Interview with the Band Speak Easy Circus (UK)

March 19, 2021

Interview with the Band Speak Easy Circus (UK)

By Mick Michaels

The Cosmick View: Hello, and welcome to The Cosmick View/MBM Ten Pounder! Thanks for taking some time to chat with us!

CV: Describe your definition of the band’s sound and style and how does that definition uniquely describe the music?
Speak Easy Circus: We would best describe our music as experimental indie/funk. But when people first listen to our music the initial thing we would like them to think is that this is something different and unique, something that they might not have heard before. We want to make music that we would listen to, and the music that we listen to is eclectic, exciting, meaningful and doesn’t take itself too seriously all at the same time, so if people went away from our music thinking anything like that then we would take that as a win!

CV: Today, everyone talks about artist and audience connection. Is such a level of connection actually achievable for an artist and if so, how have you made the connection to your fans?
Speak Easy Circus: I think that artist/audience connection has always been the foundation of an artist’s success throughout history; it maybe just looks a little bit different today than in the past. With the internet everyone has an opportunity to put their music out there and there is a direct link between artists and audiences, so I think it is just important to find your own fans.

CV: Is fan interaction an important part of the band’s inner culture?
Speak Easy Circus: Fan interaction is very important to the band! At the moment that interaction is limited to online and social media, but hopefully when we get the opportunity to play live again we will be able to bring that interaction to our live shows as well!

CV: Can a band truly interact with its fans and still maintain a level of personal privacy without crossing the line and giving up their “personal space” in your opinion?
Speak Easy Circus: I would like to think so! I think that most fans of music understand that their favorite artists are still people with their own lives to lead and will allow them some personal space. That being said, we haven’t quite reached that level of fame yet, so ask us again in a few years…hopefully!

CV: Is music, and its value, viewed differently around the world in your opinion? If so, what do you see as the biggest difference in such multiple views among various cultures?
Speak Easy Circus: Every culture is different so views on music are bound to differ as well, however, I think what is universal is the importance music has in all cultures. At the moment in our own culture, I think we have reached a stage in which the value of music is seen as lower than its actual cultural value, through the prominence of streaming, etc. Hopefully in the next few years we can see that change.

CV: Do you feel that a band that has an international appeal, will tend to connect more so to American audiences? Would they be more enticed or intrigued to see the band over indigenous acts because of the foreign flavor?
Speak Easy Circus: I think that most bands that are English-speaking acts are always going to be influenced by American music and therefore American audiences due to the impact that American culture has had on popular culture here. This is something that is gradually changing though; this is particularly evident through the popularity of music such as reggaetton in the US. In our band, we have Spanish and French speakers as well as English so we would love to be able to have a presence in other countries as well as just English-speaking countries.

CV: Has modern-day digital technology made everyone an artist on some level in your opinion? Have the actual lines of what really is an artist been blurred?
Speak Easy Circus: I think the internet has certainly afforded a level of independence to artists, and the ability to put their art out into the world. This has taken away a level of ‘gate-keeping’ that previously existed in the form of record labels etc, which is a positive. I don’t think that artists themselves have changed, rather that they have more independence and opportunity.

CV: How would you describe the difference between an artist who follows trends and one who sets them?
Speak Easy Circus: Everyone is influenced by someone; I think that the difference arises in an artist’s intent, whether they are trying to push the boundaries of what they are doing or simply trying to fit into a scene.

CV: Has music overall been splintered into too many sub-genres in an effort to appease fan tastes in your opinion? And has such fan appeasements, in actuality, weakened music’s impact as a whole by dividing audiences?
Speak Easy Circus: Music is always supposed to split itself and continue to grow, that is how music develops. It is this freedom that defines it and creates genre-breaking music. Also, we talk about music is constantly changing, so it is natural that we would create new terms to discuss music.

CV: What can fans except to see coming next from you?
Speak Easy Circus: We have plenty of music coming in 2021, ‘Lions Should Hunt’ released on the 22nd of January. This will be followed by more singles and potentially an EP at the end of the year.

Hopefully we will have the opportunity to continue to play gigs in Scotland and further afield, however, at the moment with so much uncertainty, we are happy taking things as they come.

CV: Thanks again for taking some time and talking. It is greatly appreciated.

Check out Speak Easy Circus at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/speakeasycircus

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www.facebook.com/TheCosmickView

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.