In exactly one week (at time of writing) I will be going to the Roundhouse in Camden to see the Brian Jonestown Massacre. If you're familiar with BJM great, if not then I think you ought to be. They're a psychedelic rock collective with roots in shoegaze, originally from San Francisco. The band has had over 40 different members in its history but at its centre has always been Anton Newcombe, the driving force behind the Brian Jonestown Massacre. He's almost always been joined by tambourine player and "spokesman for the revolution" and at first was, and now is joined by Matt Hollywood. Rick Maymi was also a founding member and is back touring with the band.
They have always been branded as being chaotic, self-destructive and known for breaking out into fights on stage. It's a reputation that has been perpetuated and supported by the film DIG!, which is how most people will know the band. The film essentially follows the fortunes of the Dandy Warhols and the BJM, examining their descent into becoming "enemies". I found it to be a BRILLIANT film, possibly ranking as the best rock doc ever made. I've seen it many times and have always found it entertaining and compelling- it's a wonderful piece of storytelling. Despite this, I've always suspected the presentation of both bands to be quite unfair. Both bands have come out repeatedly saying how the film is a gross misrepresentation of their relationship and the nature of both groups. I'm unsure of whether the BJM are that self-destructive or ever were. The film portrayed Anton to be a lunatic, violent drug-addict who was bound to either commit suicide or OD as soon as the film was over. There was an implicit focus on these aspects of the band, forging a story where perhaps there wasn't. There were multiple exaggerated claims of Anton's genius but those were heavily outweighed by an overwhelming focus on how his crazy drugged-up antics were destroying his potential. It's because of the film that they've always carried this stigma whenever they've cropped up in mainstream culture and frankly, it draws away from their music. Thankfully since Anton got clean a few years ago it's a reputation that's slowly beginning to fade and the music is becoming the central focus. In my mind, it always has been.
This is mainly because I discovered this band from my friend's blog (http://working-titlee.blogspot.co.uk/). I wasn't really reading it properly and then I noticed that he had listed something called Tepid Peppermint Wonderland- A Retrospective by a band called the Brian Jonestown Massacre as his favourite record. All I was thinking was "wow that's a crazy name" and started listening. I had no other knowledge of the band. I had no idea where they were from, who they were, if they were old, if they were new, if it was one guy, if it was 20. At the time, I didn't even know Brian Jones and what the Jonestown Massacre was. I really had no idea. It just looked and sounded like the coolest thing ever. They were just a band with albums that were called Their Satanic Majesties Second Request. Their sound appealed to me in a way no other sound had before. It felt new and adventurous whilst feeling comfortable and trusted. It sounded experimental and psychedelic enough but still retained a strong sense of melody. It sounded so 60s but I couldn't really match it to anything- it wasn't like the Beatles, Hendrix, Joplin, the Who, the Byrds or anyone like that. It sounded a bit like the Rolling Stones but only the less well known Stones songs, certainly not the famous stuff like Satisfaction or Gimme Shelter. For me at the time, this band sounded so refreshing. Whilst becoming fairly hyperbolic, I'd say that the Brian Jonestown Massacre changed the way I listened to music and over time has influenced my day-to-day view of the world- the mark of a great band.
It was only after I was reading NME one day that I discovered DIG! and that the BJM feature in what they considered to be a cult classic. As previously mentioned, I loved the film although mainly because the BJM and their music were featured. It's definitely a weird presentation of the band. The ending of the film seems to give the impression that they split up and OD'd after the release of Strung Out In Heaven. Considering that they have released 6 full-length studio albums since then, one suspects that a degree of exaggeration has taken place.
Since then, an obsession with the band has occupied a fair slice my brain. They're always a band I come back to, no matter what I've been listening to that day or week. Anton has a knack of writing songs that sound so simple yet so genius, perhaps similar to Noel Gallagher in 1994. For any budding guitarists out there, learning Anton's songs is the easiest way to learn your pentatonic scales.
The fantastic thing about the BJM right now is the size of their back catalog. There's no other way to say it: they are prolific. This year they released their 14th studio album and like almost all their others, it's almost at double LP length. They have soooooo many songs. There is just so much to explore one you're into them. I'd say I'm a pretty big fan of them but I still discover new BJM songs every week. It's one of the main reasons they're currently the most represented band on my Spotify playlist: they just have more songs than anyone else. My favourite BJM albums are prone to changing, but right now Take It From The Man! is a big favourite. It's home to the Anton's biggest riffs, the most recognisable probably being Straight Up and Straight Down, perhaps best known these days for being the theme tune to Boardwalk Empire (amazing show by the way). A good entry-level Jonestown record would be Give It Back! which is not only one their shorter albums, but has some nice riffs and tunes. Tracks like Servo and Whoever You Are have become staples of their live shows. This year's Revelation is also pretty good. I wouldn't say it's their best album but it's a good representation of the band right now, containing their eclectic mix on influences, drawing from shoegaze, psychedelia, folk, post-punk, electro etc. Tracks like Goodbye (Butterfly) and Vas Hände Med Dem? rank right up there as some of their best work in my opinion. Since Anton got clean, his vocal performance has definitely improved.
In terms of ageing, it's a band that seems to have ended up coping quite well. They've had their difficult times and ended up being too old to die young. Despite this, they now have quite a substantial cult following and are able to tour the world regularly. Not only are they touring the world, but they're doing it well. The gig I'm going to next week is at Roundhouse, a substantial venue that fits about 1,700 people. Not only are they playing there, but they've sold it out weeks in advance. This is made more impressive when you realise that they AREN'T backed by any big label or sponsor. They've achieved all of this through hard work and toil, without sacrificing their independent principles. Not only did have they done this without receiving much music industry support, they've outlived many who have received more support than them. They've outlived many who were more commercially successful than them. The BJM deserve anything good that they get right now because they have earned it.
They're a band who occupy their own space on the spectrum. Musically genius, an excellent example for any aspiring bands to follow- the complete opposite of what DIG! says. No-one is like them. They've never been properly recognised by mainstream culture, never been given proper time by music journalists and have never really sold any records, but they have carved out a place for themselves in music history. My life wouldn't be totally different without them, but I'd definitely be living it differently. I cannot wait for next week.
So thanks for your blog Peter, they're an awesome band.
