A Perfect Circle Of Contrary Things - Maynard James Keenan & Sarah Jensen 4/5
When I first heard about this book I was skeptical. For years Tool was a band that kept their private lives strictly that. You didn't see them on magazine covers, or even giving interviews. The fact that Maynard had agreed to tell his life story was mind blowing as well as intriguing. The downside is that the book itself is only written with Keenan which gives it a unique style. It's an interesting glimpse into Keenan, not Tool, so if you're reading the book to gain lyrical insight you're going to walk away very upset. Tool isn't mentioned until halfway through the book, but we do get a great deal of insight into his formative years. If you're not a fan, this book is of little or no use to you.
The fact is, Maynard is allowing us to hear his life story his way. Everything you'd expect from your usual bio is stripped away, and in its place is something deep and yes, even meaningful. What you don't get are the inspirations behind the lyrics due to how personal they are, but you do get an insight into A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, and yes even the wine. It's almost as if the bands and the wine are mere afterthoughts, and the real story is the creative force driving the man isn't even musically related. Each reader can hone in on any aspect of the biography and find something in Maynard's story to apply to their own lives. It does drag a bit, but all bios have this problem.
For the fan's it's an interesting look into Maynard's head. It still leaves a bit of mystery to who Maynard is, and t's a guarded bio about a reluctant rock star that's still coming to grips with what he's become. Non fans won't see what all the fuss is about, or even get why it's such a big deal that the book even exists. You aren't getting your usual fluff piece which is a welcome relief because most bios have some kind of moment where life spins out of control and the book is an attempt to pick up the shattered pieces. It's not a way for the fan to connect to the artist either. It's his story, and one he's created on his terms.
When I first heard about this book I was skeptical. For years Tool was a band that kept their private lives strictly that. You didn't see them on magazine covers, or even giving interviews. The fact that Maynard had agreed to tell his life story was mind blowing as well as intriguing. The downside is that the book itself is only written with Keenan which gives it a unique style. It's an interesting glimpse into Keenan, not Tool, so if you're reading the book to gain lyrical insight you're going to walk away very upset. Tool isn't mentioned until halfway through the book, but we do get a great deal of insight into his formative years. If you're not a fan, this book is of little or no use to you.
The fact is, Maynard is allowing us to hear his life story his way. Everything you'd expect from your usual bio is stripped away, and in its place is something deep and yes, even meaningful. What you don't get are the inspirations behind the lyrics due to how personal they are, but you do get an insight into A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, and yes even the wine. It's almost as if the bands and the wine are mere afterthoughts, and the real story is the creative force driving the man isn't even musically related. Each reader can hone in on any aspect of the biography and find something in Maynard's story to apply to their own lives. It does drag a bit, but all bios have this problem.
For the fan's it's an interesting look into Maynard's head. It still leaves a bit of mystery to who Maynard is, and t's a guarded bio about a reluctant rock star that's still coming to grips with what he's become. Non fans won't see what all the fuss is about, or even get why it's such a big deal that the book even exists. You aren't getting your usual fluff piece which is a welcome relief because most bios have some kind of moment where life spins out of control and the book is an attempt to pick up the shattered pieces. It's not a way for the fan to connect to the artist either. It's his story, and one he's created on his terms.
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