Chalk Circle


Main image

Chalk Circle was a Canadian college rock band in the 1980s. The band consisted of lead singer and guitarist Chris Tait, bassist Brad Hopkins, keyboardist Tad Winklarz and drummer Derrick Murphy.

Originally formed in Newcastle, Ontario, Hopkins and Tait were paired with Terry Miller and Stani Veselinovic in 1982 as The Casualties, the band briefly changed its name to The Reactors and then to New Addition in 1984, and finally settled on the name Chalk Circle (taken from Bertolt Brecht's play The Caucasian Chalk Circle).

The band recorded a demo single The World (b/w Black Pit) on cassette and played the Toronto-area, subsequently winning the CASBY Award for Most Promising Non-recording Group in 1985. After signing to Duke Street Records in Toronto, their 1986 debut release was a 6-song EP called The Great Lake. Produced by Chris Wardman, it was recorded at Manta Sound in Toronto and Quest Recording Studio in Oshawa. The lead single April Fool became a Top 10 single in Canada, along with another single Me, Myself and I. The band produced videos for both tracks which were regularly featured on MuchMusic, and the EP went on to become Duke Street's biggest seller at that time.

Their second release was a full length album entitled Mending Wall released in 1987, with the inspiration for the title coming from Robert Frost's famous poem. Recorded entirely on digital equipment, the crisp sounding album featured another Top 10 Canadian single This Mourning, a blistering commentary about nuclear politics in the 'ray gun' (Reagan) era of the late 1980s. The album would later be reissued with a cover version of T-Rex's 20th Century Boy, which also became a Top 10 Canadian single.

The band's final album was 1989's As the Crow Flies, which featured two singles, Sons and Daughters and Together. Citing 'creative differences', the band broke up in 1990, and Tait went on to form the indie band Big Faith.

In 2006, Universal Music Group released a Chalk Circle greatest hits compilation as part of its 20th Century Masters series. The release prompted the band to reconvene after 15 years and in February of that year, they began rehearsals at the Cherry Beach rehearsal studios in Toronto in anticipation of possible reunion shows.

On June 17, 2006, Chalk Circle played a reunion gig at Lee's Palace in Toronto. The show received mixed reviews, however music critic Shondra Stabler remarked that this was a rejeuvination of 1980s pop not seen since the return of Joey MacIntyre

KOMPILACE +


Různí
Classic Alternatives
2003, 6xCD, Comp, RE + Box, SPG Music, ,
Alternative Rock/New Wave/Synth-pop
Různí
19. Festival Des Politischen Liedes
1989, LP, Amiga
Různí
Big Shiny '80s
2004, 2x CD, ,
Synth-pop/New Wave/Pop Rock/Punk/Hard Rock
Různí
Classic Alternatives Volume 4
2000, 3x CD, CD, Box Set, ,
Leftfield/Pop Rock/Indie Rock/New Wave/Electro/Goth Rock/Synth-pop
Různí
1995 Regional Music Showcase
1995, CD, Comp, Spotlight Productions, ,
Alternative Rock
Různí
Huge (Duke Street Records - 10 Years In 70 Minutes)
1994
Různí
The Best Of Canadian Rock
1991, 2x CD, ,
Arena Rock/Pop Rock/Folk Rock/Classic Rock
Různí
Solid Gold 80'z
1990, CD, Comp, Attic Special Products
Různí
MCA CD Sampler #1 - January 1990
1990, CD, Comp, Promo, Smplr, MCA Records, ,
Dance-pop/Synth-pop/Pop Rock/Interview/Country/Folk/Soft Rock/Hard Rock/Glam/Chanson
Různí
MCA CD Sampler CD #7 April, 1990
1990, CD, Comp, Promo, MCA Records Canada
Různí
HMV - MCA Music Sampler
1989, Cass, Comp, Promo, MCA Records,
Různí
MCA CD Compilation October 1989
1989, CD, Comp, Promo, MCA Records Canada,
Různí
Just Treats
1989, Cass, Comp, Promo, MCA Records
Různí
Der Weg Aus Dem Labyrinth
1988, CD, Mini, Comp, Ltd, Westpark Music
Různí
Canada Booth • Midem '88 Sampler
1987,
Různí
A WEA Music Sampler
1986, Cass, Promo, Smplr, DOL, WEA,
Různí
The Big Four-O / 40 (Essential Music Summer ‘86)
1986, 2xCass, Comp, Promo, Dol, Warner Bros. Records, Atlantic, Elektra, ,
Blues Rock/New Wave/Pop Rock/Electro/Funk/Soft Rock/Soul/Alternative Rock/Indie Rock/Synth-pop/Hard Rock/Contemporary R&B
Různí
Taking It To The Street
Cass, Comp, Promo, Duke Street Records, ,
Pop Rock/Latin Jazz