Deliverance needs little if any introduction as one of the foundational bands to emerge from the burgeoning eighties White Metal scene. The Deliverance legacy, however, is lasting in that it released material transcending not just the eighties but also the nineties, turn of the century and beyond.
In order to honor its legacy, I am presenting with a Deliverance history written by founding member and vocalist and guitarist Jimmy P. Brown II and taken from the official Deliverance MySpace page, ‘The Big D Lives’ (accessed via web archives): https://web.archive.org/web/20070916095145/http://www.myspace.com/thebigdlives
Please note that several weeks ago I came across ‘The Big D Lives’ while perusing older links at the Angelic Warlord archives from 2006. The history is located on the 'The Big D Lives' main page and is extensive, beginning in the mid-eighties and lasting until 2007 with the release of the groups most recent album (at that time), As Above - So Below. Details are also included for JPB side projects Fearful Symmetry and Jupiter VI.
So without further ado…
Welcome the one and only official MySpace home of Deliverance. This is where you will hear and read updates from Jimmy P Brown II himself regarding all things Deliverance. So check the ‘blog’ for exciting news on the current and future of the Big D.
Editors Note: Web Archive sadly failed to capture the My Space ‘blog’ section resulting in a wealth of historical band information (not just for Deliverance) lost forever…
1986
After its start and temporary fall in 1985, ‘D’ unites again. The lineup is: Jimmy P. Brown II - Chris Hyde - Larry Farkus - Brian Khairullah
1987
‘D’ has been gigging all over the LA Club Scene. The boys move into a more speed metal sound from their already heavy vibe. Larry Farkus seperates from ‘D’ and joins up and comer Vengeance Rising. After a brief stint with a few guitar players including Marcus Colon of Betrayal, they are asked to record on a compilation album entitled California Metal. According to Regency Records, ‘D’ is the most popular band on that release. Then they are joined by guitarist Glenn E. Rogers. Shortly thereafter, ‘D’ records the legendary Greetings Of Death demo and in a span of 2 years sells more than 5000 copies of it. The tape was only sold at shows at that time.
Two songs, "A Space Called You" and "Attack", appear on California Metal.
1988
The After Greetings demo is recorded but only released a few hundred copies. Signed with Intense Records of Chicago.
1989
Intense Records sells out to Frontline Records of Newport Beach, California.
February: Deliverance records their debut CD. During the recording of the 1st album, Glenn informs Jimmy that he is joining a band called Steel Vengeance in Europe, but will complete the recording of the 1st CD with ‘D’. Saddened by this departure, ‘D’ hunts for a new guitar player. Recommended by Vengeance Rising front man, Roger Martinez, ‘D’ auditions George Ochoa of the band Recon. George is then recruited to join ‘D’.
June: Deliverance is released nationwide on Frontline / Intense Records.
1990
‘D’ does several shows in California in support of the first CD.
April: Deliverance records Weapons Of Our Warfare, and the band goes out on their first 13 week tour in support of the first record.
July: Weapons Of Our Warfare is released worldwide.
October: ‘D’ tragically loses longtime drummer Chris Hyde due to personal reasons. Deliverance goes out on tour in support of Weapons Of Our Warfare with then Crucified drummer Jim Chaffin.
1991
January: ‘D’ loses its 2nd longtime member Brian Khairullah who has been with ‘D’ since 1986. ‘D’ acquires new rhythm section of (formerly of Recon) Johnny Gonzalez and Mike Grato. Deliverance films "Weapons Of Our Warfare" video in San Diego with then rookie video producer Dan Macintosh, son of Mike Macintosh, pastor of the biggest Vineyard Church in San Diego, CA. After a few shows, Jimmy recruits (drummer) Kevin Lee of Fresno to join ‘D’ to make their most brutal recording to date. Deliverance records What A Joke.
February: Deliverance goes into the studio to record What A Joke.
April: What A Joke is released worldwide.
September: What A Joke starts getting shipped back to record company for lack of sales. Retailers are weary of it not being a 'Weapons Part II'. Afraid of the sarcasm of the disc, the record bombs.
November: Deliverance acquires new management that discovers some odd things in the band's business. The "Weapons…" video makes it's first of many appearances on MTV's Headbanger's Ball with Ricky Rachtman calling it a ‘Great new video’. This is a HUGE breakthrough for the world of CCM speed metal because, as of this point, the only CCM bands to have appeared on MTV were Stryper, Barren Cross, and Petra. "Weapons of Our Warfare" debuted on Headbanger's Ball in 1991. It slowly climbed its way to the Top 3 ‘Triple Thrash Threat’ after a few weeks and remained at the number 3 slot of that show for 12 weeks in a row! Falling completely off the show after that...
December: Disheartened by what has happened in the ranks of Deliverance, Jimmy starts plans for a solo record under the name ‘Peter Braun’. The growing tension in the band, and Jimmy feeling like (in his own words) 'It just isn't ‘D’ anymore' causes Jimmy to want to make a clean break from ‘D’ and do his own thing. Jimmy calls former guitarist Glenn E. Rogers and asks him to help him create a new sound! They record a 2-song demo with producer Scott Blackwell, but after much criticism that the songs sound like blatant rip offs of David Bowie, Jimmy decides to scrap working with Scott Blackwell and asks Terry Scott Taylor to produce the upcoming ‘Peter Braun’ CD. Strongly motioned by FMG and the past months of growing tension between George and Jimmy, they agree to part ways.
1992
February: Jimmy meets with Terry Taylor to produce his solo record. Terry and Intense Records suggest blending the solo material with Deliverance heaviness.
March: “D’ begins its search for a new axe man. Kevin Lee suggests to Jimmy a shredder from Fresno, CA named Mike Phillips. Mike Phillips auditions for the band and Jimmy is immediately won over by his tremendous talent. Mike gets the job! Jimmy starts writing for the new Deliverance record entitled Dead Again, later re-titled Stay Of Execution.
April: Jimmy enters the studio with new band lineup and new producer Terry Taylor to record the ‘new’ Deliverance sound. The current lineup of this time is: Jimmy, Kevin Lee, Mike Grato and Mike Phillips. After many disputes in the studio with Mike Grato, he is asked to leave ‘D’ in the middle of the recording. Jimmy and Mike Phillips finish the remaining bass tracks. Jimmy asks Brian Khairullah to return to ‘D’. Brian joins forces once again with the Big ‘D’...
May: Jimmy and Mike Phillips enter the studio with XL and DBD to help out on some guitar tracks for what would be one of the first ‘Rap Core’ records to hit the streets.
August: Stay Of Execution is released worldwide and is met with critical acclaim.
September: Stay Of Execution becomes the one and only CD of Deliverance's career to chart on Billboard at 19 of the top 50.
October: Deliverance begins recording the Intense Live in Studio series.
December: Live in Studio is released in the U.S. only.
1993
January-May: Stay Of Execution tour takes place.
June: After many shows and tour dates, Kevin Lee and Mike Phillips decide that the distance from Fresno to Los Angeles is too great for them to continue. They both agree to finish any upcoming shows with ‘D’ but advise Jimmy that they are planning to return to Fresno. Brian Khairullah leaves and joins Max Blam Jam with former ‘D’ guitarist Glenn E. Rogers. Jimmy acquires new band including Manny Morales and Jon Maddux and along with Jon Knox goes back into the studio with Terry Taylor as producer to record the album then titled Desperate Cries, later re-titled Learn.
July: Deliverance takes a break to do some shows - CornerStone '93, Atlanta Fest, IS Fest, New York.
August: Deliverance returns to the studio to finish Learn.
August: Jimmy does some guest vocals on the Saviour Machine I CD.
September: Learn is released worldwide and is labeled by CCM magazine as ‘the dark side of Deliverance’.
November: Deliverance takes close friend Eric Clayton and Saviour Machine on tour for support of Learn.
December: Tour comes to a screeching halt.
1994
January: Jimmy has now fulfilled his contract with Intense Records and decides to go for a change and signs with Brainstorm / Word Records.
March: Deliverance goes into the studio one last time with Terry Taylor at the helm of production with Jimmy noted as co-producer for the new album entitled Speed Of Light, later re-titled River Disturbance. The ‘D’ lineup continues with Jimmy - Manny Morales - Jon Maddux and Jon Knox.
July: Deliverance cancels all concert dates to continue working on River Disturbance.
September: Brainstorm becomes impatient with Jimmy for River Disturbance being over budget and past due for release.
October: River… is finally handed over as the master missing three of the 12 songs due to time restraints. River… is then sent to be mastered with nine songs only. Deliverance now begins to prepare for the live show.
November: River Disturbance is released worldwide.
1995
January: River… is hailed by critics to be Jimmy's finest work ever while fans everywhere say it's his absolute worst. ‘D’ now loses guitarist Jon Maddux. Jon had put off prior commitments to school and they had been pushed back for long enough. So reluctantly, Jon and ‘D’ part ways.
March: Jimmy debates canceling the upcoming ‘Spring Fling Tour 95’ because of hate mail received about River Disturbance. ‘D’ hires Matt Winslow to replace Jon Maddux, and due to Jon Knox's commitment with his band White Heart, ‘D’ hires the amazing Jeff Mason formerly of the band Betrayal.
March: Brainstorm announces a split from Word Records and breakup as a record company.
April: Deliverance heads out for the 9 week ‘Spring Fling Tour’.
June: Deliverance returns home from their most successful tour EVER, only to find out they are now label-less.
July: Deliverance signs with Intense Records again for three records.
August: After an exhausting 9 weeks of pre-production, new guitarist Matt Winslow disappears without a trace! The last time anyone in ‘D’ sees him is after a rehearsal. He gives his usual hug to the band members, then is not seen again till 4 years later. The strangest part for the members of ‘D’ is Matt left all of his gear in the RDM Studios, never to return for them.
September: Deliverance enters the studio, this time without Terry Taylor at the helm of production. Jimmy is now in charge of the budget, writing and producing of the new album entitled Book Ends, later re-titled Camelot In Smithereens. Jimmy is secretly planning on breaking up the band - the symbolism of Camelot In Smithereens - the dream blown to bits! This recording saw the comeback of former ‘D’ and Betrayal guitarist Marcus N. Colon and guitarist Eric Bradfield added to the lineup. ‘D’ is now a 3-guitar unit.
October: Camelot… brought back producer of the debut CD Bill Metoyer to mix the Camelot record.
November: The lineup as of this time was: Jimmy - Manny - Jeff - Marcus Colon and Eric Bradfield. Deliverance sets out for the second leg of the River… tour. This tour turns out to be the most disastrous tour of Deliverance's career. After 5 weeks of dealing with sickness, broken-down tour buses, snowed-in shows, terrible weather conditions and poor concert attendance, Deliverance decides to leave the tour mid-through and come home to sunny California.
December: Camelot… is released worldwide.
1996
January: Jimmy is wanting to call it quits and pursue other interests in music. Haunted by the approaching European tour, he continues to keep up the front.
March: Jimmy receives word from label that Camelot… is the worst selling Deliverance record ever and fans worldwide despise it with a passion!
April: Jimmy in a fit of rage announces the demise of Deliverance. After ten years, it was over! He went into hiding for the next three years talking with no one about Deliverance and had what the doctors called a ‘nervous breakdown’.
1999
July: Jimmy decides to create music again. He starts an all electronica band called Fearful Symmetry.The lineup for FS is: Jimmy - Corin Jae Scott - David Gilbreath - Chad Smith and Sean Bove
2000
January: Fearful Symmetry signs a deal with Silent Recordings in Ohio to release the first CD.
August: Fearful Symmetry heads to Ohio to record As Above - So Below. On his way, Jimmy stops to meet an associate in St. Louis who has a new label starting. The talks of Deliverance returning begin.
September: As Above-So Below is finished recording and waiting to be mixed. Silent Recording Group announces October 2000 release. Lars Ulrich of Metallica hosted The Top 100 Metal Videos show on VH1. “Weapons Of Our Warfare” was number 46 and Lars was qouted as saying ‘this was one of his favorite videos because of the imagery and also a great song from this band who came and went…’
December: Fearful Symmetry CD yet to be even mixed or released, Jimmy decides to pull out the battle-axe and return to Deliverance.
2001
January: Deliverance signs with Indie Dreams Recordings.
February: Deliverance enters the studio for the first time in six years to record Assimilation. He is joined once again by longtime bass player Manny Morales and FS keyboardist David Gilbreath. Jimmy is also joined by founding members of Jambi's Revenge Justin Detie on lead guitar and Jim Calvert on the drums.
July: Assimilation is released and to kick off the event, HM Magazine and CornerStone invites Deliverance to headline the Fourth of July show at CornerStone 2001. Deliverance performs 4 encores at the July 4th show and, as tradition tells, Doug Van Pelt NEVER lets bands play past Midnight on the HM stage. However, in this case, Doug himself requested that ‘D’ play till 12:40am and even asked for more, but unfortunately, ‘D’ ran out of ‘gas’... It had been a long time and a wonderful welcome back party. The lineup at this time was: Jimmy - Manny - David Gilbreath - Lael Clark on guitar, Ian Baird on drums and Jim Calvert doing backup vocals for the show.
September: Assimilation is met with ‘warm’ reviews by most critics. Some say it picks up right where Jimmy left off with Camelot… while others say it is the NEXT direction for Jimmy and Co.
October: The Deliverance CD recorded Live At Cornerstone Fest 2001 is released. Jimmy and Manny are VERY displeased with the cover jacket and artwork as they felt it didn't represent them accurately. The front cover stated ‘80's Metal Retro Night’. Manny laughs at this and says ‘they are saying 80's Metal yet Jim didn't write but 2 of the 12 songs in the 80's. He wrote them in the early to mid 90's!’
November: Jimmy starts writing and recording a new upcoming release This Sad Veil of Tears.
2002
January: Jimmy begins recording the new 12th Tribe CD titled The Return Of The Heavyweights. This is Jimmy's third collaboration with hip hop sensations 12th Tribe (having worked on their debut and Babylon CD s) and is actually producing this disc as well as appearing on it.
March: Jimmy moves back to the west with his family and finishes working on a new ‘D’ CD called This Sad Veil Of Tears. This project would turn out to be the most introspective record for Jimmy since 1993's Learn.
May: To many fan's dismay, ‘D’ cancels all upcoming shows for the spring and summer due to both personal reasons and normal band 'maintenance' work such as hiring replacement band members. The core nucleus remains the same of Jimmy P. Brown II and his trusty side mate Manny Morales.
June: Fans are treated to a pre-release of 9 songs from the This Sad Veil Of Tears CD. This was the result of an online contest on the fan forum. The fans reaction to the ‘true new sound’ was overwhelming.
September: Deliverance calls it quits again with Jimmy releasing This Sad Veil of Tears under the name Fearful Symmetry.
2003
Summer: Jimmy plays bass and produces Sombance's Eli CD.
2005
January: Jimmy completes work on the next Fearful Symmetry CD called A Loss Of Balance. A Loss Of Balance is much more textured and features no guitars. Jimmy also begins working on his new band Jupiter 6. J6 is a 70's glam rock band with some post punk influences. Jimmy reunites with longtime friend George Ochoa and Corin Jae Scott. George guest appears on the CD as well as Corin Jae Scott.
2006
Summer: Jimmy finishes recording Jupiter 6's Back From Mars for release in the fall.
July: Jimmy begins rehearsing with a newly reformed Deliverance lineup to perform select shows and record a new studio CD tentatively entitled Enlightened. Stay tuned here for more information! Jimmy calls on long time favorite guitarist Mike Phillips and FS partner Corin Jae Scott to rebuild ‘D’. The new lineup is: Jimmy P. Brown II - Mike Phillips - Corin Jae Scott - Tim Kronyak. ‘D’ is currently looking for a drummer to complete the lineup for the upcoming CD and tour dates to commence in 2007.
November: Jimmy's project Jupiter VI is released and met with critical acclaim! It is receiving incredible reviews from I-Tunes and CDBaby as well as many magazines worldwide. Jimmy is already working on both ‘D’ and a new JVI release for 2007, as well as tour dates for both bands!
2007
March: Jimmy, Mike and the boys finish the new CD As Above - So Below. Jimmy & Mike both feel that with a little more time, the record could've truly been an AWESOME listen, while most feel that they are being too picky and over-perfectionist's in fashion. Overall, the band is extremely happy with the release and hope to hear great response from the fans! Jimmy & Mike enlisted the help of longtime friend and former ‘D’ drummer Kevin Lee to come in and play 3 of the 10 tracks for the CD. Due to scheduling conflicts with work and such, Kevin was unable to commit to any more recording or live shows. The band is happy to announce the arrival of their new drummer Mike (the reefer) Reed to the band. He finished the recording after only a few listens to the songs and has now teamed up with ‘D’ for upcoming live shows in 2007.
