Login
Login

Moscow Circus (band)

{{short description|Post punk band formed in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, England}}

{{about|the post-punk band|the circus|Moscow State Circus|the Eugene McGuinness song|Moscow State Circus (song)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}

{{Use British English|date=April 2018}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Moscow Circus

| image = File:Moscow_Circus_band_line_up.jpeg

| caption = Moscow Circus rehearsal in 2016, left to right: Pete Temperton, Jonathan Beckett, Tom Parratt, Mark Paulson.

| alias = *Critical Hippo (1987-1988)

  • Stigmata (1988-1989)
  • Bloodsugar (1990-1991)

| origin = Long Eaton, Derbyshire, U.K.

| genre = {{flatlist|

}}

| years_active = {{flatlist|

  • 1987-1989
  • 1990-1991
  • {{nowrap|2007–present}}

}}

| label = Echolocation Records

| associated_acts = {{flatlist|

}}

| website = *[http://www.moscowcircus.co.uk/ www.moscowcircus.co.uk]

| current_members = *Jonathan Beckett

  • Tom Parratt
  • Peter Temperton
  • Mark Paulson
  • Andrew Mainman (currently a touring member)

| past_members = *Martin Haddelsey

}}

Moscow Circus is a post-punk band formed in Long Eaton, Derbyshire in December 1987. The band currently comprises songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist, Jonathan Beckett, Tom Parratt on drums and backing vocals, Pete Temperton on bass Mark Paulson on guitar,{{Citation|last=Tom Parratt|title=Moscow Circus - My Lifetime (live 2016)|date=2016-06-14|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Rnl-z0dZA|accessdate=2018-02-23}} and bassist Andrew Mainman who covers for Temperton when he is unavailable.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mixcloud.com/daveyhammond/the-smelly-flowerpot-on-cambridge-105-dos-floris-sessionmoscow-circus-session/|title=The Smelly Flowerpot on Cambridge 105: Dos Floris Session/Moscow Circus Session|website=Mixcloud|access-date=2018-10-27}} After over 25 years since the band formed, they released their debut album Resounding in May 2016 on Echolocation Records.

History

= Early years (1987–1989) =

Prior to the formation of Moscow Circus, in 1986, Tom Parratt and Jonathan Beckett formed a cover band called Out of Order. Following the disbandment in 1987, Parratt and Beckett created a band called Great Big Word. This was the first band where the two of them played original songs together.{{Cite news|url=http://www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk/magsitepages/Article/8481/Moscow-Circus|title=Moscow Circus - Interview|work=pennyblackmusic.co.uk|access-date=2018-02-23}} The band produced one album together entitled Great Big Word!{{Cite web|url=https://myspace.com/greatbigword/music/songs|title=Great Big Word|website=Myspace|access-date=2018-03-19}}{{Primary source inline|date=July 2019}}{{Citation needed|date=April 2018|reason=needs a better citation than the myspace page}} before splitting up in late 1987. During Beckett's time in Great Big Word, he acquired his first guitar which was a Shergold Activator, after the bassist Rod Tippett pointed it out to him whilst they were shopping.{{Citation needed|date=April 2018|reason=requires citation on when Jonathan bought the guitar, and the fact that Rob pointed it out to him.}}

In December 1987, Moscow Circus (originally called Critical Hippo) was formed by Beckett, Parratt,{{Cite web|url=https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/moscow-circus|title=Moscow Circus discography|website=RateYourMusic|access-date=2018-02-15}} and Pete Temperton, who, prior to forming the band, had never played bass before, but had some musical background with woodwind and brass instruments; in order to play, the band borrowed a Westone Thunder 1A bass guitar from a friend.{{Cite news|url=http://www.moscowcircus.co.uk/biography/|title=BIOGRAPHY|date=2013-07-20|work=Moscow Circus|access-date=2018-02-15}}{{Citation|last=MoscowCircusMusic|title=MOSCOW CIRCUS - Ex Genius|date=2016-05-27|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amp_y8lHGV0|accessdate=2018-04-18}} {{Citation needed|date=April 2018|reason=Requires clearer image of bass guitar to determine its make properly}} Later, in 1988, Temperton purchased his own bass, which was a Marlin Sidewinder.{{Citation needed|date=April 2018|reason=requires citation on when Pete bought the bass}}

At first the band rehearsed at home but after frequent complaints from their neighbours; they moved to the local community centre which they could rent for £5.00. But they prioritized buying records from Selectadisc - a music store in Nottingham, and going to the pub over this practice. Three weeks after forming the band, the band performed their debut gig at The Garage in Nottingham in January 1988, supporting The Legendary Dolphins.{{Cite web|url=https://jonathanbeckett.blogspot.co.uk/|title=Music and More |website=jonathanbeckett.blogspot.co.uk|access-date=2018-04-14}}

The band then changed their name to Moscow Circus, then to Stigmata, and, in May 1988, the trio moved into a shared house in Dunkirk, Nottingham, and did several more gigs around the city before disbanding in 1989.

= Bloodsugar (1990–1991) =

The band reformed as Bloodsugar in August 1990, it was at this time that Martin Haddelsey was added to the trio. The band recorded demos of various songs on Pete Temperton's 4-track tape recorder; once a week, the band would come together to record the parts - with the drums being recorded at their place of rehearsal, and the guitars, vocals, and keyboards being recorded at Tom Parratt's house. The group continued to perform around various Nottingham venues before splitting up again in 1991.

After the split, Jonathan Beckett penned the song 'Snapshot', and him and Temperton demoed it, this was the youngest song that featured on their later album: Resounding. Whilst Beckett would work with both Temperton and Parratt on various other musical endeavors, the original lineup wouldn't come back together again for over fifteen years.

= ''A Parallel Derbyshire'' (2007-2011) =

In late 2007, Jonathan Beckett had the idea of bringing the band back together in celebration of the fortieth birthdays of two of the band members, himself and Pete Temperton; as Temperton hadn't played bass since the split, Beckett was unsure at first if he would agree. The band played their first gig since 1991, under the name Moscow Circus in 2008 at The Loft.{{Citation|last=MoscowCircusMusic|title=MOSCOW CIRCUS Snapshot live at The Loft 2008|date=2008-09-28|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyXsi8tMbsQ|accessdate=2018-04-01}} Later on that year, the band performed at Nottingham's punk and alternative music venue: Junktion 7 on Saturday 22 November, which was their birthday celebration gig.{{Citation|last=MoscowCircusMusic|title=MOSCOW CIRCUS Timebomb live at Junktion 7 2008|date=2008-11-24|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GCon187HVI&feature=youtu.be|accessdate=2018-02-15}}{{Cite news|url=https://myspace.com/moscowcircus/mixes/classic-my-photos-396659/photo/125419101|title=Photos from Moscow Circus (moscowcircus) on Myspace|work=Myspace|access-date=2018-02-15}}{{Primary source inline|date=July 2019}} Whilst the band only intended to come back as a birthday celebration: the gigs were well received and they realized how much they missed being together.

Prior to the reunion of the band, Beckett went to university to complete his music degree, during this time he took the 4-track demos from the Bloodsugar years and made new mixes of them, then, once the band had come back together, a track list was decided and artwork produced. This album was called A Parallel Derbyshire, and it was never officially released; instead it was distributed to the friends and members of the band in 2008.{{Citation needed|date=April 2018|reason=citation needed}} Some of the recordings from this album were later made available on Myspace.

Shortly after reforming, the band received their first ever US radio play when 'Princess Rainbow' was featured on a radio show called 'The 80s Underground' on Radio KSCU, Santa Clara, California.

= ''Resounding'' (2012–2016) =

Between 2012 and 2013, Moscow Circus began recording their debut album Resounding at Hypermonosonic Recordings,{{Citation|last=Hypermonosonic Recordings|title=Moscow Circus, recording at Hypermonosonic Recordings|date=2013-09-14|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pqt5V8ErnY|accessdate=2018-02-15}} the name was suggested by Tom Parratt. All songs on Resounding were written between 1987 and 1991;{{Cite web|url=https://www.leftlion.co.uk/read/2016/august/9-nottingham-music-albums-august-2016-8488|title=9 Nottingham Music Albums - August 2016|website=LeftLion|access-date=2018-02-23}} some of the songs from the 2008 demo album A Parallel Derbyshire also made an appearance on the new release, such as 'Princess Rainbow', and 'Snapshot'.{{Citation|title=A Parallel Derbyshire|date=1989-01-01|url=https://myspace.com/moscowcircus/music/album/a-parallel-derbyshire-1811697|accessdate=2018-02-15}}{{Primary source inline|date=July 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://echolocationrecords.co.uk/listing/resounding/|title=Resounding « Echolocation Records|website=echolocationrecords.co.uk|access-date=2018-02-15}} The band enlisted the help from Tiago Queiroz of Thee Eviltones as a producer as Beckett liked the guitar tones he produced on the Thee Eviltones record; Queiroz also featured on the album as an additional guitarist on two of the songs.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}} The album was fully mixed and mastered by early 2014. Beckett had hoped that Moscow Circus would have the backing of a record label, but this didn't work out. The band decided to create their own label: Echolocation Records in 2015; the album was set to be released in the same year,{{Cite news|url=http://www.jonathanbeckett.co.uk/biography/|title=Biography|date=2011-06-14|work=Jonathan Beckett|access-date=2018-02-15}} but was postponed until 27 May 2016 due to the fact they scrapped the cover-art. The new cover-art was produced by Jim Donnelly.{{Cite news|url=http://www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk/magsitepages/Review/10475/R/Moscow-Circus-CD-Resounding|title=Moscow Circus: Resounding (CD on Echolocation Records)|work=pennyblackmusic.co.uk|access-date=2018-02-15}}

From the album, the band decided to create music videos for two of the songs, these are: 'Princess Rainbow', which was created by Caroline Abbott in 2014, and 'Timebomb', made by Phil Hadley. The music video for 'Princess Rainbow' used footage from Nottingham Green Festival, where they played the song, and various others from their album on Sunday 1 September 2013.{{Citation|last=MoscowCircusMusic|title=MOSCOW CIRCUS Clarity live at the Green Festival 2013|date=2013-09-04|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQp6cy0lO8Y&feature=youtu.be|accessdate=2018-02-15}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.moscowcircus.co.uk/nottingham-green-festival/|title=Nottingham Green Festival|date=2013-08-23|work=Moscow Circus|access-date=2018-02-17}}{{Citation|last=MoscowCircusMusic|title=MOSCOW CIRCUS Princess Rainbow live at the Green Festival 2013|date=2013-09-03|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bCymUrvCGo&feature=youtu.be|accessdate=2018-04-07}}

When Resounding was released, it was met by praise from critics.{{Cite news|url=http://stereoembersmagazine.com/27282-2/|title=The Twenty-Five Year Debut - Moscow Circus's "Resounding" - Stereo Embers Magazine|date=2016-05-16|work=Stereo Embers Magazine|access-date=2018-03-23}}{{Cite news|url=https://cambridgemusicreviews.net/2016/08/29/moscow-circus-resounding-lp-released-june-2016/|title=Moscow Circus : Resounding LP, released June 2016|date=2016-08-29|work=cambridgemusicreviews|access-date=2018-02-15}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.blissaquamarine.net/albumreviews30.html|title=BLISS/AQUAMARINE - ALTERNATIVE, UNDERGROUND AND INDIE MUSIC|website=blissaquamarine.net|access-date=2018-03-30}} The band celebrated the release at the Old Salutation Inn album launch show; before 'My Lifetime', Beckett announced that Mark Paulson had joined the band. Following the release of the album, Moscow Circus appeared on The Smelly Flowerpot on Cambridge 105 for an interview, and to perform some of the songs. At the end of the year, backing vocalist and keyboardist Martin Haddelsey, left the band.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}

= Post-''Resounding'' (2017–present) =

File:Moscow_Circus_at_Rough_Trade,_Nottingham.jpg

During the production of Resounding, three extra tracks were recorded at Hypermonosonic Recordings. These have been set to be released as a download.

The first of which, 'This Train', was officially released on 6 July 2018 on Echolocation Records,{{Cite news|url=https://louderthanwar.com/moscow-circus-new-download-single/|title=Moscow Circus: New download single - Louder Than War|date=2018-08-17|work=Louder Than War|access-date=2018-10-27}} although it received its first radio play four days prior.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mixcloud.com/daveyhammond/the-smelly-flowerpot-on-cambridge-105-radio-02-07-18/|title=The Smelly Flowerpot on Cambridge 105 Radio 02-07-18|website=Mixcloud|access-date=2018-10-27}} The cover art was produced by Jim Donnelly. The release was covered by Mike Wright from Cambridge Music Reviews who stated that "Beckett [uses] various train metaphors as a platform for philosophical musings on mortality and destiny. The messages are wrapped in some surreal imagery."{{Cite news|url=https://cambridgemusicreviews.net/2018/07/17/moscow-circus-this-train-single-released-july-2018/|title=Moscow Circus : This Train, single released July 2018|date=2018-07-17|work=cambridgemusicreviews|access-date=2018-07-30}}

'My Lifetime' then was released on 1 March 2019, the download also featured a 1990 demo version of the song.{{Cite web|url=https://louderthanwar.com/moscow-circus-lifetime-download-single-news/|title=Moscow Circus: My Lifetime download single |date=2019-02-26|website=Louder Than War|access-date=2019-03-04}}

Musical style and influences

Moscow Circus' music has been described as post-punk, indie, and folk-rock. According to Kim Harten, Moscow Circus combine "indie rock and pop, psychedelia, vintage synth music, and the brooding atmospheres and emotional urgency of post-punk into a coherent whole."

The members share a lot of common ground regarding tastes in music; R.E.M. and Hüsker Dü were strong influences on 'Ex Genius'. The band also gained influence from post-punk bands such as Joy Division, Echo And The Bunnymen, Wire and Talking Heads - 'Once in a Lifetime' was the first single Jonathan Beckett purchased;{{Cite news|url=http://www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk/MagSitePages/Article/8461/Jonathan-Beckett-Vinyl-Stories|title=Jonathan Beckett - Vinyl Stories|work=pennyblackmusic.co.uk|access-date=2018-02-15}} as well as sixties psychedelic music, and garage punk. In an article in PennyBlackMusic, a Scottish music magazine, published on 22 December 2016, Beckett describes some of his favorite albums, these include: Talk Talk Talk by the Psychedelic Furs, Systems of Romance by Ultravox, Feline by The Stranglers; and Computer World by Kraftwerk - which he received for Christmas in 1981.

Beckett's solo career

In 2004 Jonathan Beckett released the song 'She's a Vampire',{{Citation|last=Red Head|title="She's A Vampire" (original mix) by Jonathan Beckett|date=2012-07-16|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeTEt3NvdLY|accessdate=2018-02-23}} written in 1998, it was released as part of a home-produced five-track EP{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}. Beckett's music attracted the attention of Paul Simpson of The Wild Swans who stated:

"I'm a sucker for musical beauty, lyrical sadness and outsiderism, and they don't come more beautifully outsider than Jonathan Beckett. For me, stumbling upon Jonathan's music is a bit like chancing upon the ivy-covered remains of an architecturally significant stately home while out walking in the woods; a little decayed, ever so slightly scary perhaps, but beneath the ivy lie elegant mullioned windows, intricately carved stone bestiary and secret doors in the oak paneling."{{Cite web|url=http://www.occultation.co.uk/Occultation%20Space/Artists/JonathanBeckett/jbmain.html|title=JB Main|website=occultation.co.uk|access-date=2018-02-15}}{{Cite web|url=http://echolocationrecords.co.uk/listing/shes-a-vampire-download/|title=She's A Vampire – Download « Echolocation Records|website=echolocationrecords.co.uk|access-date=2018-02-15}}
Later, In June 2010, Beckett released an E.P. which shared the name of the song 'She's a Vampire'; this also featured the song 'Between Two Worlds', which was originally released in 2003 on a home-produced album named Start Point{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}. She's a Vampire was released on the same record label that The Wild Swans were on: [http://www.occultation.co.uk/ Occultation Recordings], as Simpson put Beckett in contact with Nick Halliwell - the owner, the E.P. was later re-released on Echolocation Records as a download. Featured on the E.P. as the bass player was Andrew Mainman,{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Jonathan-Beckett-Shes-A-Vampire-EP/release/2299073|title=Jonathan Beckett - She's A Vampire EP|date=30 June 2010 |publisher=discogs|access-date=2018-03-22}} who would later become the bassist for Moscow Circus whenever Pete Temperton is unavailable. Beckett also notes in an interview for PennyBlackMusic that one of his musical heroes Will Sergeant, the guitarist of Echo and The Bunnymen, contacted him in 2010 to state that he loved 'She's a Vampire'.

In January 2012, he sang 'I Lost My Sense Of Humour At The Sacre Coeur' on the compilation album No Sleep Til Torcross, released on Vollwert Records (a small Indie label based in Berlin).{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/label/158640-Vollwert-Records-Berlin|title=Vollwert-Records Berlin|publisher=discogs|access-date=2018-02-15}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Various-No-Sleep-Til-Torcross/release/3363487|title=Various - No Sleep Til Torcross|publisher=discogs|access-date=2018-03-22}}

In March 2013, Beckett performed two Robyn Hitchcock songs on Dave Hammond's radio show on Cambridge 105.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mixcloud.com/daveyhammond/davey-hammonds-smelly-flowerpot-on-cambridge-105-05-03-13/|title=Davey Hammond's Smelly Flowerpot on Cambridge 105 05-03-13|website=Mixcloud|access-date=2018-10-27}}

Band members

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

Current members

  • Jonathan Beckett – lead vocals, guitar, keyboard {{small|(1987–present)}}
  • Tom Parratt – drums, backing vocals {{small|(1987–present)}}
  • Pete Temperton – bass {{small|(1987–present)}}
  • Mark Paulson – guitar {{small|(2016–present)}}

{{col-2}}

Former members

  • Martin Haddelsey – keyboard, backing vocals {{small|(1990–2016)}}

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

Current touring members

  • Andrew Mainman – bass

{{col-2}}

Session musicians

  • Tiago Queiroz – additional guitar on Resounding (2016)

{{col-end}}

=Timeline=

{{#tag:timeline|

ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20

Alignbars = justify

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy

Period = from:01/12/1987 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3

PlotArea = left:90 bottom:80 top:0 right:10

ScaleMajor = increment:4 start:1988

ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1988

Colors =

id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals

id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar

id:bass value:blue legend:Bass

id:keyboard value:purple legend:Keyboards,_backing_vocals

id:drums value:orange legend:Drums,_backing_vocals

id:lines value:black legend:Studio_album

LineData =

at:27/05/2016 color:black layer:back

BarData =

bar:Beckett text:"Jonathan Beckett"

bar:Paulson text:"Mark Paulson"

bar:Temperton text:"Pete Temperton"

bar:Haddelsey text:"Martin Haddelsey"

bar:Parratt text:"Tom Parratt"

PlotData=

width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)

bar:Beckett from:01/12/1987 till:01/01/1989 color:vocals

bar:Beckett from:01/12/1987 till:01/01/1989 color:keyboard width:3

bar:Beckett from:01/12/1987 till:01/01/1989 color:guitar width:7

bar:Beckett from:01/07/1990 till:01/01/1991 color:vocals

bar:Beckett from:01/07/1990 till:01/01/1991 color:keyboard width:3

bar:Beckett from:01/07/1990 till:01/01/1991 color:guitar width:7

bar:Beckett from:20/07/2008 till:end color:keyboard width:3

bar:Beckett from:20/07/2008 till:end color:guitar width:7

bar:Beckett from:20/07/2008 till:end color:vocals

bar:Parratt from:01/12/1987 till:01/01/1989 color:drums

bar:Parratt from:01/07/1990 till:01/01/1991 color:drums

bar:Parratt from:20/07/2008 till:end color:drums

bar:Temperton from:01/12/1987 till:01/01/1989 color:bass

bar:Temperton from:01/07/1990 till:01/01/1991 color:bass

bar:Temperton from:20/07/2008 till:end color:bass

bar:Haddelsey from:01/07/1990 till:01/01/1991 color:keyboard

bar:Haddelsey from:20/07/2008 till:01/12/2016 color:keyboard

bar:Paulson from:11/06/2016 till:end color:guitar

}}

Discography

= Albums =

  • A Parallel Derbyshire (2008, unreleased demo){{Citation needed|date=April 2018|reason=requires citation on what year this was done in & needs better citation than myspace}}
  • Resounding (2016)

= Singles =

  • 'Princess Rainbow' (2015)
  • 'This Train' (2018)
  • 'My Lifetime' (2019)

Videography

  • 'Princess Rainbow'{{Citation|last=MoscowCircusMusic|title=MOSCOW CIRCUS - Princess Rainbow|date=2016-03-17|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4Ag7bJjvFw|accessdate=2018-02-15}}
  • 'Timebomb'{{Citation|last=MoscowCircusMusic|title=MOSCOW CIRCUS - Timebomb|date=2016-05-16|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4BlBvZQnr8|accessdate=2018-02-15}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.moscowcircus.co.uk/ Moscow Circus official website]
  • [http://www.moscowcircus.bandcamp.com/releases Moscow Circus bandcamp]
  • [http://www.jonathanbeckett.co.uk/ Jonathan Beckett's official website]
  • [http://tomparratt.wixsite.com/tomparratt Tom Parratt's official website]

Category:Musical groups established in 1987

Category:English post-punk music groups

Category:English folk rock groups

Category:English indie rock groups