Idle Worship: Puscifer

The Players

Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle) – Vocals

And many more ...

The Albums

V is for Vagina – 2007 (Puscifer Entertainment)

C is for (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference Here) EP – 2009 (Puscifer Entertainment)

Conditions of My Parole – 2011 (Puscifer Entertainment)

When Puscifer was first announced to say that it drew a mixed reaction from Maynard James Keenan's existing fanbase is a gross understatement. Many died-in-the-wool Tool fans feared the worst; another side project from their beloved frontman could only mean that his attention was turned away from Tool's already languid release schedule. After all, if your favourite band only makes an average of one album every five years you wouldn't want anything interfering with that. However, as a longtime Tool fan myself, I chose to see things differently. Instead on one (maybe, at most) Tool album that we would have gotten since 2006's 10,000 Days we have two Puscifer albums and an EP in the same time period. For once I found myself being the optimist. Many might have asked aloud “is this a joke?”. Perhaps it was – a parody of popular music that knew how much some people would revile it but continued to thrive anyway. With song titles like 'Vagina Mine' and 'Country Boner' you can see where some of this despair was coming from but the humour is never given the opportunity to outweigh the songwriting. The punchline was that the music this joke was built on was too good to be dismissed.

Musically, Puscifer could hardly be farther divorced from Tool's sneering industrial art rock. V Is For Vagina focused on dark disco rhythms built on acoustic guitar chords, uncomfortable dance beats, and Keenan's Gregorian baritone. It was feel-bad music in the purest sense: the recurring topic sex manifested itself as un-sexily as possible, happiness as decadent, and joy as utterly hopeless. Tried and true elements of mindless pop music were turned fully on their head. Conditions Of My Parole managed to alleviate the mood slightly, testing new ground and prodding at more genres. Maynard's baby was evolving at an astounding rate. The gloomy trip-hop was dialed back to allow elements to 80s goth ('The Weaver'), dubstep ('Horizons'), and traditional rock in ('Toma'). 

The true genius of Puscifer is that it is a persona that extends beyond just the production of music. Their multi-media live shows are so intricate that all details are carefully guarded secrets, journalists sworn to secrecy so as to not deflate their majesty. Music, lights, videos, comedy, cabaret … but lets be honest, if you haven't seen it then you just don't know do you? Then there is the website. Most bands use their web presence to sell their music, merchandise, and keep the fans updated on all of their goings on. The Puscifer site is that and so much more. As well as all of the standard trappings it also incorporates a full-blown market that sells everything from posters to branded jeans, comedy DVDs, and albums by other bands. Ever felt in need of some live Brian Posehn or Don Rickles comedy, or perhaps Maynard's wine making documentary Blood Into Wine? Well now you know how to get it.

This brings right up to December 2012 and the announcement of their new EP, Donkey Punch The Night, due out February 19. Even more tantalizing is the promise that it will contain covers of Accept's 'Balls To The Wall' and Queen's legendary opus 'Bohemian Rhapsody' among other original songs. Its been a wild ride and I am intently looking forward to the next installmen. Until next time ye crazy gentlemen!