Maynard James Keenan Defends Phone Ban at Shows (Again)

Maynard James Keenan once again defended his decision to mostly ban phone usage at his concerts.

Keenan and his bands — Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer — have utilized a “no-phones” policy for several years now. Although he’s spoken on the subject several times, he provided an additional justification for the ban during a new interview with Clownvis Presley.

“A lot of times if you go to shows nowadays, it ends up becoming the knee-jerk thing. That’s just what you do, it’s just acceptable behavior to block somebody else’s view with your phone,” the vocalist said.

READ MORE: Tool Are Playing This City for First Time in 14 Years

“It’s annoying, it’s distracting, and the thing you’re getting on your phone sucks. It’s not a good representation. You’re not gonna go home and watch it.”

Thus, Keenan said his bands aim to get the audience to watch the show, be present, take a break from using their devices and engage with fellow fans. They do allow phones during the last song of the show, though.

“That way you get to have your souvenir that sucks that you’re never gonna watch,” Keenan concluded.

See the full interview below.

Maynard James Keenan Defends Phone Ban at Shows (Again)

When Did Keenan First Ban Phones at His Bands’ Shows?

The frontman has been outspoken about fans recording concert footage on their phones since at least 2017, particularly during a podcast interview with Joe Rogan. That same year, over 60 fans were kicked out of an A Perfect Circle concert for using their phones, according to Riot Fest. A warning message had been displayed on the stage about phone use.

In the fall of 2019, Tool fans received emails from their respective venues warning them of the consequences of phone use at the shows.

“We respectfully request that you please watch and listen to the show, not your phone. You will be ejected from the show without the opportunity to return and without a refund if you violate this simple request and elect to take photos during the performance,” one of the emails read, according to a fan on Reddit.

What Else Has Keenan Said About Phone Use at Concerts in the Past?

During a concert in February of 2024, Keenan called a fan out for using their phone at a Tool concert.

“Put your fucking phone away, dickhead, seriously!” the singer shouted mid-song while the band played “Intolerance.”

According to fans on Reddit, Keenan has spoken directly to the audience about his disdain for cell phones at shows.

“He told us in Corpus that if we couldn’t go two hours without our phones in our hands, we should be in a mental institution,” someone wrote in the post linked above.

A few months later, Keenan spoke more in depth on the controversial topic during an interview with Phoenix News Times.

“It’s rude,” he said.

“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.”