James Keenan

Like the late Ian Curtis of Joy Division and Robert Smith of the Cure, Maynard James Keenan (vocals) of Tool isn't afraid to unseal the hidden miseries of everyday existence. Born and raised in Ravenna, OH, Keenan joined the Army in 1982. Keenan attended the United States Military Academy from 1983 to 1984, but quit to pursue a career in art, enrolling at the Kendall College of Art and Design in Michigan. During the '80s, Keenan was a member of two bands, Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty and TexAns. Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty, also known as C.A.D., recorded one cassette, Fingernails. In 1993, the release of Tool's full length debut album Undertow brought frontman Keenan into the spotlight of alternative rock stardom; Keenan's grim lyrics and cold, angst-laden vocals appealed to both goth rockers and heavy metal enthusiasts. A Kiss fan since his youth, Keenan covered "Calling Doctor Love" on the tribute album Kiss My Ass. In 1996, Tool's second album, Aenima, further widened the group's cult following. In 2000, Keenan released Mer de Noms with his side project A Perfect Circle. The album was a critical and commercial success; it even reeled in Tool detractors with the relatively mellow track "3 Libras." Keenan followed Mer de Noms with Tool's third album Lateralus in 2001.
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