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Maynard James Keenan: “We don’t take ourselves seriously, but we take the art seriously”

Maynard James Kennan

Tool's Maynard James Keenan on Underground Comedy, Chasing Farts, and Saving the World (Sort Of)

Maynard James Keenan has never been in danger of being taken too seriously—unless you count the fact that he happens to front three genre-defining bands, run a winery, and now helm a multimedia sketch comedy universe built around characters with crooked wigs and names like “Major Douche.” But sure, go ahead and write him off as the weird wine guy.

Enter Puscifer TV, the latest iteration of Keenan’s long-evolving side project turned full-blown alt-comedy mind warp. “We don’t take ourselves seriously, but we take the art seriously,” Keenan says, as casually as if he were explaining how to make a peanut butter sandwich instead of describing a dystopian sketch series starring himself in drag and taped-on facial hair. “Half my characters, the mustache is barely taped on. And it doesn’t matter.”

What started out as a one-off bit in a L.A. variety show called Tantrum—hosted by Laura Milligan, whose alter ego Tawny Pork was “fresh out of rehab” and putting on a show—has spiraled into a not-so-secret universe. “Her boyfriend was supposed to close the show. A rock star dude. Never showed up. Eventually he did, and his name was Vince,” Keenan recalls. “Puscifer was his band. Or maybe it wasn’t. It changed with the wind.” The whole thing predates Mr. Show. And yes, even then it was already spiraling.

The pandemic helped. “We couldn’t tour,” Keenan says, “so we really went for it.” That meant fully committing to Puscifer’s most unhinged characters, filming elaborate concert films, and turning continuity errors into narrative devices. “We have this f***ing briefcase in one scene and it keeps showing up,” he laughs. “So we made it a plot point. Our continuity guy? We took them out back, shot them, and buried the body. So now we have to paint our way out of this stupid briefcase corner.”

There’s a philosophy to all of this, even if it’s dressed in absurdity. “You’ve got to be flexible,” he says. “You’ve got to keep the blinders off and be ready to adapt. That’s what keeps the creative muscle toned.”

It helps that he surrounds himself with collaborators who thrive on chaos. Musical co-conspirator Mat Mitchell leads the audio charge—often by limiting the gear intentionally. “Sometimes he just wants to see how far he can push the Fairlight. That’s the sandbox,” Keenan says. “I shine when there are parameters.” And when it comes to graphic novels or other visual expansions of the Puscifer universe? “I can cook, but I’m not a chef,” he says. “You have to trust someone else to take that ball and run with it.”

And then there’s the music, which, unlike the wigs, is no joke. “It’s introspective,” he says. “There’s some tongue-in-cheek stuff, sure, but we take the music very seriously. Like any good story—film, play, book—there’s comedy and tragedy. You need both.”

Even in its darkest corners, there’s a weird optimism. “I’m a pessimistic optimist,” he admits. “Everything is going to work out… we just might not be involved in where it’s going.” Which seems bleak until you realize he’s dead serious about actually trying to help fix things—even if it’s one grapevine at a time. Since the early 2000s, Keenan has been farming in Arizona. He doesn’t just talk about sustainability, he lives it. “When you plant a vineyard, you’re committing to ten or twenty years,” he says. “Financially, emotionally, spiritually. You’re hanging out in the wind.”

Still, he’s not looking for your praise. “Noble James Keenan? Fuck that,” he snaps when the idea is floated. But he’ll cop to caring—about the land, the music, the comedy, the people around him. “It’s not just me out there. There are over 100 wineries in Arizona. It’s a statewide effort. Just like Puscifer—it’s a combined effort.”

And if that sounds too earnest, don’t worry. “Chasing farts since 1995,” he deadpans, then pauses. “That’s a t-shirt in itself.”

Coming soon to Puscifer TV, probably.

Watch the full interview above and then check out the videos below.

Kyle is the WFPK Program Director. Email Kyle at kmeredith@lpm.org

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