Boardwalk Empire’s (Kind of) Suprising Musical Partnership with Brian Jonestown Massacre

Look at these two brothers from another mother. What do Brian Jonestown Massacre frontman Anton Newcombe and silver screen veteran Steve Buscemi have in common? Probably in real life not all that much, but if you’ve been watching HBO‘s new television masterpiece-in-the-making Boardwalk Empire, then you may have noticed an all too familiar rocking instrumental during the show’s opening credits.

LISTEN: Brian Jonestown Massacre “Straight Up and Down”

Emmy Award winning writer Terence Winter and Academy Award winning Director Martin Scorsese have scored again big time in crafting one of the most cinematic television experiences of recent memory. The pilot episode alone is a modern-day respected work of art that will easily stand the test of time as an unparalleled achievement for cable television programming. Assassinations. Raunchy sex. Brass knuckle fistfights. Corrupt cops and politicians. Gangster shootouts. Whiskey and cigs.  Give me a break – this is the greatest tv we’ve seen since Tony was sharing grub in that Jersey diner with Carmela, A.J., and Meadow.

Just as it was with The Sopranos and any of Scorsese’s classic films – careful music selection and supervision plays a deep-seated role in the supersensory experience of Boardwalk Empire for the viewer. While we wouldn’t put it past the music supervisor/Winter/Scorsese to pick one of Brian Jonestown Massacre‘s greatest hits for their opening credits- a song that was released nearly 15 years ago- it was still a welcoming surprise. Take a look (and a listen) for yourself  below:

Boardwalk Empire airs on HBO at 9:00 PM/8:00 PM (for Chicagoans): OFFICIAL WEBSITE

And if you don’t own any Brian Jonestown Massacre records, then punch yourself in the face: OFFICIAL WEBSITE

…keep music evil