¤ F e a r f u l   S y m m e t r y¤

After many years under the name Deliverance, ex front man and lead guitarist Jimmy Brown has successfully written many albums and toured numerous dates around the US to support each release.

With titles such as their 1st self titled release, “Weapons of our Warfare,” “What a Joke,” “Stay of Execution,” and many others, also holding under his belt a video "Weapons of our Warfare."

After disbanding Deliverance with the last album "Assimilation" he quickly moved forward to create a whole different sound with his new self produced project Fearful Symmetry.

VM Underground finally tracked him down and has given us the privilege to speak with him.

VMU: Hey, Jimmy. It’s been a long time. How are you?
JB: I am very well Bro. It is nice to hear from a familiar voice nowadays. I am here in Las Vegas now. Been here for a few years. Great place to live and work. The family is wonderful and all is well. I trust all is well with you too.

VMU: You currently produce Fearful Symmetry, a very different step, why such a big change from Deliverance?
JB: Well, with things were as they needed to be, I was once asked if I was always into Bowie and Electronica music, why did I do for so many years? Reason 1) I believe that was what I was supposed to do! 2) Keyboards were VERY expensive in the early 80's and, I wasn’t born to a rich family. LOL! So, I made do with the guitar, LOL.

. VMU: I have listened to all of your tracks online and believe me, I was blown away. Could you explain how you produced both CDs (studio/home) and what gear you used?
JB: I have my own home studio set up. It’s all PC based with live instruments as well. But, I don’t use tape any more. Hard Drives while being a pain in the rear, are much easier to deal with, LOL, and, less expensive. I use Cuebase for my main Multi-Tracking. I have EVENT and YAMAHA monitors. I use Yamaha, EMU and Korg and Roland synths. I also sample and record live drums, and use them in a PC based sequencer called Fruity Loops. I also get a host of my bass lines from Fruity Loops. If you haven’t used it, I highly recommend it!!! It is simply wonderful. I am also very fond of the sounds in the Yamaha Motif Module. Again, wonderful synth and lush string sounds. For gtr, I use the POD Pro by Line 6. You can’t get much better than this other than micing a live tube amp. On the new record “Loss of Balance” there is hardly any gtr work though. What little there is run through a gtr synth. The 1st CD, “This Sad Veil of Tears” was more gtr driven while the latest CD is more synth if not all synth driven.

VMU: You are also a producer/songwriter. What other projects have you worked on past and present?
JB: I have produced a few CDs over the past few years. But, I mostly concentrate on F.S. I did produce and R&B Dance album for an artist named Heather Leslie who is on our label. I also did the last Tribal Camp record which is experimental Hip Hop. Very cool stuff. And, I have worked with a few independents and also mixed the latest Sombrance release called “Eli.”

VMU: How do you feel about the Secular and Christian market?
JB: Hmmm. That is a loaded question,LOL. Let’s just say they both do well, and do what they feel they need to do.

VMU: You had the chance to get on a very well known label for Deliverance. Do you have any regrets for not choosing the deal?
JB: Not sure what you mean??? We were on a very well financed and distributed label called Intense. A subsidiary of FMG. It was fun while it lasted. It had it’s ups and downs. Like with anything. Now that I do my own label, it has its ups and downs as well. We are not in stores. We are Internet based. So while it is a large market, it isn’t concentrated. In other words, if you go to Tower or Camelot Records, you aren’t going there looking for porn or to read emails. You are there to buy CDs and DVDs. With the internet, the market has potential to be HUGE, but if the market has no idea you exist, then the difficulty increases greatly. But, we make more money as an independent than when we are on a major label. But, you move more units on a major as opposed to an Indie Internet label. But, if I moved say 5000 units on the internet, and say that me as an artist gets 2.00 a CD, well that would be $10,000 in my pocket as an artist. I would have to move 40,000 units on a major to make that same $10,000 I can make from just 5000 units. See what I mean??? BUT, here is the problem, it is easier to sell 40,000 units on a major label with promotion and being in 3,300 stores nationwide then it is to move 5000 units on an unknown internet label with ZERO promotion. So, both have their ups and downs. The BIG plus for me as an independent is I do what I want. And, I don’t listen to somebody tell me they don’t hear a single, LOL.

VMU: I know you have toured a lot with Deliverance. Could you explain what it's like to travel and play? And will there be a tour for FS?
JB: Touring was GREAT!!! But, what people don’t understand is that it becomes your job. You get tired of it after a while. Around the same people, around the same venues, doing the same songs for 10 years. It really does become a job. And, that can make it very hard at times. Plus, when you have a family that wants to see you, and you want to see them, that is VERY hard. Then, they are depending on you to send home the money. And, then you wind up getting jerked around by promoters who won’t pay you Or, you have poor concert attendance, minimal merchandise sales. All [of] this can lead to great stress. I had between 8-10 people depending on me for their income. I had merchandisers depending on me for payment. I had rental companies depending on me for the lease payments. Not to mention my own personal family finances. While very fun, it is very taxing on the nerves and stress levels. No touring plans for F.S. right now, although we are planning on doing select shows throughout the US and Europe.

VMU: What are some of your musical influences besides David Bowie and Vic Mendoza (joking about the VM)?
JB: VM and NO ONE ELSE!!! LOL. J/K. Bowie is a major influence by far, but Terry Scott Taylor and DA are another biggie. Also, I am very fond of a band called AndOne from Germany. Also Wumpscut and Bi God 20. Allan Aguirre and Spy Glass Blue I am very fond of as well.

VMU: From the heart, Jimmy you have blessed me with your music for many years and the very 1st Deliverance album still blesses people today and on my list of faves next to "Stay of Execution." Could you briefly explain how many albums Deliverance sold over the years including the last release "Assimilation"?
JB: The entire catalog has over 500,000 units to its name. I couldn’t tell you what Assimilation sold as I parted ways with that company, and they are not prone to giving statements of what has or hasn’t sold. So, I assume they sold what they had and never re-printed.

VMU: What ever happen to the last line up in Deliverance?
JB: I stay in touch with most of the former guys. But, they are all doing their own thing now. I couldn’t say for sure what all are up to.

VMU: As an indie producer and songwriter myself I direct record all my gear. What are some of the best ways you use to record guitar and bass? Do you feel Line 6, Johnson or any other direct units are the best way or do you prefer mic?
JB: As I said before, I think that if you have the right room, right mics, and right speaker cabinets, micing a tube amp is a great way to go. Otherwise, LINE 6 all the way, baby!!!

VMU: What are some of the plans for Fearful Symmetry today?
KB: Just recording and doing select dates here and there and seeing where it goes from there.

VMU: Very good job on the cover song! You really picked a really cool 80's song. Why Psychedelic Furs, "Love My Way?" And also do you think it gets old that a lot of artist are doing too many 80's covers today?
JB: I think that the 80s era of music was most influential to artists young and middle aged today! The Furs have been a long time fav of mine, and the reason for that song was it is a special song for me and my wife, Helen. So, I think it is great for bands and artists today to pay homage to a GREAT decade of music.

VMU: Could you tell us what was the worst experience playing live?
JB: Too many to recount, Bro. You have to figure that I played live from 1985-1996. Lots and lots of shows.

VMU: Do you have any advise for the young bands that are struggling today?
JB: Have a career to fall back on. The reason I say this is that it is difficult at best to become wealthy doing this. So, always have a backup plan. But, if it is in your soul, it will never die!!!

VMU: Thank you so much, Jimmy Brown for your time. Keep producing those tunes! Do you have any last words?
Thank you for the many years of support. And, here is to many more to come. VM and FS need to hook up for a show together in LA.

VM Underground
April 22, 2004