Song of the Day: Brian Jonestown Massacre “Anemone”

Anton Newcombe‘s San Francisco-based collective Brian Jonestown Massacre were always one of the most interesting, if self-destructive, bands that emerged from the underground neo-psych scene of the early ’90s. “Anemone” is one of the group’s very best songs: a pulsing and shimmering neo-psych anthem about a girl who shares the name of a varietal of flower that featured in Greek mythology. The track appeared on Brian Jonestown Massacre‘s 1996 album, Their Satanic Majesties’ Second Request, a cheeky riff on The Rolling Stones‘ 1967 Beatles-aping LP, Their Satantic Majesties Request. Of course, Brian Jonestown Massacre were always happy to reference The Stones, having taken their own name as a tongue-in-cheek riff on the sadly departed founder of The Rolling Stones: Brian Jones.

Despite prolific drug use, frequent attempts at self-sabotage by Newcombe, frequent controversy and a number of line-up changes, Brian Jonestown Massacre remain active. The group, who used to go years between records, have become more musically prolific and have toured relentlessly. The band’s love/hate relationship with fellow neo-psych act The Dandy Warhols (and Newcombe‘s intense rivalry with Dandy’s principal, Courtney Taylor-Taylor) was documented in the revealing and entertaining 2004 documentary Dig!.