Maynard James Keenan reveals why he was forced to separate himself from Tool as they worked on their new album Fear Inoculum in a new interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music’s Beats 1. Alternative Nation transcribed his comments. Kurt Cobain taking a brutal shot at Tool was revealed yesterday.
Maynard James Keenan: I didn’t stop being a pig head. I just wasn’t a pig head in that room. I mean, because then you have to learn to accept what’s coming. If I’m not going to be in there fighting the fight for what’s happening, that actually is … that’s a teaching moment for me. It’s a teaching moment for myself to understand how to navigate what’s being presented rather than being in the middle of the fight and making it take longer, Losing perspective, because you get forest for trees in that room. So I had to step out, and which actually taught me a whole new skill.
By stepping out and having it presented as is with minor adjustments, this is how I’m going to tell the story around a framework that exists. That was a challenge, and it took me about 10 years to figure that out. It started with A Perfect Circle, because Billy would have finished things, and I would have to go, “I’ve never done that. Let me see how I could do that.”
Tool fans accused the band of ‘fraud’ for the Fear Inoculum tour presale a few days ago.
Zane Lowe: You think it’s what kept the band together, ultimately, being able to detach yourself and remove yourself from that process?
Maynard James Keenan: You have to understand your role in the family, right? Don’t be the drunk uncle at the reunion all the time. Just be the drunk uncle somewhere else.
Keenan also posted a hilarious Avengers meme, mocking Taylor Swift after Tool took her out to make Fear Inoculum the number 1 album in the United States. He tweeted, “Heh. #comedyfirstandalways #lightenuporjogon @taylorswift13 @puscifer @Tool.” Maynard James Keenan recently discussed the ‘paranoia’ in Tool.
Heh. #comedyfirstandalways #lightenuporjogon @taylorswift13 @puscifer @Tool pic.twitter.com/RSGKXaZvJV
— Maynard J Keenan (@mjkeenan) September 7, 2019
