Who? Them.

Today, I stumbled across this progressive metal band called Tool. Headed by frontman Maynard James Keenan, who is as subversive as he is obtuse, the L.A.-based band is not one of those usual Johnny-whine-lately acts full of self-directed adolescent rage because their life is snapping at the heels of some populist tabloid. I listened in fascination as Danny Carey (drummer) beat steady,reflective beats on his percussive fantasies and Justin Chancellor (bassist) plucked away earnestly. It's strange. I wanted my music to be meaningful and honest, and I got this. For lack of musical tact, I have not come across bands showing a similar solidarity in their perception of rhythm and lyrics, except perhaps Animal Collective, Rush, King Crimson and Pink Floyd.

Here is an except from an interview Keenan gave to Moon Unit.

Q: Do you hide patterns of thought in your lyrics?
A: There's nothing being hidden. I think it gives a person more, giving them less is giving them more. They can experience it for themselves. There's certain images that I think come up for people if they don't have everything spelled out for them. Eventually, they'll have two different songs, they'll have what they heard and I'll give them a new one that might take them farther, might not have taken them as far as they went. If it takes them farther, that's great, but I'd much rather like the idea of them having gone farther than the song went. I'd rather take that risk that they're gonna be mad at me for not seeing the lyrics.

Q: What's the motivation behind the lyrics?
A: Its usually motivated by the music, you know? 'Cause music itself
has a kind of mood to it. The lyrics are usually coming out of the
mood of the song. We always write the music then the lyrics come
after.

Q: Did you ever have a romantic evening?
A: I had one the other night. Standing in my backyard while the entire
fucking earth was shaking; shit's breaking all over the place, and my
dogs come running up to me in my backyard completely scared about what's
going on, but after a while we forgot there was even an earthquake going
on. We were just sitting there together.


Q: Some people say you are a musical genius. Comment.
A: You don't need to be a super genius to do some things. What is smart? I think everybody has that genius seed in them for something. All genius is to me is somebody who has latched on to something and taken it as far out as they could take it. Ask Einstein his phone number, he couldn't tell you, he had to look it up. That's not where he's at. If you were to ask him about Led Zeppelin, he probably wouldn't have any fucking idea what you were talking about. So being a genius doesn't have anything to do with being a completely social functioning being completely understanding of everything. It has more to do with finding something, a voice in yourself, and taking it as far as you can take it. Hopefully, it takes you down a road where you understand you don't need to hurt people to get to wherever it is
you're looking for.