Tool - the Band
Created | Updated May 31, 2013
Tool came together and produced their EP1, Opiate, back in 1992. Since then, Tool have become a hard-rockin' musical juggernaut, shaping the way we listen to music while pushing the musical boundaries. Tool's Adam Jones and Danny Carey create powerful guitar riffs and drum notes, while Maynard maintains a melodic, smooth voice to convey the incredibly deep lyrics that Tool is famous for.
The band's distinctive sound may be able to sit comfortably in a CD collection with other bands such as Dinosaur Jr, Jane's Addiction and Perry Farrell, Alice in Chains and Mudhoney.
About the Band
Tool met in 1991. Maynard James Keenan, the vocalist, was actually Danny Carey's neighbour. Danny let Maynard and Adam Jones, the guitarist, use his practice space. He felt bad for them, because the musicians they contacted to join them didn't turn up. So, Carey filled in. Later, Paul D'Amour was introduced, and the rest is history...
Maynard James Keenan (vocals and lyrics)
Maynard, born to a Baptist family, grew up with an older sister in Ravenna, Ohio. Maynard attended high school in Ravenna up to the tenth grade, when his family moved to Michigan. There, he attended Mason County Central High School in Scottville, Michigan.
Maynard entered the army in 1982. He was in the West Point Prep School's class of 1984. He was a member of the wrestling and cross country teams, the Glee Club2, and the 'Knight Crier'3. Maynard quit the military to study art at Kendall College of Art and Design in Michigan, one of the best in that area.
Maynard began his musical career with the Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty in the 1980s, and they produced an independent album, Fingernails. Maynard was also part of a band called the TexAns before forming Tool.
Adam Jones (lead guitar)
Adam, originally from Illinois, was very musically inclined even as a boy. He started playing violin in elementary school, was accepted into the Suzuki program, and continued to play violin through his freshman year of high school. He then played stand up bass in an orchestra for three years. He was part of a band, Electric Sheep, with Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine at Libertyville High School. He received a music scholarship to attend college, but decided to go to art school instead.
Adam attended the Hollywood Make-up Academy, where he learned techniques he would later apply in the making of Tool's many music videos. After graduation, Adam worked on numerous commercials and movies, including Jurassic Park and Terminator 2.
Adam has a pet chameleon and a Great Dane, is a big Devo fan, and used to skateboard. In this Researcher's opinion, Adam is one of the best guitarists of today's era, creating brilliant riffs that take the listener on a journey.
Danny Carey (drums and percussion)
Danny grew up in Paola, Kansas, in a typical, middle-class home. He has an older and a younger brother. Danny started taking lessons when he was 11 years old, and received a scholarship to go to the Conservatory of Music in Kansas City.
Instead, he attended the University of Missouri for three years. He received a lot of classical training there, and could have received a degree with a little more time. However, he wanted to go back to playing his drum set, so he left school when the opportunity to play in a band presented itself.
He drew a lot of influence from Billy Cobham and Buddy Rich. He said that, 'no matter how fast they played, you could always hear every note.' He has played with bands such as Green Jello and Pygmy Love Circus.
In 1986, he moved to Los Angeles and eventually joined a band we now know as Took with his neighbour, Maynard James Keenan.
Paul D'Amour (bassist 1991 - 1995)
Paul is native to Spokane, Washington. He moved to Los Angeles because of the film industry. He actually hadn't played music in a while and was considering putting it to rest. However, Adam Jones introduced Paul to his band, Tool, a perfect match for D'Amour, who felt he needed to express some of his anger.
D'Amour left Tool after Undertow, because of a shift in his musical tastes. He wanted to get rid of the heavy riffs and experiment with other sounds.
Justin Chancellor (bassist 1995 - present)
Justin first met Tool in New York and was very impressed. He kept in touch with all the band members. Justin's band, Peach, toured with Tool in Europe in 1994.
When Paul D'Amour left Tool, they contacted Justin. At first, Justin was reluctant to join. Peach had broken up several months before D'Amour had left, and Justin was in the process of starting a new band with Peach's guitarist. However, this just wasn't an opportunity he could pass up. So he flew to the US, auditioned, and became the new Tool bassist.
Albums
Opiate (1992 - Zoo/BMG/Volcano)
Opiate, a six-song EP, is a wonderful introduction to what Tool are all about and what was yet to come.
Undertow (1994 - Zoo/BMG/Volcano)
Undertow is the first actual Tool CD. It went platinum a few years after its release. Undertow is a powerful collection of songs more intricate than Opiate's.
Ænima (1996 - Zoo/Volcano/BMG)
Ænima, the second Tool CD, shifts away from the anger and power of the previous CD and EP. Tool began to evolve with this album. Ænima soon also went platinum.
Salival (2000 - Volcano II/Tool Dissectional)
Salival is a collection of live cover songs. Tool fans hadn't seen much action from the band at that time, and Salival, complete with a video/DVD of Tool's music videos, succeeded in quieting the fans down.
Lateralus (2001 - Volcano II/Tool Dissectional )
Lateralus is considered by many to be Tool at its greatest. Lateralus is orgasmic. Its lyrical value and awesome guitar riffs and drum solos form what this Researcher believes is one of the greatest albums ever made. It had no problem going triple platinum two years later.
The Future
Although Maynard and Danny aren't always around4, Tool have found a way to make and put out their music. Tool released a live DVD in 2004 and have promised a new album for 2005. Fans can only hope that they stay together and hang around for years to come, dishing out their wonderful music.
Tool Links
A non-official but very informative Tool site.
