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Salival | Tool

By Dan ⋅ August 15, 2008 ⋅

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Update: Aenema and Stinkfist videos added below… Enjoy!

Yes. We all know who Tool is. Yes. We know Dan loves Tool. Yes. We know Dan is in fact a tool himself. No. Dan didn’t know that Salival (2000) is a limited edition. If you want to find a brand new copy of this box set, you’ll have to fork out at least a couple hundred bucks or settle for a used copy for about $60. Is it really worth it? You’re damn right it is.

Salival is a box set containing a live/B-side CD and all their music videos released up to that point. It may not be my favorite album (mostly because I’m incapable of making such a decision), but it certainly contains some of my favorite tracks. If you’ve never had the immense pleasure of seeing Tool live, then Salival is a must have. This album contains some of their best live performances and the only covers I’ve heard them play (though I’m sure they have done others live). The first cover is You Lied from Justin Chancellor’s previous band Peach. While I love the performance recorded for this album, the original studio recording by Peach isn’t nearly as good. Let’s just say Tool was a big move up for Justin. The second cover is No Quarter by none other than Led Zeppelin. This is the only Led Zeppelin cover done with a new flavor I’ve heard done right. There’s no question this song is No Quarter and there’s certainly no question it’s Tool performing it.

I’ve seen a lot of concerts, starting from a pretty young age, and Tool has without a doubt put on the three best shows I’ve ever seen. Some of you ‘old guys’ might tell me Pink Floyd puts on a better show, but I just barely missed that window. I’ve also seen their live show on tape, and even though that’s just not the same as being there in person, I still say Tool takes the cake. All of the live tracks on Salival are performed flawlessly, even Third Eye and Pushit which are about 14 minutes a piece. Pushit was played from a completely different angle than the studio version. Both are exquisite, but the live version is simply beautiful. I’m sure Nirav will agree with me when I say this track is pure bliss. This is Maynard’s voice in its finest element and has some flashes of brilliance from Danny Carey dwarfed only by 46 & 2 and Merkaba. Merkaba is very abstract and won’t be appreciated as much by the common listener as compared to a hardcore fan… it is rather abstract.

What would a Tool album be without filler tracks? Message to Harry Manback II and L.A.M.C. are certainly those, but have their place just the same. L.A.M.C. is actually pretty funny to me, but of course I’ve skipped it nearly every time after the first listen. However, there is a little treat hidden at the end of it… a track by the name Maynard’s Dick. This is the epitome of Tool’s humor. Maynard only agreed to start playing with Adam Jones and Danny Carey when Tool formed if the band was meant to be fun and it shouldn’t be taken seriously. You’d never guess that from an outsider’s view without reading some interviews or seeing them live maybe. But his humor definitely comes out in this track… similarly in the hidden track on Opiate (1992).

It’s kind of a shame Salival was a limited edition only. I think they should re-release at least an audio CD version. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great have the music videos that came on the DVD, and the artwork in the book is amazing. But the music on here is some of their best work. The only thing I wish this album had was a live version of 46 & 2… seeing the drum solo in that song live was mind blowing. I’m sure any seriously devoted fan has this or has attained it one way or another. But any of you out there that doesn’t have it… you need it. I just felt this one could have been easily over-looked since it’s out-of-print and a bit on the expensive side these days.