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Former Tech Steps Into The Spotlight

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By CURTIS ROSS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 8, 2008

The combination of powerful music and eye-popping visuals at a Pink Floyd concert convinced Billy Howerdel he wanted a career in music.

His latest project, though, will start out with a focus on the music and what Howerdel says is a "bare-bones" visual presentation.

That's probably just as well, because one of the first gigs for Howerdel's new outfit, Ashes Divide, will see them onstage in the early afternoon Sunday at 98 Rockfest, presented by 98 Rock (WXTB, 97.9 FM).

Howerdel and his band mates - Jeff Friedl on drums, Matt McJunkins on bass and Andy Gerold on guitar - share the bill with Kid Rock, Three Doors Down, Serj Tankian, Shinedown, Theory of a Dead Man, Saving Abel, Five Finger Death Punch and Skratch N Sniff.

The show will be the third date on Ashes Divide's inaugural tour.

Although Ashes Divide will be Howerdel's first front-man gig, he's logged plenty of experience both on and off stage.

He began as a lighting and guitar tech for bands such as Fishbone, Smashing Pumpkins, David Bowie and Guns N' Roses.

Working with Tool, though, led Howerdel from behind the scenes to the stage.

Tool singer Maynard James Keenan was intrigued by music he heard Howerdel working on and the two formed A Perfect Circle. APC released three albums before going on hiatus following 2004's anti-war and mostly covers disc, "eMOTIVEe."

Ashes Divide's first album, "Keep Telling Myself It's Alright," released April 8, is primarily a Howerdel solo effort. He plays all instruments except drums. Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano adds vocals and Danny Lohner (A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails) helped with programming.

Making the album consumed Howerdel for eight months.

"Working on the record, I kept listening and finding things I didn't like and getting things out of the way," Howerdel says. "I just kept listening to it 'til I didn't hate it anymore. I got the songs to a place I liked, put the final stamp on it and sent it off."

The prospect of turning his studio creation into a live performance provided some initial jitters - quickly quelled - for Howerdel.

"I was nervous before rehearsing and practicing went on," Howerdel says by telephone from his home in Los Angeles. "Now we've got the band and the songs are sounding good. Having these guys behind me gives me confidence.

"It just feels solidified," he says. "The live element changes the music all up again. It has more energy and it's a lot heavier"

He's not sweating his first time as a front man.

"I try not to think about it too much," Howerdel says. Being on stage, he says, "is a different world for me. It's like a switch gets flicked and you're someone else."

Nor is Howerdel worried about comparisons of Ashes Divide to A Perfect Circle.

"I don't know. I haven't gone back and listened to A Perfect Circle since I've done this," Howerdel says.

"To me," he says, "it sounds different because someone else is singing."

CONCERT PREVIEW

98 Rockfest

WITH: Kid Rock, Three Doors Down, Serj Tankian, Shinedown, Filter, Theory of a Deadman, Ashes Divide, Five Finger Death Punch, Saving Abel and Skratch N Sniff

WHEN: 11 a.m. Sunday

WHERE: Outside Raymond James Stadium, 4201 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa; (813) 673-4300

COST: $35 and $45

Curtis Ross can be reached at (813) 259-7568 or cross@tampatrib.com.

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