Fanbase Music Magazine Chats To Prime Circle About New Era, New Music, Up-Coming Tours And We Get to Know New Vocalist Gavin Edwards

Interviewed by Duzzy Clayton

Photography by Daniel Craig Johnson

Intro

Big news rocked the world a few weeks ago when the South African Giants in the music industry Prime Circle, announced the departure of Vocalist Ross Learmonth. A few weeks later the band then announced Gavin Edwards was to join the band and take on the mic duties.

Fanbase Music Magazine caught up with the band with an exclusive interview about the band’s new era, new vocalist new music and up coming shows and tours.

We also get to know Gavin Edwards

Enjoy The Read

Interview

Hi guys, welcome back to Fanbase Music Magazine, with the new lead singer and new era, how is Gavin Edwards settling into the band?

Dale: Well, I would say he’s settling in just fine. Magical person, we all get along very well. We love his style, we love his talent. And I think there’s a lot of energy. And yeah, it’s just a magical moment.

Neil: Having Gavin come into the band was a very smooth transition, was a very positive transition. We all feel like we’ve been playing together for the transition, it was a very positive transition. We all feel like we’ve been playing together for many years, so it’s a very positive move for us and yeah we look forward to the future together.

Gavin, can you give us your background, where you grew up, and what got you into music so our readers can get to know you more?

I was born in Durban, but my dad was military, so I moved around every four years. They moved him from base to base. We started at Potch, Wade Durban, then Potch. Then they sent him overseas to the embassy in America, so I started school there in Washington, D.C. Virginia, actually. And then from there to St. Nean, Pretoria, all over, all over. And then where I started music was, my mom used to sing in the church band, so I learned some guitar and then some drumming from the church band, got into drumming and then I actually started drumming for the church band and then by 17 put together my own band, but it would have been church, my mom kept music around the house, so that’s definitely where I got my influence, well not the influence but my start into music.

You have been in The Voice South Africa as well as signed to Brian McFadden’s record label, which is a big accomplishment in itself, can you tell us more about that time of your life, how it was, and how it has prepared you for this opportunity?

When we got signed to Brian, it was almost like we were so wet behind the ears. We were just still playing up at Sun City and pub gigs. And he came in and signed us, flew us over like 10 days later. We’re in studios, we’re mingling with the likes of like, when we got to meet Bono, Tom Jones, to all the boy and girl bands, Blue was the one. And then having dinner with Russell Crowe, it was myself, Brian, Delta Goodwin, Robbie, my guitarist and myself and Russell Crowe. I mean, it’s insane. So that was mind-blowing. So that part of it was insane to see because it was like Michael Jackson fame that Brian had in Westlife and they were just on top of the world. They were selling out, you know, 14 nights in a row at Arena.

So we got to see that. So that influenced us a lot to like sort of just get used to that, that bigness of it. And then there were a lot of articles, a lot of newspapers, everyone, because whatever Brian said when he said he was the manager of the band, they flew in just like getting hold of us. And so we got to learn the press side of it, then publishing. Then he had so much knowledge that I got to learn from him. Brian also helped me to figure out that the imperfections in my voice, which would be when it breaks a little bit, are the beauty in it. So I have to let go of that because I always strive for perfection. He was like, we need to hear that more in your voice.) He taught me so many things.

So a lot of lessons I would say I learned from Brian and then from the voice as well. That was just the next level of preparation. So rehearsing seven days a week on your song all day long so that you can on that Sunday sing a 90-second bit of your song and make it believable to then also being on cameras a lot. I wasn’t a fan of cameras so much and interviews and it always made me nervous. So by the time you’re done with that show, they’ve prepped you so well to be able to do those things. Interviews, camera, know where to look, know where to do this, know that.

So that there was, again, such a pivotal, like a learning experience. But everything has been a learning experiences up to now. It’s just it’s mad how all those seasons taught me something that now is in full effect for this venture with Prime Circle.

So I mean, I couldn’t have asked, couldn’t have asked God for better timing in my life at my age with my experience to be prepared for something that is this big.

With the departure of Ross Learmonth, it came as quite a surprise for us fans, how did the conversation go down to ask Gavin to fill such big shoes?

Marco: So, the conversation with Gavin, we’ve known Gavin from the industry. When we sat down as a band and really thought about what is the right fit for Prime Circle, he was somebody right on top of the list. We didn’t hesitate to make contact with him, we didn’t audition anybody else. We just knew he was the guy. Once he came in, he did the audition, we knew it vocally.

Everything was just the perfect fit.

With the new Era, comes the exciting news of new music, what can you tell us about upcoming music?

With a new era, new music. The music, we will always be Prime Circle. We will always try to be true to the sound and true to what the fans have grown to love. We just want to do it with a different twist. That’s by adding Gavin‘s part of his music to the equation.

You will also be playing some upcoming shows, please tell us where and when you will be playing.

26 Mar, Tue – Barnyard – Emperors Palace

29 Mar, Fri – Barnyard – Silverstar

30 Mar, Sat – Barnyard – Menlyn

12 Apr, Fri – Copper Bar – Bryanston

25 Apr, Thu – Railways Cafe

26 Apr, Fri – Baileys Bedfordview

03 May, Fri – The Music Kitchen – PE

04 May, Sat – Blend in Knysna

11 May, Sat – The Daisy Jones Bar

What can we expect at these shows with Gavin now on the mic, and will you be doing some of your older well-known hits?

Dale: So what can you expect from a new Prime Circle show with Gavin Edwards is a newer face obviously, a newer sound. Yes, we will be doing all the old Prime Circle singles and hits, and we’ll be throwing in one or two originals moving forward. We are going to bring out an EP soon that the five of us worked on together. And yeah, that will basically be an energetic, powerful show.

In the past you have toured Germany and have got a big fan base there, one thing I have seen time and time again on your social media is, will you guys ever tour Germany again, what are the plans there, will you be touring Germany or anywhere outside South Africa?

Going back to not just Germany but other parts of Europe is definitely part of our touring. We were already in discussions with our European promoters to set up tours for 2024.

That’s something we’ll never stop doing. We’ve built up an amazing fan base. It’s taken us many years to achieve that. We’ll just continue doing those territories without a doubt. Cool show.

Thank you for doing this interview, do you have any last messages for our readers?

Gavin: A message for the fans, and this goes for the message of fans that have followed me through my career and then the new fans that are now with, that come along with Prime Circle, which is massive, is thank you. First of all, there was, the announcement was made this weekend, it was massive. The outpour of love was insane, so just to know that there are so many people who are rooting for us is unbelievable, so thank you for that. We’re going to be around for a very long time, we’re going to be creating a lot of music, and we are super excited for this next stage. We cannot wait to get on stage, this is something that we’re putting so much time into to get ready, to make sure that this is epic on another level, so I just want to say stick around, we’ve got exciting things to come, and let’s make some history.

Catch Prime Circle At The Following Shows

26 Mar, Tue – Barnyard – Emperors Palace

29 Mar, Fri – Barnyard – Silverstar

30 Mar, Sat – Barnyard – Menlyn