Tool Explains Reasoning Behind New Album Delays

Back in March a report surfaced that Tool was set to release their first new studio album since 2006’s 10,000 Days by the end of the year. The report was quickly shot down and yesterday members of the band explained to Rolling Stone some of the reasons why the album is still far from complete.

“The fans are pissed at us,” guitarist Adam Jones told Rolling Stone. “And while part of me is selfish and goes, ‘I’m not necessarily doing it for them,’ it’s time that they understand what’s going on.” It turns out the band is embroiled in a “multi-level lawsuit” that stems from a 2007 claim from a friend of the guitarist regarding uncredited artwork. Tool employed an insurance company that they thought would help defend them against the lawsuits, but unfortunately for the band, the insurance company wound up suing Tool.

“The whole thing is really depressing,” drummer Danny Carey explained to Rolling Stone. “The bad thing is it’s really time consuming. As we’ve gotten older and our priorities have changed, it’s hard to get the band on a good, solid schedule as it is. People have kids now. And there’s lots of other things that pop up. To throw this into the mix, it makes everything that much worse and stresses people out.” “And it’s costing millions and millions and millions of dollars to defend us,” Jones added. “And the fans are all going, ‘We want a new Tool album. What the fuck?’ And you don’t want to pull people into your problems, because they don’t understand.”

Tool’s songwriting tandem of Jones, Carey and bassist Justin Chancellor have started the process of writing music for a new album. Carey told Rolling Stone that they have completed the process of coming up with “raw musical ideas for songs.” The drummer also shared that there’s one 10+ minute song which is “pretty much done.” Carey said the as-of-yet untitled tune “goes through lots of changes and it’s got really heavy elements.”

Carey hopes to have “something really solid recorded by the end of the year,” but he went on to tell Rolling Stone he thought that last year as well. Head over to Rolling Stone to read more of Carey & Jones’ thoughts on their new material and the lawsuits that have led to continued delays of the new Tool album.