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Music Preview BY CRAIG ELLIOTT A Perfect Circle at Summersault Sunday, Aug. 6 at Commonwealth Stadium Who is Josh Freese? That depends on who you ask, really. If you ask somebody from "the industry," Josh Freese is a sought-after session drummer, who has played for Paul Westerberg, Juliana Hatfield, Guns and Roses and Devo, among many others. Click the drop-down menu in this category and heavy rock dudes should be jizzing all over at the sight of A Perfect Circle, perhaps better known as Maynard from Tool’s side-thing, on his résumé. Ask a punk the same question and the more attentive ones should be jizzing all over at the sound of the name of the drummer of one of the most wicked, awesome, pop-punk bands ever, the Vandals. They recruited him after seeing him playing in the Disneyland teen Top 40 cover band. Though there’s been little mention of it until now, Freese is also, apparently, The Notorious One Man Orgy, or so it says in the name of his first solo record. It tells no word of a lie, either, as Freese shows his own bad self off a little, playing most of the instruments, writing most of the songs, performing most of the vocals and laying out some of his broad range of influences. Everybody but the Alliance guys and gals will be pleasantly surprised. But why did Freese do the One Man Orgy? Is drumming not good enough all of a sudden? Is this an ego thing? Yes, of course it’s an ego thing, but relax. Though it’s an interesting coincidence that both men CAN go on about the Playboy Mansion, it’s not crazy Tommy Lee’s ego we’re talking about – it’s clever Josh Freese’s. "It doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that I play drums or anything, it’s the fact that I’m a musician and I write music and I am interested in doing that stuff, as opposed to just playing drums," says Freese. "As far as wanting my time up front, if I really felt that way, I would have a band together right now and I’d be out playing these songs. But for now I’m not even touring behind this, I just wanted to record these songs and find a friend to put it out, have it available. And maybe do it again next year, and maybe at that time go out on tour. But for now, it was just something I wanted to do." Besides, aside from being his "first love," drumming has been very good to Freese. That and his talent for it have him and his girlfriend in Japan about to begin a quest for samurai swords on a day off from A Perfect Circle’s tour, opening for Nine Inch Nails, just as it will have him exploring the genius of urban sprawl when Summersault brings them to Edmonton. Which brings us back to Maynard. That guy seems pretty mysterious and kind of intense. What’s he really like? "Uh, like me or you," pleads Freese, though he knows he has a different perspective of the enigmatic Mr. Keenan. "I’ve been friends with him for a long time and I’ve worked closely with him. I know a lot of people that it might be tougher for them to let others into their world easily. Doing interviews and talking to other people, I guess he has a reputation for being that, for being somebody who doesn’t let you know much about them." But then again, why should he? Talking to strangers on the phone is always a weird business to be in. "Right! Exactly. He does his job and he does it well and he tries to get along with everybody, and everything’s cool."

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