Tool's Maynard James Keenan on Separation of Church + State

Maynard James Keenan has never been one to mince words and he certainly isn't going to start now as he considers the importance of a separation between church and state.

The Tool/A Perfect Circle/Puscifer lead singer was recently asked about the subject during a wide-ranging interview with the Arizona Republic.

How Maynard James Keenan Responded to Question About Religion

Eventually, the conversation turned toward religious fundamentalism, which may seem like a heady topic to tackle in an interview previewing Puscifer's March 21 show in Phoenix. Keenan was undeterred.

"The separation of church and state, I absolutely believe that, because when it comes to state, it's like... It's a mechanism," Keenan said."It's a car, it's an engine, it's mechanics. There's no faith involved. There's a mechanics to this thing. You can have your faith, but it shouldn't affect how your car runs."

For those unfamiliar with the concept, the separation of church and state is the philosophy that religion and politics should not influence each other. It's the idea that religion shouldn't drive governmental decisions and the government shouldn't control your religious beliefs and practices.

"That's why separating church and state is important to me, 'cause the government should not be an emotional being," Keenan continued. "It should be a mechanism. It's a machinery. No faith involved."

Why Maynard James Keenan Wants CDs to Return

Keenan has a strong connection with Arizona. In 2024, he and his wife, Jennifer, opened The Queen B Vinyl Cafe in Cottonwood, Arizona. The business is a combination of a coffee shop, wine bar, barber and, of course, record store.

But don't think that the 61-year-old singer only wants vinyl in his music collection.

"I'm hoping that CDs make a comeback because I can't play vinyl in my car," Keenan told the Arizona Republic.

He heralded the compact disc as "such a beautiful, rich format."

"The MP3s, when you crank it in your car, it just doesn't hold up. It starts to fall apart."

Puscifer's North American tour begins March 20 in Las Vegas. Here is everywhere the band is going to be in the next couple of months.

Puscifer 2026 Tour Dates

March 20 - Las Vegas, Nev. @ The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
March 21 - Phoenix, Ariz.  @ Arizona Financial Theatre
March 24 - Austin, Texas @ Bass Concert Hall
March 25 - Dallas, Texas @  Music Hall at Fair Park
March 27 - Nashville, Tenn. @ The Pinnacle
March 28 - Atlanta, Ga. @ Coca-Cola Roxy
March 31 - Asheville, N.C.  @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
April 1 - Durham, N.C.  @ DPAC – Durham Performing Arts Center
April 3 - Bethlehem, Pa. @ Wind Creek Event Center
April 4 - Boston, Mass.  @ Boch Center - Wang Theatre
April 7 - New York, N.Y. @ Terminal 5
April 8 - Hershey, Pa.  @ Hershey Theatre
April 10 - Mashantucket, Ct. @ Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino
April 11 - Atlantic City, N.J. @ Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Resort
April 15 - Niagara Falls, Ontario @ OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino
April 16 - Akron, Ohio @ Akron Civic Theatre
April 18 - Detroit, Mich. @ Fox Theatre
April 19 - Cincinnati, Ohio @ Taft Theatre
April 21 - Louisville, Ky. @ The Louisville Palace
April 23 - Indianapolis, Ind. @ Murat Theatre
April 25 - Chicago, Ill. @ The Chicago Theatre
April 26 - Milwaukee, Wis. @ Landmark Credit Union Live
April 28 - Madison, Wis. @ The Sylvee
April 30 - St. Louis, Mo. @ The Factory
May 1 - Kansas City, Mo. @ The Midland Theatre
May 3 - Morrison, Colo. @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
May 5 - Salt Lake City, Utah @ Maverik Center
May 8 - Portland, Ore. @ Theater of the Clouds
May 9 - Seattle, Wash. @ WAMU Theater
May 11 - San Francisco, Calif. @ Golden Gate Theatre
May 13 - San Diego, Calif. @ San Diego Civic Theatre
May 14 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ The Greek Theatre

Want even more rock and metal tour dates? We've got you covered below.