Maynard James Keenan Maynard was born to a Baptist family and grew up with an older sister in Ravenna, Ohio.Maynard attended Brown Jr High and then Ravenna High school through the 10th grade until he moved to Michigan. There he attended Mason County Central High School in Scottville, MI. By the time he entered the army, in 1982, he had lived in Ohio, Michigan,New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. Maynard was in the United States Military Academy ("West Point") prep school class of 1984. Maynard quit the military to study art.

Before Tool, in the 80's, Maynard was in Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty (C.A.D.) that released an independent cassette called 'Fingernails'. He was also in another band called TexAns.

Maynard attended West Point Prep School and United States Military Academy Prep School, hence references to the Honor Code "I will not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do"; and to the term 'tool.' Tools are seen as sellouts. They follow the regulations to the letter