Dig This Dandy
Amazon.Com
Pete Holmstrom of The Dandy Warhols
By Ryan Boudinot
April 2005

Pete Holmstrom provides a calming presence in DiG!, a film in which the artistic highs and lows of two bands--the Brian Jonestown Massacre and Holmstrom's Dandy Warhols--are observed with surprising intimacy and humor. Holmstrom spoke with Amazon.com DVD Editor Ryan Boudinot about the Dandies' just-completed new album, his mixed feelings about the film, and the Brian Jonestown Massacre's controversial frontman, Anton Newscombe.

Amazon.com: Are you still in touch with the Brian Jonestown Massacre?

Pete: Yeah, Anton [Newscombe] actually moved to Portland around Christmas and we saw him a bunch, but I think he's back in LA again. Though he's threatening to come back again. We see him whenever he's in town or whenever we're in his town. Courtney and him are still maybe a little bit weird, but it's mainly, I think, because they're both really busy in their own ways and don't have time for the other person.

Amazon.com: In the film you said that even if you had a falling out with BJM, you'd still continue to buy their albums. What specifically about Anton's songwriting do you admire so much?

Holmstrom: The answer, to me, is that he writes good songs. Defining a good song is really mythical, and if I could I'd probably write a bunch of them. His aesthetics are in tune with what I want, more a sixties-sounding music with a little modern… something.

Amazon.com: The Massacre definitely had that sixties vibe down, which you guys touch on sometimes, but I think of the Dandy Warhols as more technological in a way.

Holmstrom: We've always tried to touch on as many musical styles as we are capable of. We've never wanted to be just one thing. And the other theory is that we're not dedicated enough to be just that one thing.

Amazon.com: At the same time, when Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia came out, it felt like you guys had really nailed down a sound.

Holmstrom: The [album] we actually just finished making is definitely our sound. There's one song that sounds slightly more country, one that sounds more rock, but it's definitely more of what we do as a band.

Amazon.com: And the name of your new album?

Holmstrom: It's called Odditorium or The Warlords of Mars.

Amazon.com: Excellent!

Holmstrom: [laughs]

Amazon.com: With this new album, has Courtney continued to take on the main songwriting duties?

Holmstrom: Most of the songs were written as a band, in jam sessions. With others, Courtney brought in chord changes and we'd work on them. We decided this time that we were going to rehearse two hours a day and record the whole thing, and someone else would go back and edit and pick out interesting bits. And we made songs out of those interesting bits. There's a fourteen-minute one-chord thing that's kind of my favorite thing on the record, because it feels exactly like it did the first day. Nothing's changed, all the little messups and odd noises are still there. We just put some things on top. Courtney was actually singing along--just sounds--and his vocals bled onto all the tracks, so he had to come up with lyrics that fit with those sounds. It was a very interesting thing.

Amazon.com: Is there anything in the film that you would have liked to have seen more of?

Holmstrom: The issue I have with the film is that it is edited to tell a story, which isn't the whole story. There's nothing false about it, it's all fact and it's all true, but still it's very one-sided. The movie's not funny, but I don't bitch and moan about that too much.

Amazon.com: So you didn't find any humor in the movie?

Holmstrom: I find some of it to be funny, yeah. I find Joel [Gion] to be funny. The first time I saw it with an audience was at the LA Film Festival, almost a year ago, and people were laughing at things that Anton was doing that I felt were more sad. I sort of feel for Anton, though he sort of deserves what he got because he is that person. He's been a horrible person to many people--never me, luckily.

Amazon.com: Ironically, this film might actually be good for his career.

Holmstrom: Oh, it definitely has been good for his career. He's sold a bunch more records. He'll never change, really, he's just going to be that person. And I don't mean that violent person. He's also a really great, really kind, thoughtful person, and he'll just continue putting together the band, putting out records, being more prolific than most people. The whole rivalry between the bands is sort of played up in the movie, too. And the way the movie was edited didn't show that what rivalry there was was actually resolved. Anton actually came to my wedding, played and sang a song, the whole bit. We see him all the time.

Amazon.com: Are there any particular other bands or albums you're listening to right now?

Holmstrom: I'm always listening to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. And Dead Meadow.

Amazon.com: Oh yeah, what are they like?

Holmstrom: The Verve meets Black Sabbath. Trippy, dreamy vocals with slowed-down riffs.

Amazon.com: It's been very cool talking to you. Congratulations on a great film.

Holmstrom: Yeah, it is a great film. I think Ondi did a great job.