Tool's Maynard James Keenan is releasing a live album, and it has the worst cover art we’ve seen in a very, very long time

Maynard James Keenan dressed as a baby in a crib
(Image credit: puscifer.com)

Tool, Puscifer and A Perfect Circle singer Maynard James Keenan has announced that he is releasing recordings of his 50th birthday concerts on vinyl, CD and Blu-ray on March 22.

Copies of the live album, taped in 2014, are available to preorder now on the Puscifer website, but anybody keen to make a purchase should be forewarned that it features one of the most alarming/unsettling album covers in recent memory.

Cinquanta: A 50th Birthday Celebration For Maynard James Keenan Live, as the new album’s called, depicts the vocalist, now 59, as a baby in a cot. The soles of his feet are directly in the foreground, he’s wearing a discoloured nappy (diaper, for our American friends) and he’s crying while wearing a bib. It’s the stuff of nightmares, tbh.

The album itself will feature collaborative live sets that took place on May 10/11, 2014 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

Members of Puscifer, A Perfect Circle and American space rock band Failure performed onstage together during the shows, playing songs from each band’s back-catalogue.

Keenan made guest appearances during Failure’s sets across the day, performing the songs The Nurse Who Loved Me, Solaris and Blank.

Looking ahead, the vocalist also plans to celebrate his 60th birthday on the road. He will host a ‘Sessanta’ that features members of Puscifer, A Perfect Circle and US prog/funk metal band Primus with a series of American shows from April 2 to May 4.

Full dates are available below, and tickets can be purchased now.

Primus singer/bassist Les Claypool comments: “What a glorious notion of combining three bands that all start with the letter ‘P’ for a tribute to Maynard Keenan’s 60th trip around the sun.

“I’ve known Maynard for more than three decades and I have to say, I’ve yet to meet a more creative, ambitious and industrious human being; that is assuming he is actually human.”

Following the Sessanta tour, Keenan will cross the pond and play a European run with Tool. Details of those shows are also below, and tickets are on sale.

The full album cover for Maynard James Keenan’s Cinquanta album

(Image credit: puscifer.com)

Maynard James Keenan 2024 Sessanta US tour

Tue, APR 2: Boch Center - Wang Theatre, Boston, MA
Wed, APR 3: Boch Center - Wang Theatre, Boston, MA
Fri, APR 5: Premier Theater, Mashantucket, CT
Sat, APR 6: Hard Rock Live At Etess Arena, Atlantic City, NJ
Sun, APR 7: Coastal Credit Union Music Park At Walnut Creek, Raleigh, NC
Tue, APR 9: Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, GA
Wed, APR 10: FirstBank Amphitheater, Franklin, TN
Fri, APR 12: Toyota Music Factory, Irving, TX
Sat, APR 13: The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, TX
Tue, APR 16: Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, Phoenix, AZ
Wed, APR 17: Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, Phoenix, AZ
Thu, APR 18: The Rady Shell At Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Sat, APR 20: Hollywood Bowl. Los Angeles, CA
Sun, APR 21: The Greek Theatre Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Tue, APR 23: Maverick Center, West Valley City, UT
Thu, APR 25: Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Morrison, CO
Fri, APR 26: Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
Tue, APR 30: Azura Amphitheater, Bonner Springs, KS
Wed, MAY 1: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, IL
Thu, MAY 2: Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI
Sat, MAY 4, Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, NY

Tool 2024 European tour

MAY:

25: HANNOVER, ZAG Arena
27: AMSTERDAM, Ziggo Dome
30: BIRMINGHAM, Resorts World Arena

JUNE:

01: MANCHESTER, AO Arena
03: LONDON, O2 Arena
05: PARIS, Accor Arena
08: BERLIN, Parkbühne Wuhlheide
10: VIENNA, Wiener Stadthalle
11: KRAKÓW, Tauron Arena
13: BUDAPEST, BudapestAréna
14: KÖLN, Lanxess Arena
20: DESSEL, Graspop Metal Meeting
22: COPENHAGEN, CopenHell
25: STOCKHOLM, Tele2 Arena
27: OSLO, Tons Of Rock

Matt Mills
Contributing Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.