Tool’s Justin Chancellor Says New Music Has Been In The Works “On And Off” For Years

As Tool prepare to return to Australia for their first shows here since 2020, bassist Justin Chancellor has offered a rare update on the band’s creative process, even if he admits he’s tired of the question.

Speaking with The Australian’s Andrew McMillen, Chancellor said he understands why fans ask, but the timeline won’t be rushed. “A little bit. A little bit. But it’s fine,” he said when asked whether he dreads the new music question.

“I mean, the fact is I’ll tell you we’re working on new music. I don’t know when we’re gonna finish it. We’ve been working on stuff, on and off, for a couple of years.”

He described recent sessions with drummer Danny Carey, saying, “I was in the studio with Danny last week, banging out some ideas.” But he reminded fans, once again, that Tool’s process has never fit neatly into a calendar.

“Art doesn’t really have a schedule. You can’t force it… it’s a different kind of alchemy.”

With Maynard James Keenan, Adam Jones and Chancellor all balancing side projects, Justin said that spacing themselves out actually helps the band evolve. “It kind of gives us a little headroom that speaks to the new stuff that we do when we come back together.”

Chancellor pushed back at jokes about Tool taking too long between releases, reflecting instead on the value of the work. He said of the 13 year gap between 10,000 Days and Fear Inoculum:

“It seems like a week to me… If you do anything that’s decent, even if it’s one thing, it’s worth it.”

He also agreed that fans’ impatience is flattering. “It is a compliment that people are excited for new music,” he said, while stressing the band’s need to protect the quality and integrity of what they release.

“We want it just to be good… we wanna be proud of it.”

Good Things

Tool headline Good Things festival in Melbourne on December 5th, Sydney on December 6th and Brisbane on December 7th, with additional shows in Perth and Adelaide marking their first Australian festival appearance since Big Day Out 2011.

Find out more and get your tickets here.