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The WIJAM Interview
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Fare Thee Well, Indeed
by Jon Schinke 3/21/2022
For those paying particular attention during the Grateful Dead's 50th Anniversary Celebration concerts back in 2015, there was an element of the performances that was nearly as captivating as the shows themselves; the house music. Great house music can really set the scene for the night that lies ahead. It can fill the time and space between, as the excitement builds for another set. And it can gently bring us back down to earth, as we exit the venue in quiet satisfaction. The house music at the Fare Thee Well concerts did all of that, and then some. It sounded like something that no one had ever heard before, because, quite frankly, no one had. It was Dead-esque, but completely new at the same time. It was ambient yet driven. It was mystical and cosmic, while being accessible and groovin'. It had its ups and downs, its ebbs and flows, its peaks and valleys. One could argue it sounded like a metaphor for life's ever-changing seasons. A circle around the sun, if you will.
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What was this music? Where did it come from? Who performed it? And where could we get more of it?
The world quickly learned that the intermission music was developed especially for the occasion by a group of well-known Los Angeles based musicians including guitarist Neal Casal and keyboardist Adam MacDougall of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, bassist Dan Horne, and drummer Mark Levy. As the final curtain of Fare The Well came down, the resounding positive response of those instrumental set-break compositions was undeniable. It convinced the composers to release the tracks as a standalone album titled Interludes for the Dead, and thus, the band Circles Around the Sun was officially born. |
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They toured. They wrote some more music. They released another album. They toured some more. The interest -and the hype- seemed well justified. A new legitimate force was now on the scene, cementing their place amongst the ranks, with virtuosic playing, energetic live shows, original compositions, and infectious grooves. "CATS" were making a name for themselves in a big way, and seemingly overnight.
Neal Casal (1968-2019) Image via Circles Around the Sun Facebook
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Then, in August of 2019, depression took the life of Neal Casal. Neal had just recently finished laying down the tracks for the band's third album, 2020's self-titled release, Circles Around the Sun. It was a devastating loss, not only for the CATS family, but the music community at large. The band battled through unthinkable sadness and began performing again, something Neal asked for in a note he left behind. Utilizing a couple different guitarists including Eric Krasno, and Scott Metzger, they finally landed on John Lee Shannon as their new axe man in the summer of 2021. Since then, the band has seen a rebirth, of sorts, emerging from the pandemic with new music, a new member, and a new twenty-six stop tour that will bring them through Milwaukee and Madison this weekend.
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I recently had a chance to visit with bassist Dan Horne about how it all got started, all they've been through so far, and where they're going next.
Jon Schinke: Hey Dan, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today. For those who don’t know, please share the story of how Circles Around the Sun came to be.
Dan Horne: We were commissioned by the Grateful Dead to produce interlude music for their GD50 Fare Thee Well concerts at Soldier Field and Levis Stadium. At the time we weren’t an actual band yet, but the response was so positive that we decided to keep it going and soon began touring and recording more material.
JS: Did the excitement about Interludes for the Dead -and the demand from the audience for more- come as a complete surprise? Or was the thinking internally that you had landed on something pretty cool that folks would be asking for more of?
DH: It was a big surprise even though we thought what we made was pretty cool. We we're very appreciative of the response by the Deadhead community.
Dan Horne: We were commissioned by the Grateful Dead to produce interlude music for their GD50 Fare Thee Well concerts at Soldier Field and Levis Stadium. At the time we weren’t an actual band yet, but the response was so positive that we decided to keep it going and soon began touring and recording more material.
JS: Did the excitement about Interludes for the Dead -and the demand from the audience for more- come as a complete surprise? Or was the thinking internally that you had landed on something pretty cool that folks would be asking for more of?
DH: It was a big surprise even though we thought what we made was pretty cool. We we're very appreciative of the response by the Deadhead community.
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JS: I watched those Dead shows from home and I remember being mesmerized by the set break music. It was the perfect combination of that Dead aesthetic, with a bit more of a new-age flair. It fit the moment so perfectly, it’s hard to believe that the songs were recorded over just a two-day session. What was the plan and process going into that session? Give us a little insight into the production of Interludes.
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DH: We were asked to create 5 hours of original music! It was daunting so we just hit the record button and did as much as we could. Most of the songs we created a framework or groove or something to have something to build off of. Adam would make an intro or Neal had a guitar lick or something. Then we would explore that idea for as long as we could and move on to the next idea!
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JS: 2018’s Let It Wander saw the CATS sound begin to evolve into something all its own, with elaboration laid to the groundwork of Interludes. The album sounds both retro and cutting edge at the same time, a daring endeavor, but one done exceptionally well here. Did you guys go into the studio with the intention of expanding the sound beyond the relative parameters of Interludes? Or was it more organic? For example, did you collectively have some song ideas ready to explore and the end result just happened to be an expansion and growth of your previous sound? Take us through the Let It Wander sessions.
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DH: We came up with the ideas for those songs in soundchecks and a couple writing sessions. We tend to base songs on what we think makes the crowd respond at our shows. It's a give and take with the audience. That said, it definitely reflects the growth and evolution of the band as by the time of the Let It Wander sessions we had a year of touring under our belts.
JS: Tragically, the world lost Neal Casal in August of 2019. According to the CATS bio, it was Neal’s wish that the group continue on in his absence. The group of course decided to honor his wishes. First, let me say that, from our entire Wisconsin music community, you have our deepest sympathies and love. Talk a little bit about the decision to carry on, the journey of healing through this project, and the lasting legacy of Neal Casal.
DH: It was total despair, but soon thereafter Adam and I talked and immediately agreed to keep the band going. Which really helped us feel better and cope. It wasn't until after that that we even read the note Neal left behind in which he asked us to keep going, so the sentiment to continue was mutual.
JS: Tragically, the world lost Neal Casal in August of 2019. According to the CATS bio, it was Neal’s wish that the group continue on in his absence. The group of course decided to honor his wishes. First, let me say that, from our entire Wisconsin music community, you have our deepest sympathies and love. Talk a little bit about the decision to carry on, the journey of healing through this project, and the lasting legacy of Neal Casal.
DH: It was total despair, but soon thereafter Adam and I talked and immediately agreed to keep the band going. Which really helped us feel better and cope. It wasn't until after that that we even read the note Neal left behind in which he asked us to keep going, so the sentiment to continue was mutual.
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JS: The band’s most recent full length album, 2020’s self-titled release, features Neal’s final recordings. Please share a little bit about how meaningful it was to be able complete that album in such a difficult moment in time.
DH: It really made us question the meaning of meaningful. We’re love the record and are glad we have this final musical statement from Neal in the band he founded. JS: That album itself was done in a little different way than previous records, using some vintage audio techniques. For us novices, what are Drumtraks? Explain what the thinking was behind employing the use of a drum machine, and how it enhanced the music stylistically. |
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DH: The Drumtraks is the drum machine that you hear and the beginning of "Babyman" and throughout the record. We used it to created a dancy driving energy that we were seeking to capture.
JS: A lengthy spring tour just kicked off in Cambridge, Massachusetts, followed by twenty five more dates, including a couple stops in Wisconsin later this week. A brand new single was just released, and one can only assume more new music is on the way. Overall, this feels like a very exciting time in the land of Circles Around the Sun. Please elaborate on this fertile time for the band, as we begin to emerge from another long winter.
DH: Yes, we are very excited to have new music to play. Although one of the main ideas of the band is to never play the same thing more than once, so that all our songs always feel new, it will be great to have new material to explore. We have a whole record of new music which will hopefully come out soon, but in the meantime we will unveil the new material at the shows!
JS: The new track, “Language”, feels like a culmination of the growth of CATS over the years. The lilting psychedelic tendencies of Interludes meets the disco-flavored dance beats of the 2020 album, and develops into something new altogether. Talk to me a bit about the newly released “Language”.
DH: We've noticed the crowds responding to our disco jams so we went and wrote a new one. John Lee Shannon brings a new dimension with his slick rhythm playing and we leaned into it. And Mikaela Davis brought the magic fairy dust. It's been so fun to play on the road!!
JS: Shortly before we lost Neal, our friend Jeff Austin also left us. The Midwest was dealt another blow less than two years later, as we found out about the tragic passing of Minneapolis musician Max Graham. In the time since those gut-wrenching losses, we have seen an emergence of several advocacy and access groups in the industry, with the intention of raising awareness about mental health and wellness within the music community. Organizations like the Neal Casal Music Foundation, and Backline offer support and guidance to industry professionals in a way that normalizes the struggles that so many have dealt with for so long in silence. Can you talk for a bit about the importance of this kind of support in the community, and perhaps what Neal would think about something so profound and so essential being nurtured in his name.
DH: Gary Waldman, our manager, worked his butt off on the Neal Casal Music Foundation, and it’s great to see these resources being created. We even recorded a few tracks for a tribute album, Highway Butterfly: The Songs of Neal Casal to help raise money for the endeavor. People that work in music are mostly neglected, as is mental health more generally speaking, so we need all the help we can get. You never know what’s going to make the difference with people who are suffering the same way Neal was. So to have the Foundation building these resources for musicians and industry folks, you hope it can make a difference and save lives.
Thanks again to Dan Horne and the entire Circles Around the Sun team for making the time for us, and if you, or anyone you know is struggling, please know that help is only a click or a phone call away. ❤️
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And don't miss Circles Around the Sun THIS WEEK at the Back Room at Coelctivo in Milwaukee on Friday, March 25th, and at the High Noon Saloon in Madison on Saturday, March 26th!
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