Malcolm Le Maistre (born 1952) is an American musician, visual artist, author, and former member of the Source Family, a 1970s spiritual commune led by James Edward "Father Yod" Baker.
Early involvement with the Source Family
- Joined the Source Family in the early 1970s while it was based in the Los Angeles area.
- Served as a close associate of Father Yod and contributed to the community’s musical activities, performing as a drummer and vocalist in the group that recorded under the name “Ya Ho Wa 13.”
Artistic and literary work
- After the dissolution of the Source Family in 1975, Le Maistre pursued a career in visual arts, creating paintings, installations, and multimedia projects.
- Co‑authored The Source: The Story of Father Yod, The Source Family, and The Ant Tribe (1995) with author and former member Jessica Harper, a memoir that documents the history and inner life of the commune.
- Published additional works, including Fathers of the Family (2002), a collection of photographs and anecdotes from the Source era.
Later activities
- Continues to exhibit artwork in galleries across the United States, often exploring themes of spirituality, community, and the counter‑cultural movements of the 1960s and 1970s.
- Participates in interviews and documentaries concerning the legacy of the Source Family and its influence on contemporary alternative culture.
Public reception
Le Maistre’s contributions to the documentation of the Source Family have been cited in academic studies of new religious movements and 1970s counterculture. His artistic output has received coverage in art journals and alternative press outlets.
