There have been a few music collectives over the years. Most recently, you probably know of the A$AP Mob, which couldn’t be farther time- or genre-wise from Acid Mothers Temple.

The only thing those two have in common is that they’re both collectives: groups where like-minded musicians come to play music together or separately – whatever the moment calls for. And that’s what Makota Kawabata decided to do in 1996 when he created the Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso UFO. He had no idea how far his collective would go – and how many rumors it would start.

It’s Not a Cult

In their early years, there were rumors that The Acid Mothers temple was a musical cult. This was more of a reaction to their psychedelic made to “freak you out” style, than a rumor based in any truth. It’s true that, like a cult, the members of the collectives have similar values, but that’s where the similarities end. Each person in the collective can do whatever they want to do, whether it’s working towards a solo career or creating music together.

La Novia and Beyond

In fact, that sentiment is the title of one of their albums: Do What You Want, Don’t Do Whatever You Don’t Want. That was just one of their successful albums, though. Others include Wild Gals a Go-Go, Absolutely Freak Out: Zap Your Mind, and Troubadors from Another Heavenly World, to name a few.

And while they haven’t had the best luck with record labels (they’ve been with more than 5 over the years), the band is dedicated to putting out new music. Their most recent studio album, Reverse of Rebirth of the Universe, is proof that you can both evolve and stay true to your original sound at the same time.