Maynard James Keenan

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Keenan's journey began in an 'intolerant and unworldly household' in Ravenna, Ohio, following his parents' 1968 divorce. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving as a forward observer. He eventually moved to Los Angeles in 1988, working in set construction after being fired from a pet store interior design role. During the 1980s, he played bass for TexA.N.S. and sang for Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty, writing an early version of 'Sober.' He also performed with Green Jellÿ between 1990 and 1993, playing guitar and providing backup vocals as a pig on their hit 'Three Little Pigs.'

In Their Own Story

In 1990, after meeting Adam Jones who had heard him singing on a college demo, Keenan reluctantly agreed to form Tool. The lineup included Jones, neighbor Danny Carey, and bassist Paul D'Amour. Their 1993 debut, 'Undertow,' went platinum in less than a year. In 1994, the video for 'Prison Sex' was withdrawn by MTV for being 'too graphic and offensive' due to its handling of child abuse. By September 1996, they released 'Ænima,' which won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1998. Following a legal battle with Volcano Records, Keenan used the alias 'Gaylord C.' while collaborating on the track 'Choked' for the 1997 compilation 'Flyin' Traps.' In January 2001, a ruse announced an album titled 'Systema Encéphale,' only to reveal 'Lateralus' a month later. Released in May 2001, it debuted at No. The album honored Keenan's mother, who died in 2003 after 27 years of suffering (around 10,000 days), inspiring the two-part song 'Wings for Marie' and '10,000 Days.' On August 7, 2019, Tool released the title track 'Fear Inoculum,' later winning Best Metal Performance at the 62nd Grammy Awards for '7empest'.

Reader's Guide

Keenan's career is defined by distinct phases and collaborations. In 2002, he recorded 'Fallen' with Thirty Seconds to Mars. During Tool's post-'Ænima' hiatus, he formed A Perfect Circle with Billy Howerdel in 1999, releasing 'Mer de Noms' in 2000 and the successful follow-up 'Thirteenth Step' in 2003. Keenan also co-founded Puscifer. His relationship with technology is complex; in a 2000 interview with NY Rock, he stated that file sharing hurts artists more than companies: 'I think there are a lot of other industries out there that might deserve being destroyed.' Despite his recluse reputation, he remains active, stating in a 2007 Spin interview regarding Tool's future: 'We'll make music together until one of us is dead.' His early friendship with Tom Morello led to jamming sessions where Morello credited Keenan with introducing him to Drop D tuning. Morello and Brad Wilk even considered Keenan as a vocalist candidate for Rage Against the Machine before choosing Zack de la Rocha.

Did You Know?

• Keenan adopted the name 'Maynard' on a whim based on a fictional character he created in high school.
• He was fired from an interior design job at a Los Angeles pet store before moving to work in set construction.
• In 1997, Keenan collaborated under the alias 'Gaylord C.' for a track on the drumming compilation 'Flying Traps'.
• The album '10,000 Days' references the approximate number of days (27 years) his mother suffered from a ruptured cerebral aneurysm before her death in 2003.