Remember Too Free Stooges? We don’t either, but back in October 1991 at Hollywood venue Club With No Name, their opening act was a band called Tool. The October 7th show was captured on video and uploaded to YouTube by Ricky Oliphant. The five songs captured are the earliest footage of the band live, and in a time before iPhones, to have video footage of one of a band that wouldn’t even release their debut EP for another five months is pretty impressive. Also impressive is the band, who, even without the elaborate visuals they would have a few years later, sounds fully-formed already. While a live version of “Cold and Ugly” is featured on 1992’s Opiate, that version wasn’t even recorded until New Year’s Eve 1991, over two months later.
By the way, if you’re interested in hearing what the headliner sounded like, Too Free Stooges, which features future Porno For Pyros bassist Martyn LeNoble, also had their set recorded for posterity. The Club With No Name no longer exists, and neither do Too Free Stooges. Tool reportedly still does exist, and have released four albums in the 25 years since.
