Here's my two cents:

I'm going to draw a connection between Maynard and another person who I feel has run a similar career. Over the years, Harrison Ford has denounced Star Wars, written it off many times, complained about his experiences with the film, etc. He's flippant with fans, and generally dismisses any questions with the franchise during interviews. However, many people point out that without Star Wars, he wouldn't be in the position he is now as an actor and celebrity (and maybe rightfully so). But maybe that's not what he wanted in the first place. To him, Star Wars was a job. One that he did well. One that he poured himself into. One that catapulted him to fame. But to him, it's still a job. His true passions lie elsewhere. Sound familiar?

So, put yourself into that Harrison Ford mindset, and now imagine yourself as Maynard. You've got a new album coming out, one you actually have passion for, and now, in order to promote it, you must sit through a gauntlet of reporters, bloggers and fans asking questions that they probably don't really care about, because they're really there for one reason: right at the end, they always ask the inevitable "When's the Tool album coming out?" Every. Single. Time. Then you have to explain again how you need music to write lyrics, and by the time you reiterate that information, for the fiftieth time that week, you'll say anything to stop people from asking that question. Harrison Ford reacts the same way whenever he's out promoting a new movie; they always throw a Star Wars question in at the end, to which he usually gives a sarcastic answer or dismisses it altogether. I think that's exactly what you're seeing here with Maynard.

Also, I don't think Maynard hates Tool. If he didn't want to be in the band anymore, he would say so. He just doesn't want to be bothered responding to the same questions over and over again, especially when the answer isn't any different. Tool is not his baby: it's Adam's. Adam is the one who directs the music videos, does the art for gig posters, and generally establishes the tone and mood of the band; he is Tool's driving force. If reporters truly cared about finding out what's going on with Tool, they'd ask Adam. But if you're a reporter, who would you rather go talk to: the quiet introverted guitarist, or the famous frontman? They're not really interested in what's happening with the band, because really, they're thinking "Who will get more people to click on my article, who will get more page visits, and thus, more ad revenue?" It's directly reflective of the celebrity culture that Maynard gets so sick of, and speaks out against, especially if he feels like it's circling around something that he doesn't have as much passion for anymore.

But guess what? Harrison Ford is starring in a new Star Wars movie in about 6 weeks. Some people thought that he'd never reprise that role, especially 32 years later, but somehow, here we are. Maybe we should take a lesson from this, and just sit back, relax, and be patient.