Maynard James Keenan recently discussed the possibility of replacing Primus on future Sessanta tour dates. He expressed concerns about potential complications in a statement shared on NME.
The Tool frontman addressed a question about adding new bands to the Sessanta tour lineup. The lineup currently features his projects A Perfect Circle and Puscifer alongside Primus.
Keenan acknowledged the possibility when asked about potentially continuing with Puscifer and A Perfect Circle while having another group replace Primus during breaks. However, he highlighted significant concerns.
“We could, but that would be an awkward conversation with Les [Claypool, Primus bassist and frontman],” Keenan said. “Although, you know what, there’s nothing written in stone that says it has to be Primus on the next run. They’re pretty busy with their new drummer, so I don’t know if that would be a bad move or not. I’m sure it would be fine.”
Keenan emphasized his main concern about working with unfamiliar bands on tour.
“But the problem comes down to, again, the conversation of listening. It’d be a question of who fills that role and who’s not going to be an absolute fucking nightmare to work with?” he continued. “Because you don’t know until you’re actually out there, and all of a sudden you’ve got this extra set of drama and egos that you had no idea about and didn’t expect.”
Keenan explained why the current Sessanta lineup works so well. He used a hypothetical example to illustrate his concerns.
“It worked out because I’ve spent a lot of time with those guys on various tours and it fits like a glove. I don’t know what it’d be like to bring out someone else,” he said. “Imagine if you didn’t know what you know about Oasis[‘s history], and then you brought them out and they could be literally fist-fighting on the stage while you’re trying to do your thing. That wouldn’t be great. It’d be fun and it would sell some tickets, but it wouldn’t serve the show.”
The comments reflect Keenan’s priority of maintaining the artistic integrity and smooth operation of the Sessanta tour experience.
The collaborative touring concept continues to evolve with multiple projects planned for the coming years despite Keenan’s concerns about potential lineup changes.
The Sessanta tour concept has proven successful enough to warrant continuation. Metal Injection reported that Puscifer, Primus, and A Perfect Circle have announced their Sessanta v2.0 North American tour for early 2025. This demonstrates the ongoing viability of the multi-band format that Keenan has been discussing.
Les Claypool appears to be embracing the collaborative touring model with his own projects. The Needle Drop noted that Claypool will take three of his bands on tour in 2026, in a format not dissimilar to the recent Sessanta tour. The recent Sessanta tour featured Primus playing alongside Keenan’s projects.
The 2026 touring landscape will see Claypool expanding his collaborative approach even further. Revolver Magazine confirmed that Primus, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, and the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade will unite for a one-of-a-kind Summer 2026 tour called “Claypool Gold 2026.” The tour begins May 20, 2026, in Reno, Nevada.
This busy touring schedule for Claypool’s various projects may actually validate Keenan’s earlier comments about Primus being “pretty busy with their new drummer.” The extensive 2026 commitments could indeed make it challenging for Primus to maintain their role in future Sessanta tours. This could potentially force the difficult conversations about replacements that Keenan has expressed concern about.
