A look back at Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan through the years
His incredible career and iconic costumes in pictures
Maynard James Keenan is notoriously one of the most reclusive frontmen in rock music, but that hasn't stopped him from achieving worldwide success. An avid multi-tasker, Maynard is not the only frontman of the Grammy Award-winning band Tool, but he's also in bands Puscifer and A Perfect Circle, owns his own vineyard and is a keen martial artist.
Tool returned to live touring in 2022, with their dazzling 'Fear Innoculum Tour', and have now announced that they will hit the road again in 2024, including three UK dates. As we await their upcoming tour dates, we've taken a look back over Maynard James Keenan's inspirational career over the past 30+ years.
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Maynard James Keenan: Through the years
1990: Career beginnings
After playing in several bands during the 80s, Maynard James Keenan formed the band Tool with drummer Danny Carey, bass player Paul D'Amour and guitarist Adam Jones in Los Angeles back in 1990. The name of the band is said to stand for how they want their music to be a "tool" to aid in understanding lachrymology; a religion created by the band that focuses on the "science of crying". Signed by Zoo Entertainment in 1991, Tool released their first EP 'Opiate' a year later.
1993: Debut album 'Unleashed'
Tool unleashed their debut album, 'Undertow' in April 1993, It was certified Gold after just eight months and Platinum less than a year later. In the years since it was released, 'Undertow' has sold over 2.9 million copies in the US alone.
1996: Grammy Award win
Buoyed by the success of their first album, Maynard and Tool released their second album - the progressive metal opus 'Ænima' - in October 1996. The album debuted at Number 2 stateside and the band won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance later that year. After a prolonged legal battle with their label over contract violations in the late 90s, Tool went on a hiatus. During this time, Maynard went under the alias 'Gaylord C.' and collaborated with Primus' Tim Alexander and Faith No More's Mike Bordin on 'Choked', a song for the 1997 drumming compilation album, 'Flyin' Traps'.
1999: A Perfect Circle is formed
Whilst still on a break from Tool, Maynard James Keenan formed the band A Perfect Circle with his friend Billy Howerdel who had worked as a guitar tech for Tool. Joining forces with guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, drummer Tim Alexander and bass player Paz Lenchantin, A Perfect Circle started to perform and released their sublime first album 'Mer de Noms' in 2000.
2001: The return of Tool
Five years after the release of 'Ænima', Tool ended their hiatus and released their astonishing third album 'Lateralus' in May 2001. Maynard was praised for his songwriting on the album and it became a worldwide success, reaching Number 1 in the US. Tool also received their second Grammy Award for the Best Metal Performance of 2001 for the song 'Schism'.
2003: Puscifer is born
In 2003, Maynard started working under the pseudonym Puscifer; a solo project that he's described as his "creative subconscious". Later that year, he recorded the song 'REV 22:20' for the Underworld movie soundtrack. Also in 2003, A Perfect Circle released their successful follow-up album 'Thirteenth Step', which is inspired by 12-step recovery programs. The album reached Number 2 in the US and stayed in the chart for a whopping 78 weeks. A year later, they released the album 'Emotive', which was certified Gold the month after its release. A Perfect Circle soon announced that they would be going on a hiatus. If that wasn't enough, Maynard also launched his own winery in 2004, which he names Caduceus Cellars.
2005: '10,000 Days' album and Underworld soundtrack
Sixteen years after the band's formation, Tool released the 2006 album '10,000 Days', which was inspired by grief after Maynard sadly lost his mother in 2003. The album went straight to No.1 in the US and sold over 564,000 copies in its opening week. During this time, Puscifer also featured on the Underworld: Evolution movie soundtrack with the song 'The Undertaker (Renholder Mix)', which provided more exposure for Maynard's solo project.
2007: Puscifer launch a clothing line
Maynard James Keenan financed and released Puscifer's debut studio album '"V" Is for Vagina' in October 2007. The album was predominantly recorded while he was on tour with Tool and was considered a radical departure for Maynard. The following year, Puscifer became a clothing brand and opened their first retail store in October 2008. As well as merchandise for the group, Maynard also sold local art and limited edition collectibles in the store.
2009: Lollapalooza headline slot
Maynard debuted Puscifer at a handful of shows in Las Vegas, with the help of a revolving line-up. Later that year, Tool embarked on a summer tour in 2009, which included headline sets at Chicago's Lollapalooza Festival and Colorado's Mile High Music Festival. To honour the memory of his late mother, Maynard unveils his Cabernet Sauvignon "Nagual del Judith" in April 2009, which was made entirely from fruit from his vineyard. Maynard James Keenan also made a cameo appearance in the 2009 movie Crank: High Voltage.
2010: Maynard features in a wine-making documentary
In early 2010, Maynard is featured in the documentary film, 'Blood into Wine: The Arizona Stronghold' about winemaking in the Arizona Desert. The documentary's soundtrack included remixes of Puscifer songs which were later released as part of the 2010 remix album, 'Sound into Blood into Wine'. Following a six-year hiatus, A Perfect Circle reformed in 2010 with the line-up of Maynard, Billy Howerdel, James Iha, Matt McJunkins and Josh Freese and embark on a US tour. When A Perfect Circle's tour ended, Maynard released Puscifer's second album, 'Conditions of My Parole' in October 2011, which reached Number 27 on the US chart.
2013: Tool play Ozzfest
In February 2013, Puscifer released their EP 'Donkey Punch the Night', which included covers of Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and Accept's 'Balls to the Wall'. Following on from the EP's released the band play their first ever shows outside of North America, including performances at Lollapalooza Brazil and Lollapalooza Chile. Tool also played at Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest Japan in May 2013, alongside titans such as Slipknot, Deftones, Black Sabbath and Stone Sour.
2015: Maynard releases his autobiography
Maynard James Keenan and his band Puscifer release their third studio album 'Money Shot' in October 2015. An avid-martial arts enthusiast, Maynard was also awarded his purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2015 after years of training. Despite being renowned for his elusive personality, Maynard released his authorised biography, 'A Perfect Union of Contrary Things' in November 2016, which offered fans more insight into his career and personal life and was written by Maynard's friend of 30 years, Sarah Jensen.
2017: A Perfect Circle return
After a few years of inactivity, A Perfect Circle emerged again in 2017 and released their fourth studio album 'Eat the Elephant' the following year. This was the band's first album in 14 years and it debuted as Number 2 in the US.
2019: Tool's first album in 13 years
'Fear Inoculum', Tool's fifth studio album was released in August 2019, their first album in 13 years. The album topped the charts in the US, New Zealand, Canada and Australia upon its release and was the third best-selling digital album of 2019. In January 2020, Tool won yet another Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for the album track, '7empest'. Puscifer, whose line-up now consisted of Maynard, Carina Round and Mat Mitchell, released 'Existential Reckoning' in October 2020 - the band's fourth studio album which is heavily inspired by Maynard's interest in extraterrestrial lifeforms.
2021: Puscifer's global streaming event
Tool were set to embark on a US tour to promote their new album 'Fear Inncoculum', but due to the pandemic were forced to cancel all of their 2020 tour dates. However, Puscifer took part in a global streaming event called 'Billy D and the Hall of Feathered Serpents featuring Money $hot by Puscifer' on 17th April 2021. Ahead of the event, Maynard promised it would be an "otherworldly event" with the band playing hits from their album 'Money Shot'.
2022: Tool return to live touring
After not performing live at all in 2021, Tool returned in triumphant form with the 'Fear Innoculum' arena tour that kicked off in the US in January 2022. In April, they brought it to our shores here in Europe, their first full European arena tour in 15 years. We were at the opening date in Copenhagen, and were blown away by the phenomenally loud sound and dazzling visuals. Read our full review here.
2023: Tool announce 2024 arena tour
In November 2023, Tool announced an arena tour for May and June 2024. Maynard James Keenan, Adam Jones, Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor revealed that they will play a total of 15 European shows in the early summer - including three arena dates in England. The UK dates take place at Birmingham Resorts World Arena on Thursday 30th May 2024, Manchester AO Arena on Saturday 1st June, and London The O2 on Monday 3rd June.