INTERVIEW: Circles Around the Sun is beyond ‘Grateful’
Mark Levy, drummer for the rock band Circles Around the Sun, has had a “Grateful” career and is now ready to come back from the “Dead.” His band got a name for themselves when they were tapped to offer instrumentals during the breaks at the Dead’s Fare Thee Well shows in 2015. The response was so positive that Levy and company decided to keep the band together, and now they have a new album, Let It Wander, which shows the group’s musical chops beyond their Grateful Dead devotion.
Circles Around the Sun features Levy on drums, Neal Casal on guitar, Adam MacDougall on keyboards and Dan Horne on bass. Fans can check them out on a string of August dates, beginning Aug. 22 at the historic Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and finishing Aug. 26 at the Huichica Music Festival in Pine Plains, New York.
Let It Wander is a selection of songs that move CATS beyond their previous Dead sound (their first album was Interludes for the Dead). Songs include “On My Mind,” “One for Chuck,” “Tacoma Narrows” and the cleverly titled “Ticket to Helix NGC 7293.” Listeners should be able to recognize the opening voice on “One for Chuck.” Yes, that’s Public Enemy’s Chuck D.
Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Levy about the new album, which will be released Friday, Aug. 17 by Rhino Records. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can fans expect on the new album, Let It Wander?
Expect to hear the same vibe you heard on Interludes for The Dead (same four-piece band playing live on the floor together, same studio, same engineer), but with extra seasoning in the way of keyboard, guitar, and some percussion overdubs, and even a little cameo from Chuck D.
What’s your live show like? Is performing live the ultimate expression of the band?
Our live show is a dance party! We tend to stretch out and lean into things live more than we have on the recordings. Working with the energy of the room is a big part of that, and we’re as much on the journey as the audience is. Being a band that makes albums which are basically live recordings, you could say performing live is the ultimate expression of the band. Whether you listen to recordings or see us live, you’re basically hearing/seeing the same process from the band.
When did it click that this band had more mileage than its original work with the Dead?
If I had to pick one specific time, I would say after our first live performance, which was at Lockn’ in 2016, but it felt more gradual and spread out over some time. We all had a feeling that after Fare Thee Well we might have done something noteworthy based on the response from the GD community, but until we put it in front of a live audience at Lockn’, I don’t think anyone was sure it would have legs. Although we don’t get out much due to the demanding touring schedules of other projects, we do really cherish the opportunities to play this music live and hope to do a lot more in the future!
Which drummers influenced you when you were growing up?
So many! And I plan to keep growing up … but let’s just say here’s a list of drummers I’ve been into for at least 10 years, most more, and the groups they influenced me with: Carlton Barrett (Bob Marley & The Wailers), Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experiencce), Steve Gadd (Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Stuff), Vernel Fournier (Ahmad Jamal), Steve Ferrone (Tom Petty, The Average White Band), Elvin Jones (John Coltrane Quartet), John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), David Garibaldi (Tower of Power), Danny Carey (Tool), Chad Sexton (311), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chilli Peppers), Steve Jordan (Eric Clapton), Adam Deitch (John Scofield, Lettuce), Mike Calabrese (Lake Street Dive).
Did you always know you wanted to be a drummer?
Yes, it started with the classic pots and pans, always annoying my parents by tapping on things, a Toys R Us kit when I was 6 that didn’t last long before the paper heads were shredded, and a brother who played bass in a band (now he’s in the Boston Symphony Orchestra), so any chance I could get I’d play his drummer’s kit.
My first kit was bought from a neighbor, and that was the start. Without a supportive family, it’s really hard to be a drummer. We make a lot of noise!
High school and the questions that came with figuring out what to do with my life, and how I could help other people live better happier lives, led me to commit to being a drummer and pursue a careeer in music. My teacher, John Kinzie, who is still the principal percussionist in the Colorado Symphony, said to me, ‘You can take the safe road, go to medical, law school, whatever, graduate, work your ass off, and have a three-car garage, or pursue a career in music, work your ass off, and nothing is guaranteed.’ That moment at the top of the stairs in the old DU Lamont School of Music building was when I think I really decided I wanted to take the road less traveled and appreciate how fortunate I was to even have the opportunity to follow my dreams.
I ended up at the New England Conservatory of music after high school as a classical percussion major, halfway through reapplied to the jazz program, focused on drum set and tabla, then graduated with a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance. That was 10 years ago, and I’m grateful every day for the opportunity to live a life filled with music.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Circles Around the Sun will play Aug. 22 at the historic Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Other dates are set for New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont. Click here for more information and tickets.
