Members of A Perfect Circle (Supplied photo)

James Iha is perfectly happy being a cog in the wheel of A Perfect Circle.

The former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist insists he has no problem being a sideman in the alt-rock band led by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan.

“In general, I’m not a front guy,” says the 43-year-old Iha from L.A., where the reconvened band — rounded out by bassist Matt McJunkins and touring drummer Jeff Friedl – is prepping for an upcoming tour that includes four Canadian dates. “It’s much easier to work on other people’s music and play in other people’s bands as a guitar player instead of being the main songwriter and singer. That’s a really big job to do that.”

While he may duck the spotlight, Iha isn’t shy about work. Since leaving the Pumpkins in 2000, he hasn’t been idle — he’s guested on albums by everyone from Whiskeytown to A Camp, produced and remixed a long list of artists at his Manhattan recording studio, formed the supergroup Tinted Windows with members of Hanson, Cheap Trick and Fountains of Wayne, and even helmed his own indie record label.

Thankfully, he found a few free minutes to fill me in on APC, his solo album and his career trajectory — though Pumpkins questions were off- limits.

You guys seem like the most low-key band around. It’s almost as if you want to avoid attention and publicity.

Well, Maynard obviously has Tool. And while I can’t speak on his behalf, I think Tool is like this generation’s Led Zeppelin. They don’t have to put their band name on their albums. They don’t have to do press. They just put out music and people love it. As for me, I do what’s required to promote tours and records. But I’m the guitar player. That’s been the way with all the bands I’ve been in.

Personally, I’m not that extroverted.

Aren’t you kind of in the wrong business?

Not really. I think if you’re able to make the music you want and you can do it in the right kind of context, you don’t have to be a circus ringleader to be successful. There are plenty of people who don’t Twitter who are successful.

APC was on hiatus for six years. What brought you back together?

They just wanted to play. It had been a while and everybody had done projects on their own, so it just seemed like the right time and a good thing to do. And it’s good music, so why not? The music Billy and Maynard make is definitely special and stands the test of time. It’s technically deep, but also there’s a feeling that comes across in a great way. But yeah, it has been a while, which is why we’re rehearsing furiously at the moment.

Will you be playing new material on this tour? There have been conflicting stories.

We’ve been playing a little bit of new stuff in rehearsal. But I’m honestly not sure if we’re going to play it live. I’m not trying to be purposefully vague. We’re still kind of working it out. I think this tour will be more about (2004’s) Emotive, which was never really toured on. But it will feature songs from all the records. Everybody’s just excited to be playing again. We all hope it will lead to more.

Do you enjoy being a free agent more than being in one band full time?

I find it kind of liberating, after being with one band for a really long time, just to do different things and keep it fresh. I like a lot of different kinds of music. I like strong projects, big music. All the bands I’ve played with have had dynamic frontmen. But I enjoy going from one thing to another. Having a label for a couple of years taught me a lot about not just working on one band your whole life.

But really, I’m just a working musician. I just gravitate toward good music and good situations. I think that’s what all musicians are like.

Is that because you don’t just want to be known for being in Smashing Pumpkins?

Well, that’s one way to look at it. But it doesn’t begin and end with that. I’m not trying to make a point by playing with A Perfect Circle.

It’s just that they asked me to and I’m happy to because they’re great guys and they make great music. But it’s not like I’m designing career masterstrokes to change my Wikipedia page. Not to be all hippie-like and touchy-feely about it, but I’m just playing music. There isn’t more to it than that.

Haven’t you also been working on a solo album?

I’m close to finishing it. It takes me forever to work on my own music because I just get so dialed in on it. I’m too self-conscious. But I’m pretty sure I’m going to finish it this year after this tour. It was more electric and bandlike and new wave, but after working on it for a while, it’s become a little more mellow, a little more acoustic. It’s so hard for me to say. I have a lot of songs and I’m trying to figure out what the best record is out of all those songs.

A Perfect Circle Canadian Tour Dates:

July 2 | Edmonton | Boonstock

July 4 | Winnipeg | Centennial Concert Hall July 9 | Toronto | Edgefest July 10 | Ottawa | Bluesfest

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