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."
Who?
The Brian Jonestown Massacre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who
Who
Who?
Who
Who
Who
I see yellow
I see orange
I see green
Icy blue
I see every color that has ever been
Inside of you.
If it's boring,
Just ignore me
Don't tell me
Who are you?
Who
Who
Who
Who?
If I wake up
Or we break up
No make up.
Who are you?
When we're fighting
It's exciting
Each other,
Even you
If you give up
Before it's time
You are through.
Who
Who
Who
Who?
Who
Who
Who
Who
The lyrics to The Brian Jonestown Massacre's song Who are cryptic yet thought-provoking. The repeated question "Who?" implies a search for identity or an understanding of the self. The lines "I see yellow, I see orange, I see green, icy blue / I see every color that has ever been / Inside of you" suggest that the singer is searching for their own identity through others, seeing different colors or shades of personality within them.
The lines "If it's boring, just ignore me / Don't tell me who are you?" suggest a rejection of conformity and a demand for individualism. The singer wants to be accepted for who they are and not judged or labeled by others. The uncertain nature of the relationship is highlighted in the lines "If I wake up, or we break up, no make up / Who are you?" The singer seems to be questioning the authenticity of the relationship and whether or not they truly know the other person.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of excitement and passion within the relationship, even during moments of conflict. The lines "When we're fighting, it's exciting / Each other, even you" suggest a desire for intensity and drama. However, the song ends on a warning, "If you give up before it's time, you are through," suggesting that the singer values endurance and commitment in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Who
The singer is asking someone to identify themselves
Who
The singer is continuing to ask this person to identify themselves
Who
The singer is still asking this person to identify themselves
Who?
The artist is asking the person one last time to identify themselves
I see yellow
The artist is noticing a cheerful or warm aura around this person
I see orange
The singer is noticing a vibrant or creative aura around this person
I see green
The singer is noticing a calming or healthy aura around this person
Icy blue
The artist is noticing a distant or cool aura around this person
I see every color that has ever been
The artist is observing that this person has a complex and varied personality
Inside of you.
The artist believes that these traits are deeply ingrained in this person's character
If it's boring,
The singer acknowledges that their own company or thoughts may not be entertaining
Just ignore me
The artist is suggesting that this person can opt not to interact with them
Don't tell me
The singer does not want to know what this person thinks of them
Who are you?
The singer circles back to their original question hoping for an answer
If I wake up
The singer is referring to an uncertain future
Or we break up
The artist is referencing a potential relationship ending
No make up.
The artist assumes that any disagreement or split will be irreparable
When we're fighting
The singer acknowledges that conflict is inevitable
It's exciting
The singer seems to enjoy this tension
Each other,
The artist implies that both they and the other person are responsible for the conflict
Even you
The artist acknowledges this person's part in the argument
If you give up
The artist implies that abandoning the relationship means giving up on something worth fighting for
Before it's time
The singer believes that a resolution has not been reached
You are through.
The artist is suggesting that this person is ending something before its full potential has been realized
Who
The singer is still seeking to know this person's identity
Who
The singer is still trying to confirm this person's identity
Who
The singer reiterates that they need to know who this person is
Who
The artist is persisting that they will continue to ask this person to identify themselves until they receive an answer
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music
Written by: MATTHIAS RICHTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Michael_______
I need to hear this sometimes
@trship6274
Who it all away.
@soraset8894
Pure art
@davidhoffmusic
1st time I heard this : ''Wow this is Syd Barrett ?'' And the guy say ''Yeah it sound like but its The Brian JonesTown Massacre and so its Anton Newcombe !''
@tommydv
They are both in the same league, but Anton was/is more prolific.
@ethaninaction
Wow💪🤩
@dmvargha
Sounds a lot like the band Status Quo from the late 60's.
@dazza2524
Yes Pictures Of Matchstick Men 1968
@mimicmimic5931
A bit not alot.....
@MrGiorgioud
Yeah, part that, part “Hey Joe” (the Hendrix version), but wholly Brian Jonestown Massacre.....one of their best tracks....