Maynard James Keenan Has The Last Word In Tool To Decide The Setlist, According To Adam Jones
Tool guitarist Adam Jones recently joined an interview with Metal Hammer and revealed that they give Maynard James Keenan the last word for deciding on the setlist.
‘Fear Inoculum’ is Tool’s fifth and latest studio album, released on August 30, 2019. It marked the band’s first album in 13 years and was praised mainly for Maynard James Keenan’s distinctive vocals, density, and layered sound. Some critics even described it as the band’s best album in their career.
The band would embark on a North American tour in June 2020 in support of ‘Fear Inoculum,’ but they had to cancel it entirely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Later on, the band announced a massive world tour. The North American leg of the tour kicked off on January 10, 2022, in Oregon and ended in Cleveland on March 20. The European and UK legs started in Denmark on April 23 and will finish in Hungary on May 24.
Adam Jones joined an exclusive interview with Metal Hammer and opened up about putting on a new setlist. The guitarist explained that they negotiate a lot before settling on a shared decision, but Maynard James Keenan always has the last word. He’s the ultimate decision-maker since they want to make sure he feels good enough to sing them on the stage. Jones revealed that they have a fantastic setlist for these shows, and he hopes that the audience will also appreciate it.
Jones’ statements on deciding on a new tour setlist:
“Well, you always want to do something you haven’t done in a long time. You always want to break the routine and make it more interesting for yourself, and there is a lot of negotiating that goes into it, but it ultimately comes down to Maynard.
If I’m sick and have a 100-degree fever, I’m nauseous, I have the flu, I can still play, but for Maynard, he wouldn’t be able to sing. So, we give him the last word to make sure he can do the show if he’s not feeling well. But the set this time is pretty incredible, we’re doing some old school stuff, and we’re really happy about it, some old and some new. It should be good.”
The guitarist also reflected on their relationship as individuals. Adam Jones revealed a family-kind relationship, so they are close and know each other very well after spending three decades together. They work in a friendly and supportive environment, which enormously contributes to their endurance and success.
