ION INDIE MAGAZINE January 2016, Volume 20 | Page 108

JP: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration?
AC: The inspiration comes from the same place that every artist in history has used. We’re not really sure! It is
somewhere outside one’s self, yet deep within at the same time. PAT METHENY writes about “having a
conversation” with the music. IT is talking to us, and we’re talking to IT. All of us “hear” things, once we get
going. Sometimes the whole thing just pours in. Almost every composer throughout history has written about
it. It’s a subtle level of consciousness that is hard to describe in words.
JP: What is your usual songwriting process?
AC: For the first album, guitarist Bill Shannon (who has left the band), drummer Darin Brannon, and I were the
main writers. We recruited MATT DORSEY (Sound of Contact) to play bass on five tracks, and he did an
awesome job! We had so much fun working with Matt that we flew him out from Los Angeles to play some gigs
with us here on the U.S. east coast in late 2014. For the upcoming second album, Darin Brannon (who is also a
keyboard player) and I wrote all the material. New bassist PAUL RANIERI came in and laid down some great
bass lines and grooves. In the guitar department, we’ve recruited seven guest guitarists for this new record,
while we audition guitarists for the permanent band position. We’re committed to writing together, as a
collaborative process. We’re all open to someone bringing a song, or a “bit” in to use, but they better be
prepared to have it altered! As I assume it is with many writing teams, it’s almost like there’s a “telepathy” that
happens when we get in a room together. Darin is very good with altering the rhythms, and my strength is
chord structures and sonic textures. So once we start creating, the ideas fly around the room--we battle it out
to keep our own ideas, and one rule is that we always try a new idea, to see if it might work. If it works better
than what we were previously doing, we keep it. Darin, Paul, and I are very conscious of wanting our music to
have diversity. We’ve all heard bands, both new and old, come out with albums that sound very similar from
track to track, and we don’t want to be one of those bands. Sonically we intend to have a broad palette. We
think it will be more interesting for the end listener, and hopefully that is coming across in these first two
albums.
JP: Do you think that online presence is important for fans to find you and critics to find your music to write
about?
AC: ABSOLUTELY. We’re not in the “Information Age” anymore, we’re in the “Attention Age”. The hardest
thing we have to do is capture someone’s attention, and retain it. Right now, it is possible for almost anyone to
have the entire history of recorded music on their mobile phone, tablet or computer. And if they don’t own it,
they can stream it. If a musician or band doesn’t have an online presence in the 21st century, they won’t have a
career for very long.
JP: Anything you would like share--from new merch to upcoming shows/tours or songs/albums?
AC: Circuline’s second album (working title “Counterpoint”) will be out in March/April 2016 on the INNER
NOVA LABEL. We’re also currently planning our Spring Tour for 2016, which will include performing at the
13th INTERNATIONAL RITES OF SPRING FESTIVAL (RoSfest) in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Be on the
lookout for some more official music videos and band interview videos coming soon. Our number one goal is
for every Prog fan in the world to listen to our album…just once. If you like our music, please follow us on
Twitter, like us on Facebook, and sign up to get free stuff on our website. Our intention is to connect and be
interactive with you and the other fans. We will tweet you back. We will Facebook message you back. We will
do our best to personally email you back. If you really like the album, you might want to subscribe to our
YouTube Channel--and please ask all of your friends and family to check out our music. If you want to be a
“Doh- Deka- Phonic- Super- Sonic- Uber- Ultra Fan”, we invite you to check out our Patreon page, where you
can support us creating more music videos.