Martin Circus
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Gérard Pisani, Jean-Pierre "Bob" Brault, Patrick Dietsch, Paul-Jean Borowsky, Jean-Francois Leroi |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Progressive rock, pop, disco, new wave music |
Martin Circus was a French musical ensemble formed in the late 1960s, whose sound evolved from progressive rock through pop to disco and new wave music throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Career
Established in 1968 during a period when the French music scene was largely influenced by American and British cover bands as well as established chanson performers, Martin Circus stood out as one of the pioneering French groups dedicated to original rock compositions with French lyrics. The band was created by Gérard Pisani (saxophone) and Jean-Pierre "Bob" Brault (bass, vocals). The founding members also included Patrick Dietsch (vocals, guitar), Paul-Jean Borowsky (vocals, keyboards), and Jean-Francois Leroi (drums). Their initial single, "Tout tremblant de fièvre," composed by Dietsch and Pisani and released under Disques Vogue in 1969, met with success, followed by their debut album En Direct du Rock 'n Roll Circus.
In 1971, the lineup changed as Dietsch, Borowsky, and Leroi were succeeded by Alain Pewsner (guitar), Gérard Blanc (vocals, guitar), Sylvain Pauchard (keyboards), and René Guérin (drums). This formation produced the ambitious double LP Acte II, which included the popular track "Je m'éclate au Sénégal," written by Brault and Pisani. The group embarked on extensive tours, appeared at various festivals, featured in the 1971 movie Les Bidasses en folie, and took part in the 1973 rock opera La Révolution Française. They followed up with the release of Acte III in 1974.
Shifting towards a four-member pop configuration with Blanc, Pewsner, Pauchard, and Guérin, Martin Circus issued No. 1 USA Hits of the 60's, an album containing French adaptations of American pop classics. Their most notable commercial achievement came in 1975 with "Ma-ry-lène," a rendition of the Beach Boys' "Barbara Ann". Later albums such as Tu Joues Ton Cœur and Rock'n'Roll Circus (1976) continued to support their active live presence.
In 1978, they contributed music to the soundtrack of Les Bidasses en vadrouille and released Martin 'Disco' Circus. This album featured the prominent 14-minute track "Disco Circus," composed by Blanc and Pewsner with arrangements by Gilles Tinayre. The song gained international acclaim through various remixes including one by François Kevorkian, becoming a frequently sampled piece within dance music collections. In the United States, Prelude Records issued the album as Disco Circus with an altered track sequence.
After Guérin left due to increasing reliance on drum machines, remaining members Pewsner, Pauchard, and Blanc produced Shine Baby Shine in 1979. Embracing a new wave style with De sang froid, which marked Pisani’s return to the group, they faced commercial disappointment leading to their disbandment in the mid-1980s.
In 2001, original members Brault, Pisani, Borowsky, Dietsch, Blanc, and Guérin reunited to record Origines, combining fresh material with re-recorded tracks. Gérard Blanc passed away in 2009. Another reunion under the Martin Circus banner occurred in 2016 featuring Pewsner and Pauchard alongside vocalist Tom Bock and drummer Félix Sabal-Lecco.
Discography
- En Direct du Rock 'n Roll Circus (1969)
- Acte II (1971)
- Acte III (1974)
- No. 1 USA Hits of the 60's (1975)
- Tu Joues Ton Cœur (1976)
- Rock'n'Roll Circus (1976)
- Martin 'Disco' Circus (1978; also known as Disco Circus)
- 'Shine Baby Shine (1979)
- De sang froid (1982)
- Origines (2001)