The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Enduring Transgression: A Look at ‘Makes Me Great / Out Of Body’
By Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine
For over three decades, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, under the unwavering guidance of Anton Newcombe, has charted a course through the psychedelic fringes of rock and roll, consistently defying easy categorization and mainstream expectations. Their latest offering, the double A-side single ‘Makes Me Great / Out Of Body,’ released digitally and on a striking red, transparent 10” vinyl, is a testament to this enduring spirit, presenting a familiar yet potent blend of hypnotic grooves and fuzzed-out transcendence.
Anton Newcombe, the band’s enigmatic frontman, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, has always been a force unto himself. Since the release of their debut single “She Made Me / Evergreen” in 1992, Newcombe has cultivated a reputation for artistic uncompromisingness. In an era when major labels were eagerly seeking compliant bands and the British music press was anointing the next big thing, Newcombe famously chose a different path: he said no. This contrarian stance, born not of spite but a deep-seated conviction about artistic integrity, became a foundational principle for The Brian Jonestown Massacre. “I just knew I would be more successful in a certain way by saying no, just being contrary because I figured that if people liked me they were gonna like me anyway,” he once reflected, “Or dislike me. It doesn’t matter.” This philosophy, famously chronicled in the controversial yet lauded documentary ‘Dig!’, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with a remastered “Dig! XX” edition, cemented Newcombe’s status as an outlier and an underground hero.
The band’s sonic journey began with the shoegazing-tinged debut album Methodrone in 1995. Since then, while numerous musicians have passed through the BJM ranks, Newcombe has remained the sole constant, the creative nucleus around which the band’s ever-evolving sound revolves. Over twenty full-length albums have followed, each a mind-expanding adventure that has seen the band traverse the outer realms of rock’n’roll – from pure psychedelic rock to country-blues, snarling garage rock, and blissed-out noise-pop. Newcombe’s refusal to conform to industry norms or chase fleeting trends has allowed him to build a singular body of work, establishing him as a revolutionary force in modern music. As he succinctly puts it, “My only option with everything in life has always been that you just jump into the fire. It doesn’t matter what it is.”
This unwavering dedication to his art has seen Newcombe relocate across continents, from the West Coast to New York, then to Iceland, and for the past fifteen years, to Berlin, where he maintains both a residence and a dedicated studio. After a remarkably prolific 2010s, which saw the release of eight LPs and a mini-album, Newcombe experienced a period of writer’s block. However, inspiration struck unexpectedly when he picked up a 12-string guitar, and “The Real”—the opening track from the previous album Fire Doesn’t Grow on Trees—emerged almost fully formed. This creative surge led to an astonishing output: “We tracked a whole song every single day for 70 days in a row,” he revealed, resulting in two complete albums. The most recent of these, The Future Is Your Past, arrived in February 2023, with Hakon Adalsteinsson (guitar) and Uri Rennert (drums) joining Newcombe in the studio. Their prolificacy continued into late 2024 with the release of ‘Don’t Look At Me’ featuring Aimee Nash, a track described as a “delicious slice of hypnotic shoegaze” imbued with Nash’s mantra of “Do No Harm.”
Reviewing ‘Makes Me Great / Out Of Body’:
The new single, ‘Makes Me Great / Out Of Body’, slots seamlessly into The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s expansive discography, yet it feels distinctly current. The tracks are a masterclass in the band’s signature sound: a deep, swirling current of psychedelic rock that prioritizes atmosphere and groove over conventional song structures.
‘Makes Me Great’ immediately pulls the listener into its orbit with a propulsive rhythm section and layers of fuzzed-out guitars. The “hypnotic grooves” promised are delivered in spades, creating a trance-like quality that is both disorienting and deeply engaging. Newcombe’s vocals, often laconic and buried in the mix, serve less as a focal point and more as another instrument, weaving in and out of the sonic tapestry. The production is rich and textural, allowing the fuzz to breathe while maintaining clarity in the underlying instrumentation. It’s a track that demands to be experienced through good headphones, revealing new layers with each listen.
‘Out Of Body’ complements its counterpart by leaning further into the “transcendence” aspect. It’s a more ethereal piece, perhaps less immediately driving but equally immersive. The “fuzzed-out” elements are still present, but they are employed to create a sense of expansive space, almost as if the listener is indeed floating. This track showcases the band’s ability to craft soundscapes that are both intricate and emotionally resonant, without relying on overt melodic hooks. It’s a journey rather than a destination, inviting introspection amidst its hazy sonic contours.
Both tracks on the single reinforce what makes The Brian Jonestown Massacre so compelling: their unwavering commitment to a specific sonic vision that prioritizes mood, texture, and a certain psychedelic abandon. They are not chasing trends; they are simply continuing to explore the vast sonic universe they’ve been building for decades. The choice to release it on red, transparent 10” vinyl is a nod to their aesthetic, appealing to collectors and reinforcing the tangible nature of their art in an increasingly digital world.
Following a successful UK and European tour earlier this year, The Brian Jonestown Massacre is set to return to North America this fall for an extensive run of live shows. These dates, including two special appearances with the legendary Cast making their first US appearance in nearly 30 years, offer a rare opportunity to experience the band’s immersive sound in a live setting. The tour schedule includes:
- Sept. 3 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC
- Sept. 4 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
- Sept. 5 – Basement East – Nashville, TN
- Sept. 6 – Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
- Sept. 8 – 9:30 Club – Washington, D.C.
- Sept. 9 – Webster Hall – New York, NY – with special guests, Cast
- Sept. 10 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – with special guests, Cast
- Sept. 12 – The Sinclair – Cambridge, MA
- Sept. 13 – Beanfield Theatre – Montreal, QC
- Sept. 14 – Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, ON
- Sept. 16 – Globe Iron – Cleveland, OH
- Sept. 17 – Majestic Theatre – Detroit, MI
- Sept. 18 – Mercury Ballroom – Louisville, KY
- Sept. 19 – Hi-Fi Annex – Indianapolis, IN
- Sept. 20 – Majestic Theatre – Madison, WI
- Sept. 22 – Metro – Chicago, IL
- Sept. 23 – Slowdown – Omaha, NE
- Sept. 24 – recordBar – Kansas City, MO
- Sept. 26 – Studio at The Factory – Dallas, TX
- Sept. 28 – White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX
- Oct. 31 – Music Box – San Diego, CA
- Nov. 1 – Pappy and Harriet’s – Pioneertown, CA
- Nov. 2 – Observatory OC – Santa Ana, CA
- Nov. 4 – SLO Brew – San Luis Obispo, CA
- Nov. 6 – Swan Dive – Las Vegas, NV
- Nov. 7 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
- Nov. 8 – Tumbleroot – Santa Fe, NM
- Nov. 10 – Gothic Theatre – Englewood, CO
- Nov. 11 – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
- Nov. 13 – Metro Music Hall – Salt Lake City, UT
- Nov. 14 – Shrine Social Club – Boise, ID
- Nov. 15 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA
- Nov. 16 – The Pearl – Vancouver, B.C
- Nov. 18 – Revolution Hall – Portland, OR
- Nov. 20 – Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA
- Nov. 21 – Rio Theatre – Santa Cruz, CA
- Nov. 22 – Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA
- Nov. 23 – Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA
In Anton Newcombe’s world, there are no definitive statements, only continuous chapters in an unfolding narrative. “Nobody can stop me, I’m not asking somebody, I’m not making the rounds at Warners, saying ‘please put out my record!’. It’s just for me,” he asserts. This fiercely independent stance is not just about self-preservation; it’s about inspiration. “I would love to see more groups, people playing music in the UK and everywhere else because I really enjoy it. That’s the only reason I need. It’s the only reason to do stuff.” This sentiment cuts to the very core of what drives Anton Newcombe and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. He will continue to jump into that fire, and for those who appreciate authentic, boundary-pushing rock and roll, that’s a journey worth savoring.