Rebellion and trance: The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s hypnotic return with the double single “Makes Me Great / Out of Body”

Thirty years after shaking up the music scene by rejecting industry rules, The Brian Jonestown Massacre is still pushing against the status quo.

Their latest move is the double single “Makes Me Great / Out Of Body”, released on red transparent vinyl via A Recordings, the label run by Anton Newcombe — the band’s founder, frontman, and a key figure in psychedelic rock since forming the group in San Francisco in 1990.

Let’s start with “Makes Me Great.” The song begins with an immersive vibe, driven by a hypnotic bassline and floating, delay-drenched guitars. Newcombe’s voice feels steady but dreamlike, walking a fine line between introspection and strength. The track’s minimalist structure shows the band’s confidence — they’re not in a rush, but they know exactly where they’re going.

Then comes “Out Of Body,” a layered sonic journey that feels like it wants to pull you out of yourself. It invites you to let go of your ego and surrender to the sound.

For over three decades, Anton and his band have stayed independent, turning their backs on commercial pressures and always choosing authenticity over trends. With more than 20 studio albums under their belt, their output has been nothing short of prolific. Newcombe’s vision has made him a revolutionary figure in modern music. As he puts it: “My only option with everything in life has always been that you just jump into the fire. It doesn’t matter what it is.”

While many of his peers said yes to contracts, managers, and industry advice, Newcombe took a different path: he said no. “I just knew I would be more successful in a certain way by saying no, just being contrary, because I figured that if people liked me, they were gonna like me anyway. Or dislike me. It doesn’t matter,” he says.

After a wildly productive decade with eight albums and one mini-release, Newcombe hit a creative block. Everything shifted the day he picked up his 12-string guitar and wrote “The Real” — the opening track of Fire Doesn’t Grow on Trees. “All of a sudden, I just heard something,” he recalls. “And then it just didn’t stop.” For 70 days straight, the band recorded a new song every single day. By the end, they had two full albums ready. 

The Brian Jonestown Massacre isn’t just a cult band. They’re a sonic rebellion against the disposable, a reminder that music can be art, protest, and healing all at once.

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Photography by Joseph Eley