It seems to me that the vast, vast majority of Tool fans are into quite a bit of recreational drug use. I am wondering if anybody else has noticed this connection or has any ideas why there is such an overlap.
Lest anyone think this is some indictment of the band or their fan base, it’s not. I have been into the band for a year or two now, and in the last few months having been listening to them in extremely heavy rotation.
I hadn’t noticed.
As a Tool fan (and a former recreational (and sometimes not so recreational) drug user, I’m going to have to say the two are completely unrelated, although Lateralus goes quite nicely with a certain hallucinogen.
I started smoking pot before I even heard of Tool and, even though I don’t do any drugs anymore, I still listen to my Tool CDs fairly often. Because of that, I have to think that the rest of my drug use had very little to do with my music preferences. You either do drugs, or you don’t; you listen to Tool or you don’t. This is all just my opinion though, and I reserve the right to be proven completely wrong.
And remember, kids: Drug free’s the way to be. 
:smack: I realilze I am but one man (uhh, woman), and not representative of the “vast, vast majority of Tool fans”. However, knowing what I know (it’s a lot :D) and knowing as many Tool fans as I do, as well as drug users who are not Tool fans, I still disagree that there is any correlation between the two. I don’t think Tool is the driving force behind the growing (it’s actually not, last time I checked) numbers of stoned kids.
Now, Korn on the other hand… Those devils. 
I think it has more to do with the prog metal scene in general than it does Tool in particular.
Personally, Tool’s my favorite band and I’ve never used any drug other than ones prescribed to me and the occasional drink. I’m feeling really groovy on some vicodin right now though.
Well, Tool’s music is thematically and conceptually denser (or “deeper”) than most similar bands, so they’re going to attracted a less meatheaded audience. Since Maynard tends to gravitate toward lysergic subjects, there’ going to be that contingent of the fanbase.
Still, I think that the band has a misinformed impression of its fanbase - they seem to think that their average fan is the Neitzche-reading “coffeeshop metalhead”, when in reality they have a huge chunk of their fanbase that put their “Tool” stickers right next to their frat logo on their pickup trucks.
Tool owes as much to Pink Floyd as they do Black Sabbath, so that may be part of the reason.
Pink Sabbath?
Huh, I never thought of that. I’m a huge TOOL fan and never really noticed their fans were into drugs any more than any other group. Just curious, what makes you think that?
I’m sure a bigger fan than I will come along to tell us exactly which song, but in one of their tunes, a clip of comedian Bill Hicks is used.
I’ll paraphrase, since I can’t remember verbatim, but the clip essentially said: “Do you hate drugs? Do you like music? Well, you better sit down, because your favorite artist, that put our your favorite song? Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaally f*ckin’ high on drugs.”
’see, I think drugs have done some good things for us, I really do.
And if you don’t believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a
Favor: go home tonight and take all your albums, all your tapes, and all
Your cd’s and burn em’. cause you konw what? the musicians who’ve made
All that great music that’s enhanced your lives throughout the years…
Rrrrrrrrrrrrreal fuckin high on drugs.’
Bill Hicks Third Eye/Aenima
I depends on how seriously you want to take Maynard. The man is either batshit crazy, a genius or both. (I tend to both, personally)
I’d say it has to do more with the age group of the fans than the fact that they’re fans. 14-24 year olds tend to do a lot of drugs (relative to the general population.)
I think Maynard would say that the songs are about whatever you think they’re about. Sort of a Rorschach test.
For example, when I first listened to Aenima a lot, I didn’t know all the titles of all the songs. So I couldn’t really tell if H. was about a sort of obsessive lost love… or about drugs. Then I noticed the title. But many of the lyrics could be interpreted to be about a lot of different things, and probably are, on many different levels.
But that’s why we love them.
I’m a big Tool fan, and I’ve never done anything harder then alcohol.
Sure, I’ve noticed a fair amount of drug use at Tool concerts (mostly pot), but then again, you’ll see a fair amount of drug use at most any rock concert, especially in the pit.
(inserts sig)
Dude. I was listening to Undertow when it came out, what, back in 92 or 93 or whatever. Now their big in the 14-24 year old set? God I feel old.
100% drug free tool fan here.
Heh. When I saw them live, I noticed an old guy near me in the crowd and almost died. I turned to my brother and was all, “Holy crap! That dude’s dad’s age!” It surprised me that “old” people were listening. I had the same feeling when I saw The Twins, two older guys (I’d guess mid-50s) at Ozzfest, one with sour apple green hair, and the other with electric blue hair. It was awesome. 
Most of the people I know who listen to Tool are in the 14-24 set, myself included.
Never thought of Tool as a real ‘druggie’ band. Too artsy and dense, rather than just loud and thrashing. I love them because I love hard rock as well as bands which give the music preference over the lyrics (I haven’t a clue what Tool songs are about and I don’t really care!)
Dude, I was listening to Opiate when it first came out. Still a killer album {EP?}, and I don’t do anything stronger than Wild Turkey. Mind you, I was listening to London Calling when it first came out…old fogey checking out.
'nother old fogey, Tool fan checking in. You young people just have no appreciation for your elders, why back in my day, there was no mosh pit, just slam dancing, then we tied onions on our belts, as was the fashion…
damn kids.
Artsy and dense would make them appealing to users to psychedelic drugs.