New Tool Album: Maynard James Keenan Discusses Writing Process

2017-07-19

Story by Charles Ken

Tool frontman Maynard James Keenen explains why the band’s writing process takes time

Many Tool fans are waiting patiently for a new album, and frontman Maynard James Keenan is opening up about the wait.

Speaking with the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Keenan discussed the band’s writing process and how that lends to a longer wait for new music.

“As far as the way that (drummer) Danny (Carey) and (guitarist) Adam (Jones) and (bass player) Justin (Chancellor) write, it’s a very tedious, long process,” Keenan said on the podcast.

“They’re always going back over things and questioning what they did and stepping back and going back farther and going forward,” he added. “And, in a way, it’s like they’re laying a foundation, they’re putting in the footings for a house.”

It takes a while because, “I can’t write melodies until the footings are in place,” he said. “I can’t write words until the melodies are in place… I’ve had instances where I’ve started to write stuff, and by the time I actually got it around and back and actually listening and whatever, the song had gone in a completely different direction. So, everything that was written melody-wise or lyric-wise is completely irrelevant now…I have to start over.”

When it comes to the writing process, Keenan is pretty positive about it, calling it a “wonderful thing.” He added, “There’s no other way for them to do it.”

The upcoming album will mark Tool’s follow-up to 2006’s “10,000 Days.”

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Charles Ken

Meet the expert - Charles Ken is a graduate of Michigan State University where he studied writing and history. He's a longtime music buff and covers classic rock for Audio Ink Radio. Contact him at ken@audioinkradio.com.