What's the story?

I wanted the CIRCU5 album to have great songs and a good story. And I hope I've achieved that. I think you can just enjoy it for the music – and there's an intriguing narrative if you want to dig a bit deeper.

In a nutshell, CIRCU5 is a secret British government research group from the early 1970s. It aims to rid the world of psychopaths - but keep the best parts of psychopathy, such as fearlessness and confidence, to help the UK get ahead in business and the military.

CIRCU5 runs an experiment, which involves taking a baby boy, and raising it until age three to be a psychopath. After that, CIRCU5 members raise the child as adoptive parents until adulthood, and monitor him beyond.

Here's how the songs link with the story…

Coming Home: CIRCU5 members choose a new-born baby from a secret compound while morphine-addicted mothers look on. The baby will undergo conditioning – such as exposure to violence and isolation – to bring about psychopathic behaviour.

My Degenerate Mind: The child is now a middle-aged manager in a large firm. He's addicted to morphine and bullies his colleagues. He starts a controlling relationship with a female member of staff.

Stars: Deeply unhappy in the relationship, his girlfriend overdoses on his morphine supply. Depressed and suicidal, he moves into his parents' home.

Days Erased: His parents lock him in a room to withdraw from the drugs. He hallucinates a dark future world, reflecting his hatred of society.

Strings: While recovering, he overhears his parents referring to him as a 'Grady'. One night, they try to euthanise him. He awakes, overpowers and tortures them, and discovers the truth about CIRCU5. Enraged, he kills them.

Blame It On Me: He's captured and taken back into the CIRCU5 compound, where he reflects on his life so far.

The Amazing Monstrous Grady: He's isolated behind a glass panel, and subjected to various tests. He imagines himself as the murderous sideshow performer, Grady Stiles. A hallucinogenic aerosol is pumped into his cell.

The Chosen One – Baptism, Transfiguration, Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension: The drug induces apocalyptic visions of committing mass slaughter and becoming a new messiah. A female member of CIRCU5 pities him, and frees him from the compound.

I hope that's given you a flavour of the album's story. There's a lot more to discover in the limited-edition CD - which includes a lavish 28-page booklet, 'secret' document, and download card - and all for just £9.99. Here's a quick look at what you get:

But hurry - the package won't be around forever at this low price. And by getting the album, you'll be helping me make more music for you with the CIRCU5 sequel.

CLICK HERE for the limited-edition CIRCU5 album

Thanks for listening, reading and supporting me.

Steve

CIRCU5