Maynard James Keenan credits a dare with helping lead him to Tool. His criticism of LA’s music scene prompted someone to challenge him to join a band. “I got challenged to be in a band, actually,” he told Metal Hammer. He accepted, believing he could do better.
Tool formed in 1990, releasing the Opiate EP in 1992 and their debut studio album, Undertow, in 1993. The albums that followed included Ænima, Lateralus and 10,000 Days, each extending a recording career that grew from those early Los Angeles years.
Success also brought attention Keenan found unwelcome. In the same interview, he described lawyers, agents and bookers approaching the band in hopes of benefiting financially from its position. Those industry figures, whom he called “vampires,” were his reason for leaving LA. He specifically distinguished that pressure from the behavior of Tool’s fans.
Keenan moved to Arizona in 1995, continuing his music career while eventually developing Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards. Tool subsequently earned three Best Metal Performance Grammys, with “7empest” taking the award in 2020, following earlier wins for “Ænima” and “Schism.”
