For my 8-year anniversary of the Toolband.com/Toolarmy.com newsletter, rather than explore a possible connection between the massacre at Oradour-sur-Glane in France in June of 1944 and a legendary hijacked treasure associated with the mystery surrounding Rennes-le-Chateau, let’s see what the band members are up to these days, for certainly that must take precedence. Admittedly there isn’t much, but in these ‘down times’, what would even the most fanatical Toolie expect? With that said, here goes:

From what I’ve been able to discern, ADAM is currently working at home on some entertainment industry-related project that at present I’m not at liberty to discuss. I also noticed some construction at an undisclosed spot that might or might not be an indication of some future band-related endeavor, the revealment of which (or any hints as to its exact nature) would not be beneficial to my position as content manager of this website. When not engaged in these closely-guarded activities, he has been spending time with Camella and their pets, collecting unusual pieces of art, attending L.A. Dodgers games with friend “Buzz” Osbourne (now that the NBA finals are over), and playing Halo 3, of which the last time I glanced at the screen he was ‘infected’ I believe was the term, although I’m not at all certain by what, nor if he has recently managed to overcome this possible life-threatening (?) affliction.

As for DANNY, he, too, is currently spending considerable time in his loft/studio, possibly gearing up for some music-related enterprise under the seal of secrecy and in tandem with things hidden from mortal vision. Other activities include performing with Volto!, listening to his good friends perform live fusion jazz in local clubs, collecting vintage synths and guitars, driving his Lamborghini, painting his house in a Southwestern color scheme, spending quality time with Rynne, Levi and Pharaoh and, dare I say (sotto voce, of course) working on a book with a friend whose interests include the more obscure aspects of western esotericism, although this undertaking is only known at the present time in realms supersensible (having taken great measures to see that it remains so). Equally behind the veil are plans to finally (omitted), but more about that later.

JUSTIN continues to build a home on his new property located in some dark corner, capturing rattlesnakes in the process and relocating them to a place any divulgation of which would not be prudent on the talebearer’s behalf. Besides working on new Tool riffs, he may also be working on another musical project, but if so, it’s happening in private (when not on the stage at Abuelitas in Topanga Canyon that is). He also has closed the doors of Shelee and his odd emporium, Lobal Orning, but plans too revamp the associated website at some point in the very near future.

Which brings us to MAYNARD. Other than things told to me in strict confidence, there is currently no major denouement from MJK other than that posted on his “Puscifer” website, Myspace page and those communicated via other internet avenues (i.e. Caduceus wine-related ventures). However, to those who wait with bated breath for such things, if any exciting new information should come my way, I will post it at once. In the meantime, although this is merely speculation on my part, he has probably got a few (dozen) things in the works, though hopefully taking care of those pipes.

As a unit, the band members also have plans to complete a couple of new projects. Unfortunately, however, these are both irrevealable at the present time, although one of their attorneys (name withheld) tells me that one of these ‘intrigues’ is very close to becoming a reality. So, there you have it!

CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT PLAY ON THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

Of course not everything in the world of TOOL is a supreme mystery. On the summer solstice (June 20), members of TEAM TOOL (Danny Carey & A Jones [in this case, the A standing for Adam’s brother Alan] squared off against members of TEAM ISIS (Aaron Harris & Cliff Meyer) in a best of three series of “Cornhole” on the Tool team’s home court layout. Although Harris and Meyer were more experienced at this corn toss game, Carey and Jones managed to win two out of three contests using official ACA regulations. Much to the amazement of all those in attendance, the score of the second match was 24-0 (well, perhaps the regulations were bent a bit), with several ‘Wilmans’ tossed by both players! It should perhaps be noted that TEAM ISIS did manager to defeat Adam and myself in an earlier game, despite an exciting zitch towards the end. (It also should be noted that earlier in the week, possibly being fluke in light of the numbers of beers consumed by both sides!) TEAM TOOLARMY (BMB & MERCH) took two out of three games against TEAM ISIS (some pretty damn good corn pitchers!), mainly due to Merch being able to stick all four bags on the raised platform several times, and 3 bags simultaneously going through the hole on the last series of tosses.

IJYNX HARDCOVER ON AMAZON.COM

Being that it is the 8-year anniversary of my newsletter (sort of), it would be irresponsible of me not to mention that a new HARDCOVER of my book IJYNX put out by DAILY GRAIL PUBLISHING is now available from Amazon.com (both Amazon U.S. and U.K.) The current edition contains LOTS of new material, including two additional prose-poems concerning REALLY esoteric Freemasonry entitled “The Jewel of Divine Anthropophagy” and “A Cornucopiae Between Compasses” with lengthy commentaries to both, an author’s foreword to the new edition, additional footnotes, different type-setting and layout, and even a somewhat new front and cover design. Kudos to editor Greg Taylor for producing the book the way I originally envisioned it! (as well as for having the courage to publish such an against-the-grain peculiarity!). To ORDER, GO TO www.amazon.com and type Ijynx by Blair MacKenzie Blake.

IJYNX

By
BLAIR MacKENZIE BLAKE

"Incorporating a magical vocabulary and nightside symbolism, IJYNX is a unique collection of occult prose-poems by an author who has been studying, experimenting, and writing about the western esoteric tradition for over twenty years. While some of the mystical verses attempt to convey ritually-machined hyperdimensions of consciousness (including encounters with the trans-mundane entities that inhabit these parallel continua), others contain, rather inexplicably, detailed knowledge of a higher Arcanum involving the alchemical entelechy of the dead. And still others challenge even the author’s initiated interpretation of things perceived in the ontological spectrum of a ‘Magizoth’, other than to suggest, upon a closer examination of the cryptic word play, that they are anti-apotropaic in nature, and offer, at the very least, rare fleeting glimpses of the Grand Dreaming of a Treasured Eye." .

HAPPY TRAILS

BLAIR
JUSTIN
DANNY
MAYNARD
ADAM