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."
Monkey Powder
The Brian Jonestown Massacre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm feeling more reflection
You care and you feel nothing, sucking feel
Keep your eye and you feel nothing, sucking feel
Keep your eye, so I feel sucking feel, sucking feel
Keep nothing, sucking feel
Keep (?), so I feel, sucking feel
And nothing (?) coming for me, come and (?)
Sucking feel, sucking feel
Keep your eye and you feel nothing
So you feel nothing, sucking feel
Keep your eye and you feel nothing, oh, how I feel it too
Keep your eye and you you feel nothing, sucking feel
(?) and you you feel nothing, can't seem
You can't seem and you feel nothing, I can feel
I hurry, so I hurry, so I hurry, so I hurry, (?)
Can it feel? You can feel it real, you can feel it
You can't seem and you feel nothing
(?), how I feel it
(?), sucking feel
I wanna feel nothing, (?)
(?)
Come and feel it more, I can feel
(?)
(?), sucking feel, (?)
(?)
(?)
(?), sucking feel, (?)
The lyrics to The Brian Jonestown Massacre's song Monkey Powder are somewhat cryptic and open to interpretation. The song starts with the lines "I'm seeking now and you feel, in (?) for protection, I'm feeling more reflection," which could be interpreted as the singer seeking protection from someone while also reflecting on their own feelings. The next few lines talk about someone feeling "nothing" and "sucking feel," which creates a sense of emptiness and a lack of fulfillment. The repeated phrase "Keep your eye and you feel nothing" adds to this theme.
The later lines of the song are a bit more complex, with phrases like "Can it feel? You can feel it real, you can feel it" and "I wanna feel nothing, (?)." These could be interpreted as the singer grappling with the concept of feeling something vs. feeling nothing, or perhaps feeling too much.
Overall, the lyrics to Monkey Powder create a sense of emotional confusion and searching, with the repeated phrase "sucking feel" conveying a sense of emptiness or disappointment.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm seeking now and you feel, in (?) for protection
I am searching and you feel like a safe haven.
I'm feeling more reflection
I am becoming more introspective.
You care and you feel nothing, sucking feel
You show concern but feel emotionally removed. It's a draining feeling.
Keep your eye and you feel nothing, sucking feel
Stare as hard as you can, but still you remain apathetic. Again, it's exhausting.
Keep your eye, so I feel sucking feel, sucking feel
Please look my way, so at least one of us can feel something for a moment.
Keep nothing, sucking feel
Sometimes it just feels like nothingness is consuming us.
Keep (?), so I feel, sucking feel
Try as you may, emptiness is all-consuming.
Keep your eye and (?), oh, I can feel
You may try to hide it, but I can sense that same empty feeling inside you.
And nothing (?) coming for me, come and (?)
I am not sure what awaits me in the future. Please, someone come offer something to feel.
Sucking feel, sucking feel
Emptiness is suffocating.
Keep your eye and you feel nothing
You try to look engaged, but inside you feel nothing.
So you feel nothing, sucking feel
That emptiness can be all-consuming.
Keep your eye and you feel nothing, oh, how I feel it too
I can sense how hollow you feel because I am feeling the same.
Keep your eye and you you feel nothing, sucking feel
I wish focusing our gaze could fill us with something, but it remains a draining experience.
(?) and you you feel nothing, can't seem
Something is missing and it's hard to pinpoint what it might be.
You can't seem and you feel nothing, I can feel
You seem emotionally disconnected, and it's overwhelming for me to witness it.
I hurry, so I hurry, so I hurry, so I hurry, (?)
I try to distract myself from this feeling, but it's always creeping up on me.
Can it feel? You can feel it real, you can feel it
Can you feel anything at all? It's a real question.
You can't seem and you feel nothing
Once again, you appear emotionally numb.
(?), how I feel it
I am well aware of what it's like to feel so drained.
(?), sucking feel
Emptiness holds us in its grip.
I wanna feel nothing, (?)
Sometimes feeling nothing seems tempting.
(?)
Perhaps that's what we need, an escape from carrying the burdens of emotions.
Come and feel it more, I can feel
I invite you to experience this, but I already know exactly how it will make me feel.
(?)
Emptiness is a persistent force reflecting back at us.
(?), sucking feel, (?)
Again and again we feel this void, and it gets no easier with repetition.
(?)
Emptiness prevails over everything else, leaving us feeling helpless.
(?), sucking feel, (?)
Even when we try to escape it, emptiness seems to follow us around.
Contributed by William V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
anton newcombe
this shit is so good. i hope we never forget this time ever.
Zale Bee
I once watched this taking for granted psychedelics and gathering together and now i reallyu watch this recalling those days when one could spray paint a corridor and have jon wander in
Brian Styers
anton is the greatest musician of my lifetime (jon makes awesome videos too)
QueenConsternation
This is so fucking good. I just watched i for the gazillionth time.
gcunningham
A, this is one of the best videos ive seen in a long time. keep up the great work! -glenncunningham
Scott Clark
Wow this is awesome!! What a track.
Matericia
It was great to see Matt and Joel and Anton all so tight. I was glad Anton drank Red Bull and water instead of strait vodka like he did in NYC last year.
Matericia
You are correct, sir! They will be at the Troc in Philly on April 4. Thank you for your diligent oversight. Keep music evil!
Allison Anderson
I keep coming back to watch this one - just amazing visually and I love art of it .... I'm thinking this is shot shortly after the video for AFFTP? (that video sorta freaks my shit out in a very good way)
Matericia
I am looking forward to his US tour. They're playing the Trocedero in Philly on 4/1 It's so cool to see the artist paint