Adam Jones is the lead guitarist and songwriter for American alternative metal band Tool. He is also a film maker, visual artist and animator.
Adam Jones was born in Illinois in 1965. He displayed an early aptitude for music, learning the violin at the age of five and was accepted into the Suzuki Programme. He later learned to play guitar and bass guitar by ear. During high school he formed the band Electric Sheep with Tom Morello, who would later be part of Rage Against The Machine.
Adam Jones moved to Los Angeles to study Art and Sculpture. At this time he began working in films as a sculptor and special effects designer. After graduation he worked on a number of major films including Jurassic Park, Predator 2 and Nightmare on Elm Street.
In 1989 Jones was introduced to Maynard James Keenan by a mutual friend, and Tool was created. Fellow band members were recruited via friends and the line-up of the band was completed in 1990.
The band was quickly signed to Zoo Entertainment, releasing the EP Opiate in 1992. At the time, the band described the Tool sound as “slam and bang” heavy metal. Controversial from the start, their first music video (to accompany the single Hush) featured the band naked.
The debut album Undertow was released in 1993 and the follow up single Prison Sex, which is about child abuse, was deemed too graphic. Despite this, Prison Sex was praised by critics. Ænima followed in 1996, Lateralus in 2001 and the most recent album 10,000 Days in 2006. Tool have released four albums since Opiate, each one selling to platinum status in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia.
Tool has been a headline act since the release of Undertow and their live act incorporates video displays created by Adam Jones as well as unorthodox stage settings and lighting techniques. The show is never the same twice and the band constantly improvises. The band has also won three Grammy awards for Best Metal Performance.
Jones’ guitar playing combines various techniques including power chords, off beat rhythms, odd noises, guitar slide, and various experimentation that gives his guitar playing a unique edge. He uses many effects including two synthesizers as well as a huge selection of pedals. He has been rated the 75th Greatest Guitarist of all time by the Rolling Stone magazine and is placed 9th in Guitar World’s Top 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists.
Adam Jones has created most of the band’s artwork concepts. He also won a Grammy for Best Recording Package as art director for his work on 10,000 Days.
BIOGRAPHY – Adam Jones
