What's up with TOOL's Schism Music Video?

Dude, they are deep. They go so deep that I don't even know what to say to you man. Man you just aren't deep. Why don't you go become deep or something?

Might be a troll, might not be. One can't argue opinion, but I'll admit it's not quite as wonderful to my Tool-obsessed brain as "Prison Sex" or "Aenima," both of which are just mindblowingly great (and fine homages to the Quay Brothers at that). Still, there's enough to keep me interested, at least. :-)

The one point I will answer directly, though, is about not being in the video directly themselves -- and? What of it? It's become a trademark (or a selling point, if you like) of their videos, and I have to say I like the contrasts they come up with as a result.

I can't comment on the song, and I've never not seen the video all the way through, but the vein pulling sequence really did look like a dodgy sixth-form art project. So what if the band don't appear in it? Performance videos (or just sequences) almost never work.

It's boring, that's what's up.

...and the band are deplorably overrated!

alex in nyc?

you're an nsinc fan, are you?

zinc?

I like how the 'NSync argument is the only argument a Tool fan ever has.

n-zinc!

quick side note: the Quay brothers (directors of various doomy Tool videos) have one feature length film, "La Institut Benjamenta." I rented this from the cool independent-video-rental-store down the street. The overall plot and style issues of the film can get a bit tedious ... it's set at a vaguely-defined European Institute for teaching servants how to obey their masters, and its homogenous halls are run by this odd brother-sister team, likewise the style is sort of German impressionist, with some of the bad associations (think the Kids in the Hall sketch of the world-weary philosopher) ...

but it's worth renting alone for the amazing visuals. think sepia- tone, think cobweb-covered, think amazing use of light and shadow, black and white, grey scales ... the only comparison I can think of would be aural: Third Eye Foundation's later work, particularly "Little Lost Soul" and "I Poopoo on Your Juju." It's what I tried (and probably failed) to convey in my Pitchfork 3EF review ... a mix of genuinely affecting artistry and acceptable pretentiousness .

Ah, but the Tool videos were NOT directed by the Bros. Quay, but by Tool guitarist / professional animator Adam Jones. You might remember his work from such movies as Beetlejuice. Furniture comes to life. _Stinkfist_. See a connection?

How right you are! Just, erm, testing your knowledge.

Actually, I think I allowed myself to be mislead by Neg's 'homage' comment above. Now I see what he means more clearly.

Now that I think about it, I think the stop-motion video animation they're familiar for is Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer." But, again, correct me if I'm wrong ..

chris.

'Ned.' This marks the end of my Friday postings.

Old post, but I'll still answer for anyone who would like to know. "Schism" means seperation of one thing and separating it into two or more different things; in this case, it's used as the separation of mind to do two or more tasks by a single person, which is personified in this video. It's showing both beings either doing one separate task or doing two at the same time, though they are actually one being. As seen in the video, the beings are very primitive, as a person unfamiliar with experiencing schism would be. The same concept apply's to a child learning to walk. The reason why the beings are able to defy physics is due to the fact that they are created by a person's mind, thus making their abilites infinately possible. Then, as you can see, the two seperate beings become one again, very slowly, very carefully.

Note*-all people can experience schism, some to a higher degree than others. A good example would be someone who would be concentrating on talking to a person on a phone while concentrating on cooking a meal. It is a relatively subconscience state, though people able to achieve schism's well are in much less of a subconscienceness.