A Perfect Circle, "Judith"

Late one night this week, while listening to Rock 108, I started rethinking my stance on music during my high school career. I wrote that it was okay, and that it had both bright spots and stains. I still think that is true, but I was reminded of the bright spots thanks to “Judith” by A Perfect Circle. The video in all its widescreen glory is here: http://youtu.be/xTgKRCXybSM.

I heard the song and thought, “What the hell is that?” I Googled the lyrics and was given the song title. After further research, I realized it was totally Quiet Man high school material — despite the fact I did not immediately remember it as such. According to Wikipedia, A Perfect Circle was formed in 1999 and the band’s first album, “Mer de Noms,” was released in May 2000. “Judith” was released as a single on August 8, 2000, a few weeks before I started my senior year of high school. Given that context, subsequent listens on YouTube unearthed a lot of memories of that autumn. It provided a nice soundtrack to Friday nights after City High football games as Mervgotti and I cruised Iowa City in my Jetta. (I do not remember that for sure, but I assume it did. “The Deutsche Mark,” as I dubbed my Jetta, did not have a CD player, so whatever was playing on Rock 108 or KRNA at the time made a huge impression on me.)

The song and the music video fit within the identity crisis rock was going through during that era. I have no clue how to classify the sound, but it just fits the time. It is post-post-grunge — very 2000. That is the best way I know how to describe it: very 2000. The other song I heard the same night as “Judith” was “Change (In the House of Flies)” by Deftones. According to Wikipedia, “Change (In the House of Flies)” was released June 27, 2000, also bringing back memories of that summer and autumn. For whatever reason, “Change (In the House of Flies)” is one of those songs that has always symbolized my senior year in high school. It was on the radio a lot, and whenever I hear it again I think of 2000-01.

(Speaking of being on the radio a lot, despite the fact it is almost 11 years old, “Judith” was just played on Rock 108 as I wrote this.)

Back to the “Judith” video. Two things stand out to me (because I never saw it until this week):

1) The brief screen shots of the computer screen. Ah — Mac OS 9. Or maybe it was 9.5. I have no clue for sure, but it was probably one of those very late versions of the “Carbon” Mac operating system. Back in the late-nineties and early-naughties — those pre-iPod days — the only people using Macs were us cool people, musicians, and graphic designers. The screen shots bring back memories of the Power Mac G3 I bought in 1998.

2) Paz Lenchantin, the bassist for A Perfect Circle at the time, fixes her hair during a short lull and does not miss a beat (at least it is made to look that way). That is hot.

I will definitely buy this album. Nostalgia, anybody?