Billy Howerdel
Encyclopedia
Billy Howerdel is the founding member, guitarist
, songwriter
, and producer
for the bands A Perfect Circle
and Ashes Divide
. He has recorded three acclaimed studio albums with the former, and in 2008, Ashes Divide released their debut album, Keep Telling Myself It's Alright
.
. He attended high school at West Milford Township High School in West Milford, New Jersey. He played some sports but took an interest in a television production class and was very active in an extracurricular audio program. This program gave Howerdel the foundation for his post high school audio technician pursuits and eventually led to his high profile guitar technician positions. Stephen Porcello, the high school teacher who was the adviser for this program took Howerdel into New York City and helped him select his first electric guitar. Howerdel cites attending a Pink Floyd concert as a youngster and being blown away by the experience as the catalyst for wanting to be involved in music. He spent several years doing sound for New Jersey bands and stepped it up working jobs as guitar tech for numerous bands. Before forming A Perfect Circle, Howerdel worked as a guitar tech
for Faith No More
, Fishbone
, David Bowie
, The Smashing Pumpkins
, Nine Inch Nails
, Guns N' Roses
, and Tool
, among other bands.
technician for Tool
during the tour and recording of Ænima
, working with Maynard James Keenan
, whom he met in 1992. During this time, Howerdel played Keenan some of his songs, and Keenan offered his vocals if Howerdel ever decided to form a band. Despite originally considering a female singer, Howerdel would eventually accept Keenan's offer. In 1999, Howerdel founded A Perfect Circle, and invited Keenan to join in as the singer.
. Howerdel handled nearly all the instruments in the studio for the release, except the drums for which he recruited session-man Josh Freese
. The first single, "The Stone
," gained some radio play, and the band toured for the album throughout 2008.
. In 2005, he wrote and recorded music for the video game Jak X: Combat Racing
, which also features remixes of Billy's songs by Danny Lohner
and Dean Menta
, and musicians Josh Freese
and Troy Van Leeuwen
of Queens of the Stone Age
, Atom Willard
of Angels And Airwaves, Joey Castillo
of Queens of the Stone Age, ex-A Perfect Circle bassist Paz Lenchantin
, and Wes Borland
of Limp Bizkit
, also worked on the Guns N' Roses
album Chinese Democracy
, specifically the song "There Was A Time".
Billy has replaced his previous effects rig with an AxeFX Ultra made by Fractal Audio. He is also using Naked amps made by Dave Friedman of Rack Systems.
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
for the bands A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...
and Ashes Divide
Ashes Divide
Ashes Divide is an American rock band formed by guitarist Billy Howerdel, who had also formed A Perfect Circle. Howerdel is the primary songwriter, musician, producer, and vocalist for the band....
. He has recorded three acclaimed studio albums with the former, and in 2008, Ashes Divide released their debut album, Keep Telling Myself It's Alright
Keep Telling Myself It's Alright
Keep Telling Myself It's Alright is the debut studio album by American rock band Ashes Divide. The album was released on CD and as a digital download on April 8, 2008. Its first single is "The Stone," which entered radio circulation in January of that year...
.
Early life
Howerdel was born in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He attended high school at West Milford Township High School in West Milford, New Jersey. He played some sports but took an interest in a television production class and was very active in an extracurricular audio program. This program gave Howerdel the foundation for his post high school audio technician pursuits and eventually led to his high profile guitar technician positions. Stephen Porcello, the high school teacher who was the adviser for this program took Howerdel into New York City and helped him select his first electric guitar. Howerdel cites attending a Pink Floyd concert as a youngster and being blown away by the experience as the catalyst for wanting to be involved in music. He spent several years doing sound for New Jersey bands and stepped it up working jobs as guitar tech for numerous bands. Before forming A Perfect Circle, Howerdel worked as a guitar tech
Guitar technician
A guitar technician is a member of a music ensemble's road crew who maintains and sets up the musical equipment for one or more guitarists during a concert tour...
for Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
, Fishbone
Fishbone
Fishbone is a U.S. alternative rock band formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California, which plays a fusion of ska, punk rock, funk, hard rock and soul. Critics have noted of the band: "Fishbone was one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative rock bands of the late '80s...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
, Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
, Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
, and Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
, among other bands.
A Perfect Circle
Howerdel functioned as a guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
technician for Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
during the tour and recording of Ænima
Ænima
Ænima is the second studio album by American rock band Tool. The album was released on September 17, 1996 in vinyl format and on October 1, 1996 in Compact Disc format. The album was recorded and cut at Ocean Way, Hollywood, California and The Hook, North Hollywood, California from 1995 to 1996...
, working with Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor. Originally from Ohio, Keenan spent his high school and college years in Michigan. After serving in the Army in the early 1980s, he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids...
, whom he met in 1992. During this time, Howerdel played Keenan some of his songs, and Keenan offered his vocals if Howerdel ever decided to form a band. Despite originally considering a female singer, Howerdel would eventually accept Keenan's offer. In 1999, Howerdel founded A Perfect Circle, and invited Keenan to join in as the singer.
Ashes Divide
Billy Howerdel is currently actively involved in his new solo project, Ashes DivideAshes Divide
Ashes Divide is an American rock band formed by guitarist Billy Howerdel, who had also formed A Perfect Circle. Howerdel is the primary songwriter, musician, producer, and vocalist for the band....
. Howerdel handled nearly all the instruments in the studio for the release, except the drums for which he recruited session-man Josh Freese
Josh Freese
Josh Freese is an American session drummer and songwriter. He is a permanent member of A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, and Devo, having formerly played drums for Nine Inch Nails from late 2005 until late 2008, and for Guns N' Roses from mid-1998 to 2001. Freese has appeared on close to 300 records....
. The first single, "The Stone
The Stone (Ashes Divide song)
"The Stone" is a song by American band ASHES dIVIDE and is their debut single from their debut album Keep Telling Myself It's Alright, which was released on April 8, 2008. The music video for the song was released in March.-Background:...
," gained some radio play, and the band toured for the album throughout 2008.
Other projects
Howerdel has occasionally played live with the band Abandoned PoolsAbandoned Pools
Tommy Walter is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his Alternative rock band, Abandoned Pools, as well as being the former bassist and one of the founding members of Eels....
. In 2005, he wrote and recorded music for the video game Jak X: Combat Racing
Jak X: Combat Racing
Jak X: Combat Racing , is a vehicular combat game video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2 and first released in North America on October 18, 2005, then in Australia on October 26, 2005 and then in Europe on November 4, 2005...
, which also features remixes of Billy's songs by Danny Lohner
Danny Lohner
Daniel Patrick "Danny" Lohner , frequently known as Renholdër, is an American rock musician who plays bass guitar, electric guitar, and keyboards. He worked with Trent Reznor on numerous occasions, both with Nine Inch Nails and on the now defunct Tapeworm project...
and Dean Menta
Dean Menta
Dean Menta served as the guitarist for the rock band Faith No More from 1995 to 1996. Menta had been a keyboard tech for the band and was recruited to handle guitar duties after Trey Spruance declined to tour for the album King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime. He appears in their videos for...
, and musicians Josh Freese
Josh Freese
Josh Freese is an American session drummer and songwriter. He is a permanent member of A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, and Devo, having formerly played drums for Nine Inch Nails from late 2005 until late 2008, and for Guns N' Roses from mid-1998 to 2001. Freese has appeared on close to 300 records....
and Troy Van Leeuwen
Troy Van Leeuwen
Troy Dean Van Leeuwen is an American musician and producer. Van Leeuwen began playing music at young age and started playing guitar at age 13. Soon Van Leeuwen was playing in various local bands such as Jester, 60 Cycle and later Failure...
of Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
, Atom Willard
Atom Willard
Adam David Willard , known professionally by the pseudonym Atom, is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. Willard's drumming career began in 1990 when he joined Rocket from the Crypt, whom he remained with until 2000...
of Angels And Airwaves, Joey Castillo
Joey Castillo
Joseph Willam "Joey" Castillo is an American drummer currently playing with Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal...
of Queens of the Stone Age, ex-A Perfect Circle bassist Paz Lenchantin
Paz Lenchantin
Paz Lenchantin is an American musician of French ancestry. She came to Los Angeles, California with her family at the age of four....
, and Wes Borland
Wes Borland
Wesley Louden Borland is an American musician and artist, best known as the guitarist for the band Limp Bizkit. He has been in several other bands as well including: Black Light Burns, The Damning Well, Goatslayer, Big Dumb Face, and Combichrist...
of Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
, also worked on the Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
album Chinese Democracy
Chinese Democracy
Chinese Democracy is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released in November 2008 on Geffen Records. It is the band's first studio album since "The Spaghetti Incident?" , released exactly 15 years before Chinese Democracy, and their first album of original studio...
, specifically the song "There Was A Time".
Gear
- Guitars - Gibson Les PaulGibson Les PaulThe Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
s, predominantly a 1960 Les Paul Classic Reissue. Plays Ernie BallErnie BallErnie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...
strings, with DunlopDunlop ManufacturingDunlop Manufacturing, Inc., known colloquially as Jim Dunlop, is a manufacturer of musical accessories based in Benicia, California. Originally founded in 1965 by Jim Dunlop, Sr., the company has grown from a small home operation to being a large manufacturer of music gear for over 40 years.- Way...
1.0mm Nylon picks. Tom Anderson Pickups. H3+ Bridge H1- neck - Cabinets - VHT Straight Cabinet / 4x12
- Effects - Axe-Fx Ultra
- Pedalboard: Voodoo Labs Ground Control Pro
- Tuner - KorgKorgis a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
DTR-1 Rack Tuner - Amp - There is much debate as to the details of his "Naked" amp. It is certainly a one-off custom-made amplifier, but not much else is known. It has been claimed on Internet Discussion Boards that it is based on a Naylor SuperDrive preamp with a power section based on a MarshallMarshall AmplificationMarshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
JMP. His most recent amplifier is a Dave Friedman modified 1978 Marshall JMP-100 Superlead, modified for (at least) a master volume control, channel switching, and an effects loop. Adam Jones of Tool has mentioned in magazine interview having been introduced to another line of amplifiers by Howerdel, which may be the Diezel head amp included in Jones' equipment list from "The Tool FAQ" of toolshed.down.net
Billy has replaced his previous effects rig with an AxeFX Ultra made by Fractal Audio. He is also using Naked amps made by Dave Friedman of Rack Systems.
Discography
- 2000 - A Perfect Circle - Mer de NomsMer de Noms- Symbols :Inside the insert the track names appear to be randomly spelled out in symbols. One way to decipher the symbols is to match the song titles using the normal alphabet with the song titles inside the insert....
- 2003 - A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth StepThirteenth StepThirteenth Step is the second studio album by American rock band A Perfect Circle, released under Compact Disc format on September 16, 2003. It was a major success reaching the #2 position on the Billboard 200 in its premiere week, selling over 231,000 copies and staying on the charts for 78 weeks....
- 2004 - A Perfect Circle - Emotive
- 2008 - Ashes Divide - Keep Telling Myself It's AlrightKeep Telling Myself It's AlrightKeep Telling Myself It's Alright is the debut studio album by American rock band Ashes Divide. The album was released on CD and as a digital download on April 8, 2008. Its first single is "The Stone," which entered radio circulation in January of that year...
- 2008 - Guns and Roses - Chinese DemocracyChinese DemocracyChinese Democracy is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released in November 2008 on Geffen Records. It is the band's first studio album since "The Spaghetti Incident?" , released exactly 15 years before Chinese Democracy, and their first album of original studio...
(digital editing) - 2009 - A Perfect Circle - Deep CutsDeep Cuts (A Perfect Circle album)Deep Cuts is the first EP by alternative rock supergroup A Perfect Circle, released on April 7, 2009. The EP, consisting of four tracks, was released while the band were on hiatus...
- 2009 - Sweethead - SweetheadSweethead (album)-Personnel:Sweethead*Serrina Sims – vocals*Troy Van Leeuwen – guitar, backing vocals, keyboards, bass*Eddie Nappi – bass*Norm Block – drumsProduction personnel*Troy Van Leeuwen – production, mixing, engineering*Norm Block – engineering...
(engineering)