Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan revealed that he has ruled out retirement after a hip injury forced him to struggle through tour dates this summer, during an interview with Metal Hammer. Keenan underwent surgery for the problem and explained his view on stepping away from live performance.
The frontman described how the injury struck during a tour with alt-rock supergroup A Perfect Circle. He detailed what happened and how the pain affected the rest of the tour dates.
“I’m with the Stones on that one,” Keenan said. “On tour with [alt-rock supergroup] A Perfect Circle this last summer, we’d do our walk, find a coffee shop and do two miles there, two miles back or whatever. I woke up one morning and my hip decided not to work. I could not walk, like, ‘What the f*ck?’ Ice wasn’t working, heat, nothing.”
“I had to basically limp through the rest of the tour, then get on the phone to my doctors back here [in the US], because by Christmas I’ll have been in 18 different countries with three different bands, having played 28 shows.”
Keenan was clear about his stance on stepping away from music altogether. “Live performance is my world – not doing those shows is not an option,” he said. “Retirement is not a f*cking option. Work the problem, figure out what you’ve gotta do and get back to work.”
These comments came as Keenan discussed the injury that struck him during the summer tour and his decision to have surgery to fix it.
Keenan’s left hip gave out on July 3 during an A Perfect Circle tour stop in Luxembourg. He performed with a cane through the rest of the European shows while managing pain each night. He underwent hip replacement surgery on August 26. This was his second hip replacement, following a first surgery in 2015 when years of foot stomping left him with no cushion in his right hip.
Keenan’s commitment to performance remained unwavering even during recovery. He returned to the stage just 25 days after his surgery, playing Riot Fest in Chicago with Tool on September 19. He performed with a cane, and due to adverse weather conditions, the set started and ended early. His tight schedule reflects his demanding role across three major projects: Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer, all of which require his attention as frontman.
The singer plans to continue touring through the end of 2026 with all three bands. Puscifer kicks off a European tour on October 25 in Stockholm, Sweden. Keenan will then handle double duty on Central and South American dates starting November 25 in Mexico City, performing separate sets with both Puscifer and A Perfect Circle. Between September and December, he faces 27 concerts across 18 countries.
Beyond his musical pursuits, Keenan’s athletic training has placed ongoing stress on his joints. He earned a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2024, and his demanding physical regimen has intensified rather than slowed with age. The combination of performing with multiple bands and his intense training has contributed to the wear on his body over decades of his career.
