Ghost Circus Pt. 3
Interview with
Chris Brown
by  Joshua Turner

JT: Here’s a question to kind of make you think a little bit.

Chris Brown: Alright.

JT: You’ve obviously seen the movie Spinal Tap.

Chris Brown: That I have. I own it, you know…

JT: {I keep going before he can go off on another myriad of tangents.} Do you recall any Spinal Tap moments in your career.

Chris Brown: Oh yeah.

JT: Whether it’s working on this album or previous experiences that you can tell me about.

Chris Brown: Not with Ghost Circus. I’m lucky to say, see, that’s part of the thing. Now when we go live, I know they’re going to happen. {I laugh.} The thing is when I was a kid, Spinal Tap was really funny. Then I was in the music business for a few years, and I watched it again. I was like that’s not funny that this happened. {He says last statement slowly and laughs.} You know, and I think every musician does that. The best example I can give you was when I was in that Adult Contemporary Band back at Cumberland Gap. Our first big, big show was playing at the Hendersonville Arts Council Festival, which is actually a big outdoor festival up in Nashville. So, it’s our first road gig, and I’m, me and Pat, our other guitar player, I was playing bass at the time, we were the youngest guys in the band. I was seventeen, he was eighteen, and everybody else ranged from the ages of early twenties up into their forties. We had a huge band. We had a percussionist, and me and Pat, and then we had two keyboard players, and a drummer, and three singers. Alright, this was a big outfit. And so, we get to Nashville. Me and Pat get up into our hotel room, and the guy that led the band, his name is Larry. His daughter was already in our hotel room with two Chinese guys I had never seen before in my life drinking beer. So, {he laughs} that sort of started an abstract thing and the weekend went on. Everybody except for me and Pat, who knew better, actually got soused the night before the gig. So, the gig was awful, and we were on, we were at the beginning of the headliners. Our manager had booked us at that point, and the other headliners, the two people after us, were Shelly West and Tommy Cash. Tommy Cash was Johnny’s brother. Er, no, Johnny’s Son. That was one of Johnny’s sons, and I remember him in the Green Room just being really weird and standoffish to everybody.

JT: Aha.

Chris Brown: And it was just so, everything about it was so Spinal Tap. Just because of the way everybody was kind of moving about and schmoozing, but nobody wanted to be there kind of thing, and sort of, it was just weird, and then it was just the whole weekend was surreal. We get up there and we’re watching, and there’s Tommy Cash singing his little “Father’s Love is Special” or something. Like okay, that’s a little weird. {He laughs.} You know, here comes Shelly West, sort of the little Dottie West cause it’s her daughter and she had a semi-hit at the time. And so, you know, then we get back to the hotel, and that’s when it really gets crazy. And, we had an entire floor at the Holiday Inn over on, over next to Opryland to ourselves. And, they came back with an entire case full of different types of booze. And I really, in this short amount of time, I can’t go into all the shit that happened on that, but let’s just say, Patrick ended up getting, going down to the bar at one point, and he got carded for water, um, {he laughs} then got kicked out. The others got kicked out because Loretta was dancing on tables, um, gawd, the percussionist in the band, and the bandleaders daughter, well, the percussionist was in the same room as me and Pat, and he was supposed to be bunking with somebody else. But, instead he was bunking with the bandleaders daughter, and they were going at it in the bed, {he laughs and says something incoherent} and all this kind of shit. It was just nuts, okay, I mean, the whole weekend. It’s a chapter in a book onto itself, and so, yes, I’ve had plenty of Spinal Tap moments. I played a gig in Memphis and got lost going home, and ended up in Crack Central at one o’ clock in the morning.

JT: Oh, wow.

Chris Brown: Like Night of the Living Dead for real.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: You know, it’s funny when you look at it from the outside, but at the time, I wouldn’t have stopped that car for anything. Cause when I say, it looked like Night of the Living Dead for real, I mean, these people. {I laugh and think of that character on Chappelle saying, “Whaddya mean, you people.”} This was North Hollywood Boulevard in Memphis at one o’ clock in the fucking morning. And it was just, that’s why I don’t tour on my own anymore, because that sort of thing is dangerous, and it could happen. And so, it’s just stuff like that, you know, I’ve never gotten lost on the way to the stage, because I’ve never played in a place big enough to get lost on the way to the stage. I’d like to have that problem. You know, but yeah, I’ve had plenty of stuff. I was playing a gig one time, and one of the guys was, one of the guys in another band in the show was really into what I was doing, so he decided to tape it. And, he tripped over the main power, right in the middle of one of my songs and blew out the whole stage.

JT: Aha.

Chris Brown: It was just crap like that. So, yes, I have tons of them.

JT: Okay. We’re at the point where I have some short answer questions, and you actually get bonus points…

Chris Brown: Oh, good.

JT: …if we can jump through these kind of quick.

Chris Brown: Sure.

JT: What’s the last CD that you purchased, to kind of get an idea of your current tastes?

Chris Brown: My last CD purchase: Milliontown by Frost*.

JT: Okay, good, yeah. Yeah, that’s one that I’ve been listening to a lot recently myself. Um, what’s the last concert that you’ve attended as a fan?

Chris Brown: Aw, you’re gonna make me think on this one, um, because that was, Rush on the 30th Anniversary tour. The opening night.

JT: Okay.

Chris Brown: Um, yeah, Rush on the R30 Tour on the opening night. That was in Nashville.

JT: Okay.

Chris Brown: That was three years ago.

JT: Oh, wow, okay.

Chris Brown: Yeah.

JT: Also, I’ve got some questions that are faves. I’d like to ask you about your favorites. Some people find these to be very hard. For me, it’s easy to come up with my favorites, but that’s something that I think about. What would you say is your favorite album?

Chris Brown: Of all-time?

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: Disintegration by The Cure.

JT: Oh, cool, and who would you say is your favorite band?

Chris Brown: Different ones in different genres. It’s impossible to say one.

JT: You can just throw out what comes to the top of your mind or give me a couple?

Chris Brown: Um, let’s say, all in one shot, let’s say, The Cure, uh, Rush, um, Devin Townsend.

JT: Oh, yeah.

Chris Brown: And, phew, I’m trying to think cause there’s always one that I always regret. I’m going to go out on a limb, go ahead and say The Smiths.

JT: Also, I want to ask you some things that are not necessarily music-related, but just kind of gives me an idea of where else your influences might be coming from.

Chris Brown: Aha.

JT: What would you say is your favorite movie?

Chris Brown: Phew, favorite movie of all-time?

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: You’re lucky. I was thinking about this the other day. Big Trouble in Little China.

JT: Yeah, that’s a cool movie.

Chris Brown: It’s the only movie that I can think of that I can watch anytime, anywhere. There’s tons that are better. Lord of the Rings and all that stuff. I know they’re better.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: Raging Bull. Yes, Raging Bull is head and shoulders above Big Trouble in Little China as a cinematic event, but sorry, that’s the only movie that I can think of out of the 400 and some odd sums that I own. That’s the only one that I can watch anytime, anyplace, and not get tired of it.

JT: Okay, and then, like what’s your favorite TV show?

Chris Brown: Favorite TV Show, at the moment or all-time?

JT: Uh, I guess it doesn’t matter. {I laugh.}

Chris Brown: We’ll just go ahead and say The Sopranos.

JT: Okay, yeah, that’s a good choice.

Chris Brown: Yeah.

JT: Um, also.

Chris Brown: If I could be anything else in the world, I’d be Tony Soprano.

JT: Yeah, right.

Chris Brown: Pretty Much.

JT: That’s cool, and also, do you have a favorite book?

Chris Brown: That is the hardest question. I really endear myself to books, um, really, you know, let’s go back to books I can read anytime, anyplace. I’ll go ahead and say Have a Nice Day by Mick Foley.

JT: Oh, cool.

Chris Brown: It really is a good book. I mean, it’s a great read, and it’s just something that I’m into. Yeah, once again, you know, Catcher in the Rye much more of a literary event.

JT: Yeah, that’s a good one.

Chris Brown: But, I’m sorry, Have a Nice Day by Mick Foley.

JT: Okay, I’ve asked you a lot of serious questions and that kind of stuff, but I have one silly one here.

Chris Brown: Alright.

JT: I like to ask people, do you have any pets?

Chris Brown: No.

JT: No, okay, cause I’ve gotten some interesting answers. It’s either no, or I get some interesting answers where they have some exotic parrot and snakes and this and that and whatever. It’s funny. Artists either go one way or the other on that.

Chris Brown: The only reason that I don’t have any pets is because my landlord, we still rent, and my landlord doesn’t allow pets. Other than that, great people, um, if I did have a pet, we would probably have two dogs. My wife would have something big and slobbery, and I would have a West Highland Terrier.

JT: Oh, that’s cool.

Chris Brown: A White Westie. That’s what I would have.

JT: Okay, and I also like to ask as we get towards the end, is there anything that you’d like to say to your fans at this time?

Chris Brown: Is there anything I’d like to say to my fans?

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: I have fans?

JT: I’m sure, I’m sure, I’m sure you’ve got fans, and you’ll probably be getting more fans as well once people hear this album.

Chris Brown: The only thing that I would say to them is the same thing that I say to them all the time and that’s they are absolutely the best. There is nothing else like them. I was only kidding with the, “We have fans?” comment. The ones that we have at the moment are just fantastic. They go to bat for us all the time, and they help us out a great deal, and they know this phrase cause I say it all the time and play it for anyone who will listen, and that’s it. That’s it. I really do appreciate them, because they are the ones…

JT: So that’s like pretty much all I have for you. I do have some other things that I would like to talk to you about, but maybe we can save it for a future interview.

Chris Brown: That’s cool

JT: You know, like when you come out with your next album, or when you’re seriously thinking about putting something together live.

Chris Brown: That’d be awesome.

JT: We can talk more about that. Just in general, I liked your album quite a bit. It actually surprised me, because when I came across it, I didn’t know what to expect. I had not heard of this band. I played it, and I’m like, wow, this is pretty good material here.

Chris Brown: Yeah, I appreciate that.

JT: On top of that, I have also enjoyed talking with you. It’s actually very refreshing hearing some of the philosophies that you’re sharing with me about life and philosophy, and it’s interesting. A lot of the things that you’ve said about commercialism and about money and just like what you said with the “Accelerate” track.

Chris Brown: Aha.

JT: Those are conversations that I’ve had recently.

Chris Brown: Oh.

JT: With like friends and brothers and my father and that kind of stuff. It’s interesting hearing you reflect upon that.

Chris Brown: There’s nothing wrong with having things. There’s nothing wrong with wanting things.

JT: Okay.

Chris Brown: The only problem is when you try to go after things that you don’t want for the wrong reasons.

JT: Right.

Chris Brown: And, that’s what I see so many people doing. If people followed their own hearts a little bit more then the world would really be a happier place, but people really don’t. I mean, they do things. It really is that old idea of, you know, if everyone jumped off a cliff, would you jump off a cliff? And, whether they know it or not, most of these people would.

JT: Right.

Chris Brown: And, you can talk shit about me saying, yeah, well, you’re the one who just bought a $2000 guitar.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: That’s a $2000 guitar that I’ve waited 20 years to own. I have wanted one of these things every since I have started playing.

JT: Definitely.

Chris Brown: I wanted a freaking JEM, and I cried when I got it.

JT: Huh.

Chris Brown: When we got out to the car, I did, because that was like a culmination of, you know, years and years and years of wanting one of these things, and finally finding the right one. Cause I’ve played them before and passed them up. Now I’m real big on if an instrument doesn’t connect with me when I play it then I don’t care if it is a $100,000 original 57 Strat. I’ll just hand it back to you. I don’t care You know, it’s, I’m all about an instrument connecting with me, which is why I love my JEM, but I’m sure that I will still use my crappy $150 Ibanez RG550 that I bought used years ago, because it’s, you know, that instrument and I have been through some times. You know, I just lucked out with this JEM though man. It’s a great guitar. It was already professionally set up. I got it used. So, I got it at a pretty good price. I did not actually pay $2000 for it. That’s just what it would cost new. It’s autographed by Vai.

JT: That’s cool.

Chris Brown: And, it’s just, you know, it’s great. You’re talking to a guy who when I was a kid, I literally, in the original Stuffy Room, which was my bedroom at home, I had the wall of Steve. I mean, I practically worshipped this guy at one time; when he came out with the Passion of Warfare album.

JT: Right.

Chris Brown: Absolutely! And now one of my few good friends in the music industry is his manager. Ruda Sarati, and I actually wrote her. You know this may sound; you talk about geek, now this is a geek. I got my guitar, and I’ve had it for a few days and played it and was so in love with it, I wrote to Ruda and said, “Pass this onto Steve.”

JT: Hmm.

Chris Brown: You know, “How much I love his guitar.” I just wrote this whole little diatribe about it. How great it was.

JT: That’s awesome.

Chris Brown: And she said, “Yeah, absolutely, I’ll pass it onto Steve, and I’ll go ahead and pass it onto Ibanez as well.”

JT: Wow.

Chris Brown: So, you know, it’s that kind of stuff, and you know, when we first got signed, one thing I’m noticing when you actually are a signed artist and people don’t think that you want something from them…

JT: Right.

…You actually can get in contact with people.

JT: That’s true, yeah.

Chris Brown: One of the first people that I was able to contact who was kind of cool was Billy Sheehan.

JT: Oh, that’s awesome, yeah.

Chris Brown: Well, see, I had this big thing where I have guitar-player insecurity. I’m a very insecure guitar player, because I’m self-taught. I never could sweep-pick worth a damn, and it’s hard to be a guitar hero when you don’t do all these fast sweeps. But {he laughs} anyway, I always wanted to be a guitar hero kind of guy, and I’ll always have this thing because I’m self-taught, because I didn’t go to Berklee or some shit like this. You know, if I ever got interviewed by like the guitar magazines or some crap like that. Or if an interviewer such as yourself happens to bring up the whole thing.

JT: Yeah.

v“How do you deal with that?” {He’s pretending as if he’s talking with Sheehan.} “If people start getting technical on you, you know, and what do you do,” and he was really cool. He just said, “You know, just say it like it is. You know, you just fucking do it.”  “You know, don’t worry about it and just to let you know, I don’t know how I do what I do. I just do it.” And, a lot of times that’s true with me. I don’t know how I do a lot of the stuff on guitar I do. It’s just years of practice, and I could not sit down and tell you. If I’m using a Mixed Aldiana Scale or a Lydian Scale or Dorian Scale or some shit like that. I couldn’t tell you that. If I look it up, I can maybe tell you.

JT: Yeah, I’ve actually heard too that music is unique in the sense that it’s the only thing that you can do that uses both sides of your brain, and uses the logical side, and uses the creative side.

Chris Brown: Yeah.

JT: So, when you’re talking about that, I mean, that’s one thing that comes to mind. That it isn’t all the logical or the technical. That’s not what it’s all about. There is a creative, abstract, you know, ambiguous side to it, and I can say too, that I don’t understand a lot of the technical stuff. I do have a friend, a really close friend of mine is a drummer, and he understands all the technical things, and he points things out, and then it’s funny, because I don’t have the technical side, and he does. I can point out things to him…

Chris Brown: Yeah.

JT: …That he doesn’t see.

Chris Brown: Right.

JT: It can almost in some ways be a crutch.

Sure.

JT: And in a lot of cases, it also, if you can bring people together who have the technical and then the people that are not that technical, and you bring them together, I mean, that’s when you can make truly wonderful music as well.

Chris Brown: Very true, and you know, the thing about the guys that are overly technical, and the reason they pooh-pooh on guys like me.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: Is because in order to do the stuff that comes very naturally to me, and this isn’t a bragging point, this is just the way that it is with me, it’s always come natural. They have to spend a lot of time working with teachers to teach them how to do the mechanics.

JT: That’s true.

Chris Brown: And, they do focus more on the mechanics, and that’s not a slight against them, and that’s not an endorsement of my own shit either.

JT: Right.

Chris Brown: I don’t believe in my own bullshit, but you know, well, you have to, to a point when you are singing. That’s the one thing I learned and the one thing it really is. A singer is a type of musician who’s talented enough to believe in his own bullshit when he is doing it.

JT: True.

Chris Brown: But, you know, and I can understand that, because these are people who probably invested a great deal of time and a great deal of money to learn how to do something. And, you know, they feel more comfortable with other people who have been through the same experience, and it’s a little nerve-racking I think. There have been guys who have been pure naturals that I’ve been around, and it’s a little nerve-wracking being around those people, because you know, you look at somebody like a Devin Townsend is a great example. Devin has such a unique approach to everything, and he’s so damn good at all of it. Prince, I mean, we mentioned Prince before.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: Prince is entirely self-taught. Okay, jeez, how do you deal with somebody like that? You know, I mean, he was that good at everything.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: And that, you know, competent on the technical and the creative side of it.

JT: Right.

Chris Brown: How do you really deal with somebody like that, and…

JT: Actually, one of my favorites is Roine Stolt.

Chris Brown: Yeah.

JT: I think if you’re looking at the technical, creative scale, I think he’s all on the creative side, and I think a lot of what he’s done has been self-taught, and it’s just based off of experience. And, he’s put the years in, and he’s been more of a fan, and he’s gotten into all the music. And, he’s tried things out, and he’s experimented, and he’s associated with the right people, and that kind of stuff.

Chris Brown: But, he has great technique too.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: You couldn’t hang in Transatlantic for very long if you didn’t have the chops.

JT: Right, that’s a good point.

Chris Brown: You know, and between Flower Kings and Transatlantic, and I know Flower Kings is his thing, and he can really do it there, and just do whatever. It’s kind of like Steven Wilson with Porcupine Tree.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: Steven Wilson gets along with other people, because he is a fantastic producer.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: I don’t know how great of a musician he is. I think he is a wonderful musician in his own element, um, but I think he excels because he is a great producer.

JT: Sure.

Chris Brown: And, boy is he good. Oh man, when Tommy brought down the 5.1 Mix of In Abstentia. Have you heard that on a 5.1 System?

JT: What is this? Which one?

Chris Brown: In Abstentia by Porcupine Tree.

JT: No, I haven’t heard that on 5.1. I mean, it’s pretty good just on a regular CD.

Chris Brown: Oh man, yeah, I’ve got a 6.1 System here, a decent DTS System, and that’s encoded in DTS. I always knew the man was good. I didn’t know he was that good.

JT: Oh, wow, yeah.

Chris Brown: And, it shows, and I’m talking about mostly, when I talk about how good a producer is, it’s not just the aural aspect of how much you layer and all that. It’s where you put it, it’s where you pan it, and more importantly, how clean your tracks are.

JT: Right.

Chris Brown: Good gawd, his tracks, this man could be producing in Nashville.

JT: Yeah, no, I agree. {My response reflects my confusion by this point.}

Chris Brown: Rock you can get away with a lot. You can’t get a way with shit in Country. Alright, that’s one thing that as a producer, you really have to be on the ball. Your producer and engineer have to be on the ball in Country Music, and this guy could come to Nashville easily.

JT: Huh.

Chris Brown: I think, I seriously, now you laugh at it, but I really think that of all the stuff you can produce out there, the hardest to actually get right is Country Music.

JT: Right.

Chris Brown: The other stuff, you really can get away with stuff. Like I get away with murder on the Ghost Circus stuff. Alright, my guitar tracks, when they start out, they’re noisy as hell, and I have to clean them up, and really that’s the same with Rock n’ Roll. You have to be able to get away with murder, because there’s nothing that’s more than a pain in the ass to record than a distorted electric guitar, because it’s nothing, but shredded, mid-range noise. Okay, sonically, honestly, that’s what it is, and you have to really figure out how to deal with that. Any cue and noise reduction and in compression and in the mix in order to make it sound halfway decent, but there is a lot of dirty tricks to making it work. With Country, you really don’t have that luxury cause every instrument is clean, and every note has to come through very, very clearly.

JT: Aha.

Chris Brown: Go and listen to some well-produced Country stuff. Stuff like, the best example I can give you is Montgomery Gentry. That stuff, the production end of it. If you’ve got some good monitors to listen to it on, Jesus, it’s scary how clean and pristine that stuff is. You know, I noticed that you made that comment in the review and really, you know, I listen to the Ghost Circus album. We did a damn fine job on production when you consider how we were doing it, because we’re doing it at a small, in-home studios over the ocean, yada, yada. We did good tracks. A lot of that is the discipline that I’ve learned up in Nashville. A lot of it’s because Ron, Ron and I both tend to record everything directly. We don’t mike anything except for the vocals, but, you know, still I’m not even in the same league as those guys up in Nashville. I’m not even close.

JT: Huh.

Chris Brown: I mean, if I had the facilities and stuff, maybe. But then what can you really do with it? You know, how can you innovate with it?

JT: Right.

Chris Brown: That’s what those guys do. 10% of what comes out is innovation. The rest is copying the innovation, and that’s true of Pop Music too.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: They don’t use a lot of MIDI. Okay, they don’t use a lot of that crap, and they use straight-up guitar amps and bass amps and acoustic drums and all that stuff in Country, and they do it very clean, and they do it very, very well, and they do it fast too. So, there’s a lot about Nashville to admire, and I’m not tooting the horn of my home, because I hate Country Music. {We laugh.} I can’t stand that music. I appreciate the production, but I can’t stand the music. But just the fact that Steven Wilson could walk into a Nashville Studio and come across just as good as anybody else, that’s about as high of a compliment to a producer as I can possibly pay anyone.

JT: Right, huh, that’s cool.

Chris Brown: If you’ve got a 5.1 System, or you have a friend who has one, if you can get your hands on a copy of that 5.1 Mix of In Abstentia, definitely give it a listen and don’t forget Venus by Everon.

JT: Definitely, I’m going to try that out.

Chris Brown: That’s your listening assignment, listening to Venus by Everon.

JT: Okay.

Chris Brown: Cause really, they have one of the most unique sounds of anybody out there. I think you’ll really dig ‘em.

JT: Okay, well, I don’t want to tie you up too much longer, because you said that your wife was waiting for you.

Chris Brown: Yes.

JT: So, I don’t want her to be upset with both of us. You’re more than welcome to contact me if you’ve got any questions or you want to share something with me.

Chris Brown: Sure.

JT: And, I have to tell you, when you started talking about your guitar, I actually started getting excited about it, hearing you talking about it. That you’re just so enthused about having that guitar.

Chris Brown: Aw.

JT: So, I mean, that made my day, and I’m going to have a good day now.

Chris Brown: Really?

JT: Yeah, it woke me up and the thing is, it’s interesting that you make those comments about commercialism, but then you’re kind of being apologetic about your guitar.

Chris Brown: Yeah.

JT: But the way I see it, if you got yourself a Lexus and you’re driving around town and that, that’s more of a social status type of a thing.

Chris Brown: Yeah.

JT: But the thing is, I mean, you’re actually going to take your guitar and what you’re going to do with it is create art with it literally.

Chris Brown: Right.

JT: And then you’re going to give back to other people in relation to it.

Chris Brown: Right.

JT: So, it’s basically a tool for like charity indirectly in some ways.

Chris Brown: Yeah.

JT: Whereas a Lexus is more like, “Look what I have, and I have this, and I’m going to show it off.” So, just like you’re talking about your guitar, I’m getting excited about it too, so we’re all kind of sharing in it.

Chris Brown: Oh, great.

JT: So, congratulations on getting that. I’m happy that you got that.

Chris Brown: You know, the tracks I laid down with it are just phenomenal. The thing about having the right instrument in your hands and really at the right time is that it pulls something out you. I believe every different guitar has a different, if you want to say song than it has a different song it, okay. And, this one has just got a multitude of everything in it, {he chuckles} and so, it’s like a well. The instrument itself is like a well of creativity for me. Cause there are things that I can do with this guitar, because I’ve never had a real high-quality guitar like this.

JT: Hmm.

Chris Brown: Except for my acoustic. My acoustic is an excellent instrument, but I’ve never had a real high-quality electric guitar like this, and so there are things that I can do with it now that I was never really able to pull off before. Um, the pickups and stuff on a guitar really matter, and this has got the DiMarzio Evolution Pickups in it. And so, when I go up, when I finally go up to those really high frets, some high strings, it sounds right and it sounds great. And, it’s not going to get a muffled note, you know, that sort of stuff that happens with cheap guitars. And, you know, it’s just, I don’t know, it’s just part it makes your life a little bit easier, and it’s part it gives your life new challenges. There’s nothing for a musician quite like being challenged again. So, that’s great. I’m very challenged.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: Hey, you know, there’s the other side of it too. I’ve wanted one of these guitars forever. This is Steve’s guitar, you know.

JT: Yeah.

Chris Brown: This is his creation. You’ve got to live up to the name man.

JT: Definitely.

Chris Brown: You’ve got to live up to it.

JT: Well, and the thing is it’s also hard to put into words too. What you’re going to do is, you’re going to take it and you’re going to express yourself musically with it. You know, I’m looking forward to hearing what you’ve actually done with it, and you’re talking about your new album. So, I’m looking forward to actually hearing more material from you. I mean, I was really excited to hear this material, and I’m really looking forward to what you have in store for us. And also, I do have to tell you, because you are from the South…

Chris Brown: Aha.

JT: I actually have a really close friend from Arkansas.

Chris Brown: Oh.

JT: And, it’s funny, while you’re talking to me, there’s certain terminology that you’re using, certain vernacular, because it’s things that he would say, and it’s funny just talking to you. It’s almost as if like I’ve known you for awhile, and there is a familiarity there. It’s funny.

Chris Brown: Well, actually, it’s funny. My wife is from Arkansas. She moved here from Arkansas. She’s originally from Oklahoma. She’s a graduate of the University of Arkansas. Now going to the Nashville School of Law. Very proud of her. Very, very proud of her cause she’s really done something. She’s made some great strides to get there. And so, it’s just great, and she’s fun to be around. In fact, I hate to cut this off, but I’ve got to go and have fun with Misses Brown for awhile.

JT: Definitely. You can make a song out of that.

Chris Brown: “Having Fun with Misses Brown?” I don’t know. That could be a lewd song. I don’t know, but anyway.

JT: But the thing is that I was going to say, my friend from Arkansas, his name is Chris too.

Chris Brown: Oh, well, there you go.

JT: So, there’s a lot. You’re like, hi, this is Chris, and then you start talking, and it’s as if I’m talking to my friend. And, if I didn’t have to stick to these questions cause we did have to talk about the album and stuff, I mean, I’m sure we could just carry on a conversation for hours and…

Chris Brown: We kind of have.

JT: …talk about movies, and we have actually, so…

Chris Brown: You know how to get in touch with me, I mean, through email and stuff.

JT: Okay

Chris Brown: And then there’s no long distance phone, which I’m running out pretty badly here.

JT: Okay, yeah, so just enjoy the rest of your weekend, and go have fun with Misses Brown.

Chris Brown: You, too. Thank you very much. I greatly appreciate you taking the time out to do this interview for us. I appreciate it greatly.

JT: Yeah, definitely. You’re welcome.

Chris Brown: Alright man, you have a great day.

JT: You too, bye.

Chris Brown: Alright, bye.

Ghost Circus - Related
Home page - http://www.ghostcircus.com/
MySpace Page - http://www.myspace.com/ghostcircus
Chris Brown's Homepage - http://chrisbrown.ghostcircus.com/
Ronald Wahle's Homepage - http://www.rwa-home.nl/ 

Be sure to read the rest of the interview at the following websites

Part One:
http://www.progressiveworld.net
Part Two:
http://usaprogmusic.com/