Late Night Movie Watching

I just finished watching this documentary I rented called Dig! about the Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. I am very familiar with the Dandy Warhols and are quite fond of their music. I didn't know much about the BJM. Both bands started out about the same time, all of the members of each band became friends and both bands are equally talented. BJM's front man Anton Newcombe is probably the most gifted of the bunch. But he's sort of a lunatic --- the Syd Barrett mad genius type that will likely land in a mental institution some day.

Anyway, the movie I guess is supposed to show how two good bands can go different paths. The Dandy Warhols did what famous --- or somewhat famous --- bands do. They made reliably good albums, toured steadily, behaved themselves for the most part except for a bit of excessive drug use, and made videos. They still have a record deal and make money.

BJM got into fights amongst themselves on stage, Anton Newcombe kicked people in the head during performances, couldn't hold their tours together and got really bitter when the Dandys started being successful. People started attending BJM gigs just to watch Newcombe meltdown, which was often. But when he maintained, the band was marvelous. BJM actually tried to start a stupid press war with the Dandys, complete with releasing a single that mocked their rivals in hopes of boosting their own album sales. In one stupid scene, he's outside a Dandys show passing out his single. How embarrassing.

I felt embarrassed for both groups at the end of the movie. Newcombe squandered away his talent because he's an immature jackoff and probably always will be. And the Dandys front man Courtney Taylor can't decide if he's a fashion model or a singer --- his posing and preening in a video included in the movie makes me cringe.

Doesn't matter. I still like the music that both bands make. Sometimes it's just better not to know too much about bands you like.