I can't believe I never saw this doc. Something for me to check out, thanks. My writer friend who you surely know, Tony O'Neill was in an early version of Brian Jonestown Massacre, which I have also never seen.
I love how you summarized the documentary without once mentioning the Dandys who really are just side players in the whole thing, and arguably the sellouts that Anton never became.
Welcome to my Substack, as always, very biased! I have no emotional or personal connection to them. Actually, the only things I know about them are from this doc. And yeah, they annoyed me. so I saved the attention to focus on the rest.
I didn’t hear about them until around 2005, when an older coworker (he was 26, I was 22) said their name, and I was like BEST BAND NAME EVERRRR! I remember the documentary being more of a vehicle for the Dandy Warhols, but you’ve inspired me to give it another try. It’s been at least 15 years since I saw it.
Oh yeah, the dandy’s are in it a lot. But I have no connection to them. My “journalism” is completely subjective! Ha ha. Pretty much everything I know about that band is in this doc!
Another stellar entry. “Terraformed the city.” Fuck yeah.
BTW, I know of three people that worked at Blondie’s during that period that you might remember: Shawnee Hulse, Sandi Murray and my boy Dave Reeves. That’s how I know Joel is through them, who all worked at Hamburger Mary’s by the time I got there in late ‘91.
Yup, they're still at it. I've seen them twice in the past few years. The first was at a "psych" all-dayer in Manchester (UK). They played in the early evening. It all took place in an old Victorian warehouse, with high stone ceilings and loads of pillars to make the sound bounce around, so the sound was appalling for all bands that day. BJM sort of leant into this, and played some of their dronier songs, and it worked: Slow but loud songs, and a gently surging crowd that felt like a slow motion moshpit.
And then I went to a standalone BJM show in Nottingham (UK), and I'm afraid it's one of the only shows I ever walked out of. This time they were playing a more jangly set, and for some reason they had to pause for up to 10 minutes between each two minute song to retune, with Anton mumbling inanities into his mic. It got very tedious very quickly, and I eventually realised I could either wait another 10 minutes for another unremarkable two minute jangle, or I could catch an earlier bus. The bus won.
Hit-and-miss, as ever, I suppose. Which is to say that I seem to feel the opposite way about them as you do: I think they're much better on record.
I can't believe I never saw this doc. Something for me to check out, thanks. My writer friend who you surely know, Tony O'Neill was in an early version of Brian Jonestown Massacre, which I have also never seen.
If you don’t have Kanopy, get it! Free with a library card
Thanks, I used to have it and then it stopped streaming. I'll try again.
I love how you summarized the documentary without once mentioning the Dandys who really are just side players in the whole thing, and arguably the sellouts that Anton never became.
Welcome to my Substack, as always, very biased! I have no emotional or personal connection to them. Actually, the only things I know about them are from this doc. And yeah, they annoyed me. so I saved the attention to focus on the rest.
I didn’t hear about them until around 2005, when an older coworker (he was 26, I was 22) said their name, and I was like BEST BAND NAME EVERRRR! I remember the documentary being more of a vehicle for the Dandy Warhols, but you’ve inspired me to give it another try. It’s been at least 15 years since I saw it.
Oh yeah, the dandy’s are in it a lot. But I have no connection to them. My “journalism” is completely subjective! Ha ha. Pretty much everything I know about that band is in this doc!
Last year I got a chance to see the Brian Jonestown Massacre Review play a Midnight show at Three Clubs. It consists all the former members of BJM.
That’s awesome
My “saw them a million times, never intentionally” band is Danzig. They played Green Bay and Milwaukee A LOT when I was in high school!!
That’s bananas
So good, thanks Bucky!
I feel this, Bucky, in a big way.
Thank you!
the weirdest/funniest thing about seeing them now is how Joel doesn't smoke anymore:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eo5gNsIUaY&list=RDeZc16uncwnQ&index=16
Another stellar entry. “Terraformed the city.” Fuck yeah.
BTW, I know of three people that worked at Blondie’s during that period that you might remember: Shawnee Hulse, Sandi Murray and my boy Dave Reeves. That’s how I know Joel is through them, who all worked at Hamburger Mary’s by the time I got there in late ‘91.
Yup, they're still at it. I've seen them twice in the past few years. The first was at a "psych" all-dayer in Manchester (UK). They played in the early evening. It all took place in an old Victorian warehouse, with high stone ceilings and loads of pillars to make the sound bounce around, so the sound was appalling for all bands that day. BJM sort of leant into this, and played some of their dronier songs, and it worked: Slow but loud songs, and a gently surging crowd that felt like a slow motion moshpit.
And then I went to a standalone BJM show in Nottingham (UK), and I'm afraid it's one of the only shows I ever walked out of. This time they were playing a more jangly set, and for some reason they had to pause for up to 10 minutes between each two minute song to retune, with Anton mumbling inanities into his mic. It got very tedious very quickly, and I eventually realised I could either wait another 10 minutes for another unremarkable two minute jangle, or I could catch an earlier bus. The bus won.
Hit-and-miss, as ever, I suppose. Which is to say that I seem to feel the opposite way about them as you do: I think they're much better on record.
Awesome! Thanks for adding a layer to the piece