Well, that’s it. All hope is lost. There is no future.
No.
— Maynard J Keenan (@mjkeenan) February 5, 2019
Tool singer Maynard James Keenan has seemingly contradicted one of his bandmates, shooting down rumors that the band’s long-awaited new album will arrive in April. Asked by a fan on Twitter if it’s true that the first new Tool disc in 13 years will be released in two months, Maynard responded simply, “No.”
Keenan’s latest attempt to crush his fans’ hopes and dreams comes a month after Tool drummer Danny Carey told a fan at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) convention in Anaheim, California that “the plan” was for the new LP to come out “mid-April.” Carey has made other predictions before about the LP, including saying at one point in late 2017 that the record would be out in 2018.
Keenan told us a while back that he doesn’t take it for granted that the audience for Tool is still out there: “Oh, you can’t ever assume that. You just have to do what feels right for you, and take the time you need and just follow your heart. And if people ended up coming around for it, great, if they didn’t, then that’s fine too. You can’t base your life around whether people are gonna show up or not.”
Tool officially entered the studio in March 2018 to begin recording its first full-length album since 2006’s 10,000 Days, with Keenan tweeting last month that he had finished laying down his vocals “months ago.” The band has a number of festival appearances already booked in May and June, presumably to tie in with the record’s arrival.
Lou Brutus is blessed by Cardinal Copia of Ghost
Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge has told Billboard that he has been “working on for months now” on the band’s next recording project, with plans to be in the studio again by the beginning of 2020 with a release later that year.
Forge explained, “Luckily, this time around, I feel very certain as to what I want to do. I have tons of bits and pieces and stuff written, and I know that once I really start working that there’s going to be a record which feels very inspired.”
The singer, who performs as Cardinal Copia, added, “The dramaturgic nature of the records and the stories are getting more and more intertwined nowadays, which I like. It’s almost like working with a series, I guess; you have your characters and you can still f**k with them and add new things and take things away. You can do whatever you want, which is always enticing from a creative standpoint.”
Before getting into the studio, however, Forge and Ghost have to get through the rest of 2019, which is packed with touring in Europe, the U.K. and Australia. The band’s lone North American date right now is on May 18th at the Chicago Open Air festival.
We asked Forge if he’s okay with having the next couple of years of his life planned out: “I prefer it that way. When I had no plans whatsoever, I didn’t get anything done. And now when I have very little time, I feel better about it. I’m sure that one day, when we’re not in demand and all of this might be over, I’ll have plenty of time to think about that.”
Greta Van Fleet has been forced to cancel the remaining concerts on the band’s Australian tour after singer Josh Kiszka was stricken with laryngitis, making him unable to perform. Kiszka broke the news in a statement, saying that the band was “already working on a momentous return to make this up to you.”
A handful of shows in Brisbane and Melbourne were scrapped, as well as a concert in Auckland, New Zealand. The band will head home and presumably give Kiszka time to recover before the Michigan quartet attends the Grammy Awards this Sunday (February 10th), where they are up for four awards.
Kiszka wrote, “I have some heartbreaking news. Unfortunately, somewhere between travel from the U.S. to Japan and Australia, I developed an upper respiratory infection that has gradually evolved into laryngitis . . . Doctors have informed me that performing in this condition could cause damage to my vocal cords, which is something that I cannot risk.”
The singer added, “I am terribly sorry to make this announcement. We are already working on a momentous return to make this up to you and will be announcing that very soon.”
Bassist Sam Kiszka told us that the members of Greta Van Fleet embrace the long hours and travel that being in a successful rock band can bring: “It goes beyond the music. I think that rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle really entails, you know, being a part of the world and being a part of — you know, the global traveler, and seeing everything and experiencing everything. I think that’s rock ‘n’ roll.”
All That Remains has officially recruited Jason Richardson as the replacement for guitarist Oliver “Oli” Herbert, who passed away in October. Richardson performed with the band on its recent European shows, although it wasn’t until this week that he was confirmed as a permanent member of the group.
On Tuesday (February 5th), the band said in a statement, “All That Remains would like to clarify that guitarist Jason Richardson is now an official member of the band. Some recent interviews were conducted before a decision was made or announced regarding Jason. But the band has indeed welcomed him into the fold as an official member and is excited to get back on the tour and play for fans.”
Frontman Phil Labonte told Decibel magazine about Richardson, “He came in and nailed everything and really kind of saved our ass. He made it easier on us when it comes to the grieving side of it. It relieved pressure about this stuff, the business side that we had planned. The personal side is easier to handle and cope with. The more pressures you can relieve on a situation, the better.”
Herbert was found dead on October 16th at the edge of a pond on his Stafford Springs, Connecticut property. He was reported missing by his wife around 3:00 p.m., and his body was found by police face down at the edge of the pond where the water was only a few inches deep. Authorities are treating the death as suspicious.
Finally, we’d like to wish a Happy Birthday to Guns N’ Roses (and occasionally AC/DC) singer Axl Rose! Have a great one!
