Maynard James Keenan of Tool recently made an appearance on The Fred Minnick Show to talk about the poor live performances of veteran rock bands. The singer discussed the differences between performing live and in a studio, as well as the concerns that each include, while speaking about music with the host. He began by addressing the studio, saying the following: “Since there is no audience in the studio, you may rest certain that your outfit for the day is not a concern. You’re simply trying to ensure that the audio you’re receiving is accurate, and a lot of it is shifting from broad to specific. It’s a back-and-forth conversation where you’re writing down ideas and riffs while also attempting to figure out what the completed product will be. He continued, underlining the significance of the concepts rather than stressing about how to perform: “So it’s more about the ideas than the performance or the location of the lights, and when you actually go to record it, you’re focusing on that, whereas I’m focusing on the actual performance and then matching that performance throughout the entire recording,” said the author.
The bands have more to worry about during live performances, including their performance, the sound, the lights, and other factors. According to Keenan, who typically takes the stage from the back rather than the front, live performances are as follows: “Live, of course, is different since there are just more lights and movement, so you have to be careful to combine. The vocal and musical quality of the performance must be on par; you must ace it. In order to avoid still dancing around like a clown on stage while still singing the song so that the audio sounds good after you walk away, you must figure out your limitations regarding movement and running around. Keenan then discussed the old bands, stating that although people frequently describe them as “sucking,” it is only because they don’t perform live as well as they do in the studio: “Many bands in the 1970s… Many people comment, “These guys f*cking suck,” when old rock and roll bands perform live as opposed to how they did in the recording studio.
The only guitarist on stage is doing heroin, so despite the 2-inch tape and several fancy layers that make the music sound the way it does, it doesn’t work. Many rockers began to retire or stop performing as well as they once did as they grew older. Keenan, who will turn sixty in one year, made no disparaging remarks about the bands’ prospects, indicating that he will continue to perform until he does. The interview is seen below.
