The Brian Jonestown Massacre has existed for over a decade as the primary outlet for the creative talent of Anton Newcombe– a mercurial presence whose fragile genius has sadly only begun to permeate the collective subconscious. His recent acknowledgement outside of BJM’s fan-base, however, is mostly down to the one-sided portrayal of his troubled strivings for artistic freedom in the 2004 documentary DiG!

Some might consider Newcombe a stubborn, self-absorbed egotist. However, the documentary’s portrayal of a man bent only on drug and alcohol-fueled self-destruction in the name of artistic achievement–- with a propensity for in-band and audience-targeted violence bears witness only to the negative elements of a man assured both of his own intelligence and vision. Among other musings, Newcombe insists that he is currently working on “four or five” albums simultaneously, of which one is the Massacre’s upcoming thirteenth studio effort, My Bloody Underground.

Remaining happiest stalking the grounds of his West London hotel, imparting his knowledge of Blitz-era London, and attempting to instill the need for “civic duty” in passers by, psychoPEDIA joined Newcombe over double Smirnoff-and-tonics that he had been drinking since midday:

In the past you have expressed weariness towards playing in England. How are you feeling here in Lancaster Gate?
I think English people are Anglo-Saxons. There are no unified peoples here, there are different kinds of people. I like parts of them, because they are “us” and I am not into bullshit nationalism. I just don’t care you know? You can be into whatever team and I will cheer them: Liverpool Football Club or whoever, I will be all your girlfriends all night long. I just don’t care. But the reception you get here can be beautiful sometimes.

Is it a similar case in Europe? When you played at Primavera three years ago, your emotions on stage seemed to oscillate pretty wildly.
It was just such a rude situation being there. Lou Reed had his sensei sitting in a yoga position right by the side of the stage next to him as we were playing. It was just fucking ridiculous. We just wanted to look at clouds and go swimming, but they wouldn’t let us. We did it anyway a bunch of times, just dived straight into the Mediterranean off of those concrete blocks. It was the first time I had ever swum in the Mediterranean and it was a beautiful experience but they didn’t want too many people doing that. Oh, no.

Did you feel the need to create as a child?
Well music is only one means by which I express myself. I have been programming computers for the CIA since I was 5.

As someone who has expressed concern over the current state of near apocalypse, do you often consider its possible outcome?
I couldn’t say if it would be good or bad; it is impossible to establish a unified opinion. I will tell you that it’s like saying, “Is the internet bad?” You can map the human genome, or you can download porn, or you can use the genome to destroy others so the whole thing is triangular. But it’s not my business to exist inside of some tea party with H.G. Wells in Oxford and create some kind of science-fiction. I just don’t care, as you or I shouldn’t really be alive right now.

What makes you feel that way?
Everyone is walking around like an idiot, ripping everybody else off and everything you think, like concepts of nationalism, which is all a joke. I am bound to die, but I have not encountered that yet. So for now, I will try and be the best I can be for my wife.

Is that the state of mind you record in?
No, we tend to go away and take many drugs– huge handfuls– and reach the state of the berserker. You can look that up if you don’t know what it means. My wife is Welsh, and it is a very Welsh state– very primal and berserk. Lots of drinking. And we were all berserkers. But again, because of the children in the next room, I cannot speak my mind freely on this position. I don’t need sycophants attempting to pop off on me.

This record easily sounds an equal to anything else you’ve done. Where are you hoping to take Brian Jonestown Massacre now?
To prepare for the apocalypse.

-James Knight

First and last photos by Linda Skoog