Isis: Burden Of Touring With Tool

Isis frontman Aaron Turner knows his band is certain to get booed by Tool fans when Isis head out on the road with Maynard James Keenan's outfit. But that's not going to stop Turner from trying to open up a few minds, reports MTV.com.

"You're bound to have a larger meathead contingency in your audience when you open for a band as big as Tool, and we're very aware of the fact that a good portion of the people at these shows will be bored to tears or perhaps even angry while we're playing," said Turner, who also owns Los Angeles-based Hydra Head Records. "There's also a good chance a lot of 'em won't even be there and will be finding their seats as we're finishing up our set. In one way, we're really excited about it, but in another way, we're realistic about it too.

"Tool are definitely the biggest band we've ever toured with, but I don't feel like it's ultimately going to change things for us that much," he continued. "The hope is that we'll gain some new fans. But there's no delusions that by doing this tour we're going to come out on the other side being a much more popular band. Most smaller bands that open for a bigger band are likely to gain some new fans, but they're just as likely to be heckled off the stage."

Isis ? who got together more than eight years ago ? are a monstrous, thick and spiritual assemblage of musical experimentalists whose sound contains elements of heavy metal, punk and hardcore. Their complex compositions make them a perfect fit for the Tool trek, which winds down September 29 in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

"We've done tours with a wide array of bands with the intent of trying to capture a really eclectic audience," Turner said. "I think that any band that has a style even slightly outside the box or a little bit difficult in some way or another, those types of bands ? which I see Isis as being ? are more likely to garner a really hard-core following, because it takes a person who's willing to dig beneath the surface to find out about these bands and get intimate with their music. That kind of listener's more prone to a more devoted, almost slavish obsession with a band."

While on the road with Tool, Isis will be promoting a pair of new releases: the band's debut DVD, "Clearing the Eye," which will be in stores September 26, and In the Absence of Truth, the follow-up to 2004's Panopticon, slated for release this Halloween.

After Isis finish Tool's North American trek, they'll probably head over to Europe with the band, again in a support role for a monthlong tour. Turner said Isis also plan to travel to Japan and Australia for some live dates and are working on organizing a U.S. headlining run for either late fall or early 2007.

Read more at MTV News.

Comments

[nato138]

heard of Isis before but i will check them out now

[smb]

I hear they're good live but I haven't seen them yet.

[duncang]

Isis are ****ing great. If I manage to get to see Tool again in November I'm gonna be there loving Isis.

[drunken ninja]

they have an original atmoshperic sound kinda like tool

[Scourge441]

I've heard a few songs by these guys. They own.

[Neil200387]

Isis are vastly under-rated. Oceanic was frighteningly good. And just frightening.

[nineinch9]

I'll be seeing them this Friday in Edmonton, and anyone who boos I'll have no choice but to hunt down and skin them alive. Isis are way too good for disrespect.

[Caustic]

Isis are absolutely awesome and worthy of respect. ESPECIALLY from Tool fans... the two bands share common ground.

[kirk_rules!]

Maybe Isis should talk to Maynard and get him to tell the fans not to be *******s before they go on?
I have yet to hear Isis. I suppose I'm going to have to.

[rocklust]

isis.....sounds kickass, have to check them out

[Embodiment]

Isis are a kickass band.

[Alucard II]

this must be an American thing. I would never boo a support band. if you dont want to watch them, you stay in the bar, simple as that. no point in being a dick about it.

[kaktusnpoop]

My all time favortie band, awesome to see them getting popular
but why the **** are they touring with Tool?

[lateraluspiral]

because tool and isis are very similiar.

checked

[kaktusnpoop]

In a way they are similiar, personally I think Maynard is one of the worst vocalists ever, yet a majority think he's amazing. Plus, Tool is Nu-Metal, Isis is Ambient/Sludge

[SL!!!]

Neil200387 wrote:

Isis are vastly under-rated. Oceanic was frighteningly good. And just frightening.

haha. werd to that.

[kaktusnpoop]

I'll be honest, I'm jealous of everyone whose going to this tour, simply becuase it's not coming by where I live, and I would drive a great distance to see Isis. The moment Tool takes the stage, I'd leave. I think what every Isis fan is worried about, is that all the nu-metal kids are gonna fall in love, which is cool for Isis i mean more fans, but when all of their merch is being sold at Hot Topic and tickets to see them are way expensive and they only just got into them when they've never heard their earlier stuff which is purley Sludge

[RockMusicFan]

I've heard them. They are not far from Tool's style and I don't think they would get booed at. I think they're pretty good.

[Paroxysm]

They're progressive metal right? I'll give them a listen.

Tool is coming here next Wednesday, but I don't have any tickets! Maybe I could win a couple from my radio station.

[sadistic_monkey]

kaktusnpoop :
In a way they are similiar, personally I think Maynard is one of the worst vocalists ever, yet a majority think he's amazing. Plus, Tool is Nu-Metal

No. Just no.


I've got tickets for them in November, it's gonna rule.

[kevhead]

amazing band, cant wait for the new album and dvd

[Overseer]

kaktusnpoop :
In a way they are similiar, personally I think Maynard is one of the worst vocalists ever, yet a majority think he's amazing. Plus, Tool is Nu-Metal

Congratulations. You've written the first AND second most ignorant things I've ever read.

[Overseer]

And still managed to not explain why you think they are similar.

[sockmunkeprofit]

I can't wait to see these guys at the tool concert. I am almost more excited to see them more than tool.

[fuel13]

im a big tool fan. my band actually covers a lot of their stuff. i've heard of isis, but not any of their songs. i will definitely check them out now. oh, and +1000 cool points to overseer for that post!!

[GuitarSpike]

kaktusnpoop :
Overseer wrote:


Congratulations. You've written the first AND second most ignorant things I've ever read.




HAHAHAHAHAHAH This coming from a Nu-Metal head, go listen to Slipknot moron

you obviously dont know what the **** you are talking about if you are calling tool nu-metal, and worst vocalists? you obviously dont know shit about singing if you think hes bad go youtube muhammad my friend with tori amos , bad singer? yeah right shut the **** up

[InkForTheMind]

...larger meathead contingency....haha, true that.

[dietyworship]

Q: What's the difference between ignorance and apathy?

A: I don't know and I don't care.


That's kind of a joke, but not really.


Grouping TOOL (like them or not) in the same catagory as Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, and Disturbed is ignorant. Try more like The Melvins, Praxis, Isis, Faith No More (and yes) Pink Floyd, The Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin, and King Crimson. "What a strange group" you might say, and you'd be right.

Forget genre catagorization, don't try to shoehorn bands larger than a genre into one.

One thing's for damn sure, TOOL is about as much "nu-metal" as Green Day is "punk".


p.s. Maynard as a vocalist - Let's hear your stuff, because like him or not he's got better control over his vocal cords and dynamic range than you do.

And if your thing is sludge - look no farther than the godfathers of sludgy stoner rock - SLEEP

[Anarion614]

i really like tool and a perfect circle, ill check out isis soon. lol and i like slipknot.

[Night_Lights]

Isis is way better than Tool.....

[lateraluspiral]

Night_Lights wrote:

Isis is way better than Tool.....

Disagreed

kaktusnpoop, i suggest you stop posting here, you are about 1 step away from a warning for spamming and flaming.

everyone, feel free to disagree all you want, just dont bring in personal insults and the like into this.

[sockmunkeprofit]

Ladies ladies your all forgeting the premise of this article. Isis needs canada's support. Tool and Isis are both great bands and theres no point trying to catagorize them in any sense. your always gonna have some ingorant mouth who doesn't understand anything beyond the radio stations. Thats why where here to enlightent these poor ignorant souls that are lost in the dark, so help them out.

[)Eric(Draven]

Night_Lights wrote:

Isis is way better than Tool.....

Agreed.

[teegman]

The Melvins should be opening this tour, as they are better than both Tool and Isis.

[pfricky98]

kaktusnpoop wrote:

In a way they are similiar, personally I think Maynard is one of the worst vocalists ever, yet a majority think he's amazing. Plus, Tool is Nu-Metal, Isis is Ambient/Sludge

tool isn't nu-metal you ****ing idoit! do you even know what nu-metal is? nu-metal is a fusion between hip-hop and metal and tool isn't either of those. tool would be consider progressive rock, because of their unique style of playing and their tendency to experiment with different aspects of music.

[sockmunkeprofit]

The melvins come and they went now its time for some one else to step up to the plate. LIke I don't know...maybe a band called ISIS.

[Biohazard]

tool owns. end of story. i'm gonna see them on 9/11 so i can't wait. from what i hear on this message board, isis is pretty damn good so i hope i won't be let down. and no more tool bashing please. they are so good that it hurts to think that any one of you idiots could do better.

[crazysnake]

i saw tool last night. isis was actually pretty cool, but honestly sounded like they belonged at ozzfest more than a tool concert. thats not saying they are bad im just saying i do think this may be the wrong crowd for them. but by the end of their set the whole crowd seemed to be into it.

also if anyone has a chance to see tool and skips it, you are missing out on one of the most unique experiences ever

[fishyboy]

ISIS + Tool = Best concert ever.

[Tedward]

)Eric(Draven wrote:

Night_Lights wrote:

Isis is way better than Tool.....


Agreed.

Agreed agreed

Isis is an AMAZING band, their music is sort of like, starts off (for most songs) all beautiful and tear pulling and gut wrenching and comes into a purely destructive riffage. If your hoping for a good singing show this isnt your band, Aaron singing IMO is almost like an solo that took a lot of time to write but was played with too much distortion. You guys can enjoy my similes, and enjoy the fact that i envy you going to possibly the greatest band to play music in a few years.
Isis is clearyly my favourite band :P

[Arthemesic]

lateraluspiral wrote:

Night_Lights wrote:

Isis is way better than Tool.....

Disagreed

Agreed, but still. I don't understand why people compare these two bands. I mean ISIS is more of an Experimental/Progressive/Atmospheric Sludge/Post-Metal/Post-Rock thing, whereas TOOL is a Progressive Rock thing with a lot of atmosphere to it.

I mean, yeah ISIS is touring with TOOL, doesn't mean they're the same.
HIM is opening for Slayer and Metallica (although you can't talk about ISIS and HIM on the same day, or even the same week*) but that doesn't make them ANYTHING the same.

*HIM sucks. That's a common fact.

[travislausch]

pfricky98 wrote:
tool isn't nu-metal you ****ing idoit! do you even know what nu-metal is? nu-metal is a fusion between hip-hop and metal and tool isn't either of those. tool would be consider progressive rock, because of their unique style of playing and their tendency to experiment with different aspects of music.

Not trying to be picky or anything, because I am a big fan of both Tool and Isis, but experimentation doesn't always make a band progressive.

What about Mudvayne? Their bass parts can get extremely experimental, and their first two albums are concept albums, but I wouldn't call them prog.

In the end though, they're all good bands.