A Perfect Circle Biography

A Perfect Circle is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool’s vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The band initially included Troy Van Leeuwen (of Failure) and Tim Alexander (of Primus), although Alexander left shortly after the band's debut. A Perfect Circle quickly gained traction in the music scene, performing their first live show in the summer of 1999, which was met with immediate acclaim.

The band's debut album, Mer de Noms, was released in 2000 and achieved significant commercial success, peaking in the top five on the Billboard albums chart. This album featured popular singles such as "Judith," "3 Libras," and "The Hollow." Following their debut, A Perfect Circle released two more albums: Thirteenth Step in 2003 and eMOTIVe in 2004. The latter consisted of reworked cover songs and included tracks like "Weak and Powerless," "The Outsider," "Imagine," and "Passive."

In 2005, A Perfect Circle announced a hiatus after a sold-out performance in Denver, allowing its members to pursue various individual projects. During this period, Keenan focused on his side project Puscifer, while Howerdel released a solo album under the name Ashes Divide. The band would remain mostly inactive in the years that followed.

The group reformed in 2010, returning to live performances and participating in events such as Lollapalooza, Edgefest, and Rock on the Range. They made appearances on television programs like Last Call with Carson Daly and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. In fall 2013, A Perfect Circle released Three Sixty, a compilation album, and announced plans for a new studio album.

Despite ongoing inactivity following the 2013 releases, A Perfect Circle regrouped again in 2017 to create their fourth studio album, Eat the Elephant, which was released in 2018. The band supported the album with a tour but fell into inactivity once more until 2024, when they embarked on a brief tour and released the one-off single "Kindred."

Over the years, various musicians have contributed to A Perfect Circle, leading to frequent lineup changes, although Keenan and Howerdel have remained the consistent core. The current lineup includes James Iha (of the Smashing Pumpkins), Matt McJunkins, and Jeff Friedl, both of whom have worked with related projects Puscifer and Ashes Divide. Despite the frequent changes in personnel, Howerdel continues to compose the music while Keenan writes the lyrics and vocal melodies. A Perfect Circle's studio albums have received positive critical and commercial responses, with their first three albums collectively selling over four million copies by 2005.