Credit: Travis ShinnThe meanings behind Tool‘s songs and albums are often shrouded in mystery, but bassist Justin Chancellor and drummer Danny Carey are sharing their thoughts on the message behind the title of their hotly anticipated new record, Fear Inoculum.
“I think the general gist of it is that as you grow up and learn, hopefully you’re not afraid of the stuff that held you back in the first place,” Chancellor tells Kerrang! “It’s applying the idea that you can immunize yourself against the fears, sadness and lack of hope that ruins everything.”
The 58-year-old Carey, who’s the eldest Tool member, adds that the title refers to “generally growing old.”
“You can crumble under it, freak out and get plastic surgery and all these stupid things, or you can grow old gracefully like…[actress] Katharine Hepburn,” Carey says. “There are people who deal with it in good ways, and there are certain people who can’t handle it.”
“To inoculate your fear, to me, is about getting old and not giving a s***,” the drummer continues. “We’re all going there; in 100 years there’ll be all new people — not that big of a deal!”
Fear Inoculum, the long-awaited follow-up to 2006’s 10,000 Days, arrives August 30.
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