The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Blog Posts

holy mother of god I FINALLY HAVE IN THE JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE. signed by joel himself, and i have a little mini dig poster too. when i tell you my bjm era is about to become full force again …

i love bjm. i love bjm. i love bjm. i love bjm. i love them so much like in ways i cannot even explain or describe, my heart is so full of love for them and i’m afraid nothing will ever compare. in fact i just looked and the first time i ever listened to bjm was june 29 of 2021. NINE DAYS …. in nine days i will have had this hyperfixation for three years. goddamn.

ugh i miss my bjm era. so much.

new bjm is like a gift from god. a spiritual awakening. i will never get over how much i love this band

UMMMMMMMMM ???????? am literally going to freak out flip a table throw my foot through a wall who knows but I AM SO EXCITED. and alas no one will care so here i come to tumblr to word vomit my feelings.

ANYWAY. as no one knows but now you do, i'm going to see bjm on october 28th at psych fest / levitation. AS WELL AS THE DANDY WARHOLS. and i was like hmmmm, i wonder what bjm's setlist looks like for levitation, bc usually they only play their recent music. well let me tell you my jaw DROPPED when i looked it up on youtube. their austin setlist?? FUCKING STACKED. at least it was ten years ago. super-sonic, wisdom, you have been disconnected, vacuum boots, oh lord ( with the dandy warhols, and if anton and courtney play together again i will literally fucking die on the spot ), servo, GOT MY EYE ON YOU??? and yes yes i know matt hollywood won't be around for this but if they play something off of strung out in heaven i might actually start sobbing. like i've already accepted that i'm going to cry during this concert bc it'll be one of the best days of my entire life, but full on sobbing my eyes out ?? may just happen. my poor friend gyna is never going to see me the same bc i'm gonna be the only one ugly crying over a psychedelic rock band that no one gives a shit about. WELL I DO. clearly.

anyway the very idea that they may play some of these songs, or literally ANY OLD SONGS AT ALL, is hyping me up so much i can't even describe how fucking excited i am. like this is more excitement than joel gion's memoir. and if they play goddamn super-sonic, i'm not just going to cry, i'm going to scream.

now i've said it before and i'll say it again : i'm not gonna be the same person after october 28th. i will be fundamentally changed as a human being. THAT'S a promise.

JOEL GION JUST DROPPED THE PRE-ORDER FOR HIS MEMOIR ABT BEING IN BJM. I AM GOING TO GO FUCKING INSANE. no one wants this book more than me i can assure you of that. i was part of his patreon i read so many of these stories but to see them in a hardback book!???? i am not going to be the same person in february 2024. anyway i just pre-ordered his book for $36, IT WILL BE SIGNED, and i even saw that the foreword is from anton… i want to see what this bozo has to say about his bestie writing a book about him and his band. BUT I'M SO FUCKING EXCITED. might die like today could actually be my death day i am that hysterical over this news. thank you for listening

i'm always into the brian jonestown massacre, but when i'm really into them is when i'm reminded of why i love them so much. how literally no other band in the world could ever mean as much to me as they do ... bc at the end of the day, bjm makes me feel things no other band does. how they inspired me to create my favorite oc ever ( looking at you knox ) and create a sprawling story from that, one i adore. the soundtrack to my life. will forever shout them out because where would i even be today without them!! so many people i've met through them, so much lore added to my life bc of bjm. little lost media searches and random people i love on youtube because of their music ( looking at you, mr. bjm man ). smth about saying they're my fav band just feels right. and i can also flex my special edition dvd of dig! because yes, i am a dvd hoarder. overall just had to spew this out because i'm back on their shit and, tbh, missed this fun little part of my life <3

BJM AND THE FUCKING DANDY WARHOLS ARE PLAYING TOGETHER IN AUSTIN IN OCTOBER!!! no one speak to me ever again this is the best goddamn thing to ever happen to me and tickets are being acquired as we speak

somehow my ass managed to figure out a very precise detail from the diane perry tape... was listening through and realized it's a fucking radio session! so i did some digging trying to figure out when and where this was broadcasted, but as usual, couldn't find jack. then i came across this moment in the video where the host and anton are talking about a live bjm show that's being played at the dna lounge with spike 1000 as the opener "on tuesday." so i was like, hm, what's the dna lounge? looked it up and it's this night club in san francisco with live music, which is obvs where bjm was based out of, so it's a hit. searched up dna lounge and brian jonestown massacre together and found this calendar page on their website, with all of the past shows from 1985-1999... turns out bjm DID play with spike 1000 as the opener on august 30, 1994 which was a tuesday! i was so happy when i found this, i could've fucking kissed the person who made this page and compiled all of the past shows, this is why archiving is so damn important. so jwz from san francisco, you're my fucking guy. anyway, so basically the diane perry tape was recorded at MOST a week before that show at the dna lounge, i just don't know exactly what date and i'll probably keep digging and see if i can figure out what the radio station was or who the host was. i'm gonna figure this shit out.

also i did uncover some new evidence concerning "fade" from pol-pot's pleasure penthouse... randomly stumbled upon this chinese website that listed the length of every song on the album and fade was there! coming in at 3:19, so my theory is that this song is more akin to the cures (which have singing and are more so actual songs) rather than the other fades (which are purely instrumental). i couldn't figure out how to create an account though, unfortunately. so fade is still lost and seems to exist nowhere else on the internet except this random chinese website. what the fuck even is my life.

anyway so yeah!! more bjm things i uncovered and i'm proud of my detective work. it's always something when it comes to this band

BJM MONTH BEGINS TOMORROW!!! what is bjm month you may ask? well for the past two years i have listened to the brian jonestown massacre the most in july so i've dubbed it bjm month. i am still heavily obsessed with this band and listen to them all the time, there's not a day that goes by i don't think about them. may have to talk about my top songs or albums or something, i just need to make sure to do something special for this month! show my appreciation for this band and how much they've changed my life. hard to believe it's been 2 years... actually my 2 year anniversary of listening to them was YESTERDAY. didn't even realize until now. june 29, 2021... wow. first laid ears on anemone, then pish, then drained. what a way to start off my bjm era. clearly my interest was most caught by fingertips and vad hande med dem, and so it all began. still thanking the spotify gods and my own interest for this, who would i even be now without bjm.

but! yeah, considering i'm their biggest fan ( don't even bother arguing with me on this <3 ) i think i owe bjm some rants and raves so look forward to that. and i am going to talk about my very precise detective work when it comes to this band. there are new things i have discovered. they will be shared.

you guys think you like bjm but you don’t 🤍 not like me. i just needed you guys to know that for your own sake. do not even attempt to love them like i do, for you will only fail in the end

saw these two comments on some bjm vids and they spoke to me so much i had to post them here and save them forever. literally, these people put into words what i’ve been unable to express, so please take these comments and know this is how i feel about bjm

i think discovering a new bjm song i love is better than any high. literally cannot stress how much serotonin i feel the moment i hear a song i just KNOW i’m going to obsess over. as of now, the song in question is “be song.” makes me want to cry or smthing but at the same time like jam out idk. i really just feel so many things with bjm’s music that cannot be explained, and i wish i could adequately describe WHY i adore them so much, but it’s so hard to put into words. it’s an indescribable feeling of home and belonging, like something i’ve been searching for my entire life yet didn’t even know i needed until i heard their music for the first time. and like, bjm is something of mine. i discovered them on my own. it is purely the music spotify decided i would need based on my previously played songs, and for that, i only have the spotify gods and myself to thank.

that post-high moment when you realize there’s no one else to talk about bjm with, it’s not the 90s anymore, you’ll never get a cassette of the original pol-pot’s pleasure penthouse, “fade” will most likely forever be a lost track, and dig! is an 18 year old documentary on a band that no one cares about. why do i always do this lol. i think dead/obscure fandoms just call to me. perhaps it is the universe’s way of punishing me. what did i do in my past life to deserve this

remember that time i listened to pol-pot’s pleasure penthouse and was momentarily taken to a higher place within the universe

i think i've just transcended to another level of consciousness. i have reached heights no other human has ever. in fact, i think i have acquired the ego death. it's like i'm on lsd without actually being on lsd. a truly unique experience. i may, perhaps, begin crying from the sheer beauty of this music i am listening to. i hope to die to this album or else there's no other reason for me to even continue living. send help because i may be a corpse by morningtime

back on the bjm train?? what can i say, I never really left it. anyway, i’m here to list my (current) top 10 brian jonestown massacre songs bc i feel like it. if you feel like listening along, just click the link on the title of each song to check it out! also, these are in no particular order if anyone was wondering.

hide and seek — uh yeah this is my favorite bjm song to ever exist maybe ever. like, i am in love with this song. if this song turned into a person, i would marry them, because i simply will never get over it. every single day i listen to it because, somehow, it fits every emotion i’ve ever had in my entire life. also, it’s shoegaze, so even better. really, though, any version of this song is wonderful and deserves to be listened to on full volume. the chorus makes me want to kick something and start flying and maybe go to another universe because it’s so unreal how good it is. i wish i could describe it in words, but it’s something that cannot be seen and can only be heard. “we play hide and seek…we play peekaboo.” truly the best lines. i cannot stress how much ecstasy i feel from hearing these words spoken in the background of the chorus. amazing. just amazing.

e to g — otherwise known as “rotary eight,” but was originally titled e to g. a literal shoegaze CLASSIC, one of bjm’s best 90s songs. this song simultaneously makes me want to start weeping and screaming at the same time because i love it so much. it makes me emotional, yet also happy. i simply cannot explain it. anton’s voice is so angelic, it makes me tear up just a little thinking abt it. i will never get over this song. it’s the epitome of my soul. it is everything. it simply must be experienced and felt to even begin to understand it.

chameleons — another classic from pol-pot’s pleasure penthouse (my second favorite album). the first time i heard this song i literally cried. i think the post from that night is somewhere on my old tumblr. anyway, this song feels like a warm hug from your best friend, like someone you really care about is comforting the hell out of you. i genuinely can’t describe it, as is becoming the norm for this list, but seriously. it’s difficult to put into words how much this song means to me. i just know this is one of the best tracks on its album. it wouldn’t be a certified shoegaze classic if wasn’t unreleased!

that quiet song — if you couldn’t already tell, i’m on a bit of a shoegaze binge, but what can i say? that’s my favorite genre of bjm music (and what i believe to be their best music). anyway, this song makes me feel…many different things. it’s so nostalgic to me, like i’ve heard it before, but at the same time i don’t know where i ever would’ve listened to it in my childhood. no one else in my family knows bjm. but it’s so familiar! i think that’s why i’m so drawn to the song. also, it makes me really emotional and gives me a feeling of closeness to the band, like i’m at one of their concerts in the early 90s, when they still weren’t super well known. it’s a look into the past that makes me appreciate bjm so much for what they’ve accomplished. it’s just a beautiful song. nothing more needs to be said.

super-sonic — taking a bit of a turn from the shoegaze comes this certified dandy warhol-turned-bjm banger. the intro is so good i’m kicking my feet just listening to it. the drums, the beat, the visualization of this being played in concert. so amazing. i have no words for how much i fucking love this song. it makes me want to get up and dance and scream the lyrics without a care in the world. if you ever see me grooving along to a song with my earphones on, just assume it’s this one.

cabin fever — FUCK, i think this song made me love matt hollywood and everything he’s ever produced in bjm. but like, seriously, this song is so good and the fact that it does sound somewhat uplifting but also has this slightly sad part to the music, giving hint to the fact that the lyrics are about depression and wanting to die!!! sign me up for real. the guitar riff is just SO good throughout this entire song, and the vocals are so amazing and i rlly just like everything here.

got my eye on you — this is a newfound favorite of mine. i heard it from a youtube vid of one of their live shows and literally fell in love! the beat is so jammable and i absolutely LOVE joel’s part during the middle, him just randomly singing/talking is so great. every time i hear this song i wish i was at one of their concerts bc this one must be THE SONG to hear live. so here’s to hoping i hear it next time!

spanish bee — oh my god this song makes me go feral. first off, the beginning being completely done with sounds from anton is so cool! the mic being tilted, crowd cheering, the person talking etc. but then you get to the actual song and oh my goodododifhdbeh it’s SO GOOD. i really enjoy music like this in general, and anton’s voice in this song is probably the best i’ve ever heard it. his singing is so good, just really raw and raspy and genuinely beautiful and yeah idk man it’s so enjoyable. i kind of wish there were more songs where anton could show off his natural voice and singing ability because, clearly he does have that shit. maybe not in the typical music setting, but i really do just love his voice here. also, the guitar makes me want to start like dancing idek it feels like some shit that would play at a family party or something. i just adore it sm. give it a listen!! especially if you like folk music.

not if you were the last dandy on earth — ever since i witnessed that wonderful scene in dig!, i’ve absolutely adored this song. anton clumsily rollerskating up to a dandy warhols show with signed copies of this song is just unbelievably hilarious. iconic, honestly. plus, this song fucking rocks. blasting this driving around is absolutely the vibe, maybe the biggest vibe there’s ever been. i have nothing more to say except that this is one of their songs i listen to every day and there’s a huge reason for that!

food for clouds — this song will always be one of my favorites. i’ve never met a person i couldn’t win over with this song, simply because it’s so jammable. the mixture of the cowbell, tambourine, drums, guitar riff, and trumpet just does something to people. i’ve witnessed it myself. for real though, this song is a complete banger; it’s different from their more rock sounding songs and has more of an alternative kinda feel. but listen to it yourself and judge! and if this doesn’t begin to indoctrinate you into bjm idk what to say </3

and, lastly, an honorable mention:

anemone — of course, i can’t make this list without at least giving an honorable mention to anemone. while not my favorite bjm song of all time, i can acknowledge that it is, objectively, one of their best songs. hearing this at the concert was an amazing experience, seriously! i really do love it though, like, it’s such a classic and i appreciate it so much. actually, it’s the first bjm song i ever heard, and looking back is so surreal. i can’t imagine where i’d be if spotify hadn’t randomly played this song after one of my playlists ended. i still remember exactly where i was when i heard it, around what time of day it was…crazy. i just gotta thank the spotify algorithm for playing this song, because without it, i think my life would be a whole lot more miserable right now.

1997 [x]

you guys think you like bjm but you don’t 🤍 not like me. i just needed you guys to know that for your own sake. do not even attempt to love them like i do, for you will only fail in the end