CIRCULUS interview by Olivera Milosavljevic
MEDIEVAL FOLK ROCK TIME
TRAVELLING MINSTRELS
Interview with Michael Tyack, Alfa rainbow giver man of Circulus, December 2007.
INTRO
Considering my deep love for all that’s tied to medieval era, it was pretty
automatic for me to check the following band that was signed for a label which
produced majority of doom bands I am addicted to. Well, I decided to share with
you an interview done via e-mail questionnaires with Mr. Tyack.
It happened more than a year ago, but I feel it continues to maintain its flame,
at least between songs like Oh! Susanna, Flower is what is needed, or Fury from
Old animal farm; except Circulus there were only Grand Magus that I could play
in presence of my four years old boy. For heavier stuff, I felt he’s the one
that should choose. Talking about those choices already taken, mummy had to wait
long after his “nighty night” for a bit of free listening… Strictly from
earphones, obviously... and it still goes that way :-) Well, where was I?
“Mum, c’mon, put the instrumental one!” said a nerdy little rebel.
“It is Swallow that I need to hear today. Than you can put Orpheus any time you
want too.” (We were duelling about songs from the first Circulus LP)
“Oh common, the instrumental one!” A pair of big brown eyes was watching me
blameworthy behind speck glasses.
“Is there any alternative?”
“A-ha, the instrumental one” was the gentle answer.
...“What does alternative means mum?”... At this point, you only can imagine how
many times we repeated that passage. So, here to you my Sire, following
supplies. It is my turn to wait for blessing, hopefully not so long. I can only
invite you gently to convey us eventual laugh, irony or glittering magic(k)
flowing while you are reading this mailed interview. “
THE GIST BETWEEN LINES
So, what is the meaning of alternative music from Circulus optics?
My goodness, what a difficult question. I’m not quite sure I understand
what alternative music myself. It might be the type of music which isn’t
considered suitable for broadcasting on the radio to a general audience.
Alternative music usually contains ideas and sounds that might seem a little
unsavoury for the average person to enjoy. Alternative music is usually special
in some way or another. I like to try and make music in a style that no one has
thought of before. I’m very much in love with medieval and sixteenth century
music. I’m equally in love with heavy rock and folk band from 68 – 74. The only
way to please myself is to make something that sounds like all of these things.
Why was Circulus chosen as a band name?
We chose Circulus for our name because it sounded good. I didn’t realize
at the time that it was a magical word with extraordinary powers.
What allured so much a Cornish fellow to express music through medieval, but
rock and psych sound too? You said once that you constructed your artistic
career on despair. Affirming “we lost our innocence and are now left with
postmodernism”, you still got the strength to indicate “post optimism” as the
only way out of it? Could you comment this please?
Sometimes I say a lot of silly things. There’s not such thing as post
optimism. It doesn’t make any sense. I believe it helps the creative spirit if
you are poor and lacking the comforts of modern life.
Some people define Circulus as mystical anomaly of a band that projects its
sound somewhere between 1272. and 1972. Is this the reason for which (quote)
band was unsigned, unemployed but perversely happy for quite 8 years before
signing for Rise Above? How come you chose this label?
It’s true we we’re unsigned for eight years. Then we were signed for two
years and now were unsigned again. I prefer being unsigned. We never made any
money from being signed. We played a festival in Sweden called Hultsfred. Six
months later I found out that it cost us over three thousand pounds. I’m going
to release the next album myself and play more festivals in peoples’ back
gardens for fun. Rise Above is a good label. They put out your stuff on vinyl
which is good.
Who is Thogdin Ripley? Sorry, but I’m taking an opportunity to ask you what does
represent a picture with “Blind Women” inscription on it, next to “We are long
lost” lyrics on your first album?
Thogdin Ripley is as crazy as his name. He wrote the Blind Woman
inscription. It will all make sense one day, but not yet. He’s a very good
artist and it is he who introduced us to Lee Dorrian and Rise Above.
After two full length albums, Circulus entered studio again to record the new
one. At that point important line up changes happened too? Following the band’s
My Space page for a year now, from your description of your sound as a dream we
can’t remember, now you are describing it as a fair warning. Deepening a phrase
(“...counting down the silver serpents in the sky”), I just got impression that
a new album will be heavier (?) in certain terms, when confronting it to earlier
stuff?
I have lots and lots of songs for the new album which I hope to start
recording early in 2008. A couple of the key songs are concerned with the future
of our existence on this planet. People seem to be getting distracted with
global warming rather than the more certain danger of a nuclear holocaust. We
are fast approaching the significant year of 2012. The “fair warning” is for
people to be mentally prepared for this. And not to run when the UFOs begin to
land. They will be here to help us, those who wish to be helped. It will be a
joyous occasion. This is the underlying message for the next album. Our
existence on Earth will be like a dream we can’t remember. The next album will
seem more serious than the previous two. I’ll be using less Moog but more
guitars and strings.
How many archaic instruments you use, and how Circulus musicians reached them?
Our wind player Will Summers uses around a dozen different instruments.
He has spent his entire life with his head well and truly in the past. I have
been playing a lot of cittern lately. It’s a still strung instrument which was
popular in England from 1580 to around 1620. You can hear it chiming away on
“Swallow”. By the way, there is a new Marianne Segal/Circulus album out now. You
can buy it from her website.
For a bunch of 16th century court hippie rockers, there is not a fairy festival
where you are not regularly invited to participate. Well, once you said that you
never know on how many of those you will actually play on stage. What does it
depend on?
It was always difficult to get my band to show up for gigs. Quite often
they were busy doing other things. Everyone except Will Summers walked out for
good last month. I’m really relieved because I was sick of listening them
complain all the time. Bands are like families, I’m sure you understand. I’ve
found some new people who are really honoured to play in Circulus.
Is it true that you have the hugest collection of hats and capes (tights too) in
Britain? ;-)
It’s a rumour, but I’m sure there are loads of people with bigger
collections than myself. I used to have a lot more than I do because I keep
losing them and giving them away.
Any message for our auditorium?
If there are any promoters reading this who would like us to play in your
part of the world then please invite us! Everyone, be our friends on MySpace and
send me a message. Buy Marianne Segal’s new album, it’s full of crazy Circulus
sounds! Thank you. Michael Tyack.