A Chat with Playground Circus (28.06.23)
Making waves on the music scene, duo Playground Circus has been described as “searing emotional pop-punk…” (Rock N Loud Magazine) and “…ready to unleash their artist fury…” (Scottish Music Network). For about nine years, John (vocalist and guitarist) and El (lead vocalist) have built a reputation for captivating classic pop-punk with a blast of fresh rocking awesomeness in their melodies and performances. We speak with band member John about their new single ‘Walking On Sunshine (Roxy Edition)’, what music means to them, future plans and more.
OSR: What drew you to music?
John: I grew up in a rich suburban neighbourhood surrounded by pretentious assholes. I would either end up a lawyer or a punk… I chose punk.
I was going to school with 16-year-old kids that drove their families’ BMWs to protest against capitalism! I remember like it was yesterday all the oxymoron that was happening around me and trying to understand what the hell was wrong with people. So music was my way out, the place I could always be myself and express all the shit that was happening in my head.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
John: Music is me. I breathe music. It’s the first thing I think of when I wake up and the last thing before I go to bed. It’s a way to talk to people, it’s a way to understand myself and the world around me and the only thing that makes me feel normal in a world where I feel like an abnormality.
OSR: What do you hope people take from your music?
John: Hopefully, an alternative way to deal with their problems. Everyone has their own stuff, and life can get tough sometimes. I hope that people who listen to our music feel that they are not alone in this. Most of the things I write about have to do with everyday events, either good or bad. I draw inspiration from the people around me so I hope they do the same when they listen to our songs.
OSR: You recently released a cover of Katrina and the Waves ‘Walking On Sunshine’. What inspired you to create this cover version? I mean, how did you choose ‘Walking On Sunshine’?
John: So the answer actually lies in the small print. You see, the full title of our cover is ‘Walking On Sunshine (Roxy Edition)’ and there is a reason for that.
Roxy was the most adorable dog I’ve ever met in my life. I used to call her the “bouncing dog” because she was always happy and bouncing around. She belonged to a friend of mine (Travis) and I’d see her pretty much every day at the local pub where I used to work and Travis and Roxy were hanging out. At some point Roxy got ill and a few months later she died. Needless to say, my friend was devastated and in one of our talks about her shortly after she passed away, he mentioned to me how her favourite song was ‘Walking On Sunshine’, and how every time she heard it she would go extra bouncy and extra happy. So the same weekend I sat at my home studio and did this cover to give to him as a memory of the amazing Roxy the dog. At that point, I didn’t even have in mind releasing this song.
OSR: What was the most enjoyable and most challenging aspect of creating the cover?
John: By far the most enjoyable was shooting the video for the song. That day I had a 38+ degree fever and I still had the time of my life. We managed to shoot the video in one day so basically we had the pleasure of hanging out with our best friends acting stupid at London Bridge for the better part of a sunny day which is not that common in England.
The most challenging I think was the song itself. The original song is basically the progression of four chords switching from verse to chorus. I obviously didn’t want to mess with that but at the same time, I wanted to add more parts. So I guess finding the balance between changing stuff to the song without changing the core of the song was the most challenging part. I hope I managed to do this successfully.
OSR: What is the most enjoyable and most challenging aspect of being in a band?
John: The people in the band. Being in a band is like a marriage but with four or more individuals. Everyone is different, and everyone wants to do shit their own way. So somehow you must bridge all these different, very strong-minded personalities, which can be challenging at times.
At the same time, the people in the band are what makes it so amazing. You get to hang out with some of your best friends doing what you love and creating something out of nothing. This feeling is not only rewarding but provides you with a sense of security that resembles that of a family. You basically have a second family when you’re away from home.
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OSR: If you had to recommend one Playground Circus song to a new listener, which song would it be and why that song?
John: Aaaaaah, now that’s a tough one. It’s like asking me “What’s your favourite kid?”
I’d say ‘Her Anarchy’ is a good way to introduce someone to Playground Circus. I think it stands somewhere in the middle of how we started as a band and where we wanna go. Start there, work your way back and get excited for the things that are coming!
OSR: What is the easiest way to bring a smile to your face?
John: A beer, a shot of whiskey, and a room full of people sweating while I am on stage sweating twice as much as them. If that room is located somewhere in Los Angeles and there is a bulldog hanging out somewhere too, I will be the happiest man alive with the biggest smile on my face.
OSR: What do you consider the most difficult food to eat?
John: The source of all evil, the devil’s plant or otherwise known as OKRA.
OSR: What future plans do you have for Playground Circus?
John: Go on holiday for now. We had a busy first half of the year always being in between touring, working full-time jobs and doing stuff for the band. We literally had little to no time for ourselves this year and it’s something that we all need.
Coming back in September we are picking up where we left off with shows in England to finish the year off strong. In early 2024 we have plans for two to three European tours and will try to book as many summer festivals as possible for the remainder of the year.
Music-wise, we have a couple of singles to release and after that, we are planning to put our last 5 releases in an EP that will only be available on vinyl and digitally on all platforms. The vinyl might have a few extra surprises for our friends.
Many thanks to John for speaking with us. For more from Playground Circus, check out their Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp and Spotify.
