Tool is often known as a progressive metal band, but earlier this year, frontman Maynard James Keenan said, ""As far as the prog-references go, we embrace them. However, we would prefer our new moniker, which is a Mulligan stew of progressive rock, Bulgarian folk metal, rock 'n' roll, '80s disco and Christian rap that we like to call ‘munge.'"" They came out with their second straight No. 1 album, 10,000 Days, earlier this year and bring their uniquely mungy sound to the Kohl Center tonight. Earlier, the Cardinal sat down for an interview with bassist Justin Chancellor.
Daily Cardinal: This is your first tour in about 3.5 years. What would you say is the most memorable thing that's ever happened to you on tour?
Justin Chancellor: Probably playing at Madison Square Garden. We were actually the first band to play there right after 9/11, it was about two weeks after it all happened. It was intense for me just playing at Madison Square Garden just because of what's happened there, but then on top of that, everything that happened a few weeks before made it just super heavy and intense and we walked out onto the stage and everyone was holding up their lighters right at the beginning of the show. It was pretty heavy.
DC: The first single on your new album, ""Vicarious,"" seems like it's a critique of how shallow and media-saturated the public is. What music, movies or TV shows out there do you think are the worst offenders?
JC: I mean, I don't really want to be judgmental in that way. I think it's more about our attitude that's the problem. You've got people like Quentin Tarantino who's making movies with this brutal honesty which is, you know, we all like to watch really nasty, sick stuff, so let's just go for it in a big way and be straightforward and honest about it. I don't think a movie can really be held responsible for anything.
DC: You're known for track titles and lyrics that are sometimes cryptic. A good example on 10,000 Days might be ""Jambi."" Is that supposed to be a reference to the genie on ""Pee-Wee's Playhouse?""
JC: [Laughs]. Yeah, pretty much. I mean, funnily enough, it kind of starts out there. It was almost a working title but it ended up sticking, it ended up kind of making some weird sense in the end. I've never seen the show so I'm not the expert, but I guess the riff reminded everyone of something the genie said.
DC: What would you say sets 10,000 Days apart from your other albums?
JC: It's hard for me to look at it in the context of everything Tool's done. As far as the progression from the last album [Lateralus] I would say that it's a greater integration of the four of us. There's something endearing about it and I think that's the relationship you hear in the music, it's something that we also worked on as people. I find it's a warmer album.
DC: Is there any Tool song that you think is the most underappreciated?
JC: By me? I don't think so. [laughs]. They all mean something to me. You'd have to ask someone else.
DC: You joined Tool midway through the recording of A+nima. What was that experience like?
JC: It was intense. I left from England, my whole life changed, and the first thing I had to do was write an album with a band that I had masses of respect for already. It was quite a difficult situation in a way because nothing to me seemed like it was good enough. Nothing I gave to them I thought was good enough, but they were loving it, they thought it was great, but it was hard for me to build that confidence. It was a little strange, but it got easier.
DC: You're a big fan of England soccer. Is there a Tool song that you think would make a good soccer anthem?
JC: I don't know. Unfortunately, England was kind of disappointing in the end [of the World Cup, losing in the quarter-finals to Portugal]. I don't know if I'm willing to give one of our songs up for that. [laughs].
DC: I'm sorry for what happened to them.
JC: We were actually on tour in Europe, and I ended up going to five games in the end. [Drummer] Danny [Carey] came with me on a bunch of them.
DC: After this tour is over, what do you see being the next step that Tool takes?
JC: Well, we try not to think too far ahead like that. I'm assuming that there's more to come from us, but at the same time I'm happy to say that I don't know what that's going to be, and it will be at least a year's time until we stop touring on this one. There's things we've always wanted to do, like films, or soundtracks to films. There's lots we want to do, and at the moment it feels really good, and it feels to me that there's more to come.
