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The Tool Page: An Article

Publication: Billboard

Date: March, 2000

Transcribed by
Stu (stuniversal@hotmail.com)


  page: 12
 title: Tool Leader Keenan Forms A Perfect Circle
author: Melinda Newman

TOOLS OF THE TRADE: As Tool leader Maynard James Keenan launches his 
new band, A Perfect Circle, he hopes his fans will share the musical 
journey with him. 

"One of my biggest heroes in music has been David Bowie," says 
Keenan. "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. This is like 
that." 

A Perfect Circle, which Keenan formed with former guitar technician 
Billy Howerdel, will debut with its Virgin project, "Mer De Noms," 
due May 23. Prior to the album's release, the band will kick off a 
tour with Nine Inch Nails in mid-April. 

A Perfect Circle inked a worldwide deal with Virgin Records after the 
label outbid Volcano, the record company for which Tool records. 

"Volcano had matching rights," says Keenan. "Virgin expressed 
interest to [Volcano] that this was a serious thing. I think 
[Volcano] thought that I was just going to be off gallivanting for a 
weekend. When we realized there was a label that genuinely understood 
what it was about, that helped us decide to go to Virgin." 

Keenan stresses that Tool and A Perfect Circle will co-exist, and he 
will trade off projects between the two. In fact, he's now working on 
Tool's follow-up to 1996's "Aenima," but he doesn't expect the 
project to be finished before A Perfect Circle hits the road with 
Nine Inch Nails. 

"But I think that might be good," he says. "My doing this allows [my 
Tool bandmates] to explore without me. It will be a good result, a 
different perspective." 

He rules out a Tool and A Perfect Circle tour, saying it would be too 
grueling. 

"Tool is far more brutal vocally. I don't think I could do two sets 
[in] one night. There's too much emotional dynamic. I'd be physically 
and emotionally exhausted in a week." 

Indeed, While A Perfect Circle plays hard rock--and first 
single "Judith" is a crunchy, driving slab of a song--"Mer De Noms" 
blurs the line between hard and alternative rock, with many slower 
tunes exhibiting an intense smolder rather than a flashy burn. 

"I kind of view music as a result of the relationship with the people 
you're surrounded by," Keenan says. "Put four different musicians in 
the room, and you're going to have a different result." 

Rounding out A Perfect Circle are guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, bassist 
Paz Lenchantin, and drummer Josh Freese. 

Posted to t.d.n: 03/12/01 01:19:50