Spiral Out, Keep Going!!

*Adam Jones of Tool live in concert*

Tool is a band I have been following for most of my teenage and adult life. I first became aware of them in 1996 when I heard the song "Stinkfist." The music video complimented the lyrically cryptic and hauntingly dark rhythm of the song that never seemed let up once during the song. In addition to listening to their albums for the last fifteen years I have also had the pleasure of seeing Tool perform in concert six times (2001/Portland, 2002/Seattle, 2006/The Gorge, 2007/Everett, 2007/Spokane, 2010/Seattle). In fact, over the past few years I  have become as big of a fan of their live music as I am their studio work. My collection of live recordings from their concerts is rather extensive. Listening to their studio work and their live performances has given me the rare ability to understand what the studio allows the band to sound like on an album in relation to what they are able to perform live without pre-recorded tracks. Putting on a good pair of headphones and allowing myself to truly listen to the music has allowed me to decipher what is sonically possible in both a live and professional studio setting. One particular detail I have noticed is that the layering of guitars and the use of panning audio left and right are difficult to re-create live. However, as professional musicians and a life-long touring band, their ability to pull over complex rhythms and dynamics on a arena stage is nothing short of inspiring. 

As you may have noticed, Tools'  music is also very personal to me on many levels. Musically they can do no wrong in my book and lyrically I find something more profound about their song's meanings the older I get. This is a band I intend to grow old with and seeing that I have already spent fifteen years getting to know them, I have grown old with them already.

As part of my project I would like to discuss the band Tool in the context of the electric guitar played by Adam Jones. In terms of music theory I would like to know more about his style of playing, what chords he uses to construct his powerful songs, what type of rhythms and tempos the band uses that make them sound unlike most bands I have heard and what I can learn from this band that can inspire me to be a better player.

*Tool live in concert at Spokane Arena (December 7th, 2007)*