Tool haven't released an album in close to a decade, and while they have periodically hinted that something new is in the works, frontman Maynard James Keenan isn't giving fans much cause to be hopeful. Anyone who thought that the band's upcoming gig at Tempe, AZ's Monster Mash Music Festival on October 31 might signify a return for the group is about to sorely disappointed, since some recent interview quotes suggest that Keenan isn't feeling particularly positive about Tool or their fans.
The Phoenix New Times reports that, when queried about Tool, Keenan's demeanour became "curt." When asked if his signature sense of humour — which is so prominent in his work with Puscifer — had any bearing on his music with Tool, he responded, "Yeah, it's there," he says. "But people miss it because they're so focused on the other bullshit. It's lost. Insufferable people… It's just ridiculous, retards. I'm sorry. Can't help them. Way too serious. Too much. Lighten up." (Get a sense of that sense of humour by hearing the Salival hidden track "Maynard's Dick" below.)
As for the band's lone 2015 gig this weekend, he said that his bandmates "had to con me into it." When queried about the long-delayed Tool album, he responded, "There's nothing to say. I can't."
Meanwhile, Puscifer's album Money Shot comes out on October 30 via Puscifer Entertainment. They will be touring North America in November. From the sound of things, that's all fans can expect out of Keenan for the time being, since Tool clearly aren't his first priority.
UPDATE (10/29, 3 p.m.): In a statement to Billboard, Keenan clarified his position, saying: "It is unfortunate that during an interview about Puscifer's Friday release of Money Shot, a comment I made, in the context of a much lengthier discussion about obsessive fanatics, was taken out of context by a few 'news' outlets so they could drive up their own readership. It's called clickbait and it's boring. Our core fanbase aren't fanatics. They're music lovers, artists and good people. It's the fanatics that are insufferable."
The Phoenix New Times reports that, when queried about Tool, Keenan's demeanour became "curt." When asked if his signature sense of humour — which is so prominent in his work with Puscifer — had any bearing on his music with Tool, he responded, "Yeah, it's there," he says. "But people miss it because they're so focused on the other bullshit. It's lost. Insufferable people… It's just ridiculous, retards. I'm sorry. Can't help them. Way too serious. Too much. Lighten up." (Get a sense of that sense of humour by hearing the Salival hidden track "Maynard's Dick" below.)
As for the band's lone 2015 gig this weekend, he said that his bandmates "had to con me into it." When queried about the long-delayed Tool album, he responded, "There's nothing to say. I can't."
Meanwhile, Puscifer's album Money Shot comes out on October 30 via Puscifer Entertainment. They will be touring North America in November. From the sound of things, that's all fans can expect out of Keenan for the time being, since Tool clearly aren't his first priority.
UPDATE (10/29, 3 p.m.): In a statement to Billboard, Keenan clarified his position, saying: "It is unfortunate that during an interview about Puscifer's Friday release of Money Shot, a comment I made, in the context of a much lengthier discussion about obsessive fanatics, was taken out of context by a few 'news' outlets so they could drive up their own readership. It's called clickbait and it's boring. Our core fanbase aren't fanatics. They're music lovers, artists and good people. It's the fanatics that are insufferable."