DeanTylerVO Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Although this is an EC site, those of us who saw the Berries also enjoyed hearing and seeing another Cleveland band named Circus who had regional success and had riots at high schools from kids wanting to get in to see them live.Well a friend brings over a NEW copy of their only album featuring "Stop, Wait and Listen", I was shocked that I would EVER hear this again and all of a sudden I was 17 again..... Those of us that were there will understand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okstevens Posted June 29, 2004 Share Posted June 29, 2004 Hey Deantyler, I agree Circus was a GREAT bar band. They were one of the few groups that had the guts to do Raspberry songs. Those of us in Cleveland know it wasn't easy to do that. And they did them well! I always said they would be a great band to play behind Eric. Then they did on his solo lp. "Stop,Wait and Listen" is one of my favorite songs till this day. Great energy and masterful guitar riffs almost Bryson style! Would love to hear Wally play that song or better yet The Berries!!! Do you remember their version of Elton John's "Funeral For A Friend?" They were note for note the best cover/bar band I ever or will ever hear!!!!!!!!! Can you get me a copy of that lp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin Posted June 29, 2004 Share Posted June 29, 2004 So who were these guys and are any of them still playing music?Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okstevens Posted June 29, 2004 Share Posted June 29, 2004 Ooops . Long day. Read the post to fast. Confused Magic with Circus.But one or more played in both bands I think. Any way both were great groups ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darlene Posted June 29, 2004 Share Posted June 29, 2004 Wasn't Rich Reising, from Eric's solo band, from the band, Magic? Maybe some others from his solo band were also. I just can't remember. Help me out, Roonie, okstevens and some other Clevelanders! 🙂 --Darlene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okstevens Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Darlene, I believe you are correct. There were two guitarists in Circus that went on to Magic. Magic is the band I was thinking of but the song 'Stop Wait Listen' is still a great song to this day. Magic was a GREAT cover band. I seen them many times and they ALWAYS put on a GREAT show !!! I think Ron Sutton is on this site and would know about this subject in more detail... Ron ? Hope I didn't mess with anyones mind with my mistake ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roonie Posted July 6, 2004 Share Posted July 6, 2004 Saw "Circus" play at Mayfield High School in the early 70's to a SRO crowd in the auditorium. A few members come to mind (Dan Hrdlicka - guitar), (Tommy Dobeck - Drums) (_____ Alexander - bass). Talented rock group from the Cleveland area for sure who joined MSB and other bands down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanTylerVO Posted July 6, 2004 Author Share Posted July 6, 2004 Here's the Circus info I remember...Phil Alexander on vocals and keys, Dan Hrdlicka guitar, Rich Reising, Tommy Dobeck-drums and mick sobol on guitar, this is the unit that recorded The one and only Circus album with stop, wait and listen on it..then "THE TRADE" Hrdlicka and Reisng left to form Majic, which became Erics first touring back up band and played on his first solo album somewhat. Brothers Craig and Bruce Balzer joined Circus. Craig played guitar and could also sing lead, although Phil Alexander stayed on as vocalist and keyboard player, Bruce was a talented slide guitar player. This band looked incredible onstage and seemed headed for stardom..didn't happen...Alexander left and the Balzer Brothers and other Clevelanders became AMERICAN NOISE, great band and they put put one very nice album, much better than the Cirus offering which i need to find again...but alas...it went nowhere and they disbanded...a shame for sure...Talked with Michael Stanley at Berries Odeon show, and ran those names by him and as far as he knew , all were out of music biz and out in real world somewhere...hey..."IT'S ONLY ROCK N ROLL" BUT AS I SAID EARLIER...THIS WAS A SPECIAL TIME IN CLEVELAND MUSIC HISTORY...My new e mail by the way is dean.tyler@deantyler.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roonie Posted July 6, 2004 Share Posted July 6, 2004 You nailed the lineup on Circus! American Noise was also a group to see in the 70's as you stated. How about Damnation Of Adam Blessing? This band was excellent and we have most of their albums and CD's. They were originally called DUST! So much talent in the Cleveland Rock Scene! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpMan Posted July 6, 2004 Share Posted July 6, 2004 Oh man those names bring back memories! I remember seeing Dust perform at my high school one year. I did not know they later became Damnation Of Adam Blessing. I have a DOAB origional single of their song 'Cookbook'. That song had awsome bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roonie Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Cookbook rules! Would suggest Damnation of Adam Blessing to all who want to capture the Cleveland music scene in the late sixties - early seventies! Raspberries - Circus - Damnation - American Noise - doesn't get much better than that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Any of you Cleveland'ers or ex-Clevelander'ers know if either Reising or Hrdlicka are involved in music anymore?Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordharris Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Marvin, could you put a listening sample of circus on here so I can listen, these guys must be great!You guys notice, Bernies been away for a couple of days with this book, I wonder if the press was over to see him, I hope he's okThis is the greatest thing for Bernie that couldever happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpMan Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Gord-Attached is a link to a site that has entire songs of only Cleveland bands. These bands are from the 60's thru 80's and include... The Baskerville Hounds, Michael Stanley, American Noise,Wild Horses along with early bands related to E.C. http://www.esquirerecords.com/radio/60s.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanTylerVO Posted July 7, 2004 Author Share Posted July 7, 2004 hey if anyone wants a cd copy of the CIRCUS ALBUM taken from the lp, e mail me and i'll send it out to ya..dean.tyler@deantyler.comenjoy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordharris Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Jumpman, that is a cool site, I love it, I couldn't believe the amount of Erics songs on their huh?Wow!Thank you very much.I'm going to keep coming back.Cleveland really loves Eric/The Raspberries music, Rock On ! Cleveland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Cartmill Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 One too many happy pills today for Gord 😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darlene Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 Dean, Thanks for reminding me. Yes, it was Dan Hrdlicka I saw in Eric's band as well. Wow, you remember it all perfectly! Thanks! 🙂 --Darlene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleveland Host Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 On 6/29/2004 at 11:05 PM, okstevens said: Darlene, I believe you are correct. There were two guitarists in Circus that went on to Magic. Magic is the band I was thinking of but the song 'Stop Wait Listen' is still a great song to this day. You've got Circus confused with Magic. The two guitar players in Circus were Craig & Bruce Balzer. They were in the last version of Circus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleveland Host Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 On 7/7/2004 at 10:37 AM, marvin said: Any of you Cleveland'ers or ex-Clevelander'ers know if either Reising or Hrdlicka are involved in music anymore? Dan Hrdlicka was playing in a duo for awhile with Becky Boyd, now with her own band. Later he joined Bruce & The Dovells and is now out of there. Rich is still doing his solo piano bar thing every once in awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleveland Host Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 On 7/6/2004 at 2:56 PM, DeanTylerVO said: Here's the Circus info I remember...Phil Alexander on vocals and keys, Dan Hrdlicka guitar, Rich Reising, Tommy Dobeck-drums and mick sobol on guitar, this is the unit that recorded The one and only Circus album with stop, wait and listen on it..then "THE TRADE" Hrdlicka and Reisng left to form Majic, which became Erics first touring back up band and played on his first solo album somewhat. Brothers Craig and Bruce Balzer joined Circus. Craig played guitar and could also sing lead, although Phil Alexander stayed on as vocalist and keyboard player, Bruce was a talented slide guitar player. This band looked incredible onstage and seemed headed for stardom..didn't happen...Alexander left and the Balzer Brothers and other Clevelanders became AMERICAN NOISE, great band and they put put one very nice album, much better than the Cirus offering which i need to find again...but alas...it went nowhere and they disbanded...a shame for sure...Talked with Michael Stanley at Berries Odeon show, and ran those names by him and as far as he knew , all were out of music biz and out in real world somewhere...hey..."IT'S ONLY ROCK N ROLL" BUT AS I SAID EARLIER...THIS WAS A SPECIAL TIME IN CLEVELAND MUSIC HISTORY...My new e mail by the way is dean.tyler@deantyler.com Wrongo. Rich Reising was never in Circus. Rich was in SRO before he was in Magic. Hrdlicka "left" for Magic when he got replaced by the Balzer Brothers, who came out of Ambleside. After Circus, the Balzer's started Pictures and 747 before they did American Noise. Tommy Dobeck had also taken off at that point for Michael Stanley and bassist Frank Salle was also leaving. There was one more version of Circus at the end with Phil Alexander and Mick Sabol still in it, joined by Norm Isaac (ex-Hot Shot) on bass, Frank Lauter on drums and Al Globekar (numerous Lake County bands) on lead guitar. Magic is spelled this way, not Majic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleveland Host Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 On 6/29/2004 at 6:33 PM, darlene said: Wasn't Rich Reising, from Eric's solo band, from the band, Magic? Maybe some others from his solo band were also. I just can't remember. Help me out, Roonie, okstevens and some other Clevelanders! The band Magic became Eric's back-up band + Mike McBride. There were two drummers: McBride + Don Krueger. Steve Knill on bass. Dan Hrdlicka on guitar. Rich Reising and George Sipl on keyboards. One by one, they all wound up leaving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MICK Posted July 13, 2004 Share Posted July 13, 2004 A little clarification on the band Circus. The band was Phil Alexander (vocals/keyboards), Frank Salle (bass), Tommy Dobeck (drums), Dan Hrdlicka (guitar), and myself Mick Sabol (guitar). Rich Reising did play some keboard in the studio on a few songs, but was never a member of the band. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanTylerVO Posted July 13, 2004 Author Share Posted July 13, 2004 Hey Mick!! Great to find you..followed Circus a ton back then and met you several times. Can you fill us in on what has gone on with Phil and other members of the band since then. And do you have a direct e mail where I can contact you?Dean Tyler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpMan Posted July 13, 2004 Share Posted July 13, 2004 Mick-Welcome aboard. Thx for the band member clarification. I remember seeing the band a few times in the Cleveland area. Circus has been and still is one of my all time favorite bands! I never can get enough of the song SW&L. I stillregularly spin the 45! When is the reunion concert? LOL. Has any Circus music been re-released on CD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.