The Brian Jonestown Massacre

• Genre: Neo Psychedelic

About

The Brian Jonestown Massacre was formed in 1990 in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood and have since created work rooted in the many musical grounds of the mid- to late '60s, often grafted with British-inspired shoegazing and mantra drones. They've been through forty members and are notorious for fighting on stage and inciting riots in music halls. Much of their music is also influenced by drugs and mental illness -- the title of their '98 release is Strung Out in Heaven. Although their playing is saturated in '60s technique, they still manage to pull relevant sonics from their vintage gear. As the band's front man and songwriter, Anton A. Newcomb continues to write and record; his songs improve in arrangement, melody, production and overall sound quality. The 2004 award winning documentary Dig! brought the Brian Jonestown Massacre a much wider audience. The band's percussion player Joel Gion formed a similar sounding (but more pop based) band called the Dilettantes in 2005.

- Eric Shea