Biography

Circus of Power practically personified New York's sleaze rock scene during the late '80s and early '90s. The group's music and image had an edge that -- while similar to many of America's post-Guns N' Roses gutter-centric outfits -- reflected their all-important New York City roots. They found modest commercial success in 1988 with the release of their eponymous debut and put out two more albums before officially ceasing operations in 1995. Vocalist Alex Mitchell re-formed Circus of Power in the 2010s with a new lineup and issued the aptly named Four in 2017. The band unveiled the Process of Illumination EP three years later. After slugging it out in the New York club scene for a while in the '80s, Circus of Power were signed to RCA Records and in 1988 their eponymous debut was shipped. The lineup for this first full-length consisted of Alex Mitchell (vocals), Ryan Maher (drums), Ricky Beck Maler (guitars), and bassist Gary Sunshine. The "blues-based" sleaze rock direction of Circus of Power set the standard for the group's successive releases with its midtempo swagger and stories of debauchery in all its varieties. The group followed up their debut with 1989's Still Alive, and 1990's Vices followed as the band made their first lineup change. Sunshine moved from bass to second guitar and new bassist Zowie Ackerman was brought into the band. RCA, unimpressed with the band's record sales, dropped them, opening the door for a new deal from Columbia. During this time, Ackerman was replaced on bass by Mark Frappier and Maher left the group to be replaced by drummer Victor Indrizzo. In 1993, their third LP, Magic and Madness, was released on Columbia, but by this time, even the best bands of this pedigree were struggling as the hard living, long-haired rock & roll of the late '80s had succumbed to the rise of grunge and alternative rock. Circus of Power eventually disbanded in the mid-'90s, though over the coming years they re-formed a handful of times for one-off shows, most notably for a pair of 20th anniversary appearances in 2006. Another decade passed before Mitchell revived the band with an entirely new lineup and entered the studio. Behind the singles "Hard Drivin' Sister" and "Fast and Easy," Circus of Power returned in late 2017 with Four, their first new album in 24 years. Three years later they issued the EP Process of Illumination. ~ Timothy Monger & Vincent Jeffries, Rovi