Maynard James Keenan spoke with Joe Rogan on his podcast this week, and covers a range of the usual topics you’d expect – wine making, fighting, discipline, the music industry, his love for cross-stitching and of course, Tool. As with Maynard’s other chats with Rogan, it’s an interesting listen, and great to hear him speak in a more relaxed, between friends manner than the usual defensive style taken with clickbait focused music journalists.
But let’s face it, Tool is what most of us want to know about (that bit starts at around the 1:22 mark on the video embedded below). Specifically Maynard discusses frustrations, but also understanding and acceptance of the current writing process. He also mentions that there are several tracks ready for vocals, and others in the works as well. Though nothing is complete yet, he does mention that he had worked on vocals for a track, only to find when he returned to the band it had changes so much they were no longer relevant.
I came away from the interview feeling pretty good about where the album is at. It appeared to me that Maynard feels good about what has been written so far. There are obvious frustrations, but he seems at peace with where it’s at. Some question if we’ll ever see another album from Tool, but for me this interview definitely made me feel it’s more of a “when” situation rather than “if”
So, my take on all this is that songwriting continues. It’s not going to wind up any time soon. I don’t think anyone should have expectations of Tool recording anytime this year. I’d go so far as to say we’re unlikely to see a Tool album before this time next year.
There’s a cool bit from about 1 hour 20 minutes in where Maynard talks about the band members ‘laying the foundations’ for songs and he genuinely lights up when says some of the foundations are “really good”. It’s the best mood I’ve seen him in an interview in a long time. Seems much more positive about progress… And the bit where he says “I think I couple of the songs are finished” for him to write to is always good to hear.
Yeah he definitely seemed to be in high spirits so to speak. When discussing the foundations he said it’s a lot like when he goes and checks in on Billy and has to tell him… “Step back and look at it”. It seems that TOOL are really second guessing themselves sometimes when maybe they don’t need to be? But it does seem that they are really just trying to make the most perfect album that they can. I mean, Maynard went on to speak about “Lateralus” (song) and he felt that he “could do better”… WOW! Also, had Joe waited… Read more »
Not sure this was known beforehand, but Maynard did say Tool is contractually obligated to make one more record.
Cool interview, so lengthy. Just jumped to the TOOL bit, but will probably listen to the rest of it later. One thing I find really interesting to think about, maybe because I write music. When he’s going over the stuff about how the foundations of the songs are always shifting, the band are so analytical, go back, then forward again etc. He says sometimes he’s written melodies and come back, frustrated, to find everything has shifted completely. In my experience writing music, sometimes when you go back and change everything… It’s relative. It’s relative to how you feel differently on… Read more »
At some point though, they need to just decide that a song is finished and move on. As you said, the changes can sometimes be good and sometimes bad. They can always perform live variations later such as the slower version of Pushit (which I hate), or the extended Prison Sex (which I like).
After waiting over 10 years, I’d rather have a 99% perfect new album then wait another 10 years for a 100% perfect one.
I hear you… In my opinion something like music which changes over time / when performed live and is so subjective… there’s no such thing as finished. That is to say, I hate the word finished regarding music. While I agree that they can perform different versions or revive abandoned paths in the live show, I’d like to point out that it’s not, and should not be (in my opinion), about what the audience wants. At all. One of the reasons TOOL have such a psychotically ravenous fanbase is that they are not pandering to label / audience / dollar.… Read more »
I can tell you that the VIP is certainly not overpriced. When people are paying $250 just for a seat spending an additional $250 for that experience was way fucking worth it and I’ll do it again and again when they are local.
One of my favorite moments was when Maynard said (in jest of course) “I should probably take my 10 years to do my part now.”
I love watching Joe Rogan’s podcasts. And I love seeing MJK in these podcasts because he’s so comfortable and relaxed. Yeah, of course, T00L is brought up amidst their conversation, but they talk about so much more (which is awesome), and MJK doesn’t seem so reluctant to talk about T00L unlike in those interviews for journalists. As I’ve thought and said before, and as others have said here today, I hope Adam, Justin, and Danny aren’t over-thinking the music they are creating. Exploring is good, but it may be hurting them – who knows. But again, who knows how many… Read more »
The back and forth between MJK and co. reminds me of when Syd Barrett trolled the resr of Pink Floyd with a song called “Have You Got It Yet?”. He kept changing the arrangement every single time they played it.
Maynard loves a donut doesn’t he?
last time he was on Rogan he didnt mention tool. if he did it was very little. i forget exactly but i know it was nothing. his over all demeanor was more acceptance then being opinionated on a subject i found. look at both sides of the fence type of view. or something like that. i took his relaxed stance on Tool in what i said above basically. also its about time he did and i hope he felt that way. its not hard to just say it. no big deal at all. he was also in a good calm… Read more »
So September 22, 2018 is absolutely in play.
Try the 18th or 25th – album releases usually happen on Tuesdays.
Don’t know about Australia, but in the US they changed it to Fridays in recent years
Try fridays there, bub.
Fairly positive news.
..What I’d said long ago,- just let it all go ala a sprawling hodgepodge/mess akin to Half Gentlemen/Not Beasts or ‘Lifehouse’.
^this has to be blair’s ghost account lol
While I was listening to this I got the odd feeling that we’ll be looking back in 2020 and wondering what happened to the new album. I’m sure they’ve come a long way but this album could potentially take another 5 years to deliver. I was optimistic about a late 2017 or early 2018 release but then Maynard said that there are only 2 widows per year. This Fall is obviously not going to happen and since Maynard hasn’t really been involved yet I’d say that Spring of 2018 is unlikely. Oh well. I guess we’ll hear a few extra… Read more »
I’d say being optimistic about a late 2018 to early 2019 release is still in the cards. Maynard won’t take long once he has the final layout of the instrumentals. Either way, from the VIP and how happy Adam seemed to be I came out much more optimistic than going into it. Also, what he spoke about when it came to the writing process and all of the stuff they have been experimenting with… He even demonstrated what they’ve been experimenting with when it comes to technique and it’s… pretty amazing shit. The wait will be worth it just keep… Read more »
I believe he said that the Fibonacci time signature of Lateralus was coincidence… yea, sure.
I can tell he wants to barge in that loft and yell “HURRRY MOTHERFUCKERS!” 🙂
In Joe Rogan’s Conor Mcgregor impersonation voice: :Yoor Foooked! Everyone’s fooked! You’ll get a foookin’ alboom in 2020!
They’ve talked about the Fibbonacci thing before. It started as an accident and then they tweaked things to make it more deliberate.