Tool‘s sixth album, 10,000 Days was released today and yours truly has been anxiously awaiting this day for months. I’d been keeping close tabs on album and tour date information and learned that the album was leaked two weeks ago. I made no plan to download the leaked album. Besides, I know that Tool always provides a little something more when you purchase the CD – like stereoscopic lenses “to enhance the artwork experience of the 10,000 Days package”.
Matt and I had a discussion recently about the ways in which we purchase our music. I prefer to buy online for the sake of convenience. He prefers to go to the store and feel and see and smell the packaging. The 10,000 Days packaging is really cool and I’m sure I looked like I should ride the shortbus as I was sitting in the truck in the Target parking lot, looking through the stereoscopic lenses at images of science and of the occult.
It’s been almost three years since I last purchased a music CD. Another oddity is that I bought 10,000 Days for $9.98. If it were carried in the iTunes Music Store, it would be $9.99. I was geared to pay $17.99 for the CD. I guess the band, like most, will make money by selling concert tickets for $100. And I will pay that because how can I not support my favorite band that provides stereoscopic lenses for the purpose of package enhancement?