Maynard James Keenan Says He Isn't Concerned with Being Relevant

Maynard James Keenan Says He Isn’t Concerned with Being Relevant

2022-12-09

Story by Cat Badra, photo by Travis Shinn

Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer frontman Maynard James Keenan discusses the idea of relevance in today’s musical climate on the “Joe Rogan Experience”

Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan was a recent guest Joe Rogan’s podcast and discussed the idea of being relevant in today’s musical climate. When asked about how he thinks users of TikTok view him as an artist, Maynard says it’s not really of concern to him, because “I’m not necessarily relevant.”

On the “Joe Rogan Experience,” which was published on Oct. 25, Keenan and Rogan discuss the idea of staying relevant as a musician. Keenan says that he doesn’t give much thought to how TikTok users might accept him and his music. “I won’t be relevant to the TikTok-ers of the world… It’s not on their radar. The (things) that they listen to now… and respond to now… I’m not necessarily relevant… But there an entire gen of people that’s not just my generation. There’s people older than me or much younger that have gown with this thing, so as they’re aging, they’re discovering it.”

Rogan then asks Keenan if he thinks about whether or not he’s relevant. Keenan’s response is an unequivocal “no.” “You can’t, because you’ll start being desperate and getting plastic surgery and lookin’ like a f***in’ alien and trying to insert yourself into some stupid f***in’ thing,” he says. He then adds, half-joking, “I’m not talking anybody. I’m not talking about my peers.”

Keenan adds that quest for relevancy “turns to desperation very quickly. It reeks. So just maintain your art dude… We’re just having fun creating.”

Rogan then talks about all of Keenan’s “diverse” projects and work, including Tool, Puscifer and A Perfect Circle. Keenan says his wide range of projects is because of his musical “relationships” with other musicians who play with him in his bands. “That’s the listening part. What does Billy (Howerdel) do, what do Adam (Jones) Justin (Chancellor) and Danny (Carey) do? What does Matt (McJunkins) and Carina (Round) do? I’m listening to what they’re doing and having that (musical) conversation with them and building on those relationships. They are different conversations with different people with different life experiences. The art and the sounds that come out of those people is going to be 100 percent different. Even if I’m the common thing.”

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Cat Badra

Meet the expert - Cat Badra is a music writer for Audio Ink Radio and a range of other music, sports and lifestyle publications. She's a graduate of Michigan State University with a master's degree in theater and speech. Contact her at cat@audioinkradio.com.