Or maybe this is due to the need to differenciate from another active eponymous band from Quebec, Canada?Īnyway, this circus has four male singer in the ranks here, wow.
So much the more rather reflecting the fact that this is the fifth album contributed by this band over the course of time, simple as that. The suffix 'V', well, this won't point to the fifth band incarnation, I'm quite sure. A good reason for being curious what is happening today, isn't it? Interestingly keyboarder Derek Miller seems to be the only constant, right from the very start. Hey, they actually are active since 1973! Looks like the crew went on hiatus at the end of the last century, but then surprisingly entered the trip once again in 2017. Anyway "Cirkus One" remains an exquisite album of outstanding creativity much deserving its high standing in the kingdom of progressive rock.ĬIRKUS are a band from the UK, who have slipped under my trapeze 'til now. This splendid offering brought original members, and main songwriter, Stu McDade back into the fold and featured cameo performances by an array of other musicians most notably former frontman Alan Roadhouse, who played flute. In 1998 the much anticipated and quite magnificent third CIRKUS album "Pantomyne" was finally unveiled. In 1994 was released "Cirkus II The Global Cut", where only Derek Miller features from the original line-up.
A year later a CIRKUS track called "I'm On Fire" was featured on a "Battle Of The Bands" LP but this proved to be their final offering before the five went their separate ways in the early '80s. The music is of a whimsical and offbeat nature, a far cry from the outfit's prog-rock roots and therefore of limited appeal.
The LP was issued by Shock Records and is now very rare. Based on the musical, an LP of the same name was released, although none of the band members wrote any of the material. In 1977 CIRKUS made an unusual move by touring in a somewhat zany theatre production called "Future Shock". As a result the band moved away from their early symphonic style adopting a somewhat more mainstream approach albeit maintaining a certain "Cirkus sound". With Dogg on acoustic and electric guitars, Derek Miller on keyboards, John Taylor on bass and main songwriter Stu McDade providing backing vocals, drums and assorted persussions, this became the new line-up. When in 1975 lead vocalist Paul Robson left the group, his replacement was Alan Roadhouse (ex Halfbreed) who also played the saxophone. It is widely regarded by many collectors today as the most musically accomplished private pressing of its kind to emerge out of the UK's then burgeoning progressive music scene, influenced by KING CRIMSON and YES. In 1973 they recorded their debut album "Cirkus One" at Sound Associates/Emison & Air Studios and just 1000 copies were pressed up. It was felt that the quintet could achieve success on a national scale, provided management handled matters properly and they got the right breaks. Founded in Sunderland, UK in 1973 - Still active as of 2017įormed from the ashes of bands Moonhead and Lucas Tyson, the group's high standard of musicianship was well known in their native north-east where they attracted much attention and had a devoted following.
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