Dear readers, we are pleased to offer you in this article the interview with the Brian Coombes the author of the opera “Circus Of Wire Dolls” produced by Rock Rocking Horse Music Club.
Hi, how are you?
BC: All is well here. We’re busy at the studio and we’re looking forward to the release of the new album. I hope you’re well.
A lineup that includes artists from the international Rock music scene, how did this project come about?
BC: When Circus of Wire Dolls transitioned from a traditional progressive rock concept album into something more of a rock opera/musical, we decided that we were going to need additional singers to voice the characters in the story. That led to me reaching out to various people, some who I have known previously, some who were new to me.
We got to know Noel McCalla while working on our Anthony Phillips tribute project back in 2019. I’ve always been such a fan of his voice, so it was cool to work with him on the Ant tribute. And given the music that we were writing, Noel was an obvious friend to reach out to about singing on Wire Dolls.
I got to know Tim Bowness through his company, Burning Shed, who were the primary outlet for selling the Ant Phillips tribute record in the UK. I reached out to Tim, told him what we were doing, and asked if he’d be interested in getting involved. In the end, he co-wrote and sang a song on the record called So Little Left.
An English friend of mine had introduced me to the music of Amy Birks and I loved the sound and style of her voice, so I reached out to her to sing a duet called Trapeze Waltz, which was actually the song that led us to transition our project from a concept album to a rock opera/musical.
I had worked with Chris Difford from Squeeze 20 years ago, when he sang on a song that my wife and I were recording together (Waking in the Blue’s Isn’t It Pretty to Think So). We’d kept in touch intermittently over the years, but it was Chris Topham from Plane Groovy who put us in touch again. Chris sings a song on the record called Cut from a Different Cloth. His vocal on the track is amazing.
David Cross was a new contact for me… I took a chance and emailed him about playing on a song. Thankfully, he said yes.
I have worked with John Hackett, Kate St John, Rob Townsend, Greg Hawkes, Kenwood Dennard, and Sing Gospel on various projects over the years, to the point where they really feel like extensions of the core band, so all of them were obvious talents to ask to play on the record.
While many of the guest appearances were recorded remotely at their own home studios, Tim, Amy, Noel, and Sing Gospel did join us for a few days at Abbey Road back in December. Those were very cool sessions.
A work that develops with 24 tracks that tell a very intense story, what is the theme of the album?
BC: On the surface, Circus of Wire Dolls is about an artist who creates a miniature circus out of wire and cloth. In his imagination, the performers of this circus come to life with human thoughts and emotions and then tell their own stories, revealing the true feelings of the artist himself.
On a deeper level, Circus of Wire Dolls is about a man coming to terms with his own mortality, looking back at his life and contemplating his successes, failures, and regrets. I think those are topics many of us think about when we reach a certain age.
The music is very varied and covers various genres of rock and beyond, how would you describe this work?
BC: I have been calling Circus of Wire Dolls a genre-defying concept album, because, as you say, it does explore various genres throughout the record. We didn’t limit ourselves while writing and recording the record… nothing was off limits. If a particular song took us down a specific path, whether that be prog, glam, alt-country, or musical theatre, we let the song take us into that territory. There are certainly many progressive rock elements in the record, and I grew up listening to progressive rock so it’s in my DNA, but my tastes as a musician, songwriter, producer, and music fan go far beyond just progressive rock. It’s an eclectic record and I enjoy that.
Many artists make up the lineup, how did they contribute to the creation process of the disc?
BC: Everyone contributed to Circus of Wire Dolls with their own unique skills. It all started with various combinations of Pat, Justin, and I writing the songs. Eric Wagley (drums) and Brenden Harisiades (bass) were usually the next ones to get involved. After the rhythm section was down, Pat and I recorded the keyboard parts, acoustic guitars, and rhythm electric guitars, then we sent the songs out to Mike McAdam, Myron Kibbee, Juli Finn, and Jon Finn for guitar parts. Then Pat, Justin, and I recorded the vocals. After that, we reached out to the guest musicians and singers to add their parts. Along the way we refined the melodies and lyrics to strengthen the story.
Given the presence of a large number of artists, there will be the opportunity to listen to the work live, do you have any plans for this?
BC: We will be performing the album live at Trading Boundaries in East Sussex, England in March 2023. The core band (Eric Wagley, Brenden Harisiades, Brian Coombes, Patrik Gochez, Myron Kibbee, Juli Finn, Mike McAdam, and Justin Cohn) will be joined by many of the special guests who appeared on the record. We’d be up for playing a few festivals as well, if the situations arise.
A refined and very intense album, are there any plans for other works similar to this in the pipeline?
BC: Because Circus of Wire Dolls is very much a drama set to music (a rock opera/musical?), we are developing plans to adapt the record for the musical theatre stage. We’re musicians, not actors or dancers, so it would be cool to see this material performed by people who come from the world of musical theatre. When we do the live shows in March, we’ll be performing the material as a rock band, perhaps with some visuals, but we will not be dressed in costumes, we won’t be acting, and we definitely won’t be dancing!
In which formats and how will the work be available, given the presence of a story within it?
BC: Circus of Wire Dolls will be able as a double cd with a 24 page booklet with the story and lyrics, so listeners will be able to follow along while listening. It will also be available as a double vinyl album with lyrics and story included. Everything will be available digitally through the usual sources as well, but anyone listening that way will miss out on the story. Most of the songs on the album can stand alone outside the concept of the album, but the lyrics to a few of the songs might be confusing without knowing the story.
Music is constantly evolving, how do you see the future of Prog and Rock?
BC: I’d like to see progressive rock get back to the pioneering spirit that it had in its early days, when the classic artists took risks, broke down boundaries, and explored different ideas. We tried to do a bit of that with Circus of Wire Dolls, mashing up prog with other genres and combining modern sounds and textures with vintage ones. But I’m not sure that the core prog rock audience is really interested in following new artists into uncharted territory. Are they even interested in listening to something new and different, or are they content to continue listening to their favorite Genesis, Floyd, Yes, and Crimson records? My definition of “progressive” may be a bit broader than most… I can find “progressive” elements in so many different musical artists not considered “prog.” When new wave hit in the early 1980’s, I thought artists like Tears for Fears, Echo & the Bunnymen, the Psychedelic Furs, XTC, Thomas Dolby, and even A-ha had many interesting elements in their music that I would call “progressive,” but I know many of my prog-minded friends might disagree. Maybe it wasn’t “prog,” but it was definitely progressive.
About rock in general, I worry sometimes that it’s disappearing from mainstream culture, particularly with younger audiences. The Foo Fighters carried the flag for solid mainstream rock for so many years, and there are indie and metal acts that continue to pull large crowds to their shows, but rock as a cultural phenomenon seems to be disappearing from the society of the young. For them, it appears to be about pop culture icons and the latest trends, rather than building a lasting relationship with their favorite artists (although Taylor Swift fans have certainly developed an ongoing love for her and her music). It’s certainly not like my childhood when my friends and I were defined by the bands we liked. I sound like an old man talking about this!
You do an exceptional job in your studio in the production phase, which artists do you collaborate with and which releases are you planning?
BC: Thank you for the kind words. We love what we do here at the studio… and I feel blessed that I make a living producing music for a wonderful array of talented artists. I’ve produced records for many of the artists that have contributed to this record. Currently, we are working on new records for both of my co-writers in Rocking Horse Music Club, Justin Cohn and Patrik Gochez. We’re also working on new music with Evelyn Cormier and Caroline Carter, two of the very special guest vocalists on the record. We’ve just started working with a well-known figure in the Boston music and literary scenes, Jim Sampas, so we’re excited to see where that goes. And we’ll begin recording with another New England favorite, Katie Dobbins, in the autumn. We’ve been looking forward to working with her for years. And every day seems to present a new opportunity to work with someone special here at the studio, so we are indeed very lucky.
I leave the last question free as usual to be able to talk about any topic not previously covered.
BC: What’s happening in the world these days saddens and angers me, but it’s rude to talk about politics, so we’ll leave that discussion for another day! Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with me. All of us at Rocking Horse appreciate the support.
I thank Rocking Horse Music Club for the interview and the opportunity to review
this valuable work in preview, wishing the best for the continuation of the artistic
career.
Read our review of the album here: https://progrockjournal.com/review-rocking-horse-music-club-circus-of-wire-dolls/