Billy Howerdel is no stranger to the forefront of the alternative music scene. He started out as a guitar technician for many rock bands during the early ‘90s, including Guns N’ Roses, Faith No More, and The Smashing Pumpkins, before famously being a technician for Tool. From there, Howerdel and frontman Maynard James Keenan would form A Perfect Circle. A Perfect Circle would become a highly successful band, producing three platinum albums, a gold selling DVD, touring extensively around the globe and sold millions of records, before going on hiatus in 2006.
Using this time to peruse a new direction of musical endeavours, Howerdel formed his own band, ASHES dIVIDE. They’ve recently dropped a debut record, Keep Telling Myself It’s Alright, on which Howerdel plays the majority of the instruments. With Howerdel getting musicians together for the live show, the band will be heading out on a tour for the remainder of this year. Howerdel spoke to FasterLouder from the backstage area ahead of the bands third ever performance about the new album, the band’s new tour, and the status of A Perfect Circle.
Though Billy Howerdel, the quietly spoken frontman and guitarist of ASHES dIVIDE (yes, it’s commonly spelled out in this typeset), has taken some time to step away from his work as a guitarist, songwriter, and producer for A Perfect Circle, he hasn’t forgotten his roots.
“When I was starting, there was no real professional music community at hand in my local community,” Howerdel begins. “The dream of being a musician and making a living from it didn’t seem realistic at all. That’s one of the reasons why I ventured into working for bands that were as close enough to New York City, to get into the big game, but I never really felt a part of it because I wasn’t raised in that culture. But there was something alluring from listening to music on a record and then going to the shows.”
Later that year, things became more comfortable for Howerdel as he began to see his new career on the horizon. “In the late fall of 1999 when we were finishing Mer De Noms, things felt like they were actually going to happen. My pragmatic side was overcome by my optimistic side.”
A Perfect Circle went on hiatus in 2006 and Howerdel focused all of his energy toward ASHES dIVIDE. However, his creative side has a mind and a sleep pattern all its own, and he waited until a special hour for the best inspiration to come forth. “Unfortunately, late at night. I’m trying to change that, but for now, the creative hour is around 2am.”
Above all, Howerdel is positive that the world encompasses an abundance of musical talents. “I still think that some of the great talents are sitting in their bedrooms right now, writing music and staring at the wall, saying the same thing I was, ‘I don’t want to bother anyone with this because I will probably just get shot down.’”
Now that he has risen up through the ranks of the music industry, worked in the business, and is now running a unique solo project, Howerdel has some advice for these bedroom dwellers. “Pretend to be confident even if you’re not, but not to the point of posturing or acting like a jackass. I’d say when I started out playing; I just never thought there was an opportunity because it always just seemed like ‘them.’ But eventually you just have to pretend to be brave, because no one can really tell the difference anyway.”
“Most of these treatments are so fantastical and abstract,” he explained, adding that pinning down a music-video concept for the song The Stone is just one of a myriad of items currently on his to-do list.
“Reading video treatments is like pounding your head with a hammer. It’s tedious and laborious and confusing at times. It’s like, ‘So, I’m going to be wearing a red tutu, waving a machine gun from the top of the Eiffel Tower?’ I don’t think so.”
In late March, Howerdel announced the musicians whom will be joining him to form the ASHES dIVIDE tour line-up: Andy Gerold (lead guitar), Matt McJunkins (bass) and Jeff Friedl (drums). In July, the band will tour with acts such as Linkin Park, Chris Cornell and The Bravery as part of their 2008 Projekt Revolution Tour.
“What I was most concerned about was finding a live player that could capture the complexity and raw energy of Josh [Freese],” says Howerdel. “Josh is just such a brilliant drummer – and Jeff [Friedl] is the first drummer I found that could capture the albums feel. After I found that piece to the puzzle, everything fell into place very quickly.”
Howerdel is well aware that some might compare ASHES dIVIDE to the work he’s done with A Perfect Circle, and the earliest material he had written for the album sounded a lot like APC. He either scrapped or reworked most of those songs in an attempt to make them his own. All in all, the guitarist, who handles vocals on the disc, said he spent 18 months and change pulling Keep Telling Myself It’s Alright together and hopes fans will give ASHES dIVIDE a fair chance.
“Before I recorded a single note, I just kept thinking, ‘Everyone’s going to say it sounds like A Perfect Circle with a shitty singer — that’s just what everyone’s going to say, no matter what I do,’” he explains. “In the beginning, that was a huge obstacle for me to overcome, but I tried to keep a level head as far as not letting that stuff get to me. I think I wound up taking the opposite route, because the earliest stuff never sounded earnest to me.”
While Keenan has said in previous interviews that, as far as he’s concerned, A Perfect Circle is over and done with, Howerdel is not so sure. While he does intend to pour all his focus and energy into ASHES dIVIDE for the next three years or so, he doesn’t rule out a return to the Circle.
“I don’t know what the future’s going to hold, but all I can see is ASHES dIVIDE now,” he says. “I wouldn’t say APC is dead, but until further notice, we’re not doing a whole lot. We might do a surprise thing here or there, but right now, ASHES dIVIDE will have my full focus.”
But there were other hurdles standing in Howerdel’s way. For starters, he’d never written lyrics before, let alone sing them — something he was nervous about even attempting. He was also working, primarily, on his own, with no one else to bounce ideas off. But in time, Howerdel did hook up with several collaborators for the record, including drummer Josh Freese and Keenan’s 11-year-old son, Devo, who plays cello on the LP. He adds that the album treads that fine line “between being a spaced-out, ethereal soundtrack and a fully blown pop record.” In addition to this, the record also features drummer Dean Menta, Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano, Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba and former A Perfect Circle bassist Paz Lenchantin.
“And I brought [Nine Inch Nails’] Danny Lohner in halfway through, just so I had an extra set of ears to bounce ideas off of,” he said of the man who co-produced the ASHES dIVIDE debut. “Danny was actually one of the first people to encourage me to sing, and Maynard was also really supportive in that area. Maynard was pushing me to step out and do it years ago, and I owe a lot to those guys for the support, because it’s scary coming out of the shadows of Maynard. He’s one of the best singers living today, and he’s an icon.”
According to Howerdel, Keep Telling Myself It’s Alright is “what it is,” and he “did the best I could with it, and I’m very proud of how it turned out.” He said the album’s lyrics are highly emotional and honest and tend to center on personal situations he had to deal with and change. “Some songs are about getting out of bad situations, working through denial, and coping with your problems and trying to move forward,” he says. “I think the title of the record kind of sums it up. Writing lyrics, it was like a puzzle in my head that I think I figured out.”
Howerdel is no stranger to Australian shores having visited five times already and admits it is one of his most favorite places on earth. He is also very much keen on bring ASHES dIVIDE down under on this tour cycle.
“I would love to bring this show down to Australia. I would love to bring my family down and show the people in this band how amazing Australia is,” Howerdel explains. “We are now just waiting on the invite.”
Keep Telling Myself It’s Alright is out now.
