Dig!
Released 2005
In 1995/1996 The Dandy Warhol’s met The Brain Jonestown Massacre, this is the story about the love/ hate rivalry between the two and how each band takes road after road in different directions.
2000 hours of footage is kept for the film in the time of the happenings. It’s an easy to follow comparison method (of the two bands), which makes the story feel like it’s happening right in front of you. It impressed me to follow such juicy footage of the bands doing what they do. The quality varies on each bit of documentation. A personal perspective, as unbiased as can be delivered, Courtney Taylor Taylor takes you though the story with his narrative. The documentary collects commentary and footage that will be a key element to any Brian Jonestown Massacre collector as it leads you through their career chronologically during these 7 years. Covering: the music industry from a musicians’ prospective; as well as witnessing how to become a cliché rocker of the post grunge era - this documentary is named Dig! –An Ondi Timoner film and Snag production.
Introducing The Brian Jonestown Massacre: Anton Newcombe, Joel Gion, Matt Hollywood, Jeff Davies, Dean Taylor and Dave Deresinski. AND The Dandy Warhol’s: Courtney Taylor, Peter Holstrom, Eric Hedford and Zia McCabe.
The films’ happenings in sequence:
- Footage of show antics and the backstage drug haze. The Brian Jonestown Massacre are described as: ‘Mayhem on stage.’ ‘The best 60’s revivalists.’ It’s American underground exposed.
- The Dandy Warhol’s and The Brian Jonestown Massacre inspire each other (more specifically; Courtney
and Anton ) so much so that they decide to build a studio together and Anton is convinced that they will, ‘Take over the world.’ - They play together for the next stretch of time…
- Psychic TV relates The Dandy Warhol’s to any scene claiming them to draw to suburban folk, as they are rock historians. The Dandy Warhol’s decide that they belong on a major label and are signed with Capitol Records.
- They take 2 tries to record their first album ‘Dandy’s Rule OK?’ and then couple that with a high budget video shoot that turns out to be not in the bands style.
- Anton of Brian Jonestown Massacre starts to reveal how crazy and disturbed he is mentally self coining his band as being, ‘The most prolific people in North America.’ And records 3 albums in one year. This is when the footage is shown of the band brutally fighting, which is mostly fueled by Anton’s bigheaded stubbornness to admit that he’s wrong or sorry for what ever he says. His musical ‘genius’, overly-passionate and impulsive personality is compared to people like Jesus and Charles Manson.
- In L-A the Brian Jonestown Massacre play an industry showcase which brutally interrupted by Anton kicking band mate during song on stage for making a small mistake which then turns into a full on band brawl. This proves to be Anton’s showcase of his mental dysfunction. Band mates admit to quitting up to 21 times and continue to confess that, ‘If Anton could clone himself to play all of the instruments he would.’
- The Brian Jonestown Massacre is on Bomp! Records and Anton’s outbursts really push the boundaries of the company. He promises them a new record in trade for them to pay rent at a house that the band will share to write and record.
- New Years 1996-97 the Brian Jonestown Massacre has a party that the Dandy Warhol doesn’t show up to. They are living a different life a bit more lavish than the Brian Jonestown Massacre squat house.
- Cameras turn to Anton recording a new song about the strife he has between his parents which then sag ways into an interview with his mother. She describes Anton as being a troublemaker, getting arrested after curfew time after time (during his teenage years) -she refused to bail him out after the 50th time. Then onto his Dad who’s seems to be shameful that his alcoholism had turned him into a deadbeat Dad and admitted to having schizophrenia. Words arise on screen as his Dad fades out which read that his father took his own life on Anton’s next Birthday. Possibly his lack of affection and feelings of abandonment are roots to his radicalism.
- Dandy Warhol admits that they could possibly be the most adjusted band in America, realizing that their family lives are pretty healthy and normal.
- In the midst of what is turning into a major drug problem at the Brian Jonestown Massacre house, the Dandy Warhol release a song which they reckon could be a hit called, ‘Heroin is so Passé’ Anton didn’t react at all. This is Courtney’s time of realization that Anton’s opinion maybe has changed and they start to become more distant and resentful (Anton towards Dandy Warhol).
- Anton’s drug habits drive his fiancé to move out where she joins The Minstrels and ends up marrying the lead singer and moves to Tahiti.
- After a party at the squat (not attended by the Dandy Warhol’s) the Brian Jonestown Massacre get a knock at the door from the Dandy Warhol’s the next morning hoping to do a photo shoot in their house. The bitterness from the entire group of Brian Jonestown Massacre arises and then we see footage of the band fully mocking the Dandy Warhol’s in every facet, especially their soon to be hit song. Not realizing that the lyrics of ‘Heroin is so Passé’ are clearly making fun of Brian Jonestown Massacre’s drug problems and lifestyle.
- In return the Brian Jonestown Massacre writes a new song for the Dandy Warhol called ‘Not if You Were the Last Dandy on Earth’ which sounds exactly like a silly mockery of a Dandy Warhol’s song.
- ‘Give it Back’ is then recorded under the funding of an a&r rep who believes in the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the next morning they leave for their first national tour.
- During the Brian Jonestown Massacre tour, there is footage of a 10-hour show in Ohio (at the communist party head quarters) with only 10 attendees at the show.
- The Brian Jonestown Massacre and their manager Dave Deresinsiki begin to lash out at each other on the tour bus and two members; Peter and Matt decide to walk back to California from their Chicago show. The band searches for them for the whole night and the tour somehow continues.
- The Dandy Warhol’s return in L-A from their home in Portland to find that Capitol has dropped their next single because they didn’t become an overnight success. Capitol had sunk tons of top dollar into cheesy music videos that the band and they weren’t too proud of.
- At this point the two bands reunite and Anton takes the opportunity to play Courtney his new single, ‘Not if You Were the Last Dandy on Earth.’ Courtney shows little reaction but doesn’t take it to heart that much either. He (Courtney) still claims to be a fan of the Brian Jonestown Massacre and Anton’s songwriting.
- More show footage reveals yet another stage riot between the Brian Jonestown Massacre, then Courtney worries that no label will ever want to represent this type of behavior. Riots aside, people are still impressed by the music of the Brian Jonestown Massacre.
- In Homer GA the Brian Jonestown Massacre gets arrested for the possession of marijuana and broke up on the road. Anton continues the tour solo.
- Meanwhile the Dandy Warhol’s are playing an industry showcase and are still dealing with the facts that Capitol Records dropped them. A sense of regret comes forward as Courtney says, “Indie rock happened because of this… if only I had been a little smarter.”
- TVT Records rep coins the Brian Jonestown Massacre as “The best band in USA.” At this point the Brian Jonestown Massacre has put out 5 records in 2 years.
- Dandy Warhol’s receive a package from Anton filled with psychotic death threats and their reaction is negative but they reply, “I will still buy their albums anyway.”
- Anton shows up at the Dandy’s sold out CMJ music showcase with vinyl copies of the single, ‘Not if You Were the Last Dandy on Earth’ to hand out to Dandy Warhol’s fans outside of the show. There’s no way he can get in the show but still manages to harass Zia from outside.
- The common knowledge of Anton’s personality at this point in time, is that if he weren’t doing music, he wouldn’t be doing anything. It’s the one this is can and will do.
- Dandy Warhol’s drummer leaves the band at the brink of their European success. -Gaining tons of radio play, Courtney offers a 50/ 50 split of royalties to his and his band mates but drummer Eric Hedford isn’t satisfied with the cut and leaves. Courtney asks his cousin to take over and has 2 weeks to learn drums and vocal parts for this tour.
- The Dandy Warhol’s European tour is sold out and record sales are doing well compared to in the US (40,000 copies are sold in the USA in 1 year while 40, 000 copies are sold in 2 weeks in the UK).
- The Brian Jonestown Massacre continues on the downhill slope and Zia of the Dandy Warhol’s says, “They’re the Velvet Underground of the 90’s.” BUT TVT Records had previously signed the group and provided Anton with an in-home studio. They soon receive a California Music Award nomination.
- Underneath the brink of excitement Anton is toying with heroin so much so that the house ‘is reeking of death.’ At this point Matt Hollywood quits the band.
- Soon after the Dandy Warhol’s European tour, they record their hit record, ’13 Tales of Urban Bohemia’ and begin to play the massive festival circuit and become a quick success.
- Although previously the Brian Jonestown Massacre beat the Dandy Warhol’s to Japan their success is short-lived as the band breaks up. Joel Gion leaves with the thought of wasting 4 years on the Brian Jonestown Massacre project.
- 6 months later there’s not much in the way of record sales and the Brian Jonestown Massacre can only fill a room because audience members are in high hopes of witnessing a massive fight. This show proves to be a recall of this behavior due to an in-the-dark pruning from one audience member. Anton, of course, flips out and guess what? Leaves the stage again. This is when Jeff Davies quits.
- Dandy Warhol’s release ‘Welcome to the Monkey House’ which deems to be another huge success. Then following is the ‘Odditorium of Warlords.’ Critics describe the Dandy Warhol’s live shows as being ‘controlled ciaos.’ Courtney maintains that, “If it’s good, it’s fun and if it’s bad, it’s funny.” At this point the most of the members of the Dandy Warhol’s are happily married and the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s look to them like, “A pack of 14 year old boys that were let loose from their homes.”
- During this time, Anton is now touring with a new outfit. After being ridiculed by another audience member, he kicks him in the head and gets arrested. Soon realizing that he is a new father, he releases his 12th record and learns that he’s not allowed to see his son. Anton leaves us with saying, “How many people imitate me?” As he’s a self-proclaimed prolific figure in the music scene and functions more like a cult.
- Courtney admits that, “He’s (Anton) always 3 years ahead of the rest of us, he’s so amazing.”
The film is highly entertaining but sort of leaves you feeling a little bit eerie after witnessing their demise and bitterness towards the two band. Then witnessing self-abuse Anton puts himself through isn’t easy to watch either. It’s almost scary seeing that closely into the lives of these musicians behaving like children. Anton sort of makes Kurt Cobain seem like a saint. The film is almost a statement of what is selling out? How does the industry abuse the musicians? AND a testament of kind of lifestyle they lead caused by the obsession of these talents trying to be the most inventive and rousing. Most importantly it makes you think, what does it mean to be successful?
I hope to have the chance to enjoy this balls-on-the-walls film because it doesn’t hold back, comparable to Pixies reunion film ‘loudQUIETloud’. It is a very entertaining and insightful documentary that leaves you feeling a tad bit disturbed but also more curious to check out each bands’ music once again.
