“Mom’s gonna fix it all soon. Mom’s coming around to put it back the way it oughtta be.” ~by Maynard James Keenan
TOOL- Geniuses. Damn weirdos. Pretentious herbs. Guilty as charged!
Another couple of news items sprang up today that were too important to ignore. TOOL has announced a spate of tour dates in early 2012 with the first bunch going on sale next Saturday. The full dates will be revealed soon (please do the East Coast, please….). This is great news for a variety of reasons. Although TOOL has transcended the art- metal of their early days the are undeniably one of the greatest bands ever. Ever. I’m not going to try to conceal what an uber fanboy I am at all here. I AM TELLING YOU FOOLS-TOOL ARE THE KINGS OF ROCK, THERE ARE NONE HIGHER! Okay, sorry about the caps lock. I get carried away at the mere mention of my favorite band ever not named PINK FLOYD or LED ZEPPELIN. Alex Grey’s artwork for TOOL is even my background on twitter (@Keefy) and has been from day one. This tour gives me great hope that the long rumored next album (2012 will be six years fellas, just saying) is closer to being done than not. Since iconic front man Maynard James Keenan’s other band PUSCIFER has dates planned for mid-February – this won’t be a long jaunt at all. Still, there is a TOOL concert and then there is everyone else. It’s more like an out of body experience with no aid of drugs really. Go to this tour at all costs, especially if you have never seen them before. That is all. Thank you.
METALLICA flew OZZY and GEEZER in to honor them. Because they can. So there! Blllllppppppppfffffttt!
In less stunning, yet interesting news METALLICA has a surprise (not really) EP out today. Building off of the good will that was last week’s 30th Anniversary concert series for the band, they have put out an exclusive EP of the four “new” songs that are leftovers from the Death Magnetic album. As I opined yesterday, the songs are okay with moments of greatness, but mainly just okay. Still, the new music release makes sense since the videos are all over the internet and likely downloaded a zillion times already. Between the concerts and this release the band gets a modicum of grace back after the Lulu fiasco of a month ago. After that crap this stuff sounds brilliant, even though it’s not.
Not half bad.... for leftovers.
The father of all death metal guitarists Chuck Schuldiner of the band DEATH died ten years ago today from complications from a long battle with brain cancer. For the people who still fight against socialized healthcare- please bite me!
And on a positive note- the New England Hardcore and Metalfest announced it’s 14th annual lineup with some terrific bands. Always a blast and run by the one man scene maker, Scott Lee who has my sincere respect and gratitude. I’ll cover that business in another blog soon.
TOOL owns you! Stay metal!
@Keefy
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