The Brian Jonestown Massacres

The Brian Jonestown Massacre (BJM) is a group of indie American independent rock'n'roll, formed with the beginning of the year 1990, whose name associate Brian Jones, famous guitarist which brought the psychedelism to the Rolling Stones and collective suicide to Jonestown in Guyana ( the Jonestown Massacre ). Indeed Brian Jones is that which gave passion for the music to Anton Newcombe, founder and leader of the group. Its influence is constant since in many pieces of the BJM, one finds all kinds of Indian sonorities that Brian Jones brought to his time, the use of " weird-fucking-chinese-shit " (to include/understand by there: of the conneries of Chinese tricks ), and this side Psychédélique. But the BJM is nourished multiple influences of which most audible are The Velvet Underground, My Bloody Valentine, and Spacemen 3.

The group is known for its constant desire to remain independent of the majors, for " to make that the music remains diabolique" ( keep music evil , title of the label of Anton Newcombe). Throughout its existence, the group will see its members leaving, returning, sabotaging their concert, taking drugs with excess, to fight…, which will be worth a certain fame with their concerts, whereas all the size of the BJM lies in its music.

Members

The principal members are Joel Gion (tambourine), Matt Hollywood (low) and Anton Newcombe, type-setter author who plays of more than 80 instruments, head thinking of the group, considered as a genius per many experts (some protesting high and strong: “ Dylan, Lennon, Newcombe! ”). Its dependence with heroin to the neighborhoods of 2001 (official date) will make him make some errors of course (inter alia sabotaging important concerts for the career of the group). Certain people think that without this constant self-destruction, it would be in the line of largest. Joel Gion, placed at the center of the scene, instead of the leader, makes only tambourine, during all the concerts. He spent 4 years of his life to be exploited (sometimes badly) of the tambourine the many albums and concerts of the group, but its good mood will have made it possible the group to sign some more or less important contracts… Absent one moment of the group, Joel makes some appearances at the time of concerts in 2006. Anton Newcombe appreciates to have it at its sides on scene, because it builds a certain contact with the public and thus letting Newcombe concentrate fully on its music. Matt Hollywood is a bass player, guitarist, type-setter who enormously did not write for the group, but whose songs are very well considered by the fans of the group (in particular on the album Take it from the man! with songs such as Oh! Lord, B.S.A, In my Life,…

Joel and Matt are the two members members who held longest in the group. Matt Hollywood made some reappearances scenic after its departure of the group in 2001 and Joel Gion sings from now on in The Dilletantes. There was more than sixty other members who passed within the BJM since his creation, some more important than of others (Jeff Davies,…). Some continued a musical career with more or less of success (Peter Hayes plays from now on in the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, another in The Warlocks,…).

Dig!

It is important to announce that the BJM was the subject of famous a rockumentaire of Ondi Timoner, Dig!, illustrating the history of the group lasting 7 years, in parallel with that of Dandy Warhols. It shows confrontation between these two groups which adore themselves at their beginnings and decide to make a “musical revolution”. The dictatorial character of Anton Newcombe forces the BJM to remain independent to be able to make what they like, while the Warhols Dandy sign with Capitol Records, and are projected on the cover of all the magazines, with expensive clips with the hypocritical support, buzz… It is there that the conflict begins, and the film, although it leaves more time to the BJM, shows only one doped Anton, sabotaging the concerts, violate,… It is easy to understand that the author of this film only shows that to make sell his work, but force is to note that she only insists too seldom on the immense talent of Anton, which produces all, all alone, plays of the three quarter of the instruments, writing of the voluptuous melodies, spends the hours on only one song to find with which moment to give such blow of xylophone,… Moreover, this film abounds in anachronisms which are lacking with Anton. For all to say, it is documentary enough a rock'n'roll' roll, with Anton which does not only stop a déclamer what kills the music, they are not people who download the music, but well the recording companies, the majors, who only do that to sell the music, without knowing to appreciate it. “They are the factors, but it is me which writes the letters, without me, they are nothing. ” explains Anton, at the beginning of film.

Biography & albums

The BJM a long time autoproclamé “the most prolific group of North America”, which does not seem impossible: eleven own-produced albums in 11 years, more innumerable b-sides, make of him a very active group. The first album, Methodrone, leave in 1995. It poses already well the spirit of group, this rock'n'roll which does not invent anything, which plunges its roots in the heart-even of the years 1960, this psychedelism going in the ears of the listener, this simple research of the beauty.

The year 1996 was most prolific of the BJM, with three albums left the same year: Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request, excel it Take it from the Man! and splendid the Thank God for Mental Illness. The title of the first of these albums, Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request refers obviously to an album of the Rolling Stones, " Their Satanic Majesties' Request", because they are both in the same spirit, filled of citars, Indian instruments, etc,… It is not the album with tubes, perhaps most original of the BJM, but always filled of excellent songs (Anenome, All Around You, Slowdown, Cold to the Touch). The two other albums count among the last pearls of the year 1996, Take it from the Man! contains one of the greatest ballades of Anton ((David Bowie I coils you) since I was 6), superb a compo of Matt Hollywood (Oh! Lord), and others chief-of works of the American rock'n'roll (My Man Syd, Caress, Take it from the Man…). The last of these three albums, Thank God for Mental Illness, is much more country, blues: the first 11 songs are played without low, but with three guitars (there are often three guitars in the albums and always on scene) what gives a surprising effect, the songs always as well are built, recorded " with the arrache" in one day. The album would have cost 17 dollars and 36 pence Anton Newcombe to record it.

In 1997 Give It Back leaves! which is regarded by much as one of the largest albums of the group, in which Peter Hayes (future member of the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) holds one of the three guitars. Super-Sonic, This Is Why You Coils Me, Satellite, Sue, Not yew you were last dandy one earth (written by Matt and in answer to the song “Not If You Were Last Junkie One Earth”, of the Dandy Warhols, who was dedicated to them!) are as many pearls which return to us ashamed of not having discovered this front group. The BJM always does not invent anything extraordinary, but shown an exceptional ear.

In 1998 Strung out in Heaven leaves! which is also one of the major albums of group because signed at TVT Records. The fans find their happiness, the neophytes there too! It is a very good album to start with the BJM, and to quote the best songs would amount quoting all the songs of the album,… Then I would quote only Going To Hell, which is very characteristic of the BJM, with its front on a cord, its bends, his simple agreements which put in the thousand.

3 years, in 2001, Bravery, Repetition and Noise will follow later. After this album, half of the group from will go away, and the other will be transfered by Anton… It contains the tube Nevertheless as well as other excellent pieces such as Stolen, Leave Nothing for Sancho,… In 2003, Anton signs … and this is our music! one of the albums best produced, with controlled synthès, BJM as one likes them (When Jokers Attack), and of more planing, always also good (You look great when I' m Fucked up). Force is to note that the group takes a direction more " here; éléctro".

Lastly, in 2005 leaves We are the Radio, which is an album Co-writing by Anton, and Sarabeth Tucek. To tell the truth, it is an mini-album (15 minutes!) comprising 5 song with the simple, electro agreements. Not a pearl, but a “planing” album. There exist other mini-albums such as Bringing it all back home again (in allusion here to an album of Dylan), Zero,…

Rounds and concerts

The group occurred in France in 2006 with a notable success in rooms where the environment of " reignait; Dig! " , thus, in May the BJM passed Rouen (3 hours formidable concert), in June in Toulouse, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Clermont-Ferrand like with the Cicada of Paris and lately to Large the Mix of Tourcoing. In London, it made important rooms such as the KOKO, in Camden, and soon in Astoria.

Remarks important

The independence of the group enables him to diffuse its music freely: almost all the albums of the group are available on their site! It is an unavoidable occasion, to seize in the section music official site.

Albums

External bonds

the official site, with a French forum, images, texts, photographs
site of fingering charts of guitar provided very well
site which proposes the complete listing of the albums, of the members
an article on Dig
the official site of the Dig film!
the French site of Dig (listening of pieces available)
BJM with the Cicada, Airwaves, June 26th, 2006, video live.

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