# Maynard James Keenan thinks people have misunderstood Joni Mitchell for decades. He has a very different view of her

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/maynard-james-keenan-thinks-people-have-misunderstood-joni-mitchell-for-decades-he-has-a-very-different-view-of-her/
- Published: 2026-10-28T03:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-28T03:08:44+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/maynard-james-keenan-thinks-people-have-misunderstood-joni-mitchell-for-decades-he-has-a-very-different-view-of-her/
- Topics: Offbeat, Weird & Viral

## Key points

- Keenan says Mitchell’s artistry is often underestimated.
- Her songwriting and engineering impressed him.
- Mitchell’s creative freedom inspired the Tool singer.

## Summary

Maynard James Keenan says Joni Mitchell has been misunderstood as a flower-wearing hippie, arguing that her songwriting, musicianship and artistic range make her one of her era’s most significant creative forces. His admiration matters because Mitchell’s work inspired the Tool vocalist, whose own music is far removed from her folk beginnings.

In a 2017 interview, Keenan praised Mitchell for writing her own songs and engineering some of her records at a time when men dominated the music industry. He also admired her work across different art forms and her commitment to creative freedom. Mitchell’s use of alternate guitar tunings, which developed after polio weakened her left hand, helped shape her distinctive songs, including those on the influential albums *Blue* and *Court and Spark*.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.