Maynard James Keenan has described how Tool’s success brought unwanted attention from industry figures who only wanted to profit from the band’s status. Speaking on Louder Sound, the frontman of Tool, Puscifer, and A Perfect Circle explained how this experience ultimately drove him away from Los Angeles.
Keenan addressed the negative effects that came with the band’s rise to prominence, focusing on the people who surrounded successful artists in the industry rather than the fans themselves.
“Not stalkers, but we had a lot of lawyers and agents, bookers… people trying to get into us,” Keenan said. “All these vampires that wanted to financially benefit from a safe relationship with successful artists.”
He went on to clarify that his departure from Los Angeles was not caused by the band’s fanbase, but by these industry figures. “Those vampires drove me out of LA, not the fans. There’s nothing wrong with the fans – there’s some obsessed ones who can get a bit mathy and weird, but that’s the nature of the fan. Fanatics. My exit from LA was because of this parade of vampires.”
Keenan’s comments reflect on how the dark side of the music industry can affect even the most successful artists and their personal lives.
Keenan’s frustration with industry operators came as Tool had achieved major commercial success. The band won four Grammy Awards and performed worldwide tours, with several albums topping charts across different countries. Following a 13-year gap between releases, Tool returned in 2019 with their fifth album, Fear Inoculum.
Beyond his work with Tool, Keenan has established himself across multiple musical projects. He fronts A Perfect Circle, a rock supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Keenan, and also leads Puscifer, another rock group also formed in Los Angeles. Both bands have allowed Keenan to explore different creative directions while maintaining his presence in the music industry.
These days, Keenan has built a life far removed from the Los Angeles music scene. He now lives in Jerome, Arizona, a small and remote town where he owns Caduceus Cellars winery and operates several vineyards. This move represents not just a physical relocation but a deliberate choice to step back from the industry circles that had frustrated him during Tool’s rise to prominence.
