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So I now start one, since there's the new album tomorrow and all. Classic, dud, etc.? Lurve 'em myself but I'm highly biased (and now that James Iha is in the band, even more so!).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 15 September 2003 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)

James Iha is in the band now?! Whoa... you wouldn't know that, of course, from their most recent video, which is in keeping with the Maynard Keenan school of slugs crawling out of rectums and stuff. Does he play on the album? The last time I saw him, he was playing rhythm guitar in Nathan Larson's pseudo-soul band. Weird.

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Monday, 15 September 2003 23:08 (twenty-two years ago)

He was on the Lollapalooza tour with them -- didn't catch that but a friend did and said he looked like he was enjoying himself and all, so hey.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 15 September 2003 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

He's not on the album.

― Girolamo Savonarola, Monday, 15 September 2003 23:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Ned - not to derail your thread, but it's not worth starting a new one, and I know you're a fellow fan of SP who takes guff for it -- what became of D'arcy? I remember hearing about her acting in some movie alongside Mickey Rourke or something?

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Monday, 15 September 2003 23:17 (twenty-two years ago)

The last thing I heard was that she got arrested buying crack in Chicago, but that was 1999 (?). Hope she's cleaned up her act since...

― Andrew Frye (paul cox), Monday, 15 September 2003 23:20 (twenty-two years ago)

That was about the last I heard as well. Married Kerry Brown, got a farm somewhere...oh wait, a fansite!

http://www.darcywretzky.org/

And it turns out she divorced Kerry. Well, anyway, this is apparently regularly updated with general info but it seems they're not even sure what she's up to these days.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 15 September 2003 23:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I found the singles off the first album intriguing in a Deftonesy kinda way, meaning moany, not coherent alternametal that yet somehow grabs me. I'm definitely more curious about these guys than Tool, who continue to baffle me.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 15 September 2003 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)

So, has anyone heard the new album yet? I saw it on display yesterday and I'm tempted to buy it during lunch/after work, but would like some initial thoughts from "les connaisseurs"...

― willem (willem), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 06:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Bought this on Saturday, haven't found time to listen to it properly, but for what I've heard, it's more contemplative, complex and "progressive" than "Mer de Noms". James didn't play on this, but the basswork by Jeordie White (aka Twiggy Ramirez) is instantly recognizable.

― JP Almeida (JP Almeida), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 08:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I am seeing APC on the 19th @ Wembley Arena! Should be good fun (with the deftones also)

― Jimmy Parker, Tuesday, 16 September 2003 09:42 (twenty-two years ago)

JP more or less nails this, though admittedly progressive is how you find it (thus his quotes). The bass work is quite good indeed, all in all enjoyable stuff and once again Maynard proves he knows how to sing.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 01:43 (twenty-two years ago)

What does the record sound like compared to the previous one? There were certain songs I liked on the first album a lot more than others, and I'm not sure I'm interested in hearing the same album again.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 04:08 (twenty-two years ago)

It is different, as JP noted -- if you wanted specifics, I think it's a far more quieter album, not necessarily low volume per se, but there's nothing exactly like "Judith" on it, for instance, and I actually think that's a good thing.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 04:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I quite like "Judith" (and the video is fantastic, as far as those type go). Is that basically how the rest of Mer De Noms (and/or the new one) are?

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 05:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Um, I think I just answered the paranthetical part of your question there, Milo. ;-) But others may disagree.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 05:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Heh, "Judith" was the type of song I liked from the first album. I'll probably still check out that new one anyway.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 19:14 (twenty-two years ago)

it's pretty good. i particularly like that song about the nurse. the lyrics are completely deplorable, but in the end, it makes them charming. plus, i dig the ambient stringy stuff. you can tell james is nowhere on this album.

― Felcher (Felcher), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 19:55 (twenty-two years ago)

A friend of mine who bought it at the same time as I also enjoys "Judith" a lot, and while I haven't got the time to hear it, he pointed the track "Pet" as his favourite. Maybe it can be a good starting point...

― JP Almeida (JP Almeida), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 21:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Listening to "Pet" again right now, I can see why he would say that one, it definitely has some louder moments in comparison to the rest of the album, but unlike "Judith" it isn't consistently so, very much playing off between loud and quiet sections throughout. In ways since Maynard does his most (comparatively) aggro singing here it's also the song that suggests Tool the most, though really that's very oblique -- in musical terms the two bands are very specifically different.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 18 September 2003 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)

if this is serving as a S/D ill definitely have to say Search:Diary of a Lovesong
they used to do this live cover of a "Diary of a madman"/"lovesong" hybrid that was wonderful. i was hoping theyd put it on the new album, but you cant alway get what you want

― Felcher (Felcher), Friday, 19 September 2003 20:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I've got a couple of bootlegs of that, it's a great medley. Cover of "Ashes to Ashes" wasn't bad either.

And speaking of covers, there is one on the new album -- "The Nurse Who Loved Me," the original of which I'm actually about to listen to right now. It was by Failure from their Fantastic Planet album.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 19 September 2003 20:57 (twenty-two years ago)

...and the mighty wise Stripey is over here as we wait to go to a birthday party and upon listening to the album noted a strong shoegaze influence in some of the tracks as well -- mixed-higher vocals and drums being the big difference between then and now. Good call, that!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 20 September 2003 16:53 (twenty-two years ago)

six months pass...

I now revive, to say I saw them in concert last night. Very good show, good mix of the two albums, the Long Beach Arena sound was slightly sludgy but Maynard's vocals were excellent. Perhaps the most telling/interesting part of the evening was how "The Nurse Who Loved Me" -- on the album a faithful enough take on the Failure original -- turned after the first verse into a recognizably 'Perfect Circle' song with a new arrangement that showed that Billy Howerdel does indeed have a specific style that I can now start to recognize as such. It'll become even clearer with time.

Also, I got to see James Iha do a near-perfect rendition of the Velvet Underground's "After Hours," Moe Tucker-winsome singing and all. Rah! (But does he ever have flashbacks with a bald guy named Billy up front?)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 April 2004 17:56 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

Listening to Thirteenth Step again for the first time in a bit as I await the new Tool (im)patiently -- really good album, even better than I remembered it.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 15:24 (twenty years ago)

three weeks pass...

R.I.P., says Maynard in an interview with French rock mag Rock Hard.

― StanM (StanM), Friday, 21 April 2006 08:37 (twenty years ago)

The actual quotes are in the comments below that first link:

“Q : What is the future for APC?
Maynard : I think it’s over.
Q : Really? It’s sad…
Maynard : we pushed this project as far as it could go, and I see ourselves playing again together only in a few years to make one or two songs, nothing more.”

He then adds that he only sees APC in a system without labels, big budgets, marketing, where they could play and release new songs whenever they want.”

and concerning the Tool DVD rumors:

“Q : Your fans have been waiting a long time for a DVD. What about this project?

Justin : We thought about that, but we were distracted by our desire to make a new album. We think it could be something nice, but we’re not the kind of band to do things by halves, so this project is going to wait. The new album and the tour are our priorities.”

― StanM (StanM), Friday, 21 April 2006 11:15 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

Also, I got to see James Iha do a near-perfect rendition of the Velvet Underground's "After Hours," Moe Tucker-winsome singing and all. Rah! (But does he ever have flashbacks with a bald guy named Billy up front?)

Jinx.

― stephen, Tuesday, 29 April 2008 19:12 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

Yeah, I haven't heard anything else by them except the godforsaken John Lennon cover, but I'm listening to Mer de Noms right now and enjoying it just as much as I did 10 years ago.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Friday, 19 March 2010 01:07 (sixteen years ago)

four months pass...

Not what I expected:

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/hooray/a-perfect-circle-officially-of/

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 4 August 2010 16:11 (fifteen years ago)

six years pass...

http://www.spin.com/2016/12/a-perfect-circle-announce-2017-north-american-tour/

So far only four dates announced.

― how's life, Wednesday, 14 December 2016 15:27 (nine years ago)

ten months pass...

New single!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-doomed/id1293865602?i=1293865603