Comedian Reggie Watts Explains Why He Can’t Stand Maynard James Keenan And Tool

In a recent interview with SPIN, musician and comedian Reggie Watts opened up about his musical preferences and shared his thoughts on Tool and its frontman, Maynard James Keenan. As it seems, he doesn’t fancy Maynard and his band at all.

Watts expressed a desire to delve into hardcore, metal, and industrial music genres. He mentioned wanting his music to exude a dark and intense vibe, hoping to shift audience perceptions beyond just his comedic talent. When questioned about taking over Tool and replacing Keenan, Watts responded:

“That’d be cool because Maynard … I’m not a big fan of his voice.”

The comment stems not only from his view on the band’s music but also from a personal experience during the Big Day Out Tour. Recalling an incident, Watts mentioned his attempt to watch Tool perform from the side stage, only to face restrictions:

“As much hype as they get, I just don’t get it. And they’re also not very nice. I saw them in Big Day Out Tour, and I was trying to get side-stage, and they were giving us all this grief. It was like, you could see everybody — all the artists could see other artists from the side of the stage — but they were like, ‘No, only selected people.’ And I’m just like, for this, are you f*cking kidding me?'”

According to Watts, while other artists on the tour, Tool maintained a distancing attitude:

“Rammstein were sweethearts. I could go sit on the side of the stage and watch those guys. Or LCD Soundsystem. Sia. Anybody who was on tour that year was super cool. But they were the ones who just, ‘No, we’re Tool.’ And I’m ‘Sorry guys, but you aren’t that good that you can have that attitude. Ultimately, no one is — although I could imagine it for Prince, like ‘Whatever you need, Prince.’ Totally fine. But Tool? I’m like, ‘You’re just math rock.'”

He further elaborated that, in his opinion, Keenan’s voice lacks the presence seen in some other singers:

“There’s no presence to it. No presence. Not like Chris Cornell. He’s a f*cking rock singer. Or Perry Farrell: his voice. Jesus Christ—that voice is insane.”

In related news, Tool seems to be gearing up for their next studio album. In a March 2022 statement, drummer Danny Carey revealed they had been working on new material. More recently, bassist Justin Chancellor, in an interview on The Vinyl Guide podcast, confirmed that the band has several ideas in the pipeline and hinted at plans to start recording in 2024.

Meanwhile, Reggie Watts remains active in the entertainment industry. Just a few days ago, on October 17, he released his debut memoir, ‘Great Falls, MT: Fast Times, Post-Punk Weirdos, and a Tale of Coming Home Again.’ Fans can also look forward to his scheduled performances running from today until November 3.