Tool Biography

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Tool is a rock band that formed in LA in 1990. The band includes drummer Danny Carey, bassist Justin Chancellor, guitarist Adam Jones, and singer Maynard James Keenan. Tool performs worldwide tours and produces albums that top the charts in several countries.

Keenan and Jones met through a mutual friend and started jamming together. Carey lived above Keenan and was introduced to Jones by Tom Morello an old high school friend of Jones. Carey played in their jams because he has been noted as to saying he felt sorry for them as other invited musicians weren't showing up. A friend of Jones introduced them to bassist D'Amour who completed the band. Three months later Tool signed a record deal with Zoo Entertainment. The band began touring with Rollins Band, Skitzo, Fishbone, and Rage Against the Machine. They received great success from their first release Opiate in 1992 with "Hush" and "Opiate." In the music video for "Hush" the band was naked with their mouths covered with duct tape protesting censorship. The video showed their genitalia covered with parental guidance stickers. Their first full length album Undertow was released in 1993 and the same year were hired to play the second stage at Lollapalooza. The band was quickly moved to the main stage.

In 1994, the band released "Prison Sex." The video received negative publicity and was deemed too graphic and offensive. MTV stopped airing the video after only a few viewings. In May of 1993, the band was scheduled to play at the Garden Pavilion in Hollywood and learned at the last minute that the Garden Pavilion was owned by L. Ron Hubbard's Church of Scientology that betrays the band's ethics. Maynard recalls baaing like a sheep at the audience. In September of 1995 D'Amour left the band and was replaced by Justin Chancellor a member of Peach.

In 1996 Ænima was released. It produced the music video "Stinkfist." "Stinkfist" had trouble receiving airplay due to offensive connotations. MTV changed the name of the music video to "Track #1" and the song had its lyrics modified by TV and radio programmers who also shortened the track. The song received an overwhelming fan response which prompted most radio stations to play the track uncut. Ænima would eventually win Tool their first Grammy award. The band began touring in support of Ænima in October 1996 just two weeks after its release. Tool appeared in the U.S. and Europe and in late March 1997 headed to Australia. Tool appeared at Lollapalooza in July 1997 after returning to the U.S. gaining critical praise from the NY Times.

Volcano Records filed suit do to alleged contract violations by Tool. This put stress on the band and during this time Keenan founded a new band A Perfect Circle with long time Tool guitar tech Billy Howerdel and members of other bands like Marilyn Manson, Primus, Failure, Smashing Pumpkins, and The Vandals. This is when rumors spread of the band breaking up and lingered until the band released the Salival box set in 2000 which put an end to the rumors. In January of 2001 the rumors started again when Tool announced their new album was titled Systema Encéphale. A month later they revealed that the new album was really titled Lateralus and that the name Systema Encéphale and the long track list had been a ruse. The album became a success all over the world reaching number one on the Billboard Top 200 album charts in its debut week.

Tool received their second Grammy award for The Best Metal Performance of 2001 for the song "Schism." The band underwent an extensive touring regime in 2001 and 2002 which supported their album Lateralus. When the tour ended this seemed to spell dormancy, however the band didn't become completely inactive. Keenan recorded and toured with A Perfect Circle while the other band members released an official fan club exclusive interview and a recording of some of their new material.

10,000 Days was released in spring 2006 reaching number one on the Billboard Top 200 charts. 10,000 Days gained Tool the distinction of Best Recording Package during the 49th Grammy Awards in February 2007. After the release of 10,000 Days the band kicked off a tour at Coachella. This was followed by a few shows in smaller venues and theatres in the U.S. and Canada and festivals like the Download Festival, Rock am Ring, and Pinkpop. In the fall of 2006, Tool toured across North America. In January and February of 2007 they toured in Australia to headline the Big Day Out music festival with sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne. The tour in North America was postponed a bit due to Danny Carey tearing a bicep and undergoing surgery in February. This tour resumes and Tool will have a headline gig at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in 2007. Check out the Tool Tour Schedule and buy your Tool concert tickets now at Ticket Solutions to see them perform hits from 10,000 Days and their other top albums.

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