Great Music While High: A Perfect Circle

Not long after I discovered TOOL, I found A Perfect Circle.

APC was formed in 1999 by TOOL vocalist Maynard James Keenan along with guitarist Billy Howerdel. They met in 1992 during a TOOL show, and three years later Keenan agreed to listen to Howerdel’s demos in his home. With the concept of APC already in his mind, Howerdel was actually looking for a female vocalist. When Keenan heard Howerdel’s music, he said that he could hear himself singing the songs. And so A Perfect Circle was born.

The band has changed its lineup over the years, but all the while they still delivered the quintessential APC sound: dreamy, aching, melodic, dark, and angsty. Their music has a trippy vibe to it that is perfect for smoking your favorite mellow strain. If you are a TOOL fan and you haven’t given A Perfect Circle a try, you will definitely like this persona of Maynard James Keenan. During shows, he wears wigs, eyeliner and glasses, taking slightly more of the spotlight than in TOOL shows.

The band went into hiatus in 2004, and Keenan focused on TOOL while Howerdel founded Ashes Divide. They continue to tour, but they haven’t released any new music since November of 2004. Keenan has been primarily touring with yet another one of his music projects, Puscifer. I doubt this is the last we’ll see of A Perfect Circle, though.

Check out one of my favorite APC songs below: “Gravity.” It’s the last track of Thirteenth Step, a concept album focusing on addiction and recovery. The song is optimistic and uplifting, bringing the CD to the perfect close. Smoke a bowl and check it out!

Check out other posts from Weedist’s Great Music While High series!