A Perfect Circle Dresses Up for DVD

05/13/2004 12:55 PM, Reuters
Christa Titus

In typical fashion, rock act A Perfect Circle put a unique stamp on Tuesday's launch party for its new DVD, "Lost in the Bermuda Triangle," which debuts at No. 8 on the Billboard Top Music Videos chart this week.

The screening showed little beyond the video of the Virgin act's latest single, "The Outsider," and cartoon material that lampooned the Home Shopping Network. But there was still plenty to see.

Drummer Josh Freese and guitarists Billy Howerdel and James Iha arrived at the Coral Room in New York dressed in furry bear costumes with masks that covered their heads. Bassist Jeordie Osbourne White opted for a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer ensemble.

Frontman Maynard James Keenan alighted from his separate limousine tricked out in a shiny green suit that paid homage to Morris Day, accessorized with plenty of jewelry. Asked why he'd opted for the player look, Keenan shrugged and told Billboard.com, "It was in my closet, so I dusted it off."

Known for wearing quirky getups onstage, Keenan was likely spoofing the bigwig executives depicted in "The Outsider." The Steven Grasse- and Mark Kohr-directed clip takes jabs at corporate America and the constraints on free speech by having a bathing-suit-clad gang known as the Bikini Bandits terrorize suburbia.

When asked what he thinks of how the Federal Communications Commission is handling so-called indecent material in the media, Keenan replied, "It's ridiculous. They're acting like the whole country is five . People can judge for themselves. I think everybody has nipples."

Queried about what A Perfect Circle would be doing once its current tour ends, White said there would "probably be solo albums" from the band's members. Iha was also vague about what lies ahead. "I don't know. Take a break," he guessed. "Maynard's gonna go back to Tool. Billy's is gonna have a baby."

Reuters/Billboard