Flying Circus - Last Laugh

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Turn Away	03:42
	2	Morning Sets You Free	03:04
	3	Rock & Roll Woman	02:45
	4	Jabber Jabber	04:35
	5	Wake Up Wake Up	04:37

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Round & Round	03:20
	2	Requiem	04:25
	3	You're Not to Blame	03:54
	4	Ontario Spring	03:18
	5	Hemmings Farm	03:22
	6	Last Laugh	00:17

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Information/Write-up

Last Laugh marked the final chapter in The Flying Circus’s musical journey, closing out their Canadian period with a bold, eclectic, and emotionally layered set of songs. Recorded in the summer of 1973 at Toronto’s Thunder Sound Studios and released the following year on Capitol Records Canada (ST-6400), it was the band’s second album to be fully conceived and produced in Canada—and their most collaborative work to date.

While 1972’s Gypsy Road had already demonstrated the band’s mastery of North American country-rock, Last Laugh broadened the sonic palette further. Canadian producer Paul Hoffert (of Lighthouse) returned to helm the project, joined again by engineer Bill Seddon and executive producer Jimmy Ienner. The mastering was handled by legendary audio engineer Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab in Los Angeles, giving the album an especially polished finish.

What set Last Laugh apart was its diverse songwriting contributions. While Doug Rowe remained the primary voice and author—penning standout tracks like the shimmering “Turn Away,” the breezy “Morning Sets You Free,” and the Canadian-referencing “Ontario Spring”—keyboardist and guitarist Sam See, now a full-time member, stepped up significantly as both co-writer and lead arranger. He delivered originals such as “Requiem,” “Hemming Farm,” and several co-writes with Leone J. Reid, notably the quirky and kinetic “Jabber Jabber” and “Wake Up Wake Up.”

The album also featured a surprise cover: “Rock & Roll Woman” by Stephen Stills—likely a nod to the group’s earliest Byrds/Buffalo Springfield influences, bringing their musical story full circle.

Bass player Terry Wilkins took on lead vocal duties on several tracks, and even contributed harmonica (credited as “harp”), while drummer Colin Walker—the band’s rhythmic anchor since the beginning—closed the record with a 10-second snippet of his own composition, the whimsical “Last Laugh.”

Despite strong performances, adventurous arrangements, and major label backing, Last Laugh failed to generate significant commercial success. By 1974, with evolving musical tastes and limited industry support, The Flying Circus quietly disbanded—leaving behind three Canadian releases that captured their transformation from pop outsiders into confident, roots-oriented songwriters.

Still, Last Laugh endures as a graceful exit—showcasing the band's full creative potential in a Canadian setting. From the sparkling folk-rock of “Ontario Spring” to the slow-burning psychedelia of “Requiem,” it’s a record that rewards repeat listens and provides a fitting coda to one of the most unique trans-Pacific musical journeys of the early ’70s.
-Robert Williston

Doug Rowe: guitar, lead vocals
Sam See: guitar, keyboards, vocals
Terry Wilkins: bass, lead vocals, harp
Colin Walker: percussion, vocals

Produced by Paul Hoffert
Engineered by Bill Seddon
Recorded at Thunder Sound Studios, Toronto, Ontario, June & July 1973
Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab, Los Angeles, California, USA
Executive Producer: Jimmy Lenner

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