Well you're one of the biggest Tool fans on the site so of course you don't think they are overrated. Not saying that's a bad thing, but it's the truth.
But just mentioning Tool in any sort of negative sense is taken as some sort of eternal sin on this site, I just think that's overrating them a bit.
Now you're just wrong.
I'm not saying they're not overrated because I'm one of the biggest Tool fans here, I'm saying it coz they're not. I praise them higher more than anyone else, I believe they deserve all the accolades they've been given.
If someone were to say something that I thought was overrating them, such as "There'll never be a better band" I'd say so. Because there may very well be, it's highly possible. Right now and for a long time I don't believe there's been a better band. So it's not really possible to overrate them.
Just coz some idiots sign up with names such as Maynard-Is-God and take every negative Tool remark as a sin, doesn't mean they're overrated. Because 99% of this site's Tool fans are sensible.
-AC
You're saying they aren't overrated cause you don't think they are, obviously, but that's a matter of opinion. You being a huge fan does play a part in this because being a huge fan you think they deserve more praise than someone who isn't a huge fan. To act as if there's no connection between how much you like a band and whether you think they are overrated is just ridiculous.
It is possible to overrate them, just saying that it's impossible to overrate them is overrating them in my book. Saying that about any band is just ludicrous as far as I'm concerned.
Well that's where the issue becomes confused.
They're not overrated just because you don't agree with how high I rate them. An overrated band are U2, for example. They're actually not as good as some people claim they are by saying they're the best in the world today/ever musically and certainly not technically. Tool, whether you like them as much as me, anyone else or not, are quite clearly up there in that bracket of 'Best' either way. Because if you know about musical creation then listening to a Tool album and getting into it will show you that they're doing stuff with their instruments that either hasn't been done before, or has and they're just doing it better. That's if you don't really like the music that much. Which alone is enough.
I don't rate them high because I'm a fan though. Like I just said above, even if the music wasn't all that to me, I'd still rate them that highly on ability alone.
You claiming that they're overrated just because the music doesn't appeal to you as it does to people who do like it, doesn't qualify. Because I know many people who don't even like the music but rate them as one of the best ever based on musicianship alone.
Like I said, it is possible to overrate them if you say something like "There will never be a better band ever" or "There has never been a better band ever", coz there are candidates, strong ones. But you seem to look at how Tool fans or I praise them and because you don't agree, say they're overrated. They're not, we just like them more. There IS a difference.
-AC
What I don't understand about your post is that you seem to be saying that whether or not a band is overrated is some sort of fact that can be proven right or wrong.. it isn't and it can't. It's an opinion. An overrated band is a band that gets too much credit or a band that is rated too high. How much credit a band gets or how good it is is all a matter of opinion, what I might consider overrated you may not, and vice versa.
I actually like Tool, I own 4 of their albums, I just don't rate them as highly as you do. I'm liking them more and more as time goes on, but I am not a fanatic about it. I'm not denying their technical ability, I'm not saying they aren't good, I'm just saying I don't think their music is as good as some people make it out to be.
Technical ability is great but songwriting is just as important, if not more so. This is why I can't really enjoy classical music. It's the most technically talented music out there, but it just bores me, I don't find it to be interesting. Tool are good songwriters most of the time, but they aren't the greatest, sometimes they get a bit repetitive and I begin to lose interest. If you disagree with me, that's fine, but that doesn't make me "wrong."
Let me say once again that I don't think Tool are overrated in general, actually very underrated. Only on this site do I seem to think that a lot of people rate them higher than I do.
Originally posted by Afro Cheese
What I don't understand about your post is that you seem to be saying that whether or not a band is overrated is some sort of fact that can be proven right or wrong.. it isn't and it can't. It's an opinion. An overrated band is a band that gets too much credit or a band that is rated too high. How much credit a band gets or how good it is is all a matter of opinion, what I might consider overrated you may not, and vice versa.
No, you're getting it confused. We like Tool more than you, we're not overrating them. There's a difference. You might not be picking up on it but you are. You obviously missed the whole chunk of my post where I said that if I liked their music or not they'd still have the place they do for at least one reason. Overrating is measureable in terms of criteria. You can measure technical skill, so therefore, Tool's put them in the catagory of best band for it. That's not opinion. If you find them overrated for music, they're not. Not overrall. On this site? I still disagree but I can see why you say it. However, you have to realise that you're a passive Tool fan compared to others. It's not a matter of overrating, just a matter of liking them more.
Originally posted by Afro Cheese
I actually like Tool, I own 4 of their albums, I just don't rate them as highly as you do. I'm liking them more and more as time goes on, but I am not a fanatic about it. I'm not denying their technical ability, I'm not saying they aren't good, I'm just saying I don't think their music is as good as some people make it out to be.
Exactly. You just don't rate them as highly as I do. You're equating me liking something more, with overrating. That's now how it works. If I like apples and you don't, it doesn't mean they're overrated, it means you don't like apples and I do. You don't think their music is as good as most of us do, fine. Opinion is respected, but that's no grounds to say they're overrated considering the fact that you have many times said that you're not even properly into their albums. People who truly understand and get the band (not trying to demean your intelligence, I respect it. You're a smart guy and I do respect you in here) realise just why they are rated how they are. It's not something you can grasp if you're not at that level. Either way, it's not good to throw them in the overrated bin just because you don't like them as much.
Originally posted by Afro Cheese
Technical ability is great but songwriting is just as important, if not more so. This is why I can't really enjoy classical music. It's the most technically talented music out there, but it just bores me, I don't find it to be interesting. Tool are good songwriters most of the time, but they aren't the greatest, sometimes they get a bit repetitive and I begin to lose interest. If you disagree with me, that's fine, but that doesn't make me "wrong."Let me say once again that I don't think Tool are overrated in general, actually very underrated. Only on this site do I seem to think that a lot of people rate them higher than I do.
Songwriting is more important, of course. You can stand there all day doing technical stuff but the music might be shit. My point is, even if you DON'T like the music, you have to acknowledge that the accolades bestowed upon Tool (eg: Best band in the world today/ever) still hold water based on technical ability alone. That's why I'm saying they're not overrated. Because they aren't, you just don't like the music as much.
Tool aren't "good" songwriters. Good is another word for well above mediocre. Maynard James Keenan is not only the best lyricist there is but he's also one of the very best vocalists. Danny Carey, Adam Jones and Justin Chancellor can all claim to be the best at what they do, although I wouldn't agree to that, they CAN easily claim it. Tool don't get repetitive, that IS fact. Because if you understand the themes in their songs or albums you'll know that they're never ever the same. Maybe they touch on a similar thing but each song is different in music and meaning.
You cannot label a band overrated just coz you don't like them as much.
-AC