Maynard James Keenan Says Work on Next Tool Album “Can’t Drag This Out Another 14 Years”
When Tool released their latest album Fear Inoculum back in 2019, it was the band’s first new release since 2006’s 10,000 Days. That’s a long fuckin’ time for new music from any band, let alone one with such a rabid fan base as Tool, and it’s something frontman Maynard James Keenan admits probably can’t happen again.
While speaking with Metal Hammer, the vocalist admitted that when it comes to the band’s follow up to Fear Inoculum, time isn’t necessarily on their side anymore.
“Tool is a more complicated beast with a lot of egos and a lot of other things going on in our lives. But all the creativity’s there, the songs and the ideas can flow and the arguments ensue. As soon as we get past the arguments, we can get shit done! Ha ha ha! I think we could do it more efficiently. And I think everyone’s on the same page that we have to get through that, because we can’t drag this out another 14 years.”
Band members having egos about their work is nothing new, but it seems Tool is plagued by the burden of being completely made up of insanely talented and confident musicians. Couple that with the fact that Tool’s made a name for itself releasing incredibly intricate and interesting music over the years and you have a recipe for lengthy blank spots between records.
Given fans’ interest in new music, guitarist Adam Jones said that sort of pressure to create something at such a high level can almost pull the enjoyment completely out of what an artist loves to do.
“Most of the people that you hear from on those things – like, ‘When’s your next record?’ – when you do finish it, they’re like, ‘OK, when’s your next one?’ You can’t make people happy. We have this very selfish approach to art. It’s our rules. When you start trying to make people happy, you’re losing yourself. You’re losing that burn inside you of why you do what you do.”
While we don’t know when Tool will be able to talk about new music, there’s been talk that the vinyl reissues of their albums are on the horizon. Fans in Europe will also get a chance to see Tool live during their summer tour dates, which you can check out below.
5/25 Hannover, GER – ZAG Arena [Tickets]
5/27 Amsterdam, NET – Ziggo Dome [Tickets]
5/30 Birmingham, UK – Resorts World Arena [Tickets]
6/1 Manchester, UK – AO Arena [Tickets]
6/3 London, UK – The O2 Arena [Tickets]
6/5 Paris, FRA – Accor Arena [Tickets]
6/8 Berlin, GER – Parkbühne Wuhlheide [Tickets]
6/10 Wien, AUT – Wiener Stadthalle [Tickets]
6/11 Kraków, POL – Tauron Arena [Tickets]
6/13 Budapest, HUN – BudapestAréna [Tickets]
6/18 Köln, GER – Lanxess Arena [Tickets]
6/20 Dessel, BEL – Graspop Metal Meeting [Tickets]
6/22 Copenhagen, DEN – CopenHell [Tickets]
6/25 Stockholm, SWE – Tele2 Arena [Tickets]
6/27 Oslo, NOR – Tons of Rock [Tickets]
