Maynard and his Mother

James Maynard Keenan is the lead singer for the band 'Tool.' After the band blew up with the album Aenema, he went on to participate in another band, 'A Perfect Circle.'

In the year 2000, his mother, Judith Marie Keenan, had a stroke and was restricted to a wheel chair. Consequently he wrote the song "Judith," which he explains on the Amotive DVD.

Through a sequence of songs, I would like to bring testament to the power of music as a vehicle of expression. In this case, Maynard and his Mother - as provided through this vehicle (yes Maynard, we only know what you sold us). For all of those, who don't know Tool or Perfect Circle - the band is great, but I really would like to emphasize the lyrics (all the videos contain lyrics although I can't say that I necessarily like the pictures, the search for those with lyrics).

I'm not going to begin with 'Judith' on the Perfect Circle Mer de Noms album but 'Rose,' of the same album, as a precursor.   

And now 'Judith':

Scathing, right?

Maynard then works with Tool and puts out Lateralus - an awesome album by the way. And although the following two songs from the album are arguable whether they directly relate to this relationship he has with his mother, I think it very well stands as a general statement, nonetheless, I do think they provide insight into the relationship.

Tool's latest album is 10,000 days. Maynard's mother was paralyzed for 27 years, which is approximately 10,000 days (rounding up). In 2003 she had passed away. Maynard:

Not only is this a beautiful relationship through musical and lyrical expression of Maynard and his mother. It is an exemplary case of the significance of music. As an audience we appreciate and the lyrics become meaningful to our own selves in our own personal lives. The artist expresses herself in her own creative way, which may not always be "permissible" in the day to day. For Maynard, he was given a medium to express his self through songwriting. And in that medium he wrote and sang what he felt. His mother was big part of it. A dynamic, yet typical in a way, from anger with her faith, her debilitation, and eventually, admiration, love, and defense. This sequence of songs, is not only to point out the relationship and the glory the bands do to it, I would like to think that this is also a point to the significance of music in the life of the mind. That music enhances our lives just as much as any other enjoyable pass time. In humour and all gravity: For the future enrichment of our minds, teach the kids more music! Give them access to more instruments! Expose them to the diversity!

In closing, Maynard's cover of John Lennon's 'Imagine.' Just because I think it's a brilliant cover.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Maynard and his Mother

*the following includes videos created by others on the internet. The work done to produce them is entirely their own, or however methodology they conducted. I have merely embedded them here. I give them all credit for their work, and none to my own besides the production of this post. All videos include lyrics to facilitate the production here. 

I like to think the following sequence is a manifestation of Maynard's relationship with his mother - Judith Marie Keenan. Maynard is the lead singer for Tool, and after the band blew up with the album Aenema, he decided to also do Perfect Circle. In 2000, his mother had a stroke and was restricted to a wheel chair. Consequently he made the song "Judith." But I would like to begin here:




Then, "Judith":



Maynard then works with Tool and puts out Lateralus - an awesome album by the way. And although the following two songs from the album are arguable whether they directly relate to this relationship he has with his mother, although I think it very well stands as a general statement, nonetheless, I do think they provide insight into the relationship.

Comments

[Nordictrack Nate]

Maynard certainly is an interesting guy, but he makes great music! When is the new APC album coming out?