F O U R T H E Y E

First some history;

http://fourtheye.net/f/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=514

It's been a while, but I've been doing some maths...

Something I discovered...

If you take the catalogue numbers from Bethlehem Abortion Clinic and add them together;

12134-66649-4

12134+66649+4

= 78787

78787 is a prime number


Another few...

Iced Pee & Subtraction

36948-12659-8

= 24281

24281 is another prime number...


The Christmas Album & Addition

12250+000000+3

= 12253

12253 is another Prime Number...


Isn't the Riemann Hypothesis to do with Prime Numbers?

Its not real. The " Riemann Hypothesis" relating to Tool... Problem 8.... all the hidden meanings etc etc....

Think about it. Tool has currently taken 10 years (and counting) to release a new album consisting of likely 10 real tracks. How would they ever have the time to come up with some secret songs, and mysteries, with clues hidden in a random pressing that leads to a clue. That leads to an order. They wouldnt. They dont have the capacity to release MUSIC with any regularity, how could they ever possibly have the time to put effort into these bullshit secrets. Its all just made up by Blair to keep the die hard fans interested for the decade between releases.

"Overthinking. Overanalyzing." -MJK

What's the point?

I like the idea of there being a point, and I find the prime number thing interesting, however I don't think they are that smart (i.e. to encode bits and pieces based on complex mathematics).

Oh, they are that smart.

To carry on with such an elaborate puzzle would be fickle to the most devoted tOOL fan.

They outsmarted the devotees.

"Awaiting confirmation......."

Where is the cotton candy?

<<<<still listening here........

The Riemann Hypothesis does talk about prime numbers so that's an interesting find. Unfortunately it doesn't lead us to the song, if it even exists. I love Tool but 10 years and counting for new material is pathetic. If Problem 8 did exist then they should have released it during this long drought. By release it I mean truly release it so that people can listen to it. I don't mean to record it on some wax cylinder that you have to travel a century back in time to hear it.

I constantly buy socks yet when it's time to put them on my feet I can't find a single pair.

Talk about solving a puzzle wrapped in a mystery.

Quit buying socks.

Specter wrote:Quit buying socks.

Buy THESE socks. They are amazing.

http://darntough.com

Nathan: I wanted to buy socks, SOCKS!

Murderface: So what'd you say?

Nathan: I said, "give me $10,000"

Murderface: What'd he say?

Nathan: He said, "No".

Murderface: WHAT??

Blair's at it again...

BMB:
First of all, I have to ask: Being a tattoo artist, have you ever done a Tool-themed tattoo for a friend or for a customer?

ANSWER:
“ Yes, I’ve done a few. There was a “Wrench” tattoo for a lady friend. Also, a Tesseract - what that geometry on Danny’s kicks is called?- and a variation of the “Flaming Eye.” And… You’ll like this, Blair - A “Problem 8” thing. Part of a math equation - some thing that the customer had a drawing of… that I didn’t understand, but copied exactly. So, while you’re here, let me ask you a question: Does the Problem 8 thing really exist?

BMB (ANSWER TO HIS QUESTION)
Highly irregular – asking the interviewer a question right from the get-go. However, I’m game. Shit yes. In fact, I waned the band members to agree to do a geo-caching type treasure hunt with it… posting the GPS coordinates of its location, but have them embedded in a cryptic news post that was seemingly about something else. Something different. But, because of the chance of someone finding the buried container… or whatever it was that concealed it – which I also wanted to include a disposable camera to verify their find - no one wanted to do it. I don’t think that they want this to be discovered until some time in the not too distant future. I’m fairly sure that they wished that I never mentioned it in the first place… but no one told me not to. Yet… maybe someday I will do this with mine… OR… maybe I already have posted the coordinates in a news post (or elsewhere) without their knowledge, and the ‘treasure’ is there for the taking…

INTERVIEWEE:
“Okay.”

BMB:
Okay, just don’t ask me about the “Bethlehem Abortion Clinic” album artwork in that ‘spurious’ catalog inserted into the European release of “Aenima.” So, how did you become a Tool fan?

and...

ANSWER:
“Besides the music, lyrics, live shows and merchandise, I like the camaraderie that is shared by many Tool fans. How certain ideas are introduced and elaborated on. Sometimes things are way overthought – taken to the extreme – like all the energy spent on secret alternate track sequences, or playing different tracks at the same time to create a totally different song. Trying to sync Lateralus with a Tim Burton film! It seems like all that energy spent on hidden meanings could be better served. Rather than spending countless hours trying to solve the whereabouts of a hidden song, they could actually solve the Riemann Hypothesis… or something like it. Some fans are pretty gullible, too! You know – believing that Maynard has a full-scale replica of Captain Nemo’s “Nautilus” submarine in his swimming pool, complete with a pipe organ inside…”

BMB:
Being a Tool fan, do you have any Tool collectibles that you are proud of?

ANSWER:
“Does Aenima vinyl count? I have this shirt that I’m wearing… and a lenticular keychain… that isn’t broken. That’s about it, I guess… but… maybe… after you have another Peroni, Blair, you’ll accidently leak…tell me the coordinates where your Problem 8 thing is buried… or located. At least tell me what news post it’s hidden in?”

From July's 2014 Newsletter...

You’ll please forgive me, but at this point I’ll need to pick up the pace a bit, as my memory of the events is fading. Perhaps the quieter I become, the more you will hear? Again, certain details are now a blank, but with whatever someone wanted from the various boxes and containers now removed, we re-loaded the U-Haul truck and were given directions to a self-storage unit where they were to be kept… Come to think of it… it was after a taking a few bites from the cookie… raisin, I think it was… that I really didn’t care any longer about what was in the containers that JOE and I had been loading and unloading all day under the broiling sun for $10.00 an hour. Maybe it was the concert footage for some future DVD, or maybe it was the master of “Problem 8”, or maybe it was the so-called ‘curve ball’ that the band had put so much effort into not that long ago, or maybe it was just a drill (a trial run for the real thing), or maybe Tool’s management was simply cleaning house. Who knows?

Is a geocache a self storage unit?

And this as well...

As we carted load after load of boxes up onto the U-Haul, when no one was looking, I couldn’t resist taking a peek at some of the contents. So, the question becomes: did I see anything of interest? What was it that Howard Carter replied when asked if he could see anything upon entering the antechamber of King Tut’s tomb? “Yes, wonderful things.”

Inside the containers were Tool studio masters and slaves, ADATs, blank recording tape (?), and video and film footage, all individually labeled. Was this the footage that was taken many years ago for a possible live DVD? After the last boxes were loaded with a hand truck, I causally asked the band’s manager what was inside? “lenticular key-chains,” was the quick reply. Now, I didn’t need to be an expert on micro (facial) expressions to know that by using this ‘dangle’ there was something that someone was trying to hide. What these people didn’t know is that, before closing the door of the U-Haul, I took a couple of photos with my iPhone. If I remember to do so, I will post one or two of these on the ToolArmy site with a misleading caption (so not to be viewed by the wrong people).

This link contains an x/y coordinate grid...

And the release dates for Salival & Lateralus

http://www.toolband.com/secrets/crypto.html

More Stuff from November 2014...

"Mr. Blair, Hey, from Australia! I'm writing because I believe I may have solved the mystery as to the whereabouts of TOOL's ultimate hidden track, Problem 8 (if it does indeed exist). First of all, I'm no author, so please excuse my grammar. I'm quite excited to hear this song whenever that may be. If ever at all!

I've been enjoying following your posts for a couple years now and have just recently begun attempting to pick up and piece together the Problem 8 clues and hints you drop so regularly. I'm sure you've received emails from other Tool listeners/readers of your newsletters whom have thrown wild guesses around before they've connected the clues as I have. But, the reason I'm confident in my findings is that since scrounging the web for information regarding the hidden track I have not come across one comment that suggests the theory I'm about to put forward. Too many People seem to be looking for mathematical equations... haha. This must be quite amusing from an insider's perspective such as your own.

You obviously have been linking many subtle and some not-so-subtle clues to certain signed drumheads for some time now. The reasons for why I believe it's now solved are as follows:

A couple of days ago when I re-read the Halloween newsletter, I noticed in particular the part speaking of this Rance Q Spartley's traumatic experiences after receiving the 'cursed drumhead' and how he blamed all his "PROBLEMs on the cursed drumhead". The entire paragraph to follow contains the hints - 'errant sigil constructed without linear exactitude', in regards to the hand drawn sigil on the signed drumhead. 'Something being disturbed from its frozen slumber', refers to the long forgotten and un-played song. You mention "removing the drumhead from the 'museum's' dusty, cobweb-festooned upper floor", and suggest that this "really was the case" (that contains the drumhead).

Other major clues are connected to the signed drumheads via the man himself, Mr Danny Carey. The relation between Bethlehem Abortion Clinic's catalog number and Danny's old home phone number seemed to be where most people are stuck on this. lot of people are aware of this connection but as far as I can tell, they seem to be searching for a real mathematical formula among the catalog numbers, Which brings me to my personal favorite - the so called mathematical formula encoded in the Aenima spoof import catalog which I believe refers to the album cover 'Nurse Ketimella's Kit* Chen' as we know there is certainly a mathematical formula used in manufacturing the drug Ketamine. This brings our attention to the subtitle 'Kit*' taken from drum kit which also clearly makes a connection to the drumhead.

Then there's the picture uploaded of the man, standing in the 'museum' with Problem 8 on the shelf behind. I read somewhere that it's Danny's cat photo-shopped in there. On the man's head he wears the same occult symbol found on Danny's website and on your IJYNX book cover.

Note that I have not heard the song so I cannot be entirely certain the I am correct but my research tells me that if I was to purchase a certain signed drumhead from "Merch" next time they are available (as you've said to keep a look out for them), I would be able to find the track physically hidden behind it, in the drumhead's case, either on cd, vinyl or cassette. Or the drumhead itself doubles as a record... Now that's a bit imaginative I think. Of course if there are no more to go on sale at any time then there's the matter of tracking one down which will certainly be no simple task.

Ultimately the purpose of spending hours reading into these clues is to hopefully obtain a copy of Problem 8 'The Riemann Hypothesis'. Like a lot of other people out there, I just want to hear the damned song!

Sure I can still happily listen to Tool songs from any old album any time of day, but the thought of hearing this hidden track for the first time is rather inconceivable, if it really is a full-blown 6 minute-ish Tool song like you've suggested in the past. You've said it yourself, it's the Holy Grail of Tool merch. Some don't believe it's even exists. However, I, do. If you would please post a response on whether or not my theory is accurate, I would greatly appreciate it."

REPLY:

Although I appreciate the mental gymnastics, there's really NO need for any "ROOM 237" Stanley Kubrick-The Shining quest for hidden clues and perceived meanings. I have already suggested the location of a hidden track as perhaps the ultimate item of Tool memorabilia, and will stand by this despite any attempts to demonstrate otherwise.

For the time being, perhaps its best to think of "PROBLEM 8: THE RIEMANN HYPOTHESIS" (being the 'most important unresolved problem in pure mathematics, and being concerned with locations of certain non-trivial zeros) as being a TERMA of sorts - a hidden treasure waiting for a future discovery... at the approved time... when the conditions are right... in the TERTON'S mindstream.

E-MAIL:

Hey Blair, Just wondering, if Problem 8 is released on the next TooL album, which I suspect is not an unreal suspicion, will you ever reveal the original location?

REPLY:

The ORIGINAL location?.. as in a recording device?..

The reimann hypothesis is a real mathematics problem. No one has solved it. Hence the tool relation. It won't be solved. It's just a game Blair plays

The answer is Forty Two.

https://shop.toolarmy.com/ProductDetail ... de=LentKey
heres my guess. its in one of these. they released 30 of them with a tiny memory card inside it. the "lenticular keychain" is mentioned all the way back to a newsletter in 2005, again in 2008, again in 2014 where its mentioned that one is cracked: http://www.toolband.com/news/letter/index.php?t=1&id=94 and now again in this most recent one. google "lenticular keychain" and control F the newsletters that come up to read all the references to it. also here is what was said about problem 8 and where to find it: Because of the ingenious way it was made available to the public, “Problem 8” , in my opinion, constitutes the ultimate hidden track. Only, don’t go looking for it among your collection (most of you, that is!), as there are no more than 30 copies on the planet. As for those who have one, most, I’m sure, aren’t aware of it, even though it might be staring them right in the eye on a near daily basis. The reason they aren’t aware of it, is because they’d never think to play it. Okay, enough said…


it would be the ultimate tool move, that 30 people have been carrying around their hidden song for years, possibly seeing it all day every day, and not knowing it was there.
im going to go finish getting drunk now.

Kittaan wrote:The answer is Forty Two.

I came to the same conclusion. But I'll be checking my calculations at least twice before we group hug.

thesheedspot wrote:https://shop.toolarmy.com/ProductDetail ... de=LentKey
heres my guess. its in one of these. they released 30 of them with a tiny memory card inside it. the "lenticular keychain" is mentioned all the way back to a newsletter in 2005, again in 2008, again in 2014 where its mentioned that one is cracked: http://www.toolband.com/news/letter/index.php?t=1&id=94 and now again in this most recent one. google "lenticular keychain" and control F the newsletters that come up to read all the references to it. also here is what was said about problem 8 and where to find it: Because of the ingenious way it was made available to the public, “Problem 8” , in my opinion, constitutes the ultimate hidden track. Only, don’t go looking for it among your collection (most of you, that is!), as there are no more than 30 copies on the planet. As for those who have one, most, I’m sure, aren’t aware of it, even though it might be staring them right in the eye on a near daily basis. The reason they aren’t aware of it, is because they’d never think to play it. Okay, enough said…


it would be the ultimate tool move, that 30 people have been carrying around their hidden song for years, possibly seeing it all day every day, and not knowing it was there.
im going to go finish getting drunk now.

This actually makes sense.

edit: And now I'm imagining a bunch of Tool fans smashing their lenticular key chains looking for something hidden inside today.

Completely unrelated, Lenticular Keychains were just restocked in the web store!