Circulus are a psychedelic folk/progressive rock band from South London, England, founded by vocalist Michael Tyack.

Circulus
OriginLondon, England
GenresPsychedelic folk
Progressive rock
Years active1997–present
LabelsRise Above Records
MembersMichael Tyack
Jennifer Bennett
Harmony Davies
Oliver Parfitt
Past membersWill Summers
Lo Polidoro
Sam Kelly
Victor Hugo
George Parfitt
Nick Baxter
Nigel Hoyle
Felicity Greenland
Eric Anholm
Jason Hobart
Emma Steele
Robin Cieslak
Damien Cavanagh
Jason Read
Genevieve Appleby
Bec Newman
Bethia Beadman
Tom Goldsmith
Holly-Jane Shears
Anthony Elvin
Perceval
Gauvain
Kay
Joe Woolley
Patrick Kenneally
Tali Trow
Cathy Harabaras
Websitecirculus.org

The band uses a mix of modern and medieval instruments, such as the lute, cittern, crumhorn and rauschpfeife, along with the Moog synthesizer, bass and electric guitars. Tyack claims to believe in fairies and pixies, and they have been known to play their live shows with the audience sitting on the floor.

Circulus were featured in a two-page spread of an NME issue in 2005, and a two-page interview in Terrorizer in 2006 [citation needed]. Their album Clocks are Like People was reviewed in Metal Hammer magazine in September 2006, receiving 8/10.

The band featured in an SVT (Swedish) music television documentary called This Is Our Music in 2005, and were interviewed on BBC2's The Culture Show on 3 February 2007 as part of an item on the 'new folk'.

Mojo magazine chose Circulus to cover "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" for their 40th anniversary Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band tribute album, Sgt. Pepper...With a Little Help from His Friends, given away with their March 2007 issue.

In 2018 Michael Tyack confirmed a new album to be released in the summer of 2018.

Discography edit

EPs

Albums

Singles

  • "Everyone" / "Ring o' Roses" / "Gently Johnny Pt 1" (1997, Instant Farma)
  • "Little More Time" / "Happen Away" (1998, Instant Farma)
  • "Wouldn't Dream of Sleeping Now" / "Same Way From the Sun" (2000, Instant Farma)
  • "Swallow" / "My Body is Made of Sunlight" / "La Rotta°" (2005, Rise Above Records))
  • "Song of Our Despair" / "Honeycomb" / "Tapestry°" (2006, Rise Above Records)

(° on CD version only)

Other releases

  • Music Plays in the Air (on Get Yer Pots Out with the fanzine Ptolemaic Terrascope, 2001)
  • Split 7"Miri It Is (Moog-up Mix) by Circulus / Chylde of Fire by Witchcraft (2005, Rise Above Records)
  • La Rotta (2005) (on The Crow Club compilation, 2008 People Tree Records)
  • Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds (Mojo Presents Sgt. Pepper... With A Little Help From My Friends, 2007, Mojo Magazine)
  • The Unquiet Grave (on Old Wine, New Skins compilation, 2007, Market Square Music)
  • Till We Merry Meet Again (on A Psychedelic Guide to Monsterism Island compilation, 2009, Lo Recordings)

Releases with Circulus members

Band members edit

Current members edit

  • Michael Tyack – vocals, guitars, saz, cittern

Former members edit

  • Lo Polidoro – vocals
  • Will Summers – flute, recorder, crumhorn, shawm
  • Sam Kelly – drums, vocals
  • George Parfitt – bass guitar
  • Oliver Parfitt – keyboards, synthesizers
  • Victor Hugo Llamas – bongos, percussion
  • Nick Baxter – percussion
  • Nigel Hoyle – bass, vocals
  • Eric Anholm – guitar, vocals
  • Jason Hobart – bass, vocals
  • Emma Steele – vocals, flute
  • Robin Cieslak – guitar, vocals, percussion
  • Damien Cavanagh – drums
  • Jenny Bliss Bennett – violin, viola da gamba, flute, vocals
  • Cathy Harabaras – drums, backing vocals[1][2]

Mythical Cake label edit

In 2008, the band started its own record label, Mythical Cake, using donations solicited from fans and the public at large. A donation of 50 British pounds or more secured a photograph in the Thought Becomes Reality album liner notes. This alternative appeal is part of a growing trend of bands attempting to create a distribution infrastructure outside the traditional music industry.

References edit

  1. ^ "Circulus - discography, line-up, biography, interviews, photos". Spirit of Rock. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  2. ^ Soffian, Amos (23 March 2012). "Circulus - Within You Is The Sun". Vimeo. Retrieved 16 October 2022.

External links edit