Maynard James Keenan has revealed that he joined Tool following a challenge rather than through direct contact with the band’s members, he told Louder Sound.
The vocalist was asked about how he came to be part of the band. Instead of a straightforward recruitment by guitarist Adam Jones or drummer Danny Carey, Keenan’s path to Tool began differently.
“I got challenged to be in a band, actually,” Keenan said. “It wasn’t to do with Adam [Jones, guitarist] or Danny [Carey, drummer]. Somebody challenged me when I was being critical about the things I was seeing in LA.”
The challenge came as a response to his criticism. “It was like, ‘If you think you can do better…'” Keenan continued. “I knew I could. It was an accident, but I took the call and I’m going to be here a while.”
Keenan described his joining Tool as an unplanned turn of events that became a lasting commitment. The circumstances show how a moment of doubt cast by someone else led to one of rock music’s most significant partnerships.
Tool formed in Los Angeles in 1990 with Keenan on vocals, Jones on guitar, Danny Carey on drums and Paul D’Amour on bass. Justin Chancellor replaced D’Amour in 1995 and has remained the band’s bassist since then. The band’s debut album Undertow came out on April 6, 1993 through Zoo Entertainment and became a double-platinum breakthrough, featuring the alt-metal hit “Sober.” The album’s success propelled them from the second stage to the main stage at Lollapalooza 1993.
Tool went on to become one of heavy music’s biggest acts in the decades that followed. The band has sold more than 14 million albums worldwide and won three Grammy Awards throughout their career. Their rise from that challenge moment to one of rock music’s most significant partnerships reflects the impact of Keenan’s decision to accept the dare.
