Daniel Amos Message Board | Print: Hi from a Newbie & Fearful Symmetry Question

Posted by K4DA on 03-08-2021 at19:31:

Hi from a Newbie & Fearful Symmetry Question

Hello, All,

I'm a DA newbie to some extent. My first encounter with DA was in 1993 when I first picked up Motor Cycle. I thoroughly enjoyed the album though was still very much into hard rock/metal at the time. My next DA pick up was 1994's Bibleland album. In 1995, a friend loaned me his Shotgun Angel album and I couldn't believe what I was hearing: In my opinion, that album was way ahead of its time. I found it on CD a year or two later and also picked up Songs of the Heart, Daniel Amos and Mr. Buechner's Dream in subsequent years.

All said, it's only been recently that I re-discovered DA, absolutely falling in love with and really paying attention to their music. With age, and my music appreciation expanding, DA's output really hits home. Alarma, Doppleganger, Vox Humana, Darn Floor Big Bite, Dig Here Said the Angel and the Horrendous Disc Box Set... I've owned those releases now for about a week at the time of this post. Awesome, awesome stuff! I only regret that I've spent much of my life without these releases in my library. This being the case, I consider myself a DA newbie.

I forgot to mention that I started out as a Lost Dogs fan which was my gateway to DA.

Having recently picked up the aforementioned deluxe disc sets, I've noticed that Fearful Symmetry has eluded me. Was that album ever offered as a deluxe disc set such as the others? If not, are there any plans for it to be released as such?

Thanks for any information one might be able to provide, regarding Fearful Symmetry.

Posted by Jimmy Brown on 03-08-2021 at20:08:

Greetings, K4DA, and welcome to the DAMb!

Unfortunately, there is no deluxe edition of Fearful Symmetry, and I haven't heard of any plans to produce one. There doesn't seem to be any interest from the band in revisiting it. I sympathize with you on the lack; that cassette often lived in my boombox during college. I would also love to read an included essay from Terry Scott Taylor on Walter de la Mare. Alas, it seems that time has slipped away.

By the way, as you appreciate the deluxe releases, do you have the bookset of Songs of the Heart? It is titled When Everyone Wore Hats and is well worth picking up for the extra discs and the small book they come in. You can pick it up here on the site's store.

Posted by K4DA on 03-08-2021 at20:48:

Thanks for responding, Jimmy. I'm not complaining though I can't help but feel it's a bit of a bummer for Fearful Symmetry not to be included. How can The Alarma Chronicles be accurately chronicled without it? Does the band have a distaste for the material on that release, I wonder?

When Everyone Wore Hats is on my wish list. Being as I picked up several releases in one fell swoop (cha-ching!), I had to pick and choose between the Horrendous Disc Ultra Deluxe CD package and WEWH. Well, Horrendous won out. I've never had it in any form before. I listened to several of the discs from that just today and I am not disappointed in the slightest. Also on my wish list is Preachers from Outer Space.

I also have to say that I've spent days scouring the DA website, and the Timeline and Interviews/Articles section is absolutely fantastic! Kudos to whomever developed that.

Posted by WoaaahJelly! on 03-09-2021 at15:52:

Welcome, K4DA! I was not yet a DA fan when F-S was released in the 1980's but of course I saw the cover! It was like no other and drew one's attention.

Posted by Jimmy Brown on 03-09-2021 at16:27:

You're welcome. Smile

I can't speak for the band, obviously, but I recall a comment from Terry Scott Taylor (I think) suggesting that it was a bit artsy. Given the change in direction with the next album, DFBB, I can believe it. I can even understand it; sometimes you get tired of going in the direction you're going.

I can also understand prioritizing Horrendous Disc. I never owned that one either until the deluxe edition came out. I had only heard it once before in my life when I met a girl in college who had it on LP. I had heard the demo stuff that was included with the Daniel Amos deluxe set a lot more than that!

Posted by wayneb on 03-09-2021 at21:39:

Another factor that affects the re-release of FS is who actually owns the masters for it. The ownership is not so clear cut and I think it will make it much harder to get a new release out because of it....and maybe expensive!

Posted by K4DA on 03-11-2021 at13:48:

quote:

Originally posted by WoaaahJelly!
Welcome, K4DA! I was not yet a DA fan when F-S was released in the 1980's but of course I saw the cover! It was like no other and drew one's attention.

Thanks for the "welcome"! Yes, FS has a simplistic yet mysterious cover - very effective. To my eyes, DA's FS cover reminds me of the "Into the Woods" cover by The Call. Both cool bands... both cool covers. I believe FS was released one year prior to "Into the Woods".

Posted by K4DA on 03-11-2021 at14:02:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimmy Brown
You're welcome. Smile

I can't speak for the band, obviously, but I recall a comment from Terry Scott Taylor (I think) suggesting that it was a bit artsy. Given the change in direction with the next album, DFBB, I can believe it. I can even understand it; sometimes you get tired of going in the direction you're going.

I can also understand prioritizing Horrendous Disc. I never owned that one either until the deluxe edition came out. I had only heard it once before in my life when I met a girl in college who had it on LP. I had heard the demo stuff that was included with the Daniel Amos deluxe set a lot more than that!

What impresses me about DA (among many things) is their ability to deliver so many genres with brilliant execution. From country-rock to the classic rock of Horrendous Disc to the new wave vibes of the Alarma Chronicles to the alt rock of Motor Cycle, etc... DA are masters of their craft, no doubt.

Speaking of Horrendous Disc: It is definitely a 10 out of 10 in my book. There is not a single less-than-stellar song on there, in my opinion. I've read/heard the stories surrounding its delayed release via Solid Rock Records (albeit much information is skirted around), and I can't fathom why anyone would want that album delayed... It is THAT superb. Its timely release would have benefitted both band and label. Without casting any stones, or meaning to tread on gossip's grounds, I can't help but wonder if someone was simply jealous of DA's output? If HD was released as originally intended, I can't help but think the band would have been the biggest name in rock and roll under Christendom's umbrella.

Posted by Audiori J on 03-12-2021 at11:06:

The plan used to be to slowly release every album ala deluxe. Some albums make more sense to do that with in that some have more demos and unreleased tracks than others. The first album was easy in that there were several years of demos prior to the band's first album. HD was easy as there was a wealth of material in the lost 3 years or so and the album had never been produced properly. Shotgun Angel was just fun to do.

Some albums we store the masters for so that also makes it a lot easier to check them for missing material or remix some stuff. I can't remember off hand if we have the master for Fearful Symmetry. I also am unaware at this time of any unreleased tracks. I am sure Terry has some demos or something. But I think that was a period of time without a bunch of extra material. So we could have probably remastered it, but not sure about extra content.

At this point I won't be working on any more releases of any kind. Not sure if Eric will. So Tom Gulotta is probably the guy to ask but I wouldn't hold my breath on that. Unless he dumps it to bandcamp.

Posted by wayneb on 03-12-2021 at20:48:

Jason, nobody has done more to keep the legacy of Daniel Amos alive than yourself and Eric. While many people might want to see FS in some sort of remaster form, I respect the fact that you are not in any position to do more than you have already.

Stay safe.

Posted by Jimmy Brown on 03-13-2021 at08:18:

Thanks for the extra information, Jason. I greatly appreciate it, as well as all the work you've done.

Posted by K4DA on 03-13-2021 at19:03:

quote:

Originally posted by Audiori J
I can't remember off hand if we have the master for Fearful Symmetry. I also am unaware at this time of any unreleased tracks. I am sure Terry has some demos or something. But I think that was a period of time without a bunch of extra material. So we could have probably remastered it, but not sure about extra content.

At this point I won't be working on any more releases of any kind. Not sure if Eric will. So Tom Gulotta is probably the guy to ask but I wouldn't hold my breath on that. Unless he dumps it to bandcamp.

Thank you for the information, Jason. If the master for FS is available, I can only hope Tom Gulotta & company would pursue a remastering project with the album. Unreleased demos would be great to include as well. Throw in a nice essay booklet - or perhaps a band interview CD - reflecting on the musical and lyrical approach to FS, and I would consider that package "deluxe" in my book.

The Alarma Chronicles would seem a bit incomplete without the matching endcap which is FS.

Here's to holding out hope...

Posted by audiori on 03-14-2021 at17:22:

There is absolutely a plan to do a remastered edition of fearful symmetry. The master has already been acquired and a deal was worked out some time ago. Bonus tracks will be a challenge but I’m sure we’ll do what we can.

We’ve kind of been going in order for the reissues - although a couple were done out of sequence.

Posted by K4DA on 03-14-2021 at19:11:

quote:

Originally posted by audiori
There is absolutely a plan to do a remastered edition of fearful symmetry. The master has already been acquired and a deal was worked out some time ago. Bonus tracks will be a challenge but I’m sure we’ll do what we can.

We’ve kind of been going in order for the reissues - although a couple were done out of sequence.

This is GREAT news! Thank you for letting us know! Any idea of how far down the road we're looking for its release... sometime this year... 2022...?

Posted by Jimmy Brown on 03-15-2021 at00:47:

quote:

Originally posted by audiori
There is absolutely a plan to do a remastered edition of fearful symmetry. The master has already been acquired and a deal was worked out some time ago. Bonus tracks will be a challenge but I’m sure we’ll do what we can.

We’ve kind of been going in order for the reissues - although a couple were done out of sequence.

Thanks for the update, Eric. I'm glad to have been wrong.

Posted by WoaaahJelly! on 03-17-2021 at15:35:

Yeah. Glad to hear that, Eric. So It appears Jason is disillusioned or maybe burned out, and Eric is still on board for more reissues.

Posted by audiori on 03-17-2021 at15:58:

Not sure on timing.... the primary focus right now is Terry’s solo project. Horrendous took longer than anyone had wanted, so it’s nice to have a break. I don’t think it’ll be too far off though.

Posted by Audiori J on 03-17-2021 at16:21:

quote:

Originally posted by WoaaahJelly!
Yeah. Glad to hear that, Eric. So It appears Jason is disillusioned or maybe burned out, and Eric is still on board for more reissues.

Nope. Tom G. is taking the lead in most stuff going forward I believe. Eric might stay involved, but I won't.

Posted by K4DA on 03-17-2021 at20:04:

quote:

Originally posted by audiori
Not sure on timing.... the primary focus right now is Terry’s solo project. Horrendous took longer than anyone had wanted, so it’s nice to have a break. I don’t think it’ll be too far off though.

Totally understandable, regarding the needed break. As the first time owner of Horrendous in any format, and having it for merely a couple weeks now, may I say that you guys did an outstanding job with the artwork, overall presentation, extras, remastering, etc... The ultra deluxe edition is well worth every penny spent. Thank you! Very cool about Terry's solo project and the not-too-far-off Fearful Symmetry deluxe edition. Thank you for responding!

Posted by WoaaahJelly! on 03-18-2021 at02:20:

It has been so long, I think I forgot Terry's solo project. Just for a moment.