Maynard James Keenan revealed his chances of joining Rage Against the Machine were nonexistent, citing a fundamental difference in musical direction from the band’s guitarist Tom Morello. He shared these thoughts in an interview with Louder Sound.
Keenan was asked how close he came to joining the influential political rock band. His answer focused on the artistic gap between what he wanted to create and what Morello was pursuing at the time.
“Zero,” Keenan said. “I was trying to tell stories. I’m Irish, so I’m already pissed off and that’s always going to be part of it, but I was looking to do more expressive, emotional stuff with comedic stuff blended in with the tragedy. Tom was leaning more into the political side of things.”
The remarks came as Keenan discussed his artistic choices and the direction his own bands have taken over his career.
Keenan’s artistic direction took him toward storytelling and emotional expression rather than the political message that defined Rage Against the Machine. In the early 1990s, Keenan rehearsed with Tom Morello and other musicians who would form the band, but those early connections did not lead to a permanent role. Morello learned drop-D tuning from Keenan during those sessions, and the two artists’ visions diverged even as they worked within the same vibrant Los Angeles rock scene.
Keenan went on to front three distinct and successful bands instead. Tool and A Perfect Circle became multi-platinum acts, while Puscifer developed its own experimental sound. A Perfect Circle began performing in 1999 and released its debut album Mer de Noms in 2000. Each of Keenan’s three bands reflects the artistic approach he described in his interview: expressive, emotional, and often blended with comedic and tragic elements.
In 2024, all three of Keenan’s bands came together for a tour celebrating his 60th birthday. The three bands released the Sessanta E.P.P.P., which featured one new song from each group. Keenan plans to continue writing music for Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer over the next year and a half, keeping his focus on the kind of storytelling he pursued from the start.
