Tool’s Maynard James Keenan thinks doing what feels right for him is more important than being kind.
Keenan recently turned 60 years old. In an interview with Phoenix New Times, he talked about his life, music, and what he has learned over the years. He admitted that he tries to do the right thing even if it doesn’t always come off as being nice:
“I heard a quote recently: ‘Just because I’m not nice doesn’t mean I’m not a good person.’ So that, I feel like that’s almost a marching order for myself. I’m not concerned about being nice. I’m concerned about doing the right thing and being a good person and being there for you when you need me.”
Keenan then said he considers this his ‘life philosophy.’
He Wants Fans To Enjoy The Moment
You probably know that Keenan hates seeing phones up in the air during the shows. He again shared that he wants people to be present during concerts. He asks his fans to put their phones away during shows so that everyone can have a better experience:
“You’re annoying the person behind you. They shouldn’t have to watch the show through your phone. It’s not going to look good. You’re just wasting your time.”
Keenan also talked about how he looks back at his life and uses his experiences to learn and grow. He said that regrets about how you made someone feel are the hardest to deal with:
“We always have regrets about things but it’s a matter of making sure you flip those around as a learning experience in general. All your life experiences can be used as a method of introspection, rebuilding, and building. They’re foundational. I don’t think I have anything – if anything, it’s how you made somebody feel. Those are the regrets that are the biggest, I think, if you’re human and you understand how you made somebody feel. That’s always bad.”
He believes that everyone has regrets, but it’s important to learn from them.