Over its decade-long history, the band has undergone a large number of personnel changes. Multi-instrumentalist and main songwriter Anton Newcombe is the only member who has stayed with the Brian Jonestown Massacre since its beginning, when it was founded by Newcombe, tambourine player Joel Gion (who stayed with him the longest), and guitarist/bassist/vocalist Matt Hollywood. There are at least two dozen musicians who have been in the BJM at one point or another.
Ex-members include: guitarist Jeff Davies; Matt Hollywood, a founding member of Portland band The Out Crowd; Peter Hayes, founding member of San Francisco rock trio Black Rebel Motorcycle Club; Joel Gion, a founding member of San Francisco band, The Dilettantes; Rob Campanella, a Los Angeles producer and engineer who has worked with The Tyde, Beachwood Sparks, Dead Meadow, Mia Doi Todd, Frausdots, Scarling., and his band The Quarter After; Bobby Hecksher, founding member of Los Angeles band The Warlocks; solo recording artist Miranda Lee Richards; Matt Tow, founding member of the Australian band The Lovetones.
Current long-term members include Collin Hegna (bass), Frankie Teardrop (guitar,noise,etc), and Dan Allaire (percussion). Long-time guitarist Ricky Rene Maymi was recently replaced by Irina Yaikowsky for a short tour, who was in turn, replaced by Ricky Rene Maymi.
Much has been made of the fact that Newcombe is head strong and has just one vision in mind: his own. However, many of the musicians who quit his band have stayed in his orbit and continue working with him in some capacity. Newcombe was, at one point, a drummer in Hecksher's Warlocks. Campanella produces or engineers many of the records on Newcombe's record label, the Committee to Keep Music Evil and has also been on the last 2 highly successful European tours, playing keyboards and on occasion, guitar. Gion is forever showing back up shaking the tambourine at BJM shows. Even the Dandy Warhols appear to have buried the hatchet with Newcombe, as he joined them onstage at Lollapalooza in July of 2005.
In 2005 the band released the EP We Are the Radio, on Newcombe's record label The Committee to Keep Music Evil.
The band announced the release of a new studio album, tentatively titled My Bloody Underground, which was released in 2008. On September 3, 2007, the band released rough recordings from the album for download from their website. Music videos of the songs on the album have also been released, including a music video compilation DVD entitled 'Book of Days'. Songs from Brian Jonestown Massacre were specially adapted for use in the score to the critically acclaimed independent film, "Four Eyed Monsters."
Cabin Fever
The Brian Jonestown Massacre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got this point of view I borrowed from a friend
He knows how hard it is to make up your own mind
So if he wants to do it for me that's just fine
It's easy when you realize you're nothing, you're nothing
It's easy when you realize
I have this room that's got no windows only walls
It gets so dark inside I lose track of the time
So if I sleep and die don't wake me I don't mind
It's easy when you realize you're nothing, you're nothing
It's easy when you realize
Trying to sleep but I always wake up
Haven't seen you for weeks maybe we should break up
Please don't ask why, baby don't ask why
Please don't ask why, I think it's time we say goodbye, oh...
Lying here on the floor I can't stand up to it
Got to dream anymore these monsters haunting my sleep
Put a lock on the door to try and keep them outside
But their in my head I don't know where I can hide
So I'm talking to them 'cause I lost all my friends
I can forget what I want so I'll get drunk again
I don't wanna feel anymore 'cause I only feel pain
Put my thoughts in the sink and watch them go down the drain
Lie down to sleep but I might stop breathing
My heart beats so weak I'm so scared of leaving
I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die
I don't wanna die, too fucking young to say goodbye
The Brian Jonestown Massacre's Cabin Fever is a song that delves into themes of depression, isolation, and nihilism. The song is a confessional monologue, where the singer is lamenting his life's circumstances and seems on the verge of a breakdown. The song's opening lines establish the singer's despondency, as he wonders why he bothers to get out of bed. He recognizes that he has no agency and has borrowed his friend's worldview, who has essentially given up on life. The idea of making up one's mind implies the ability to have control over one's life, but with a nihilistic view that everything is meaningless, making choices is a fruitless endeavor. The chorus, "It's easy when you realize you're nothing, you're nothing," reinforces the notion that life is pointless, and therefore there is no need to try to achieve anything.
The song's middle section evokes a sense of being trapped, with no escape in sight. The singer talks about being in a room with no windows, and the walls closing in on him, making it dark and disorienting. The line "if I sleep and die don't wake me, I don't mind," suggests a loss of hope and a willingness to embrace death. The song's bridge where the singer talks about the monsters in his sleep and how he has lost all his friends, heightens the sense of loneliness and despair. The fear of death is palpable in the lines "Lie down to sleep, but I might stop breathing, my heart beats so weak, I'm so scared of leaving, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, too fucking young to say goodbye," as the singer pleads for life.
Line by Line Meaning
I wonder why I bother getting out of bed
Questioning the point of starting the day.
I've got this point of view I borrowed from a friend
Adopting someone else's outlook instead of making one's own.
He knows how hard it is to make up your own mind
Acknowledging the difficulty of independent decision-making.
So if he wants to do it for me that's just fine
Relinquishing control of personal choices.
It's easy when you realize you're nothing, you're nothing
Accepting one's insignificance and lack of control.
I wonder why I bother going out at all
Questioning the value of social interaction.
I have this room that's got no windows only walls
Feeling trapped and isolated in one's own space.
It gets so dark inside I lose track of the time
Becoming disconnected from reality.
So if I sleep and die don't wake me I don't mind
Indifference towards one's own survival.
Trying to sleep but I always wake up
Struggling with insomnia.
Haven't seen you for weeks maybe we should break up
Reflecting on the deterioration of a romantic relationship.
Please don't ask why, baby don't ask why
Avoiding confrontation and explanation.
Lying here on the floor I can't stand up to it
Feeling overwhelmed and defeated.
Got to dream anymore these monsters haunting my sleep
Being plagued by nightmares and fears.
Put a lock on the door to try and keep them outside
Attempting to physically prevent negative thoughts.
But their in my head I don't know where I can hide
Realizing that mental struggles cannot be escaped.
So I'm talking to them 'cause I lost all my friends
Talking to inner demons as a coping mechanism.
I can forget what I want so I'll get drunk again
Using alcohol to numb emotional pain.
I don't wanna feel anymore 'cause I only feel pain
Preferring emotional numbness over the experience of pain.
Put my thoughts in the sink and watch them go down the drain
Attempting to rid oneself of negative thoughts.
Lie down to sleep but I might stop breathing
Fear of dying in one's sleep.
My heart beats so weak I'm so scared of leaving
Fearing death and the unknown.
I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die
Expressing a desire to live.
Too fucking young to say goodbye
Feeling that one's life has been cut short.
Contributed by William B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.