Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan doubles down on his HATE for phones at his shows, “Put it the f*ck away.”
Keenan has never been shy about his dislike for audiences who use their phones during his concerts. For several years now, phones have actually been banned from being used at Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer shows, with violators being thrown out.
In a new interview with Phoenix Times, Keenan reiterated his feelings about phones, stating that his opposition to such devices stems from the idea that it interrupts those them from enjoying the concert.
“It’s rude. Not to us, I mean, I just did a whole photoshoot,” Keenan said. “I’m not afraid of cameras and I’m not afraid of phones. I’ve got mine right here. It’s a very useful tool.
“There’s no way you can actually capture what’s happening in that live moment on a phone. You’re missing the opportunity of actually absorbing in real time what’s happening. The art of storytelling. Being able to actually recount what you saw without having to record it.
“Training your brain to live in the moment and see the thing, but more importantly, stop annoying the person behind you. It’s annoying, it’s distracting and it’s distracting for us, too. So put it the f*ck away, grow the f*ck up. It’s only two hours. And at the end of the show, we usually let you film a song, so you get your souvenir.”
Maynard James Keenan had fans kicked out of concert
Keenan recalls the times he’s had to throw people out of his shows for using their phones:
“Absolutely, if we have to throw out a dozen people because they’re being arrogant assholes, selfish pricks. You’re annoying the people around you. I know there’s all kinds of arguments, like, ‘Well, the removing all those people is annoying.’ Uh-huh. It’s called consequences. This is what happens here.
“You do it in a theater, you do it at a play, you do it at an orchestral performance, you get removed. You don’t get to do it. Do it at an opera, you’re leaving. It’s rude. You’re here to experience a thing. You paid all that money to be here to witness what we do, not what you do.”
