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How do you like doing these press pushes?

They're alright I guess

So, you're getting closer to the release...are you excited?

Yeah, we actually pushed it back to April 8th. Putting a band together has been a whirlwind of surprises.

Closer to a lineup?

Getting there. Looking for a guitar player. Just did the video, checking out edits of that. It's looking good. Ridiculous and over the top. You know, like videos should be.

[laughs] In the couple of songs I heard, I couldn't help but notice a bit of a prog rock tone. Are you into prog at all or is that how it came out? Maybe not 'prog' but... it reminded me a bit of Porcupine Tree.

It's funny you mention them. Never heard of them until one of the guys came to audition. I'm not particularly into prog rock. When I first started playing I liked Rush, I like Tool...I am more into bands like Cat Power, Band of Horses. I should be on Band of Horses street team! When I started playing guitar, it was my friend Rob who was into that stuff. Joe Satriani, etc. I've heard all the stuff he listens to, I just never got that into it myself. 1984 and down... The Cure...and Ozzy's first 2 records. I am somewhere in between them. That's why in our first tour for APC we did covers of The Cure and Ozzy...if you can handle that blend, you can handle A Perfect Circle. Ashes Divide is just more personal...less collaboration.

In an interview, you said you wanted to work with a new group of people rather than the APC crowd, but there is definitely some overlap here. How did you decide who to work with on this album?

Denial Haze, which Oz cowrote with me... I wrote it to go into a video game sountrack. I heard the potential and readjusted it to fit in the album. It kind of fell into this band. With Danny, I brought him in halfway through the process. He was really enthusiastic. He was the one really pushing me to sing. Maynard did too even before APC. But it's like why would I sing when he is one of the greatest singers alive? I always thought of it as like 'good job son' one of those encouragement things. But Danny really pushed me to do it. So I played him some stuff and he checked it out. He is listed as co-producer, but he was really the executive producer. I ran everything past him. Josh was my safety net. He could come in and bang out the songs quickly. There's Johnette... Matt Skeebo who I met through Danny. He gave me spiritual direction? No..he helped me do my homework with a song called The Prey. I had pages and pages and lyrics and sat down with him to put it all togeher.

So when did you start working on your solo stuff? Some reports say it began during APC...

Most of this... I mean I can go through track by track and say 'this track started here at this time with this riff' 3 or 4 of the songs were there when I got off the road in 2004. Most of this stuff is new.

Was this your first attempt at lyrics?

Yeah, pretty much. I have never concentrated on lyrics...I mean, and I know I will probably want to retract this later, but I never gave lyrics that much weight. I was more into the landscape of the music than the driving point. I just want atmosphere...whether you're going to the beach or you're going to a funeral you can always listen to it. That was the catalyst for me though is knowing it doesn't always have to be about the clever Dylan lyrics. When I did start writing them I was like 'oh shit' cause I didn't want them to be horrible. There has to be a passion behind it and that has to be concrete and something you really believe in. Not every sentiment is something I have gone through personally...but it's something I relate to.

What are the themes of the record?

I'm just tired of this Beach Boys shit, man. I had this great concept of writing something heavy and depressing. It's never been done before! [laughs] Really, I think the music dictates where the songs are gonna go. The music was weighty, so the themes are too. If I am in a good place I write dark music and vice versa. Didn't have that this time. I was kind of flat through the whole thing, but knew what I wanted. There were some things I really focused on. Like I intentionally tried to write faster songs and try to be more uplifting, which really didn't come out. But there are a couple things tucked away in there. When I got all the songs together there were a few sore thumbs, so I tried to have some kind of balance.

When you perform the songs you write night after night, do you get the same feeling you did when you wrote it, or does it become more routine?

Ask me in a year. I mean in practice and stuff, it's about the whole thing...the whole sound. Not just the words. Like I mentioned Cat Power...she's so alive and she's so...the passion that goes into the performance is just captivating. I feel her pain, you know?
[long pause]
I don't really know how to answer this question yet...I took a few acting classes. I've heard someone else say this- I may have the opportunity to get a role or something and I dont want to fall on my face. I always thought I'd like to get into it.

Like the rockstar heartthrob on a soap opera?

Sure! There has to be a latino soap opera somewhere that needs a musician. Really though...I would like to try something. That's the good thing about being a man, you can get into acting later in life. You don't have to be a really hot 21 year old.

[this is where the publicist broke in and told me to 'wrap it up'..I absolutely froze]

Ask me if A Perfect Circle is getting back together, everyone else does.

[laughs] uh...is A Perfect Circle getting back together?

I dunno.

[laughs] See, that's why I wasn't going to ask! I want to know who your touring band is gonna be! Let's break some news!

Jeff Friedel- touring drummer. Found him pretty quickly. Everyone else I am still putting it together. So in the next few days I should have it together. I'll have the band rehearsing while I'm on my way.

Well thanks for talking to me! I better hop off before I get in trouble

[laughs] This was good...thanks AJ. We'll talk again after things get rolling.

Great!