Tool (band)

Tool is an American rock band. It was formed in 1990 in Los Angeles, California. The band took a break before and after their third album Lateralus because singer Maynard James Keenan was working with his other band, A Perfect Circle, at the same time. The band has won Grammy Awards for Best Metal Performance in 1997 for the song "Ænema" and in 2001 for the song "Schism". Tool has four members in the band: Danny Carey, Justin Chancellor, Adam Jones, and Maynard James Keenan.

Tool has released five full studio albums. Their first release, Opiate, which had only seven songs on it, is an EP and the album Salival is a recording of live performances. The band released their fourth album, 10,000 Days, on May 2, 2006, and their fifth and most recent album "Fear Inoculum" on August 30, 2019.

History
Tool started in 1991 when Keenan and guitarist Jones started practicing together. Tom Morello introduced them to drummer Danny Carey, who lived in the building where they practiced, and he soon joined as well.  Bass guitar player Paul D'Amour was the last to join the band. D'Amour left the band in 1995 to work with other bands. Justin Chancellor was hired to replace him.

Opiate
Tool made its first album in 1992. It was called Opiate EP. To help sell records, they went on tour. They traveled around the U.S. playing in concerts with two other bands named Fishbone and Rage Against the Machine. During one of their concerts in 1993, the band was playing at the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre in Los Angeles. Keenan (who would later write the lyrics "Fuck L. Ron Hubbard and fuck all his clones"), baa-ed like a sheep for a lot of the show. Maynard is a GOD. 

Results
The album did not sell many copies at first. After Tool got more popular, more fans bought Opiate. It took 13 years for the album to be certified platinum by the RIAA. That means the album sold one million copies.

Undertow
Tool's first studio album came out in 1993. It was called Undertow. In 1994, the band released a song, titled "Prison Sex", from the album. With it was a music video that was created and directed by Jones. The video was deemed "too graphic and offensive", and was only played on MTV a few times because the video dealt with child abuse.

Results
The album reached #50 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Top Heatseekers. It was certified gold by the RIAA after only eight months, and platinum less than a year later.

Ænima
In October 1996, the band released their second studio album, called Ænima. Tool began a long legal fight with their label Volcano Records (formerly Zoo Records) over problems with their contract. They ended up with a new contract that said they would make three more albums. The members of Tool decided to take some time away after that.

Results

The album was certified gold in 10 weeks and achieved double platinum, which means it sold two million copies, in 10 months. In 1998, "Ænema" won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.

Fear Inoculum

January 26, 2020, Tool has won Best Metal Performance at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards for ("7empest.") Band members Justin Chancellor and Danny Carey were present to accept the award.

Style
Singer Maynard James Keenan has a unique, melodic style of singing. This style is thought to have influenced many other bands. While guitarist Adam Jones's style of playing is very simple, he is known for his use of different techniques of playing together, and for trying new things with his instrument. Danny Carey has a very technical, advanced style of drumming. He is known for using odd time signatures, among other things. Justin Chancellor has an aggressive style of picking and fingering, using many guitar techniques which include using a pick, chords, harmonics, effects, and hammer ons and pull offs.

Discography
Studio Albums
 Undertow (1993)
 Ænima (1996)
 Lateralus (2001)
 10,000 Days (2006)
 Fear Inoculum (2019)

Other releases
 Opiate (1992, EP)
 Salival (2000, live, also includes a VHS/DVD)
 Schism/Parabola(2006, music videos on DVDs)

References

Other websites

 Toolband.com - official website
 ToolArmy.com: The Collective Unconscious  - official fanclub
 The Tool Page (t.d.n) - "semi-official" website

1990 establishments in the United States
1990s American music groups
2000s American music groups
2010s American music groups
American heavy metal bands
Progressive rock bands
Grammy Award winners
Musical groups established in 1990
Musical groups from Los Angeles
Progressive metal bands