by LORRAINE CARPENTER

Since 1990, San Francisco's Brian Jonestown Massacre have produced 10 albums' worth of warped rock, eaten countless sheets of acid and sparked life in many a California band through its 40-odd ex-members. The Mirror absorbed some wisdom from BJM founder and frontman, Anton Newcombe.

On playing last summer's disastrous Wilderbeat Weekender in Ontario: "The hippies who run the camp were trying to promote a free and easy environment, saying things like, ‘You can't swim after 9 p.m. unless you're naked.' I had to tell them to go fuck themselves. I grew up with real hippies. I'm glad we got to play a couple songs, but then they told me to turn it down and skinheads attacked me. I just said, ‘Fuck you, you go to the devil.' I told 'em."

On academic pursuits: "I have all the information necessary to be a freemason, but I'm more interested in spiritual concerns and esoteric concepts. But I don't believe any crackpot crap that comes out. I actually study from the books that professors and Rhodes scholars get. I'm almost a professor of estuology." [Possible definitions: estruology (study of female heat?), etiology or, Bomp Records' Greg Shaw suggests, eschatology, "But I can't guarantee he has any idea what that means."]

On polygamy: "I don't have a problem with having four solid girlfriends at the same time. I, personally, don't have a problem with that."

On the sexual harassment allegations against Schwarzenegger: "I'm not a puritan, I love porn, but that's serious, especially for a fuckin' muscleman. I don't want a fuckin' hooligan as my governor, I don't care if he's a billionaire. And he says things like, ‘I want the children of California to have a wonderful upbringing like I had'… DUDE, YOUR DAD WAS IN THE FUCKIN' SS! What, was he dragging people to the fuckin' gas chamber? That's a valid point."

On the USA's political climate: "Well, it's leaning toward fascism, but really, as one person, I can't do anything about that. I just sing love songs for a living, but I'm going counterculture in an important way - all our songs are available for free at www.brianjonestownmassacre.com."

With the High Dials at Jupiter Room
on Sunday, Nov. 16, 9pm, $10

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