Tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary of the Jonestown massacre at the Peoples Temple community in Guyana, the second largest death en masse of American civilians from non-natural disaster origins (the first being niner eleven), claiming 909 very loyal lives. Jonestown wasn’t just a bizarre and significant historical event, but also was a direct influence or tangential muse to lots of delightfully psychotic music. As with anything that could be filed under the hard-to-explain, I, too, am extremely fascinated by cults.
Heaven’s Gate and the Manson family unequivocally have compelling histories themselves, but no cult was as organized, influential, and as close to moving beyond cult-dom, as it were, as Jonestown. Total insanity. Of those who were killed 30 years ago tomorrow, casualties included North Carolina Congressman Leo Ryan, the first and only (to date) congressman killed in the line of duty. That’s a hell of a thing. There was a recent production in Chicago called The Peoples Temple, also in commemoration of the 30th anniversary, about the final moments of Jim Jones‘ and his most important constituents’ lives. Totally wanted to see it. Wasn’t sure if anyone would come with me, or if I was in the position to afford tickets to fine art events.
If by chance you’re not too familiar with Jonestown, please read up on the rich history of Jim Jones and his followers with this Time article from 1978 here and/or this documentary here (nevermind the corny transition music). Interestingly enough, Jonestown’s first run-in with the American government was through the FCC for unlicensed use of shortwave radio transmissions, which was the primary way the town communicated with people back in California.
It’s pointless to try to pass judgment on those to turned to Jones, or those who went through with the “revolutionary suicide.” The truth is, you never know what these people were going through, what influenced them, and so forth. I hate when you read or hear reporters regurgitate the obligatory “why?” It’s not inconceivable that any of us could get swept up in something that we believe in, unsavory or otherwise. We all have to believe in something, right? More importantly, though somewhat indirectly, look at what the Milgrim experiments taught us – it’s entirely possible for psychologically sound people to commit grievances while remaining keenly aware that it’s wrong. And that’s just balls-to-the-wall crazy.
But I’m not writing today to condemn, defend, or WTF the Jonestown cult members who drank the purple stuff and died in 1978. Many musicians also have a fascination with cults and the occult. The most obvious reference to this is the Brian Jonestown Massacre, whose name is a pastiche of the late Rolling Stones guitarist and the mass suicide. So it felt appropriate to take a trip into historical catacombs, as well as reach into my arsenal of strange recordings and render the “Jonestown Death Tape” for you all today.
I guess I should go on and warn you, this recording is extremely macabre. It is exactly what it sounds like – Jonestown, death, et al. The recording is a half hour long and features Jim Jones addressing everyone’s concerns – everything’s falling apart around the compound, the Feds are already after them – and how the “revolutionary suicide” is the best solution. You hear him at the end accept responsibility for Ryan’s ambush. However, you don’t hear anything particularly disturbing at any point, other than the general creepiness of peering into what a fervent cult is like. With that said, remember that all faith-based organizations satisfy some of the criteria for what is considered “cultish.”
MP3 :::
Jim Jones – Final Sermon
It would be pretty excellent if Google displayed a festive logo to mark the occasion tomorrow. Perhaps I’ll design one for them.
In the spirit of cults and the macabre, how about some Charles Manson? The truth of the matter is that LIE and his other available recordings are pretty great, as long as you can try to forget that this is, indeed, Chuck Manson. Of course, lots of psychedelic and acid folk artists went plenty berserk at some point. Alexander Skip Spence, for example, tried to murder the other members of Moby Grape with an axe one night. Roky Erickson wrote a notarized statement claiming he was an extraterrestrial. So if you can sit down and hear Skip Spence and the like without picturing insanity and violence, give the ironically “Don’t Do Anything Illegal” a decent chance. Really great jam. L-Train’s take on Charles Manson is pretty entertaining, commenting as she was hovering over me while I typed this entry: “He does have a lovely voice. It’s like a less nasally Lou Reed. Of course, his music is better than Lou Reed’s.”
While we’re on the subject of Charles Manson, he was good friends with Dennis Wilson and was deeply influential to the almost equally batshit Brian Wilson. I’m going to include my favorite song off of Smile below, but not the new one, because I don’t like it.
In the spring, look forward to some waxin’ on the Branch Dividiens and Waco, as Boards of Canada have written a great number of ditties about David Koresch and his roving gang of ruffians.
MP3 :::
The Brian Jonestown Massacre – The Ballad of Jim Jones
Charles Manson – Don’t Do Anything Illegal
Alexander Skip Spence – All Come to Meet Her
Brian Wilson – Cabin Essence
