As 2004 drew in it would be revealed that the JOURNEY pairing of guitarist extraordinaire NEAL SCHON and drummer Deen Castronovo, also an ex-OZZY OSBOURNE band member, had nullified their prior PLANET U.S. side venture, a proposed alliance with SAMMY HAGAR, and instead embarked upon a whole new side band project. January would be spent in Jonathon Cain's studios laying down tracks with former TALISMAN and AXEL RUDI PELL singer JEFF SCOTT SOTO and the THIN LIZZY, TED NUGENT and WHITESNAKE credited bassist Marco Mendoza. Included in the material would be a re-work of the PLANET U.S. track 'Peephole'.

In May this union took on the band title of SOUL SIRKUS for an album entitled 'World Play', first released as an online release in December. West Coast gigs in January would be slotted inbetween band members commitments to JOURNEY and WHITESNAKE. However, the band then cancelled all announced tour dates after Castronovo was diagnosed with dehydration and exhaustion. As it transpired, Deen Castronovo soon left the band, citing conflicting schedules. He would be swiftly replaced by Virgil Donati of DUNGEON, PLANET X, RING OF FIRE and FREAKHOUSE.

In outside activities both Jeff Scott Soto and Marco Mendoza put in appearances on MICHAEL SCHENKER 'Heavy Hitters' covers album, gracing a run through of UFO's 'Doctor Doctor'.

SOUL SIRKUS announced a lengthy run of UK and European dates throughout April and May. The European release of 'World Play', through the Italian Frontiers label, boasted not only an extra track, 'Alive', but several further musical interludes and all new artwork. Virgil Donati took time out to donate drum tracks to the 2006 LALU album 'Temporal'. In the midst of JOURNEY's US touring schedule, band members convened along the way to pen material for a second SOUL SIRKUS opus.

In January 2006 JEFF SCOTT SOTO announced that SOUL SIRKUS was no more. Soto stepped up into the big league during mid 2006 as he assumed lead singer duties for JOURNEY on July 7th in Bristow, Virginia, replacing Steve Augeri who was forced to bow out due to a "Chronic throat infection".

Former SOUL SIRKUS band mates Jeff Scott Soto, Neal Schon and Marco Mendoza reunited on January 5th 2007 for a jam at the annual Animal Rescue Foundation benefit concert in Walnut Creek, California. The band was rounded off by Jonathan Cain of JOURNEY on keyboards and David Dzialak, of the JEFF SCOTT SOTO band, on drums.

During 2008 JEFF SCOTT SOTO forged the W.E.T. trio alongside BRAZEN ABBOT, AMAZE ME and ECLIPSE's Erik Mårtensson and WORK OF ART guitar player Robert Säll. A debut album was recorded for the Italian Frontiers label for November 2009 release.

Garry Sharpe-Young