Formed: 1999
From:
CA,
United States
Last Known Status: Active
Background
Billy Howerdel used to be the guitar tech for Maynard James Keenan's band Tool. Maynard heard Billy's material and asked to sing on them. Billy quickly put together a band, originally with Danny Lohner of Nine Inch Nails on guitar and Tim "Herb" Alexander of Primus and Laundry on drums.
Maynard met Josh Freese at Lollapalooza '96 when Josh played drums for Devo. Subsequently, Josh found himself working with Billy on the Guns N' Roses CD "Chinese Democracy." Maynard and Billy were both significantly impressed with Josh's talent, and were honored to bring him into the fold, alternating with Tim Alexander as drummer until becoming a full-time member in 1999.
Troy Van Leeuwen of Failure and Enemy became the full-time guitarist in 1999. Troy had worked as a Tool guitar tech with Billy, and Failure (with Troy on guitar) had toured with Tool. Maynard and Billy considered Troy an excellent rare combination of studio musician precision, live flair, and creativity.
The lineup of Billy, Maynard, Paz, Troy, and Josh recorded "Mer De Noms" (though Tim Alexander contributed drums for The Hollow), and toured as a live band throughought the summer of 2000 with NIN, and through the fall and following winter as a headlining act. At that point, Maynard went back to the Tool camp for a new album ("Lateralus") and Billy went back to the studio to begin work on the second album "Thirteenth Step."
In the meantime, Paz Lenchantin began playing with Billy Corgan's new band Zwan and Troy begain playing with Queens Of The Stone Age as a live guitarist. In early 2003, Billy and Maynard announced that Paz and Troy would not be returning to APC, and would be replaced by Jeordie White (aka Twiggy Ramirez, formerly of Marilyn Manson) and Danny Lohner. However, in early July 2003, Danny Lohner's work on movie soundtracks and various projects had taken him away from the fold and James Iha from the Smashing Pumpkins had come in to replace him.
Latest A Perfect Circle News
Below is our complete A Perfect Circle news coverage, including columns and articles pertaining to the band. Some articles listed may be indirectly related, such as side projects of the band members, etc.
Note: We began associating news directly with bands in late 2003. Therefore, earlier band news may not be listed on this page.
Displaying records 1 - 20 of 70 1 2 3 4 Last
A Perfect Circle Premiere New Single & Visualizer
Multi-platinum alternative metal band A Perfect Circle have released a new single titled “Starless,” arriving just ahead of the kickoff to their European/UK summer tour. The run marks the group’s first return to the region in roughly eight years.
Frontman Maynard James Keenan (also of Tool and Puscifer) shared the following about the newly released track: More...
Louder Than Life 2025 Announces Full Lineup
Louder Than Life 2025 promises one of the biggest and loudest festivals in North America this year. Over 160 bands will perform on 6 stages September 18, 19, 20, and 21 at the Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, KY for the 11th edition of Louder Than Life. Louder Than Life 2025 also marks the largest lineup in the history of producer Danny Wimmer Presents.
In addition to the return of metal legends Slayer, the four-day destination event will also feature Rob Zombie in a global exclusive performance of Astro-Creep: 2000 in honor of the album’s 25th anniversary, plus Marilyn Manson on Thursday; Avenged Sevenfold, Sleep Token and Breaking Benjamin on Friday; Deftones, Bad Omens and A Perfect Circle on Saturday; and Bring Me The Horizon, $uicideboy$ and Evanescence on Sunday.
The festival will also feature performances from Knocked Loose, Three Days Grace, Lamb of God, Mudvayne, I Prevail, Spiritbox, All Time Low, Dream Theater, Stone Temple Pilots, Motionless in White, Cypress Hill, Acid Bath, DOWN, Lorna Shore, Bruce Dickinson, and many more.
“Louder Than Life has always been about showcasing the future of rock and heavy music while honoring the legends who paved the way. Bands like Bring Me The Horizon, Sleep Token, Bad Omens, $uicideboy$, Motionless In White, Spiritbox, I Prevail, Slaughter To Prevail, Lorna Shore, Wage War, Dayseeker, and Knocked Loose aren’t just performing—they’re defining the next generation of headliners,” says Danny Wimmer of Danny Wimmer Presents. “At the same time, pioneers like Slayer, Deftones, A Perfect Circle, and Avenged Sevenfold have set the standard, proving that this music is always evolving. This is where the past, present, and future of heavy music collide.”
“We’re coming back to Louder Than Life in Louisville. Get ready f*ckers!” says Slayer’s Tom Araya.
“We are very thrilled to finally be returning to America. We have missed our fans dearly and LOUDER THAN LIFE is one of our favorite festivals to play,” adds Bring Me The Horizon’s Oli Sykes.
“Louder Than Life 2025 will bring electrifying beats and bold bites to the Commonwealth,” says David S. Beck, president & CEO of Kentucky Venues. “As one of the nation’s largest and most celebrated music festivals, it continues to grow at the Kentucky Exposition Center, solidifying its place as a uniquely Kentucky experience and a must-visit event.”
While festival producers Danny Wimmer Presents have unveiled some of the Louder Than Life 2025 bands in recent weeks, the full music lineup--including several reunions and rare performances--is as follows for the 11th year of the fan-favorite event: More...
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Sessanta's Berkeley Show
Sessanta - A 60th Birthday Celebration for Maynard James Keenan, live in Berkeley, California 4/21/24
Earlier this week at Berkeley’s Greek Theatre, A Perfect Circle, Primus, and Puscifer celebrated Maynard James Keenan’s 60th birthday. Labeled “Sessanta” (and for those of you who understand Spanish even less than I, “sesenta” means sixty in Spanish), the birthday celebration tour of seven shows announced in September 2023 became such a buzz that the festivities tripled into 21 concerts, soon to be ending on May 4.
Despite having grown up less than 18 miles from the Greek Theatre (and providing occasional tours of Berkeley for Japanese tourists in the early 1990s), this was my first time at the venue. The top portion of the venue has been redone for 2024 (this was the first show of the year), fixing lawn issues, and allowing for an even more spectacular view of the area including The Campanile and, on this clear day, San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. Les Claypool commented on the stunning views that he partook of earlier in the day during one of the Primus sets. Even though I had my camera ready to capture the scene, I was informed that I couldn’t take photos, despite the fact that I had a photo pass, and the show wasn’t even going to begin for over an hour. Oh well.
Every night of the tour features unique posters and other merch for the bands individually and for Sessanta collectively. The lines for merch were so long, though, that like several shows I’ve seen over the past few years, you either had to choose between obtaining merch or seeing the show. I really don’t understand those that opt for the former.
As the promotion material promised, “All 3 Bands Onstage At The Same Time” really took place, not just once but throughout the evening, even if some of the members weren’t actively playing or singing. Lounges were set up in the corners of the platformed stage where the non-performing musicians frequently hung out or came and went. Very unusual and cool. To get to these birthday lounges one could either take the stairs or opt for the stairs chair. As one who recently finished The Sopranos, I laughed out loud the first time Maynard took the “Livia Soprano” route.
At Tool shows I’ve been to, Maynard did not interact with the audience. In fact, I could barely see him at all at one of them. This evening was very different. Not only was Maynard engaged with the audience but Les Claypool was even more interactive than normal. During “My Name Is Mud” Les paused and said something like, “I just realized I came up with that riff in the Greek Theatre’s Green Room thirty-something years ago.”
While performing “Follow the Fool”, Les appeared to be singing to the guy who suddenly appeared next to me with his phone out to take pictures/video. Before the song had even finished, security had taken the intoxicated amateur photographer out of the venue.
Unfortunately, my photos are very limited due to the “no photo” policy which applied to everyone, including those of us with photo passes. The only portion of the show we could shoot was the final song, and I couldn’t even see Les during that brief period of time.
This was the first show with Puscifer's Gunnar Olsen playing drums for A Perfect Circle as well.
I’m looking forward to the Settanta show at the rest home that Maynard and I will be living in come 2034.
Setlist:
A Perfect Circle
The Package
Disillusioned
The Contrarian
Primus
Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers
Too Many Puppies
Sgt. Baker
Follow the Fool
Puscifer
Galileo
Tiny Monsters
Indigo Children
Primus
Jerry Was a Race Car Driver
My Name Is Mud
Tommy the Cat
Puscifer
Flippant
Momma Sed
Bullet Train to Iowa
The Underwhelming
A Perfect Circle
The Hollow
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
Weak and Powerless
The Outsider
Puscifer
The Humbling River
The Remedy
A Perfect Circle
Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums
Judith
Primus
Southbound Pachyderm
Sessanta E.P.P.P.
Kindred
No Angel
Pablo's Hippos
Primus, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer
Grand Canyon
Slipknot Premiere New NSFW Music Video
Fresh from the multi-platinum masked metallers Slipknot is the official music video for their track "Hive Mind." The video for this song from "The End, So Far" was directed by the band's percussionist and artistic director, M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan.
The acclaimed group was recently announced as one of the headliners for the 2024 edition of the 'Sick New World' festival in Las Vegas, NV. The event is scheduled for April 27th at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds and will also feature System Of A Down, A Perfect Circle, Alice In Chains, and many more.
Altitudes & Attitude Premiere New Single
Altitudes & Attitude have a new record called “Get It Out” in the works for a January 18th release via Megaforce. The band’s core consists of Megadeth‘s David Ellefson and Anthrax‘s Frank Bello and the first single from the outing has been launched in the form of the below lyric video for the song “Out Here“. Guitarist Jon Donais (Anthrax, Shadows Fall) guests on this song.
Comments Bello of this current single: More...
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A Perfect Circle: Strictly For Fans
After a long absence, A Perfect Circle are back. Now with their fourth studio album, "Eat The Elephant" in stores, their first in fourteen years, A Perfect Circle are once more on the lips of all rock and metal fans who like their music on the more progressive side of things. As part of their tour of Europe, I went along to London's famous Brixton Academy to see what the band are like in the live setting.
Opening the show was Cork, Ireland's own, Talos. While there seemed to be a few fans in, for the neutral this was as boring as music gets. From the slow, whale like vocal delivery to the meandering music, which may have had the intention of a nature walk, but was more of a slow moving traffic jam. I'm sure Talos work well as background music and as mentioned, they clearly work for some people, but there wasn't anything to get excited about, or even interested in for those watching out of curiosity. More...
A Perfect Circle Debut New Song
A Perfect Circle debut their new track “Disillusioned” via YouTube below. The will song be available for digital purchase beginning today, January 02nd. Additionally, a limited edition 10'' featuring the song and the recently released single "The Doomed" will be released on March 09th. A new studio album from the group is expected to arrive later this year.
A Perfect Circle also shared the official lyrics for the song via their Instagram. The song seems to deal with society's current obsession with online devices/social media and the disconnect it can bring to "real life".
"Hellfest Open Air" 2018 Full Lineup Revealed
The full lineup is in for the 2018 ‘Hellfest Open Air‘, which will be held from June 22nd-24th in Clisson, France. Check out the billing below:
Tool Set For 2018 "Northern Invasion"
Bands have been announced for the fourth annual edition of the "Northern Invasion" festival. The 2018 edition will return to the Somerset Amphitheater in Somerset, WI on May 12th and 13th and features the below acts:
Tool
Avenged Sevenfold
A Perfect Circle
Alice In Chains
Breaking Benjamin
Stone Temple Pilots
The Used
Black Veil Brides
Asking Alexandria
I Prevail
Parkway Drive
Black Stone Cherry
Red Sun Rising
Andrew W.K.
Atreyu
Anti-Flag
10 Years
We Came As Romans
The Bronx
Dance Gavin Dance
Butcher Babies
Hawthorne Heights
New Years Day
Senses Fail
Stick To Your Guns
Miss May I
Like A Storm
The Fever 333
I See Stars
Wilson
Mutoid Man
Cane Hill
Black Foxxes
Counterfeit
The Blue Stones
Joyous Wolf
Spirit Animal
Stitched Up Heart
Big Story
2018 "Las Rageous" Festival Lineup Revealed
The lineup for the 2018 edition of the ‘Las Rageous‘ festival has been unveiled. ‘Las Rageous‘ will be held at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center on April 20th and April 21st. Set to perform next year at the event are the following bands: More...
More Bands Confirmed For Graspop 2018
The organisers of Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting festival has announced a string of new names for next year's edition of the event, which will be held over four days from June 21st to June 24th. In addition to the previously announced acts, Guns N Roses, Ozzy Osbourne and Iron Maiden, the festival will also host such big names as British heavy metal icons Judas Priest, thrash metal legends Megadeth, Kreator and Exodus, nu metal giants Limp Bizkit and the Ice-T fronted, Body Count, amongst many others.
The lineup so far is as follows:
Guns N Roses
Iron Maiden
Ozzy Osbourne
Judas Priest
Avenged Sevenfold
Bullet For My Valentine
A Perfect Circle
Limp Bizkit
Parkway Drive
Megadeth
Kreator
Body Count
Exodus
Anti Flag
P.O.D.
Killswitch Engage
Watain
Asking Alexandria
At The Gates
Less Than Jake
The Darkness
Iced Earth
Underoath
Amaranthe
Thy Art Is Murder
Powerwolf
Emmure
Marduk
Tesseract
Powerflo
Vader
Miss May I
Stray From The Path
Tyr
Knocked Loose
Arkona
Carnivore A.D.
Pist*On
Modern Life Is War
Asphyx
Planet Of Zeus
Akercocke
Blessthefall
Silverstein
Zeal & Ardor
Bolzer
Monuments
Stone Broken
A Perfect Circle Announces Short European/UK Tour
A Perfect Circle just announced a short European/UK tour for 2018. A new album from the outfit will be out next year and will be in stores in time for the tour. Check out all dates below:
06/01-03 Nurburgring, GER – Rock Am Ring Festival
06/01-03 Nuremberg, GER – Rock Im Park Festival
06/05 Stockholm, SWE – Fryshuset
06/06 Oslo, NOR – Spektrum
06/12 Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo
06/13 London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton
06/17 Berlin, GER – Zitadelle
06/20 Zurich, SWI – Halle 622
06/23 Esch-sur-Alzette, LUX – Rockhal
06/26 Paris, FRA – Olympia
06/29 Barcelona, SPA – Be Prog! My Friend
07/01 Verona, ITA – Rock The Castle
Currently A Perfect Circle are out on this North American tour: More...
A Perfect Circle Releases New Song "The Doomed"
A Perfect Circle has released the new song, "The Doomed," which you can check out in the player below. The track is the first music to be heard from the multi-platinum outfit’s highly anticipated 2018 full-length. Purchase "The Doomed" over at this location.
"Fourteen years have passed since we released eMOTIVe," said Maynard James Keenan. "A new release is long overdue. In light of this current difficult and polarized social, spiritual and political climate, we artist types need to open our big mouths and share the light a little louder."
"Years of life experience has brought our music to this moment," added Billy Howerdel. "We know where we came from. Deeply connected to the path we’re on."
A Perfect Circle recently announced they had signed a worldwide recording deal with BMG and are in the studio working with producer Dave Sardy on the follow-up to 2004’s "eMOTIVe."
Check out "The Doomed" here: More...
A Perfect Circle Working On Album, Announces Tour
A Perfect Circle will trek across North America this Spring in the outfit’s first tour since 2011, with the month long outing kicking off at The Pearl in Las Vegas (April 7th and 8th).
The band previously announced a May 7th performance at the Hollywood Bowl as well as a trio of festival dates: Welcome to Rockville (April 29th), Fort Rock (April 30th) and Carolina Rebellion (May 5th).
The tour news arrives as the band begins work on a first new album since 2004’s "eMOTIVe." APC co-founder and guitar player Billy Howerdel comments: “Getting back to writing music with A Perfect Circle is a great way to start the new year." More...
Monster Energy Fort Rock Lineup Announced
A lineup featuring some of rock’s biggest artists has been announced for the fifth annual Monster Energy Fort Rock taking place this coming Saturday, April 29th & Sunday, April 30th, 2017 at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida.
South Florida’s biggest rock festival will be led by Def Leppard (Saturday headliner), Soundgarden (Sunday headliner), and A Perfect Circle, and will feature performances from over 25 bands on two stages, including The Offspring, Mastodon, Chevelle, Seether, Papa Roach, Three Days Grace, Alter Bridge, and more.
Specially priced tickets as well as VIP packages for Monster Energy Fort Rock will be available starting Tuesday, December 6th at this location. The current music lineup for Monster Energy Fort Rock includes:
Def Leppard, Soundgarden, A Perfect Circle, The Offspring, Mastodon, Chevelle, Seether, Papa Roach, Three Days Grace, Alter Bridge, The Pretty Reckless, Eagles of Death Metal, Highly Suspect, In Flames, In This Moment, Motionless In White, All That Remains, Nothing More, Beartooth, Starset, I Prevail, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Goodbye June, Cover Your Tracks, and more to be announced. More...
Tool Frontman Adds Toronto Book Tour Date
Another date has just been added to the brief Maynard James Keenan book tour as the previously announced appearances have been selling out.
The front man of A Perfect Circle, Puscifer and Tool has added a Toronto date to his upcoming "A Perfect Union of Contrary Things" tour: November 14th at 8 p.m. at the Convocation Hall (University of Toronto, 31 King’s College Circle, Toronto, Ont.).
Keenan will participate in a moderated discussion about the book and his decision to share such intimate details about his life. The special evening also includes Keenan reading passages from "A Perfect Union of Contrary Things" (due Nov. 8, Backbeat Books). Dates are as follows:
November 9 Nashville, TN City Winery SOLD OUT
November 11 New York, NY The New York Society for Ethical Culture
November 12 Washington, DC Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
November 14 Toronto, ON Convocation Hall (University of Toronto)
November 16 Chicago, IL Thalia Hall SOLD OUT More...
Maynard James Keenan Adds Book Tour Dates
Maynard James Keenan just added two new dates to his previously announced book tour: November 11th at The New York Society for Ethical Culture and November 12th at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in Washington, D.C.
Keenan will participate in a moderated discussion about the book and his decision to share such intimate details about his life.
The special evening also includes Keenan reading passages from "A Perfect Union of Contrary Things," which is coming November 8th via BackBeat Books. Dates for the book tour are as follows:
November 9 Nashville, TN City Winery SOLD OUT
November 11 New York, NY The New York Society for Ethical Culture
November 12 Washington, DC Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
November 16 Chicago, IL Thalia Hall More...
Maynard James Keenan Announces Book Tour
Maynard James Keenan, front man of A Perfect Circle, Puscifer and Tool, embarks on a book tour this fall to accompany the release of his authorized biography, "A Perfect Union of Contrary Things," with the first two dates confirmed for November 9th at Nashville’s City Winery and November 16th at Thalia Hall in Chicago.
Keenan, who is known for not merely being protective about his personal life but at times pointedly cagey and misleading about his history, will participate in a moderated discussion about the book and his decision to share such intimate details about his life.
The special evening also includes Keenan reading passages from "A Perfect Union of Contrary Things" with a backdrop of never before seen photos and videos, as well as taking questions from the audience in what will be a rare moment of direct interaction between the elusive musician and the fans of his projects.
Tickets for the Nashville and Chicago events are on-sale this Friday. Additional dates will be announced soon. More...
Audio Of New A Perfect Circle Track Available
A new live track from A Perfect Circle has made its way online. The new song, titled "By and Down," was performed live by the band during its June 29, 2011 performance in Portland, Oregon. You can check out the song by using the player provided below.
A Perfect Circle Adds Three More Tour Dates
A Perfect Circle, who kicked off their 2011 tour dates with a headlining set at Rock on the Range last night, has added three new dates to their upcoming six week swing across North America. The new dates are as follows:
August 1 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kingsbury Hall
August 8 - Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion
August 10 - Wallingford, CT @ Oakdale Theatre
Tickets are on-sale June 3. VIP packages go on-sale simultaneously but can only be purchased through this website.
Here's the full list of the latest A Perfect Circle tour dates: More...