BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE
Anton Newcombe is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and leader of the music group, The Brian Jonestown Massacre.
ANTON NEWCOMBE: “I'm not in the music business, i'm in the ME business.”
[interview.aldy kusumah / pics.blitzgigs.de / March 2013]
Hello there Anton! Aufheben is a great record and a bit different than Your previous albums. Can You tell us a bit on the making & process of Aufheben?
First of all i moved to europe and set up a studio in berlin. I write and record music pretty much every single day. Since the first sessions that were to become the songs you listened to on Aufheben, i've created hundreds of tracks. Really. Hundreds. I don't share every idea, nor release everything i share. To me this is all conceptual art. I feel like those songs and that album fit in with the other 200+ BJM tracks.
If i'm not mistaken, BJM has released 14 albums since 1993 and also a couple of EPs. What makes BJM a very productive band up to now?
I enjoy creating things.
Who do You respect nowadays in the creative/music industry? What new bands gains Your interest these days?
Flying lotus, The Austin Psych fest people... But really, we are about to see loads of stuff happen just outside of big $$$ control networks. Everything you have not heard is new to you..
So how's the songwriting process in BJM? Do one guy dictates how a song should sound and played? Or is it more into jamming?
I make up about 97% of it, but (also) interact with the band and other people to complete or present ideas, to make them better or worse or to work with another person's ideas etc.
Do You think You'll be in the music business forever?
I'm not in the music business, i'm in the me business.
In the film DIG, You've been battling heroin addiction, and now You are choosing a healthier lifestyle. Can You tell us a bit on BJM old wild days?
Well it's been about 14 years since the heroin days... If you really care about this subject we should start this article again and get real with the questions. It was never my plan to become addicted to opiates. I had an accident just after our group started, and i was in hospital for a week on morphine and demerol waiting for surgery, and that rewired my brain and felt fucking amazing. Once you know you can do that to your own mind, things can happen.. However none of that is as important it was for me to find away out of that experience and closer to a life that i actually wanted by being proactive. That might not be as juicy as me telling you that i have no taboo's about drugs or something.
Ok, so You've had a pretty destructive lifestyle back then (14 years ago). Wanna tell us a bit about BJM on those wild days?
You will have to get even more specific for me to care to answer this question. It's not that i have anything to hide... It's just be more specific or you will get a vague answer like "we did some of the best drugs known to humanity in greater quality and quantity than it would be wise to mention to strangers in print for any reason and certainly not to bag about to anyone.
At what point that You and the band taken a step back from excessive lifestyle in the old days?
I don't know that we have, but people grow up or die.
Do drugs really help at a certain point of creativity? When was the last time you got into trouble?
It depends on the drug and the person i guess. Trouble? Never.
Ok. The "DIG!" period that centered about BJM and The Dandy Warhols are pretty intense. How's Your relationship to Dandy Warhols nowadays?
We're all get on well. You see in the movie, the film makers lied and made things up. that's why you believe that you know what you are talking about when you don't... I did this remix for them recently http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35oAh44gpgI
So what's Your opinion about that DIG movie?
I do not care about the film or the filmakers.
Last one: Tell us a typical day of Anton Newcombe..
I work at learning.
