I believe that music is a force in itself. It is there and it needs an outlet, a medium. In a way, we are just the medium. Maynard James Keenan More Quotes by Maynard James Keenan More Quotes From Maynard James Keenan I think that people get outraged over things. I think what we really need is a kind of borderline extinction level event to get people back to caring about what really matters. Maynard James Keenan caring people thinking I think artists are going to express things from an emotional point of view, that's their job, to suggest and interpret, and report what they witness. That's their job as artists, you're looking for the rub, where's the rub, you're a storyteller, you're looking for the rub, not necessarily the solutions, or you're not necessarily educated, you're not the winner of a debate contest, a national debate contest, you're not necessarily a person who has a doctorate in anything. Maynard James Keenan emotional jobs thinking Choices always were a problem for you. What you need is someone strong to guide you. Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow, what you need is someone strong to use you - like me. Maynard James Keenan dumb choices strong We are eternal. All this pain is an illusion. Maynard James Keenan parabola illusion pain I want to find a genie in a bottle that can grant me three wishes. I want to be able to speak, read, write, and understand any language ever written or spoken, just any language throughout the history of man. That would be one of my wishes from the genie, so I would have to put "multilingual" on the resume, should I ever find the genie. Maynard James Keenan wish writing men I think the Grammys are nothing more than some gigantic promotional machine for the music industry. They cater to a low intellect and they feed the masses. They don't honor the arts or the artist for what he created. It's the music business celebrating itself. Maynard James Keenan honor art thinking Just in general, any government throughout history hasn't really wanted its people to be educated, because then they couldn't control them as easily. Maynard James Keenan educated government people If you take different mythologies from different cultures, the names may change and the story lines may vary but there is always something in common. Maynard James Keenan other-cultures names stories One of my biggest heroes in music has been David Bowie. He's said, `I'm going to be a painter now, or I'm going to do some films,' and his audience is very forgiving, because they understand him as an artist. Whether you agree or like the result, you respect that he's expressing his artistic feelings. Maynard James Keenan artist hero feelings You can grow grapes in almost any part of the world. You just have to develop your palate enough to realize wine is an expression of the place where you make it. You don't have to take over the world; just be an artist and express your area. Maynard James Keenan wine artist expression Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing. Maynard James Keenan breathing alive chance I would hope they would be our fellow artists, rather than trying to emulate or idolize clowns like us. Maynard James Keenan unique artist trying Music is about listening, the more you play, the more the magic spreads. Maynard James Keenan magic listening play Every now and then, you get people who tend to forget what this country is about, which is a melting pot of races and cultures and freedom of speech. Maynard James Keenan race country people I just hope that our fans are people who are inspired by music, and just use our music as a background or inspiration for whatever it is they do. Maynard James Keenan inspiration use people But you know, I'm the negative-Nancy, curmudgeon, glass-half-empty-with-a-leak-in-it guy - which is basically the fuel that fires me up anyway. Without that, we wouldn't have me. Maynard James Keenan glasses guy fire You really should be able to feel the higher power of music and be moved by it, rather than listening to me waffle on and having to explain it. Maynard James Keenan waffles able listening I've always had an affinity for growing things. Maynard James Keenan growing-things affinity growing I can't be a legend yet. I'm not dead. Maynard James Keenan legends i-can Knuckle deep inside the borderline. Maynard James Keenan relax hurt may