david farrier's short attention span

So, TOOL have announced a one-off gig at Vector Arena on May 8. I write more  about that over on 3news.co.nz. 

I knew about this tour a few weeks ago, but the whole thing was embargoed, as Blair over at Toolband.com had to make the announcement first. Just the way it goes: information rolls out in a certain order. Especially with this band.

With this in mind, I talked to frontman Maynard James Keenan and drummer Danny Carey on the phone on Friday 21^st January. They were both in pretty good form: Maynard at his winery in Arizona, Danny at his home in Los Angeles.

Now I’ll write much more about this in an upcoming issue of Rip It Up magazine, but a few pertinent bits of information you should know: 

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Danny had this to say about the new album, which they’re writing (well, all of them but Maynard – he comes in to write lyrics later) as I type:

David Farrier: I hear you are working on a big “Lateralus” type song for this album… how is that coming?

Danny Carey: Um, really good. I mean we’re still – believe it or not! – still working on it [laughter] – it’s like an ever-evolving thing, it’s probably going to turn into a thing that’s like, uh, a big trilogy type of feel to it, sort of like, just like Disposition and Intension and Triad, like on the Lateralus record or something. It will probably be over a 20 minute piece when it’s all finished, so it will be a good part of the record. We’re dealing with it in sections, but it’s coming together really well, we’re having lots of fun working on it, that’s for sure.

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Also, Danny revealed he was the member of TOOL recently in a biking accident:

Danny Carey: It’s been tough lately because I cracked four ribs, broke three of them on a motorcycle the other day, so I am kinda layed up at this point, it’s making it really painful to play. It’s not an easy thing to do [laughter]

David Farrier: Where did you come off your bike?

Danny: Oh god, it was just over in the San Fernando Valley, I was just turning to go on the freeway, and I think I hit some antifreeze or oil or something, and the wheels just slipped right out from under me, and I just hit the pavement really hard [laughter] 

David: You’re lucky.

Danny: Yeah I’m still in one piece anyway, but I don’t know how lucky I was the way I feel right now [laughter]. It’s pretty painful, but some pain-killers and some scotch will get you through it.

**

So, there you go: Some info about the accident, and the new album. Looking forward to the show - where they hope to debut at least one new song.