A PERFECT CIRCLE Guitarist 'Would Love To' Release New Studio Album

A PERFECT CIRCLE guitarist Billy Howerdel was interviewed by Las Vegas Weekly ahead of the band's sole 2012 show — on December 29 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Asked if the band has "a well of songs" that they are waiting to release, Billy said: "Kind of. I mean, I haven't even sprung them on Maynard [Keenan, A PERFECT CIRCLE singer] yet. He may be like, 'Let's do something last minute,' but I kind of doubt it, since we have three days of rehearsal left. But I'm one to bite off more than I can chew."

On the topic of whether there are any plans for A PERFECT CIRCLE to release a follow-up album to 2004's "eMOTIVe", Howerdel said: "I'd love to — when the time is right. It would be awesome. I'm trying to write songs with that in mind, but … right now, I'm focusing most of my energy on a new ASHES DIVIDE record, which is under way with 11 songs. Still working on finishing vocals and writing lyrics, and hopefully get that thing mixed in January or February."

According to Howerdel, he never viewed A PERFECT CIRCLE as a side project, despite the fact that it was billed as such when it was first formed.

"I've never felt that it was a side project," the guitarist said. "That being said, I always knew in the background, Maynard's first band is TOOL, and that's where he's going back to. I didn't have expectations that he was going to be doing an album, tour, album, tour consistently. That would be wishful thinking, but I wouldn't wish that upon the TOOL guys. You get into that very complicated desire versus being sensitive to other people around you. At this point, Maynard's got his fingers in so many pies that it's a welcome thing to me when he says, 'Hey, I've got a hole in my schedule; let's do this.' It's fantastic. He's incredible to work with. He's always got something interesting to offer and unexpected. I'm very lucky to be teamed up with him whenever I can."

After a 13-year run with the band, drummer Josh Freese announced his departure from A PERFECT CIRCLE in October, "with no plans of returning," he wrote on his Twitter profile.

A PERFECT CIRCLE recently confirmed its participation in the 2013 edition of the Soundwave Festival, which kicks off February 23 in Brisbane, Australia.

A PERFECT CIRCLE toured North America for the first time in six years last year. These were the band's first live dates since a mini-tour they did in the fall of 2010, in which they played each of their three studio albums over the course of three nights in five cities.

The 2010-2011 lineup of A PERFECT CIRCLE included Keenan, Howerdel, Freese, former SMASHING PUMPKINS guitarist James Iha and bassist Matt McJunkins.

A PERFECT CIRCLE currently does not have a record deal.