AP ERFECT CIRCLE GUITARIST TROY VAN LEEUWEN COMMANDS A A PERFECT CIRCLE’S well-roundedviewofcurrentheavyrock.Heseeshisband asanaturalevolutionfrom’90sprogressive-metalgroups Troy with the suchasTool—whichjusthappenstobetheotherbandof AES1500B TROY VAN LEEUWEN APerfectCirclefrontmanMaynardJamesKeenan.How’s thatforcircular? “WhenNewYorkbandslikeToolandHelmetstartedto GETS AROUND hit,”recallsVanLeeuwen,“InoticedalotofpeoplehereinL.A. tryingtolatchontothatheavy,tuned-down-lowsound—you know,likeBlackSabbathwithanindie-rocksinger.Thatdirection eventuallyspawnedbandslikeKorn,whojusttookitastepfurther.” ForVanLeeuwen,APerfectCircle’sdebutalbum,MerDeNoms,venturesyetanotherstep beyond.“Themusicismatureandemotional,”hesays.“It’saboutmorethanjustbeingmadand pointingthefinger.Thereareetherealqualities,ambience,space,acousticinstruments.” Ironically,VanLeeuwenhadn’tbeenseekingagigwhenhejoined APerfectCircle.Afterhispreviousgroup,Failure,liveduptoitsname,hedecidedtoconcentrate onstudiowork,playingonOrgy’sdebutalbumandonremixsessionsforKorn,DepecheMode, LimpBizkit,andothers.“ButwhenMaynardinvitedmedowntocheckouttheband,Iwascon - vinced,”hesays.“Itseemedlikeagenuineexchangebetweenmusicianswhoknewwhentoadd somethingandwhentostepback—areallygoodchemistry.”Perhapsevenmorerefreshingthan thealbum’sboldtexturalshiftsandprogressivearrangementsisthefactthatithasbecomea majorhit–quiteanaccomplishmentintoday’sformulaicrockclimate. OneoftheguitarsthathelpsVanLeeuwennavigatehisband’sambitiousdynamicsisa YamahaAES1500hollowbody.“It’sanextremelywellmadeguitar,andit’sveryversatile,”says Troy.“Itcangofromthatpristine,hollowbodiedcleansoundtoafat,high-gainsound.Ievenuse ittosimulatepartsoftherecordthatgobetweenacousticguitarsandheavysounds.Isplitthe coilontheneckDiMarzio TM humbuckerforacleansound,andthenIgointoheavymodejustby flickingtheswitchtothefull-humbuckerbridgepickup.” Heavyrockfromahollowbody?“Yes,”saysTroy.“Alotofplayersautomaticallyturntoa mahoganysolidbodywhentheywantaheavysound,butyoucandefinitelygetathicksoundout ofahollowbodylikethe1500.Infact,the1500hasagreatheavysound.It’srounderthanasolid - body,butitcanstillcut.Likeonanyhollowbody,youhavetobecarefulaboutfeedback—itcan getoutofcontrolifyou’renotcareful,butthe1500isgreatfortimeswhenyouaredeliberately creatingfeedback,likeAPerfectCircledoesafewtimesduringtheshow.SometimesIusea flangewithfeedbacktogetthatwild,swirling,out-of-controleffect.Youdon’tnecessarilyknow wherethesoundisgoingtoendup,butyougetlotsofinterestingthings.” ThebandmembershavealreadystartedwritingmaterialforAPerfectCircle’snextalbum, thoughthatprojectwon’tbecompleteduntilKeenanfinishesworkonTool’supcomingrelease.In themeantimeVanLeeuwenwillbefocusingonhisnewband,Enemy.“It’smesingingandplaying guitar,plusarhythmsection,”hesays.“I’mprobablygoingtousetheAES1500inplaces,and YamahaisalsobuildingmeamodifiedAES800solidbodywithasetneckinsteadoftheusualbolt- on,justbecausethat’swhatIfeelmostcomfortablewith.Itmayevengetitsownmodelnumber.” IsVanLeeuwensurprisedthatsuchanoffbeatandambitiousrecordasMerDeNomshas donesowell?“Definitely,”henods.“It’scoolthatabandlikethiscanbeuptherechartingalong - sidealotofstuffthatisn’tso—sorrytosayit—good.Iseeitasaglimmerofhope,proofthat musiccanstillbesomethingmorethanaproductentirelydefinedbythebusinessendofthings.”

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