Two decades since its initial release, Ondi Timoner’s groundbreaking documentary *Dig! * has been re-released with added content and fresh examination of the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols’ lasting legacy as two of the most intriguing psych rock bands of the 1990s. The film looks at the parallel paths of the two groups, their ultimate success, their tragic failure, and all that happened in between. It has been augmented by 40 minutes of new footage and an emotional coda.
The extra footage describes the bands’ latest status, including the bittersweet discovery. The documentary, subtitled Dig! XX, is a sprawling, complicated look at rock and roll’s glamorous highs and soul-shattering lows. It documents the uneasy, yet fascinating rivalry between the Dandy Warhols, the more commercially successful band, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre, a group whose obsession with maintaining artistic integrity often led them toward self-destructive behavior. The film, originally shot over several years, is largely narrated by two central figures: Courtney Taylor-Taylor, the frontman of the Dandy Warhols, and Joel Gion, the tambourine player from the Brian Jonestown Massacre.
Their separate visions give onlookers a raw glimpse at the anarchic underside of 90s rock life, filled with egos, aspirations, disillusionments, and surrealism. From its start, *Dig! * appears to present the Dandy Warhols as destined for commercial success. But this triumph was forever marked by a gnawing feel of selling out—a conflict between the ambition to be famous and the aspiration to remain loyal to one’s aesthetic. By comparison, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, never reaching its equivalent of crossover fame, nonetheless always appeared fated to become an underground cult classic. They had a track record of artistry unalloyed with chaos and crisis.
Even with the BJM’s massive musical talent, their internal struggles and battles with substance abuse, exacerbated by the charismatic but frequently unstable leadership of Anton Newcombe, drove the group towards failure. It was a lovely, heartbreaking disaster—a one that was in a way a greater testament to the essence of rock ‘n’ roll than the Warhols’ elegant success. The tension between both bands is present throughout the film, evoking the spirit of competition and brotherhood that pervaded their encounters. The Dandy Warhols, whose commercial appeal seemed more astute, achieved fame with records such as Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia and the catchy hit “Bohemian Like You.” Their fame was never completely free of emotional cost, however.
Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s story is a testament to the ambivalence that typically comes with success in the music world. He is the face of a band that received the commercial success they desired, but one that was achieved at a cost of its own—costs that, for Taylor-Taylor, typically came at the expense of artistry. Conversely, the Brian Jonestown Massacre never achieved the same level of mainstream success, but their tale, as related by Joel Gion, is replete with an aura of reality that made them a cult success. Gion, who exemplifies the charm and silliness of the group, reads with humor and poignancy, illuminating how Newcombe’s visionary philosophy toward music too frequently resulted in volatile band dynamics.
But for all their disarray, the BJM’s music had an unshakeable depth. It was always apparent that the band had what it took to make it big, but their own internal demons and Newcombe’s mercurial personality would consistently ruin their chances. The documentary’s narrative thread dances back and forth between the two bands, highlighting their similarities and differences. At the center of the documentary is an intriguing dichotomy: the Dandy Warhols’ fight with success and the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s ongoing struggle with failure. It’s a tale of ambition, disillusionment, egos, and the destructive nature of rock star culture. *Dig!
- demonstrates that success and failure are not always what they appear to be. While the Dandy Warhols were racking up chart-topping hits and accolades, their internal battle to keep their artistic vision intact in the midst of mainstream success is exposed. At the same time, the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s failure to achieve commercial success, initially perceived as a failure, can also be interpreted as a form of artistic purity that most fans admired. Throughout the course of the documentary, Timoner reveals the usually uncomfortable truth of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle.
The drugs, the egos, the clashes of personality—it all takes its toll on these bands, leaving them broken and emotionally battered. The raw footage captures moments of brilliance and despair, offering a window into the turbulent nature of the music industry. And as the years pass, it becomes clear that the world of psych rock—so brimming with promise and rebellion—cannot shield its stars from the inevitable march of time. The most affecting moments in *Dig! * XX appear in the final coda, which gives a snapshot of what life has been like for the members of both bands for the past two decades since the original release. The image of grey-haired former rockers, some of whom have moved into more “normal” lifestyles, is a salutary reminder of the workings of time.
Some of the members, erstwhile rock gods, now sell real estate rather than records. It’s a discomfiting photo, but one that attests to the fleeting nature of stardom and the ultimate return of once-aspiring dreams to earth. To see these onetime stars struggle with the plain realities of existence is tragic and, in an odd sense, reassuring.
It is the inevitable process of life—the bright young stars burn out and fade, and ultimately time compels them to exit the stage and into the quotidian.*Dig! * XX is ultimately more than a documentary about two rock bands.Any film about the Sex Pistols can’t help but be a reflection on the fleeting nature of fame, the fleeting nature of success and failure, and the struggle to remain intact in the face of commercial exploitation. It’s the story of two bands, each with their own agenda, trials, and unique means of redemption—whether it’s through success, failure, or simply surviving the chaos of rock ‘n’ roll.
