At one of Tool’s recent shows in Canada, Maynard James Keenan scolded a fan of the band to stop acting like a stereotypical American.
Keenan, who prefers fans to enjoy concerts without phones, yelled at a fan for using a camera light while filming during the gig. As seen in a video on Reddit, he said:
“Take the light off d*ckhead.”
He continued during his singing:
“Take the light off.”
Later, acknowledging the location, he advised the fan:
“Don’t be American. Turn it off d*ckhead.”
History Of Keenan’s Stance On Cellphone Usage
The Tool lead singer has a history of disliking cellphone use at concerts. Back in 2019, he warned fans they could be thrown out for it. He also spoke about this issue in 2017 on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Keenan explained his perspective on it with the following words:
“This stuff annoys me – because I’m a firm believer in oral tradition. I embrace the storytelling – being able to describe to your friends that, sitting around that fire after a good long day of hunting. Where you tell the story about hunt and you do all those things, and those family stories, and your grandfather, and your great-grandfather’s stories are told in that setting.”
Adam Jones On Tool’s Anti-Phone Policy
In 2022, another Tool member, Adam Jones discussed the band’s stance against phones and photos during their shows in an interview with Metal Hammer. The guitarist said:
“We’ve actually seen it changing, and more and more big acts are asking their fans respectfully to enjoy the show rather than looking at their camera the whole time. I think one of the problems is you get a lot of lights because people don’t know how to use their cameras correctly, which makes it very blinding onstage. It’s just… it’s that connection. You lose something without that connection, and you just want people to be in their own world rather than getting the whole show on their phone and then never looking at it again.”
Tool are currently on a North American tour that will continue until February. Last month, the band also announced their UK and European tour dates for 2024, starting with a performance at the ZAG Arena in Hannover, Germany, on May 25. The tour will then proceed to the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam two days later.
You can see the video of Keenan from the Canadian show here.
