Stinkfist
Encyclopedia
"Stinkfist" is a song by American rock
band Tool
. It is released as the first single and first music video from their second album Ænima
. Due to its name and perceived subject
, the song had its lyrics altered and its title changed by TV and radio programmers, who also shortened the track. The track has been remixed by Skinny Puppy
.
stated that the song is titled after a friend of drummer Danny Carey
who "isn't afraid of getting his hands dirty." He also stated that it can be interpreted as being about "fist-fucking" but "if [you] really look at it and really look at us and who we are, [you'll] understand that we go a little deeper than some write-off song about fist-fucking." Fist fucking is in actuality a metaphor for the real cause of ailment, and is most famous for being a lyric in Nine Inch Nails
' "Wish
".
Keenan would introduce the song during the Ænima tour as "about choosing compassion over fear."
techniques, and was directed by the band's guitarist Adam Jones
(who had previous experience in art direction and animation). It focuses on a race of sand people, one male and one female, who suck on tubes and swallow nails and wires that apparently hurt them and are ejected from their bodies, after which they are put in jars and treasured. Another race of mutants has entrails that are plugged into a wall. At one point in the video one of the main characters is seen shaving and peeling off the sand skin revealing another layer of skin covered with tattoo-like designs covering the entire body. Towards the end of the video, the main male character is seen from the back which reveals a tumor-like life form growing from his left shoulder. At least one reviewer compared the visuals to the works of H. R. Giger
.
The video achieved heavy rotation on MTV
, although it was shown only with the title "Track #1" instead of "Stinkfist". MTV reasoned that "Stinkfist" is too offensive for public consumption. Matt Pinfield
, the host of 120 Minutes
, responded on air to the lot of email complaints from fans by saying there was nothing he could do about it. While he said "if you don't know the name of the song, go out and buy the album," he was waving his fist in front of his face. When introducing the video, VJ Kennedy
would also sniff her clenched fist dramatically before saying "Track #1". The video has been placed at number 6 in a recent feature on Scuzz
of viewer's top 50 music videos of all time, and number 1 in its list of the "Top 10 Most F*ckedUp Videos".
" from Elvis Presley
. Keenan sings, "Caught in a trap, Can't walk out. Because I need you too much baby. Why can't you see, what you're doing to me? Because you love me too much baby." Since 1997 the band has extended the song when played live with an additional breakdown and guitar solo; however, during recent tours, the band has omitted the mid-song extension from some of their performances.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
. It is released as the first single and first music video from their second album Ænima
Ænima
Ænima is the second studio album by American rock band Tool. The album was released on September 17, 1996 in vinyl format and on October 1, 1996 in Compact Disc format. The album was recorded and cut at Ocean Way, Hollywood, California and The Hook, North Hollywood, California from 1995 to 1996...
. Due to its name and perceived subject
Fisting
Fisting is a sexual activity that involves inserting a hand into the vagina or rectum. Once insertion is complete, the fingers either naturally clench into a fist or remain straight. In more vigorous forms of fisting, such as "punching", a fully clenched fist may be inserted and withdrawn slowly...
, the song had its lyrics altered and its title changed by TV and radio programmers, who also shortened the track. The track has been remixed by Skinny Puppy
Skinny Puppy
Skinny Puppy is a Canadian industrial musical group, formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1982. The group is widely considered to be the founders of the electro-industrial genre....
.
Interpretation
During an interview, KeenanMaynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor. Originally from Ohio, Keenan spent his high school and college years in Michigan. After serving in the Army in the early 1980s, he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids...
stated that the song is titled after a friend of drummer Danny Carey
Danny Carey
Daniel Edwin "Danny" Carey is an American drummer best known for his work in American Grammy Award-winning rock band Tool...
who "isn't afraid of getting his hands dirty." He also stated that it can be interpreted as being about "fist-fucking" but "if [you] really look at it and really look at us and who we are, [you'll] understand that we go a little deeper than some write-off song about fist-fucking." Fist fucking is in actuality a metaphor for the real cause of ailment, and is most famous for being a lyric in Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
' "Wish
Wish (song)
"Wish" is the second promotional single from Nine Inch Nails' Broken. The most successful song from the EP, "Wish" cemented Trent Reznor's image as a rage-fueled star to the public. "Wish" won the Best Metal Performance in the 1993 Grammy Awards. Reznor later joked that his epitaph should read:...
".
Keenan would introduce the song during the Ænima tour as "about choosing compassion over fear."
Music video
The music video for "Stinkfist" was created with stop-motion animationStop motion
Stop motion is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence...
techniques, and was directed by the band's guitarist Adam Jones
Adam Jones (musician)
Adam Thomas Jones is a three time Grammy Award-winning Welsh-American musician and visual artist, best known for his position as the guitarist for Grammy-Award winning band Tool. Jones has been rated the 75th Greatest Guitarist of all time by the Rolling Stone and placed 9th in Guitar World's Top...
(who had previous experience in art direction and animation). It focuses on a race of sand people, one male and one female, who suck on tubes and swallow nails and wires that apparently hurt them and are ejected from their bodies, after which they are put in jars and treasured. Another race of mutants has entrails that are plugged into a wall. At one point in the video one of the main characters is seen shaving and peeling off the sand skin revealing another layer of skin covered with tattoo-like designs covering the entire body. Towards the end of the video, the main male character is seen from the back which reveals a tumor-like life form growing from his left shoulder. At least one reviewer compared the visuals to the works of H. R. Giger
H. R. Giger
Hans Rudolf "Ruedi" Giger is a Swiss surrealist painter, sculptor, and set designer. He won an Academy Award for Best Achievement for Visual Effects for his design work on the film Alien.-Early life:...
.
The video achieved heavy rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, although it was shown only with the title "Track #1" instead of "Stinkfist". MTV reasoned that "Stinkfist" is too offensive for public consumption. Matt Pinfield
Matt Pinfield
Matt Pinfield is a music personality and TV host, best known for being a video deejay on MTV and VH1. He currently lives in Harrison, New Jersey having previously resided in East Brunswick Township...
, the host of 120 Minutes
120 Minutes
120 Minutes is a television show in the United States dedicated to alternative music, originally airing on MTV from 1986 to 2000, and then on MTV's sister channel MTV2 from 2001 to 2003....
, responded on air to the lot of email complaints from fans by saying there was nothing he could do about it. While he said "if you don't know the name of the song, go out and buy the album," he was waving his fist in front of his face. When introducing the video, VJ Kennedy
Lisa Kennedy Montgomery
Lisa Kennedy Montgomery is an American political satirist, radio personality, and former MTV VJ...
would also sniff her clenched fist dramatically before saying "Track #1". The video has been placed at number 6 in a recent feature on Scuzz
Scuzz
Scuzz is a British music television channel owned and operated by CSC Media Group . It launched on 17 April 2003 and has gone on to be the highest-rated rock TV station on UK satellite. The channel plays a broad range of rock and all its subgenres...
of viewer's top 50 music videos of all time, and number 1 in its list of the "Top 10 Most F*ckedUp Videos".
Live performance
Throughout 2001–2002, the band played an extended version of the song, adding lyrics from "Suspicious MindsSuspicious Minds
"Suspicious Minds" is a song written by American songwriter Mark James that, after the failure of his own recording, was handed to Elvis Presley by producer Chips Moman becoming one of his most notable hits and a number one in 1969, "Suspicious Minds" was widely regarded as the single that returned...
" from Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. Keenan sings, "Caught in a trap, Can't walk out. Because I need you too much baby. Why can't you see, what you're doing to me? Because you love me too much baby." Since 1997 the band has extended the song when played live with an additional breakdown and guitar solo; however, during recent tours, the band has omitted the mid-song extension from some of their performances.