release is widely expected for the third quarter of 2005.
History
The early days
(1990 - 1995)Tool was formed in 1990, when Danny Carey and guitarist/bassist Paul d'Amour met Adam Jones and Maynard James Keenan.
Tool immediately received recognition for their first commerical release, Opiate, borrowing the name from Karl Marx's famous quote on religion. The six-song record included the explicit singles "Hush" and "Opiate" which quickly gained attention. A video for "Hush" was created, but received little airplay both because of the video's dry disposition and the high amount of censorship that was necessary to meet FCC standards to play the song.
album-cover (1993)]] Tool were quick to release their first full-length album, Undertow, soon after Opiate. The band began touring with their fellows in the Rollins Band, Fishbone, and Rage Against The Machine. Eventually, they were hired to play the main stage at Lollapalooza in 1993, where they attracted great attention. This helped to boost the popularity of Undertow and the album eventually went gold. However, the band also received negative attention: with the release of 1994 single "Prison Sex" and its respective music video, directed and created by Adam Jones, the Canadian branch of MuchMusic called the band into question by deeming the video too graphic and offensive, in spite of its abstract nature. In its most direct interpretation, the song's lyrics are about child abuse. Singer Keenan has been quite clear about his antipathy towards his stepfather during early interviews, and therefore, during a meeting with MuchMusic that was supposed to clarify the situation, the only subject covered was Keenan's past and childhood. MuchMusic Canada never spoke to Jones about the nature of the video.
A clash of a different kind took place at Scientology's Celebrity's Centre in May 1993:
In September 1995, shortly after recording for their second album began, D'Amour left the band. In November, he was replaced by Justin Chancellor, formerly a member of Peach, an English band who Tool had previously toured with in Europe.
Ænima, legal issues, A Perfect Circle, and Salival
(1996 - 2000)album-cover (1996)]] Some months later, in October 1996, Ænima was released. Once again one of the singles, "Stinkfist", had difficulty gaining airplay: the song was initially shortened for radio play and MTV America renamed the music video for the song to "Track #1" for its offensive connotations. Due to overwhelming fan response, most radio stations were compelled to play the track uncut. Ænima would be Tool's last studio album release for five years.
Ænima was dedicated to satirist Bill Hicks who died almost two years before the album was released. Some of Hick's performances are included on Ænima and Undertow, and include multiple bits about psychoactive drugs and a sample of a bleating sheep. Tool also derived the lyric "Learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona Bay," (the chorus of the song "Ænema") from another popular Bill Hicks bit about his distaste for Los Angeles.
In 1997 their label, Volcano Records, filed suit against Tool, because of contract violations. According to Volcano, Tool had been looking at offers from other record labels and were not allowed to. After Tool filed a counter suit and stated that Volcano had failed to use a renewal option in their contract, they settled out of court. They agreed to a new contract, a three-record deal. This legal battle produced a great strain on the band, delaying work on their next album. During this time, Keenan founded a side project, called A Perfect Circle, with long time Tool guitar tech Billy Howerdel.
Word of Tool's breaking up began to spread until the band decided to release the VHS/DVD/CD box set in 2000, spelling an end to these rumors. The box set, titled Salival, featured recordings of unique live tracks and B-sides, including a new version of "Pushit" that became extremely popular among fans and a cover of Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter". Although this release did not technically produce any singles, the hidden track "Maynard's Dick" briefly found its way to FM radio when several DJs chose to sneak it onto air without permission.
Lateralus and recent appearances
(2001 - 2005)album-cover (2001)]] In January 2001, the rumor mill surrounding the band gained new life when Tool announced their new album, Systema Encéphale. Only one month later, they revealed that it was actually titled Lateralus and that Systema had been a ruse, much to the dismay of music magazines and commercial websites who had committed headlong to the fake title. Lateralus features songs averaging six-and-a-half minutes in length, unwieldy for even the most ambitious disc jockeys. The length of the music video for "Parabola" clocked in at an unheard of ten-and-a-half minutes, almost condemning it from being aired on mainstream music channels. Nevertheless, the album became a commercial success the world over.
After extensive touring throughout 2001, including a 10-show mini-tour with King Crimson in August, their latest tour came to an end on November 24th, 2002 in Los Angeles, CA at Long Beach Arena.
Although the end of the tour seemed to spell another dormancy for the band, they did not become completely inactive. While Keenan recorded and toured with A Perfect Circle, the other band members released an official interview conducted by (long-time toolband.com maintainer) Blair McKenzie Blake in which they answered many questions about the upcoming album, future DVD releases, and the new direction of their music. Members of the Tool Army were also given access to a recording of the three members jamming to some of their new material, sparking increased anticipation for the album to come.
Etymology
The name "Tool" was alleged by drummer Danny Carey in a 1994 interview to mean that the band served its fans as a tool through which those people would come to understand lachrymology, a pseudophilosophy that the band has alleged was founded in 1949 by Ronald P. Vincent after the death of his wife in a snow plowing accident. However, it is more likely that the band made this up in order to create a unique backdrop for their own beliefs.
Lachrymology teaches the simple belief that crying is the best emotional release and should be encouraged as therapeutic. Tool's lyrical message often reflects this in their candid expressions of anger and frustration. People who endorse lachrymology often believe that it is only through pain (both physical and emotional) and recovery that an individual can advance him or her self, adopting a slight "whatever doesn't kill me only makes me stronger" mentality.
Other beliefs about the origin of Tool's name include a nickname for "brown-nosing" or potentially self-righteous army cadets. Maynard James Keenan attended West Point Prep School, and the first song on Undertow (titled "Intolerance") refererences a military honor code that admonishes all cadets, and which the "tools" follow to the letter: "A cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, and will not tolerate those who do." In a similar vein, the band created a segue track ("Useful Idiot") for Ænima that borrows its title from Soviet military leaders' name for low-ranking soldiers and citizen volunteers who followed all of their orders without question.
Based on one of the band's early logos and a humorous B-side, the name may originate in a slang term for male genitals.
It is very possible that the name could stem from all of these things.
Members
Previous members
Guest musicians
Joined Tool on stage:
Discography
Albums| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Opiate EP | Zoo/BMG/Volcano: US |
| 1993 | Undertow | Zoo/BMG/Volcano: US |
| 1996 | Ænima | Zoo/Volcano/BMG: US |
| 2000 | Salival (CD/DVD/VHS boxset) | Volcano II/Tool Dissectional: US |
| 2001 | Lateralus | Volcano II/Tool Dissectional: US |
Singles
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Prison Sex | Zoo/BMG: DE |
| 1993 | Prison Sex | Zoo/BMG: UK |
| 1994 | Prison Sex | Zoo/BMG: AU |
| 1994 | Sober | Zoo/BMG: UK |
| 1994 | Sober: Tales From The Darkside | Zoo/BMG: UK |
Side projects
All of the members of Tool have their own side projects that exist both during and after Tool's own time for recording and touring. Most notable is Maynard James Keenan's band A Perfect Circle, which was formed during the legal limbo Tool encountered with their record label during the late 1990's. A Perfect Circle has since become a band of its own and Maynard has devoted ample time to them. Danny Carey works as a major player in both Pigmy Love Circus and Volto!. Adam Jones has had several collaborations with The Melvins, and Adrian Belew on occassion. As well as collaborating with other musicians, Justin Chancellor runs his own bookstore, called Lobal Orning, with the help of his wife.
Trivia
Reading list
Tool have listed the following books as recommended reading in their official newsletter. Reading these books is encouraged by the band as they provide a stronger insight to Tool's music and inspiration, and the philosophies used in their music.