Maynard James Keenan Interview Adds Confusion to New Tool Album Timeline

Tool are an enigma wrapped in a mystery, shrouded in some subterfuge. You never can tell what's going on with them regarding new music and that may be just how they like it.

The art metallers last released an album in 2006 in the form of '10,000 Days.' While the members have remained busy, no new Tool material has surfaced. Rumors of new music are constant, but rumors are just rumors so far. A new interview that frontman Maynard James Keenan did with Marc Maron's WTF Podcast doesn't do anything to clear things up due to the time the interview took place and when it was unleashed on the world.

During the chat, Keenan said, "I’m gonna stop by the rehearsal space today, in theory, having beaten them up going, ‘Please give me music, please give me music, please give me music, please give me music.’ In theory, they have a CD for me today. They’re like, ‘Look, listen to some jams, so we can get this thing going.’”

Keenan then explained that he doesn't write lyrics until he is supplied with music to inspire him, saying, "I can’t write words 'til I hear the sounds, and I haven’t heard the sounds … I’ve gotta listen to the sounds and go from the sounds."

Fair enough. The onus seemed to be on his bandmates to get him music to launch the lyrical process. However, things aren't quite so clear-cut.

The podcast was released on Aug. 18. However, Keenan alludes to turning 49 "next month" during the course of the chat. His birthday is in April, which would indicate it was recorded in March. Hmmm...did he say that to throw people off the scene of the timeline? Or was the interview recorded in March?

Drummer Danny Carey painted a similar story, telling Loudwire earlier this summer that "it’s still the three of us right now and four of us it will be soon, you know, just working on all our parts and working on our compositions together."

If the Keenan interview was recorded recently, Carey and Keenan's comments fall in line. If the interview was recorded in March, then Keenan has been waiting longer than expected to hear new music. And so the Tool mystery deepens. There's nothing like keeping metal fans on their toes.