Out Now!!!!!
Artifix Records has
just released the first album by these legends of hardcore since their
1983 LP "Patterns of Force" This is their first album in 25
years and will only be available at first as a vinyl LP. Go to our "Catalog/Order"
page to buy yours today!
BAND HISTORY BY CIRCLE ONE:
It
was 1980 and punk was a still not accepted by society or the mainstream
media, four friends from Pico Rivera California started a band after being
inspired by bands like,Fear,Black Flag and the Germs,this was a
new style of punk rock known as Hardcore Punk.High bpm(beats per minute)fast
rythem and anti establishment lyrics,the horrors of war,and rich oil barons
protecting their interests.But mostly it was about society's boundaries
and social commentary.The Origional line-up was Mike Vallejo on guitar,John
Macies on Vocals,Mike Ituarte on Bass, and Bill Ituarte on Drums.They
were gaining lots of popularity for only being around a short period of
time (9 months). Opening for bands like Black Flag,Wasted Youth,Circle
Jerks and Bad Brains.. In October of 1981 Jody Hill Joined the band on
Drums,and soon after that Mike Ituarte left."O" played Bass for a few
gigs but they were still looking for a Bass player. Then in May of 1982
Danny Dorman was asked to join the band.Circle One toured the west coast
of the United States, mostly playing San Francisco Phoenix & Tuscan.
In early 1983 they went in the studio to record "Patterns of Force" on
Upstart records and we had the honer of working with Philo Cramer, the
guitarist from FEAR. He came in to record us. That was just after Fear
the record came out and we thought it was one of the best sounding Punk
records ever recorded. So it was a privilege and honor to have him in
to produce us.. During this time we were still playing gigs and Our singer
John Macias formed
P.U.N.X., an organization for promoting shows and never charging more
then $5 admission.We had a base of operations in Hollywood at a place
called the Wig factory on La Brea.We rehersed there, and runaway punks
stayed there. P.U.N.X started booking shows at the Cathay De Grande which
was cool because the scene was kinda dead. John was really busy with promoting
shows, plus battling his mental illness so the band slowed down a great
deal. So with all the goings-on with the gig promotings, the band kind
of slowed down.
In 1988 Circle One reformed to play Fenders Ballroom. It was a Patterns
Of Force reunion. The show sold out, the crowd loved it, it was a great
show and the band wouldn't play for another two years. In 1991 Circle
One reformed with John, Mike, an
d
Jody. Our friends Tony and John Blackley played rythym guitar and bass.
We played at Spankeys in Rverside and it was a good show But it wasn't
the same as the Patterns Of Force line up. It wasn't the same without
Danny and John was having a real hard time with mental problems and Depression.
Three days after the Spankys show John was shot and murderd by the Santa
Monica Police Department. He was gone......
We miss him terribly and I will always have fond memories of John and
Circle One. In 2003 Danny and Mike Vallejo formed a band for the hell
of it called the Wasted Ones that played mostly Wasted Youth and Circle
One Songs. We had a Blast and so did this new generation of Punkers that
were not around to see those songs played in the 80's. With our new singer,
Billy Brown on vocals,who
was a family member from the old days, we soon got in touch with Jody
Hill. He joined in on drums and decided to do a show as Circle One at
the Elks Lodge in El Monte for a Red Cross benefit. The response was amazing
and the band decided to continue.We know its not 1982 and we are glad
its not. We are doing this for the kids who are into the music and we
are doing it for John. Circle One's reputation, good or bad, has made
an impact on So. Cal. punk rock. From 1981-1985, 1989, and 1991 Circle
One played less than 40 Shows.
