A Perfect Circle

A Perfect Circle

Company type	Supergroup
Industry	Music
Founded	August 1999 (1999-08)
Founder	Billy Howerdel, Maynard James Keenan
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California , United States
Products	Studio albums, live albums, singles
Website	www.aperfectcircle.com

A Perfect Circle is a renowned American rock supergroup that originated in Los Angeles, California, in 1999. It was founded by guitarist Billy Howerdel alongside Maynard James Keenan, the lead vocalist of Tool. During the early 2000s, the group released three studio albums: their debut Mer de Noms (2000), the follow-up Thirteenth Step (2003), and a covers collection titled Emotive (2004). Soon after the launch of Emotive, the band entered a hiatus period; Keenan returned to focus on Tool and his solo project Puscifer, while Howerdel pursued his solo career under the name Ashes Divide with the album Keep Telling Myself It's Alright. The band's activity became irregular until they regrouped in 2010, performing live sporadically until 2013. After releasing a greatest hits compilation, Three Sixty, along with the live box set A Perfect Circle Live: Featuring Stone and Echo in 2013, they once again paused their activities. The members came back together in 2017 to produce their fourth studio album, Eat the Elephant, which was released in 2018. Following a tour that year, the band remained dormant until 2024, when they embarked on a short tour and released a single titled "Kindred".

The lineup has seen numerous changes over time, largely due to Keenan’s other projects, with only Keenan and Howerdel consistently remaining. The original roster featured bassist Paz Lenchantin, guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, and drummer Tim Alexander, who contributed to just one track before being replaced by Josh Freese. Early collaborators from the 2000s also included producer Danny Lohner and bassist Jeordie White. Presently, the band consists of Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, bassist Matt McJunkins, and drummer Josh Freese; both McJunkins and Freese additionally participate in related acts Puscifer and Ashes Divide. Despite personnel shifts, Howerdel remains responsible for composing music while Keenan crafts lyrics and vocal melodies. By 2005, their first three albums had collectively sold four million copies and garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success.

Formation and Mer de Noms (1999–2000)

The inception of A Perfect Circle traces back to Billy Howerdel, who previously worked as a guitar technician for notable acts such as Nine Inch Nails, the Smashing Pumpkins, Fishbone, and Tool. Howerdel developed a friendship with vocalist Maynard James Keenan after Tool served as an opening act for Fishbone in 1992. In 1995, Keenan offered Howerdel accommodation at his North Hollywood residence, where Howerdel presented his demo recordings. Impressed by what he heard, Keenan agreed to become involved in the venture. Initially, Howerdel aimed to recruit Elizabeth Fraser from Cocteau Twins as the singer; however, she was unavailable at that time. The original lineup also included bassist/violinist Paz Lenchantin, former Failure guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, and drummer Tim Alexander of Primus. The band’s first live performance took place in August 1999, shortly before Alexander was replaced by Josh Freese, who had collaborated with Howerdel during sessions for Guns N’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy. After initial negotiations with Tool’s label Volcano Records, A Perfect Circle signed with Virgin Records, a move Keenan favored because Virgin viewed them as a primary act rather than a side project. Subsequently, they began work on their debut album.

Released on May 23, 2000, their first album Mer de Noms—meaning "Sea of Names" in French—achieved both critical praise and commercial success. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, selling 188,000 units during its first week—the highest opening sales for a rock band’s initial album at that time. By October 31, 2000, it had earned platinum certification from the RIAA. The album received "Best Debut Album" honors at the California Music Awards. Critics highlighted Keenan’s operatic vocal style paired with Howerdel’s songwriting and production as an important contribution to contemporary rock.

To promote the album, A Perfect Circle supported Nine Inch Nails on their 2000 Fragility v2.0 tour before embarking on headlining tours worldwide that lasted approximately eight months. During performances, Keenan maintained his privacy by wearing wigs. The album produced three successful singles: "Judith", "3 Libras", and "The Hollow"—the latter featuring Alexander’s sole studio recording—reaching #4, #12, and #14 respectively on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

Thirteenth Step (2001–2003)

Towards the end of 2000, the band's activities decelerated as Keenan returned to focus on Tool’s album Lateralus. Between January and March 2001, he toured with A Perfect Circle before rejoining Tool for Lateralus’s launch and subsequent tour. Initially, Howerdel and Keenan attempted to collaborate remotely on new compositions; however, Keenan’s dedication to Tool curtailed his participation. By mid-2002, Howerdel was primarily responsible for songwriting, occasionally joined by Van Leeuwen, Lenchantin, and Freese. As of June 2002, approximately 80% of the instrumental tracks were finished, pending Keenan’s reengagement. Nonetheless, personnel shifts and creative conflicts postponed the album’s release by over a year. Lenchantin departed in April 2002 to join Billy Corgan’s Zwan, while Van Leeuwen embarked on a tour with Queens of the Stone Age. In January 2003, ex-Marilyn Manson bassist Jeordie White stepped in as Lenchantin’s replacement. Shortly thereafter, Van Leeuwen left permanently, with Danny Lohner temporarily filling his role to complete the album.

Keenan resumed studio work in early 2003, influencing the album’s direction alongside the refreshed lineup. Unlike their debut Mer de Noms, where Howerdel had finalized most music before Keenan contributed lyrics and vocals, this time Keenan played an active role in shaping arrangements to achieve a sound diverging from traditional hard rock. Creative tensions emerged as Howerdel favored heavier compositions while Keenan advocated for softer modifications; White served as a mediator during these disputes. The band released their sophomore album, Thirteenth Step, on September 16, 2003. It entered the charts at number two, selling over 233,000 copies in its initial week and earning widespread critical praise. Critics noted its darker, more atmospheric tone and lyrical sophistication as an evolution from their first release.

Touring commenced in July 2003 across the United States and extended through the end of the year with a European segment supporting the Deftones. Due to touring conflicts, Lohner was replaced by former The Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha. In early 2004, A Perfect Circle toured Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan before wrapping up U.S. dates in June—completing nearly a year of continuous touring. The album yielded three singles: "Weak and Powerless", "The Outsider", and "Blue". "Weak and Powerless" achieved number one positions on both Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks and Mainstream Rock Songs charts; "The Outsider" also secured top-five rankings on these lists. Both singles attained notable crossover success on the Billboard Hot 100 at positions 61 and 79 respectively.

Emotive (2004)

Following their early-2004 touring for Thirteenth Step, A Perfect Circle announced a hiatus as Keenan returned to Tool while Howerdel pursued solo endeavors. In July 2004, at the Axis of Justice concert advocating political and social issues, Keenan revealed plans for a politically charged covers album. Initially reluctant about producing a covers record, Keenan proposed this concept amid his criticism of President George W. Bush’s administration, aiming to challenge political indifference rather than targeting any individual figure. The band prioritized completing this third studio release ahead of the 2004 U.S. Presidential Elections.

Recording sessions took place from late June through early September involving Howerdel, Keenan, Freese, alongside contributions from former and current members such as Lenchantin, Lohner, White, and Iha. Due to time limitations and Howerdel’s solo ambitions, he performed lead vocals on roughly one-third of the tracks. The album featured an eclectic selection of covers—from Marvin Gaye’s "What’s Going On" to Led Zeppelin’s "When the Levee Breaks"—mostly radical reinterpretations crafted to make each song distinctly their own. Some pieces originated as original compositions later adapted with external lyrics.

Released on November 2, 2004—Election Day—Emotive garnered mixed feedback; some fans and critics resisted its political orientation and unconventional cover choices. Accusations that the project was hastily completed to fulfill Virgin Records’ contract were refuted by Howerdel. Commercially, it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 142,000 copies—matching Thirteenth Step's peak chart position but with lower sales—and achieved Gold certification from the RIAA.

No tour followed Emotive, as the band entered hiatus soon after its release. Two singles supported the album: a somber rendition of John Lennon’s "Imagine" and "Passive," one of two original tracks connected to Trent Reznor’s abandoned Tapeworm project. After Tapeworm stalled due to creative and legal complications, A Perfect Circle reworked "Vacant" into "Passive" for this record. Shortly after Emotive, on November 16, 2004, they issued Amotion, a CD/DVD collection featuring music videos and remixes from earlier albums.

Hiatus and other projects (2005–2009)

In January 2005, A Perfect Circle entered an indefinite hiatus with members focusing on individual projects. Keenan returned to Tool to record their 2006 album 10,000 Days, while Howerdel embarked on a solo career path. Other bandmates engaged in various touring or session roles elsewhere. The group’s status remained ambiguous; Howerdel described it in 2005 as "hiatus or done until further notice," Keenan referred to it as being on "life-support" in 2006, and later Howerdel stated it was "done for now." By late 2007, Keenan expressed cautious optimism about regrouping—likely for tours or singles rather than a full-length album—highlighting challenges balancing both Tool and A Perfect Circle due to similar operational structures and emphasizing Howerdel’s need to explore his own artistic direction before resuming band activities.

During this period, Howerdel collaborated with former members on various ventures. In 2005 he composed the soundtrack for Jak X: Combat Racing, involving Van Leeuwen, Lenchantin, and Freese. Between 2005 and 2007 he worked on solo material but faced difficulties that led him to collaborate again with past associates including producer Lohner, drummer Freese, and co-writer Lenchantin. This material culminated in the Ashes Divide project with their debut album Keep Telling Myself It's Alright released in 2008. Meanwhile, Keenan launched his own solo act Puscifer, releasing albums starting in 2007. Despite these endeavors both confirmed in 2008 that A Perfect Circle remained an active entity.

Reformation, touring, compilation releases (2010–2016)

By December 2008 both Keenan and Howerdel had been independently writing new material for A Perfect Circle; however the band remained officially on hiatus with limited public presence through mid-2010. A pivotal moment occurred when Keenan needed a guitarist for an impromptu performance of "Bohemian Rhapsody" alongside Queen guitarist Brian May at E3 2010; he recruited Howerdel who accepted enthusiastically. This successful collaboration rekindled their desire to perform together.

In September 2010 they formally ended their hiatus by resuming live shows featuring Keenan, Howerdel, Freese, Iha returning alongside new bassist Matt McJunkins due to Lenchantin’s and White’s unavailability. Their tour that year included three-night engagements in five cities where each night showcased one complete album—Mer de Noms, Thirteenth Step, and Emotive—with much of Emotive performed live for the first time ever. Although new material was discussed publicly Keenan cited logistical challenges alongside changing industry dynamics as obstacles preventing a full album recording; he favored releasing singles instead. Since 2008 Howerdel had developed demos some intended for A Perfect Circle while others reserved for Ashes Divide.

Touring continued throughout North America during 2011 including performances at major festivals such as Rock on the Range, Edgefest, Ottawa Bluesfest, Kanrocksas Music Festival, Lollapalooza and Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Mid-tour drummer Josh Freese was replaced by Jeff Friedl due to scheduling conflicts. Only one new song titled "By and Down" debuted live during this period. By year-end Keenan confirmed no new material was ready while both he and Howerdel returned focus to side projects Puscifer and Ashes Divide respectively. The band saw little activity throughout most of 2012 aside from a single December show; Freese officially departed that year with Friedl becoming permanent drummer.

In early 2013 A Perfect Circle performed at Australia’s Soundwave Music Festival plus Lollapalooza Chile but still had not completed new songs owing to other commitments among members. Later that year they issued two compilations: greatest hits collection Three Sixty, which included one new studio track ("By and Down"), plus box set A Perfect Circle Live: Featuring Stone and Echo, compiling live recordings from their full-album performances in 2010 plus a Red Rocks show from 2011 across CD/DVD formats. Howerdel noted they possessed roughly three-quarters of their next album's musical framework but lacked Keenan's vocal melodies or lyrics; additionally they disagreed over release strategy—with Keenan favoring singles while Howerdel preferred a traditional full-length record.

Following these releases public activity ceased until Howerdel reaffirmed his commitment in 2015 while Keenan expressed hope for renewed activity in early 2016.

Eat the Elephant (2017–2018)

The band reactivated in early 2017 announcing a North American tour scheduled for April–May aimed at motivating completion of their fourth studio album—a strategy reminiscent of their approach during Mer de Noms back in 1999. In March they secured a new recording contract with BMG Rights Management, marking their first deal in thirteen years. Howerdel anticipated releasing the album between late 2017 and early 2018 while Keenan clarified it would not arrive within that calendar year. A second North American tour took place from October through December featuring debut performances of new songs such as "Feathers" and "Hourglass".

Eat the Elephant was officially released on April 20, 2018 following four preceding singles: "The Doomed", "Disillusioned", "TalkTalk", and "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish". This marked their first collaboration with an outside producer—Dave Sardy—who helped bridge creative differences between Keenan and Howerdel during recording sessions. The album launch was supported by extensive touring including appearances at festivals such as Rock on the Range and Coachella. In June they extended their North American itinerary complemented by release of a two-dimensional hologram video for "The Contrarian".

James Iha missed shows between April and July due to commitments related to his reunion with Smashing Pumpkins, with Greg Edwards from Failure substituting live; Iha remains an official member.

Future (2019–present)

Howerdel expressed interest in maintaining band activity beyond promotion cycles for Eat the Elephant, though future endeavors depend heavily upon Keenan's availability alongside other obligations. In June 2018 Keenan confirmed intentions toward producing additional albums while Howerdel agreed that “the band will move forward for sure.” By late 2021 Keenan revealed plans focusing on Puscifer along with supporting Howerdel's solo release What Normal Was. During promotion throughout that year Howerdel reiterated ambitions toward creating more A Perfect Circle music eventually but acknowledged no concrete discussions or plans had yet taken place with Keenan.

In April 2024 they resumed live performances for the first time since their last shows in 2018 by touring alongside Puscifer and Primus. On March 29th they released "Kindred," their first new track in six years featured within a three-way split EP titled Sessanta E.P.P.P.,, which includes one contribution each from A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, and Primus respectively. Josh Freese returned after thirteen years away to record drums on this release as well as perform select tour dates; Gunnar Olsen from Puscifer filled in during Freese's commitments with Foo Fighters.

Musical style, influences, and legacy

A Perfect Circle's sound encompasses multiple genres while maintaining a consistent creative process: primarily Billy Howerdel crafts instrumentals whereas Maynard James Keenan writes lyrics along with vocal melodies. Known chiefly for fronting Tool—which deliberately maintains distinctiveness—the two bands differ significantly:

Howerdel has described A Perfect Circle as expressing greater emotional vulnerability compared to Tool. His artistic inspirations include Adam Ant's Kings of the Wild Frontier, Siouxsie and the Banshees' Tinderbox, Ozzy Osbourne's Randy Rhoads-era Diary of a Madman, along with The Cure's atmospheric work like Pornography.

AllMusic critic Tracy Frey characterized their style as an extension of alt-metal/art rock popularized by Tool but less dark-toned yet more melodic—incorporating theatricality alongside ambient textures enriched by strings plus unconventional instrumentation choices. While Keenan classified their debut record Mer de Noms as hard rock-oriented later albums embraced mellower atmospheres blending heavy rock elements akin to The Cure's Disintegration. Their music is typically categorized under alternative rock/metal genres including hard rock, art rock/metal plus progressive rock/metal.

Although sometimes grouped under nu metal due to timing amid that genre’s popularity combined with melodic heaviness this classification remains disputed.

Both A Perfect Circle together with Tool are acknowledged as significant influences shaping modern rock music landscapes. VH1 observed many bands sounding similar to Tool were actually inspired by A Perfect Circle’s accessible melodic structures plus rhythmic approaches instead. Critics from AllMusic along with Rolling Stone lauded both Mer de Noms plus Thirteenth Step as exemplary contemporary rock albums while online publication musicOMH asserted that A Perfect Circle “literally defined alternative rock as we know it.”

Band members

Current

• Maynard James Keenan – lead vocals (1999–2004; 2010–present)
• Billy Howerdel – guitar, keyboards; studio-only bass (1999–2004; 2010–present)
• Josh Freese – drums (1999–2004; 2010–2011; 2024–present)
• James Iha – guitar & keyboards (2003–2004; 2010–present)
• Matt McJunkins – bass guitar & backing vocals (2010–present)

Touring

• Greg Edwards – guitar & keyboards (substitute for James Iha; 2018; 2024–present)
• Gunnar Olsen – drums (substitute for Josh Freese; since 2024)

Former

• Tim Alexander – drums (1999)
• Paz Lenchantin – bass guitar & strings plus backing vocals & piano (1999–2002; guest appearance in 2004)
• Troy Van Leeuwen – guitar (1999–2002)
• Jeordie White – bass guitar (2003–2004)
• Danny Lohner – guitar/bass/keyboards/backing vocals (early/mid-2003 & part of 2004)
• Jeff Friedl – drums (2011–2024)

Timeline

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Discography

• Mer de Noms (released in 2000)
• Thirteenth Step (released in 2003)
• Emotive (released in 2004)
• Eat the Elephant (released in 2018)

External links

• Official site