"I am very much saddened by this news," Murphy told fans in a statement.
"The phone obsession has now got so out of hand that it has become unnecessarily distracting especially to the band," said Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood.
The Tool singer says he's "preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best" in regard to July's Back to The Beginning concert in England.
“I don’t think it’s unreasonable that we take a long time at all," explained bassist Justin Chancellor.
Witnessing Tool performing live in 2001 was life-changing for Lzzy Hale, while her then-boyfriend's actions were a "total deal-breaker".
The group were joined by Bryan 'Brain' Mantia, who had previously sat behind the kit for Primus over many years.
