Marillion and Arena co-founder Mick Pointer was inspired to play drums by Neil Peart, and never lost his appreciation for Rush. But as Pointer told Prog in 2019, he was swayed by the music of Tool once he discovered them – and, of course, became a fan of their own drummer, Danny Carey.
“It was Neil Peart who got me into drumming during the 70s. When I heard Danny Carey I thought his polyrhythms were spectacular. But I was slightly late to the Tool party – I never really heard them until about 1996 or 1997.
Obviously, every time I hear an album I listen out for what the drummer is doing. It’s not always technical stuff I’m listening out for. I’m looking for musicality within somebody’s playing, and for people who are trying to move drumming on in their particular area of music.
Some people may say Tool aren’t particularly progressive, but they certainly touch on the prog metal area. When I first heard them my jaw was on the ground; I was amazed by what was going on.
There’s a Tool track on the Ænima album called Forty Six & 2, which is incredible. Danny’s musicality, and the way he plays without overplaying, is extraordinary. His feel for odd time signatures is incredible – and he never takes over the music.
I’ve been an avid fan ever since. I recently got myself a VIP ticket to see them play in Zurich on their European tour. There are very few bands in the world I’d do that for!
My favourite Tool album is probably 10,000 Days. It’s got some fantastic stuff on it. Like Rush, they’ve always done things differently on their merits and in their own way. Also like Rush, the line-up almost never changes – they’ve had two bass players in the whole time they’ve been together. I find that really impressive.
I’ve never met Danny. I’m not really one of these people who’ll stand at the stage door – although I did do that with Neil Peart once. Rush were playing in Brighton in 1980 and I gave them a very early Marillion T-shirt from before Fish was even in the band!”
