MC5
Tool is a fast-paced hard rock band that shows promise, but hasn't quite delivered yet by Maoist standards. The cover of the Undertow album gets our attention with the picture of a pig with dozens of forks sticking up underneath it.
In an interview with Toronto radio, a Tool singer told listeners that its outlook on life, as reflected in its music, is indeed bleak. Tool recognizes that the rich and powerful don't want to change because "they don't have to change." According to Tool, this arrogance leads to many social problems such as homelessness and hunger.
MIM agrees with Tool that there aren't any quick or easy solutions to this problem. It isn't clear to listeners what Tool thinks of the best way forward, but MIM is very clear on the fact that we need a revolution in Amerika, and it is going to be a long, hard journey.
Tool obviously put a lot of effort into the graphic and instrumental parts of the album, but very little effort into the lyrics. The lyrics that MIM can understand often attack abuses of power. The problem is that this is often done at a psychological level and not a systematic one. This approach makes it easy to blame the masses for their own oppression instead of the power structure.
One song damns a "belligerent fucker," who Tool wants to "shut down." Instead of offering a material analysis of problems, Tool thrashes wildly. People who are looking for serious social change need to come up with effective strategies, not make directionless attacks on power.
MIM can sympathize with people who are angry, disgusted or depressed with everybody around them. The people of Amerika, more than those of any other empire in history, are indeed the most corrupted by privilege. Instead of randomly blaming the masses, we need to analyze which groups benefit from the current structures and which don't. Then we need to take sides.
Tool appears to be heading in the correct direction, but it needs to make a greater effort to define its politics if it's future albums are to be a force for positive change.
reviewed by MC5, November 1, 1999
"This sort of behavior is left to the psychotic, dogmatic, fundamentalist believers you see on your T.V. everyday letting off bombs and killing people in the name of God. Beliefs are dangerous. Beliefs allow the mind to stop functioning. A non-functioning mind is clinically dead. Believe in nothing," says the Tool CD art jacket. On the basis of this, we would hope this is another anarchist band. Our suspicions are reinforced by the Internet FAQ, which says they like their t-shirt slogan, "all Indians, no chiefs."
We at MIM believe anarchists should stick to music, poetry and art, because their political prescriptions and analysis are often lacking. We agree with the anarchists on their long-term goals of stateless society, no bosses, no coercion necessary. In the arts, the sentiments of the people are more relevant than specific analysis and plans, so our unity with the anarchists in music is usually greater than in other areas. Tool conveys a general rebelliousness and opposition to religion and that is a good thing in the context we are in.
Fans claim to see something profound in Tool's hard, psychedelic rock probably referred to as the all-encompassing "alternative." One fan--(no we can't assure you it's not a corporate set-up)--one fan at http://www.zork.net/~alhambra/east/ claims that Tool is the only band that unleashes his yin energy.
Tool refers to the "science of crying" or "lachrymology" as its inspiration. The proper word is "brooding." That is Tool. Brooding is something that imperialist country people should do, because there is much to stop ignoring. We do not mean that they should be "in touch with their inner child." No, we mean that people should be suspicious of being happy in the midst of oppression and exploitation in the U$A.
There is something of Satanic imagery behind Tool as well. We also like Tool because according to its official FAQ it met partly through Tom Morello of "Rage against the Machine."
The title of the album and first song called "Stinkfist" go together well. "Aenima" or "Aenema" (spelling controversy being deliberate) is a combination of "anima" and "enema." In MIM's opinion, the Amerikan people do have a stick up their ass that needs to be pulled out. Only a piece came out in the U.$. Civil War, but even pulling out just that bit made things much better.
"Hooker with a Penis" is a common anarchist refrain about the commoditization of art, instructing us listeners that we sold out by buying their album. It's a good point: we should be reviewing someone without corporate backing. When we at MIM review what is already popular, we may be relating to music and pointing a direction, but we are not building. "Aenema" went platinum. Hence, MIM is only relating to where the masses are already at. Let's point out the good things in Tool and move on.
The song with the same name as the title seems to be saying Los Angeles in particular should go down the drain. It would be OK for anarchists except that it makes Arizona out to be better than Los Angeles.
The album ends shouting "crying open my third eye." The eye imagery is connected to the eye on the back of the dollar bill. We like the connection of crying open an eye to see the ruling class.
The official Tool web page trails off into the mists the way the psychological side of Satanism does as well. Like a lot of music web sites, this one points to a web site against censorship. Another web site against scientology and L. Ron Hubbard is the next sharpest statement made. Since Tool is pointing toward psychology almost as a replacement for religion, it is not surprising that Tool does not approve of L. Ron Hubbard. The album is a lot like the web pages and discussion. It fades in and out of recognizable political consciousness. However, we will give Tool the credit of not being aimless. The music is also highly entertaining.