During a recent appearance on Kyle Meredith With…, Maynard James Keenan talked about why he wears stage costumes.
“It’s a different voice but it’s also as Les [Claypool] said, it stems initially from an insecurity of just being able to express yourself and having some kind of a something to hide behind a little bit while you’re trying to figure out who the f*ck you are on that stage,” the singer replied when asked if costumes are for entertaining or stepping outside of yourself.”
He continued, “Then it just kind of becomes a thing you do because you end up finding that. We’re trying to work some sh*t out as musicians or artists but we’re also up there to entertain. So I think it helps to put the costume on to remind myself I’m there to entertain and not just work through some weird daddy issues.”
Keenan likes wearing different costumes and makeup on stage during the live shows. Last year, he performed at the Welcome to Rockville Festival wearing a blonde wig, lipstick, and a tight top that showed off his prosthetic breasts.
While many thought his outfit was a response to recent laws by Governor Ron DeSantis that ban minors from drag shows, Keenan said his choice was personal and not political.
He told The Messenger, “I’ve been cross-dressing since long before these clickbait-junkie dupes were out of diapers.” The vocalist, known for his bold makeup and costumes since the late 1990s, said he had been shopping online for new stage breasts.
Keenan added, “It’s pretty crazy the technology and the prosthetics nowadays, how they’ve come along, and I just was considering bringing the look back. And that’s really all there is to it. I’m not a political fella — had nothing to do with Florida.”
Keenan will be back performing with Tool in March 2025. They will play in Melia Caribe Beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.