Matt sent me an email a few days ago pointing me to the trailer for the new Jason Statham movie Safe, which features the Apocalypse remix version of A Perfect Circle’s The Outsider:
The movie looks like an ok, if somewhat generic action movie. If you want more details then check out the Safe IMDB page. Personally I haven’t heard that remix of The Outsider before, so I might have to see if I can get a copy of it from somewhere…
UncleJackson emailed me today with this quite interesting interview with Maynard on Loudwire, where he mainly discuss Puscifer, but also comments on his recent work with A Perfect Circle, and the progress on the new Tool album.
Here’s a bit I know interest the majority of you:
Tool are reportedly working on a new album, as well. In the past, you’ve expressed frustration with sitting around in the studio with guitarist Adam Jones and drummer Danny Carey’s aesthetic of going over endless combinations of song structures before committing to anything.
I’m allowing them their space to do what they do, so we’re still in that mode. Even if they told me how close they are to being done, I couldn’t tell you because if I say 60 percent people will start counting down. When it’s done everyone will know. But I haven’t done anything yet. They write forever and then we go in and knock it all out. We’re writing. We’re writing vocals. But nothing’s solid. With Puscifer, there’s ideas and then we’ll record stuff. Then we’ll go back and change stuff and fix stuff and record new stuff before we finally put it all together. But with Tool, we practice jams, but there’s no actual recording going on until it’s time to record.
Are you prepared to tour for a year for the next Tool record whenever it’s ready or have you put your foot down and said, “I don’t want to spend my life on the road.”
It has nothing to do with putting my foot down. Physically, I can’t do it, so that’s not gonna happen. We will tour, but it won’t be the old school dog and pony show of eight months of beating yourself to death.
For most bands now, staying out on the road for a year-plus and selling lots of tickets and merch is the only way to make money because their albums are being downloaded for free by file-sharers.
How much do you need, really? If we can make a living going out for a few weeks a year and keep people satisfied by making sure we play the locations we need to hit, I’m not Kirk Hammett. I don’t need to buy $10,000 guitars every day. That’s not my lifestyle. I love Kirk, but that’s not me. I have a very sustainable vineyard industry in the Valley which will eventually start to pay its own bills.
I love to go on the road and play music for people and express myself, but for it to be something where I’m out there to make money, that’s depressing to me. You end up beating yourself up. Who gives a s–t how much money you have if your back hurts so much you can’t stand up. Money’s not the goal. Having fun making the art, that’s the goal. Finding a nice, happy medium. Being healthy and still expressing what you need to express in an effective way, that’s the ideal.
The end of lengthy world tours comes as no real surprise to me. I’ve said before (at least in the forums) that I expect Tool’s touring habits will become a little less album orientated, where they hit the road for a month or two once every year or so. Though I imagine with the new album there will still be a world tour, it just may not be so tightly scheduled as it has been in the past.
I’m extremely doubtful this is the case, but in the last few days a Twitter account called BigDayOutSpy has been leaking the alleged lineup for the 2012 Big Day Out. Acts so far have been somewhat interesting, without being amazing until this post earlier this evening:
A Perfect Circle are the other Green/Converse stage headliner at Big Day Out!
So far, I found the leaks believable, but to be honest I’m not sure I can see A Perfect Circle playing the Big Day Out next year. Headlining the small stage sounds tantalising though (however it would be annoying if the rumoured Pearl Jam main stage headliner were true).
Definitely file in the “I’ll believe it when I see it confirmed” category…
For the record, the Big Day Out Spy alleges the following lineup (in no particular order):
Other rumours suggest Pearl Jam will headline, and Kasabian & My Chemical Romance will also play.
Update: A Perfect Circle on their Facebook page this morning mentioned “That’s unfortunately not true” so I guess this myth is pretty much busted.
A Perfect Circle toured all across the US (and occasionally Canada) this summer and from all reports it was a good, though somewhat controversial tour.
Much of the controversy revolved around the choice of setlist for the tour. The setlist changed from night to night, however played mainly songs from their last album eMotive. Many fans, not being such huge fans of this album, were disappointed that they didn’t get to hear more tracks from their favorite albums Mer De Noms and Thirteenth Step.
However those attending the shows generally seemed to enjoy the new additions to the set. According to Setlist.fm, the following tracks were played on the tour:
Personally, I was disappointed to read that the set was largely covers. Far be it for me to dictate to a band what they should and shouldn’t play, but I find it a little distasteful that a band I’d pay money to see play a set with so many cover songs in it. If I wanted to see a covers band I could go down to the local pub and see one for nothing. That said, I do wish I could have seen the tour for myself. It’s all too easy to judge a band on their setlist, not taking into account the atmosphere and dynamics of the show.
Speaking of which, from all reports the stage setup and lighting was excellent, with the band playing in front of a large metallic curtain with the APC logo on it. As usual, Junior seems to have done a fine job with the lighting.
One thing many found quite interesting about the shows was that a new song, By And Down was played. Normally the final song in the set, this moody song sounds more like a Thirteenth Step track than a Mer De Noms one, and there are plenty of bootlegs available on Youtube for those interested.
A reasonable number of you attended the shows as VIPs, and the reports from that experience were generally pretty positive. VIPs received an APC bag, a poster and possibly some other stuff, and also got the change to experience the sound check, as well as get some premium seats at the shows. There were a few hiccups here and there, but it seems as the though the VIP tickets offered good value for those that picked them up.
Some were even lucky enough to catch some of the band after the shows. By all accounts the band were quite happy to chat with fans (though Maynard generally was nowhere to be seen). Word is that there will be a new album, but don’t expect it any time soon. A certain member has other priorities in the coming months/years…
One of which of course is Puscifer. We’ve already been warned to expect a tour in October/November. On the Ashes Divide front, they are close to completing a new album, so I’d be expecting to hear that and a tour as well, probably early 2012.
Regular Fourtheye reader Magnus was lucky enough to have a chat with Billy Howerdel after a recent A Perfect Circle show in Texas, and was kind enough to ask him a little bit about the future for APC. Billy’s responses were:
Setlist criticisms aside, everyone who’s caught a show on this tour so far seems to have enjoyed it. If you get the change to catch one of the last few shows this tour, then I suggest you do!
As Billy predicted in numerous interviews, A Perfect Circle played a new track at last nights show called By And Down. Those interested in listening to it can do so via the powers of Youtube:
The show last night seemed like an interesting affair, and I won’t elaborate any further in order to not spoil it for those wanting to be surprised. On that note I’d like to remind people to keep setlist spoilers only in the appropriate show thread inside the forum.
Josh Freese made several tweets today suggesting that he won’t be playing on the upcoming A Perfect Circle tour (though he did play at the recent festival show):
Sad 2 report that 4 the 1st time ever Im having 2 sit out a tour with @aperfectcircle. I’ll explain more in next day on my site (if ya care)
m not stopping playing with them though. All is well. We had a great gig last night. Unfortunate timing. I’ll continue 2 be in the band.
Thx 4 the nice messages. Trust me. Im very sad about it and Im sorry that I wont b there (first time I’ve ever apologized for missing shows)
Hopefully it’s not because he’s chosen to play with Paramore instead…
Update: Jeff Freidl from Ashes Divide will be drumming in Josh’s place.
Just got an email from the A Perfect Circle mailing list which confirms a further three shows during August for the upcoming tour:
Great news especially for those in Utah that have been waiting with baited breath for that show to be confirmed! Tickets go on sale June 3, with no pre-sales. VIP tickets will be available from here.
In a recent interview with Gotham Radio, Billy Howerdel talks about A Perfect Circle, new songs, the upcoming tour and Ashes Divide. Here’s a snippet:
So will we hear new APC music on the tour? “We are gonna hear at least a song, I would say,” Billy tells me. “One of them is very, very close to being done. And from there, things could come together once we get on the road and start hashing through some of the other ideas and they could quickly become a song and find their way onto the live stage.”
Does that mean a new album is in the works? “In the works, but not for this summer. I think the idea was to try and get the juices flowing a bit and get back into A-B-C mode a bit and go from there,” he says. “See what happens in the new year. We have intentions of recording new material.”
I haven’t listened to the whole thing yet, so if any of you enterprising Fourtheye readers do, and hear anything else of note, feel free to comment below! Thanks to av333 for the tip!
It came to my attention the other day (and I forgot to post about it – thanks Zach) that A Perfect Circle also recently joined the KanRockSas festival in Kansas on either the 5th or 6th of August. Other notable acts joining APC on the bill are Primus, Muse and The Flaming Lips.
Here’s a round up of dates confirmed for the 2011 tour:
Most of the shows (if not all) have already gone on sale, so don’t waste any time getting tickets! I wouldn’t expect any other dates to be announced at this stage either.