15 Fascinating Facts about Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan is best known as the enigmatic lead singer of Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer. But there’s much more to his story than just music.
Did you know he has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? Or that he makes award-winning vegan wines? And that he loves birds?
As it turns out Keenan’s life is full of unexpected and surprising achievements and interesting facts. Some of which he revealed during interviews, others were told in his autobiography. And some can be found in his social media. These are the TOP-15 fascinating facts about this multi-talented artist. Enjoy!
Musical Talent Beyond Tool
Many people know Maynard James Keenan as the lead singer of Tool, but it’s not his only band. He also leads two other groups: A Perfect Circle and Puscifer. Surprisingly many music fans are not aware of this.
Tool is famous for its deep, heavy and complex metal music. A Perfect Circle has a bit softer alternative rock sound. Puscifer is where Maynard experiments with a mix of electronic, rock, and industrial music. It also seems that he really enjoys adding humor and theatrical elements to their performances.
Winemaking
Maynard James Keenan is obviously a talented musician. But he’s also a successful and really passionate winemaker. He owns Caduceus Cellars, a winery in Arizona that produces award-winning wines. He puts a lot of time into it and does not cut corners when it comes down to this hobby.
Martial Arts
You would think that being a musician and winemaker is a lot to deal with. Well for Maynard James Keenan it isn’t. He is also a dedicated martial artist. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which he received in 2024. And this one is indeed a hard one to earn.
Acting Interests
Maynard also has an interest in acting. He has taken acting classes to develop his skills and was even considered by director David Fincher for a role in the movie “Panic Room.”
Although he didn’t land that part, he appeared in other projects. Like a cameo in 2009 film Crank: High Voltage. And also appearances in the series “Mr. Show with Bob and David.”
Military Background
Maynard even has a military background that many might not know about. He served in the U.S. Army in 1982 as an artillery surveyor.
During his service, he excelled and was even accepted to West Point, which is a prestigious military academy. But as you might have guessed Maynard chose to follow his passion for music instead.
Bird Enthusiast
Mr. Keenan has a unique passion for birds that goes beyond a typical hobby. He worked in pet stores where he learned about different bird species and even built aviaries in his bedrooms to house them.
One of his pets was a turkey named Butterball. I always liked people who show appreciation for nature and animal life.
Early Music
Maynard played bass for a band called TexA.N.S. and was the lead singer for Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty. Both were independent bands before he became famous.
One notable collaboration from his early days was with the band Green Jellö (later known as Green Jellÿ) on their hit song “Three Little Pigs.”
Environmental Activist
Maynard James Keenan is a passionate environmental activist. He uses his status as a popular figure to promote sustainable living and environmental awareness.
Peyote Ceremony
Maynard also expressed interest in spiritual experiences. He participated in a Native American peyote ceremony. This ritual, which involves consuming the peyote cactus in a traditional setting, aims to achieve spiritual and introspective effects.
Inventive Musician
Maynard James Keenan is quite an inventive musician. He taught Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine the Drop D tuning technique, which became a significant part of Morello’s guitar style.
Fatherhood
Maynard is a dedicated father. He balances his music career with his family life. An interesting fact about being a father is that he didn’t expect to become one at first. His ex-girlfriend surprised him a lot when called to say she was pregnant. His son Devo became a musician like his dad.
Keenan also has a daughter with his wife Lei Li, she was born in 2014.
Stage Persona & Hair
Maynard James Keenan often shows a very enigmatic stage persona. You can expect to see cool costumes during the band’s concerts, as well as various characters with extravagant looks.
One thing to note is the hair he wars on stage is not real. Those are different wigs to create vivid characters for the sake of performance.
“Maynard” Name Origin
Maynard James Keenan’s unique name has an interesting origin. As a teenager, he created a small, wiry character named Maynard in his poems and illustrations. He adopted the name “Maynard” during his time in the army, making it his own.
Artistic Beginnings
Before his music career took off, Maynard explored other artistic talents. He studied art and interior design. As you can see a talented person is often multi-talented. His background in art and design definitely influenced album covers to concert setups.
Idolized KISS
Keenan’s love for music started early with his admiration for the band KISS. As a high school student, he was such a big fan that he even made a ceramic face of Gene Simmons, KISS’s iconic bassist and co-lead singer.
