Phil Circle Music / Guilt by Association Records, Chicago, IL
Phil Circle has always preferred to pursue his career on his terms, mostly by disregarding the much sought-after “record label” in favor of his own, booking more intimate venues that appreciate the musician and his work, and receiving radio play on stations all over the country and world that look for independent talent.
Phil is by no means your ordinary songster picking away quietly on his acoustic guitar. He manages to blend elements of rock, jazz, blues, folk, and even classical, to seamlessly create a style truly his own. Add to this his often flawless and always energetic live performance, and he lands far away from what most people think of as "Singer/Songwriter."
Phil's debut release in the 90s was hailed by In The Mix as "just what the doctor ordered" and they pointed out that his music "defies rock, jazz and blues" saying his songs were "from the master class." 20 years later, Illinois Entertainer referred to his latest full band effort as proof that Phil is "one of our town's most unique voices."
Centerstage Chicago said, "Phil Circle's prolific songwriting and powerful performance make him a staple of Chicago music."
Back in 2015, after much "you should write these stories down" from friends and music fans, Phil finally took the stories he'd been telling about his life in music and put them to the page. This became a collection of stories, and thoughts on the business and craft of music called The Outback Musician's Survival Guide. It was loosely structured, non-linear and comb bound from pages printed at his home. It was, however, favorably enough received by the small number of people that got their hands on a copy. Phil also received input from many of those who read it. Their input included a lot of requests for more in-depth stories. They wanted more than the funnies, they wanted the dirt. Be careful what you ask for. In August of 2017, Phil managed the publication of a 215 page rewrite. He made it a more guided story of his survival as an independent musician over thirty years. You get to learn about the darker moments along with the crazy antics, and all of his latest observations about an ever changing business and an ever evolving art form. The Outback Musician's Survival Guide is available in paperback and ebook through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Jet, Google Play, iBooks, and some 50 outlets online.
A review in Beat Media said "it's impossible not to be swept up in Phil's current of passion" when reading this book.
