Hey Remember This: Circus Magazine

So after my Metal Edge post awhile back, I thought I would continue on with more great rock magazines of yesteryear. And today as you can tell we're gonna talk about Circus magazine.


Circus magazine started in 1966 as a music and pop culture rag. They would cover all the hot music of the time. Couldn't tell you all they covered because it's just a little bit before my time. Needless to say, 'm sure it was riveting.

Circus would continue throughout the 190's telling you all about David Bowie and Joni Mitchell and even did a cover feature on the cast of Saturday Night Live.



Of course it wasn't until the 1980's where I would be introduced to Circus. My dad used to manage a grocery store when I was a lad and he would bring home all the old rock magazines for me, and the teen mags for my sister. So she got her fill of Ricky Schroeder and Duran Duran and I got my fill of Motley Crue and Dokken.

Circus didn't have the typical band photos you would usually see in other magazines. Most of the pictures they had were live shots, which seemed to set them apart a little. Also it felt as if they were doing real in depth reporting, even though they really weren't. I mean how in depth could you be in a story about David Lee Roth, you know?

Somehow through all the music trends that came and went from the 80's to the 90's, Circus stayed alive. Through hair metal, grunge, alternative, nu-metal and everything in between, Circus stormed on.

Sadly in 2006, Circus shut its doors. Honestly I couldn't believe it was around that long. I remember being shocked when I would occasionally see it on the shelf. It was a good magazine, and a fun part of my childhood. Raise your glass to Circus.