Band reunites behind reissues and live performances.
The massive, mighty, exceptionally influential proto-grunge that was the original Dinosaur Jr. is back: J Mascis (guitar/vocals), Lou Barlow (bass) and Murph (drums). Mascis’s wah-wahed and fuzzed guitar assault on fairly straightforward rock songs returned the guitar hero to a position of underground coolness, and his laconic, pitch-challenged vocals could turn even an AOR cliché like Peter Frampton’s “Show Me the Way” into something hip.
J, Lou, and Murph haven't played together since 1989 and the original Dinosaur Jr. lineup never performed on national TV - until now. Sixteen years later, the trio will bring their jaw-dropping noise back to the stage - their reunion will debut on CBS' Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Friday, April 15.
A day later, at Hollywood's Spaceland, J Mascis + the Fog with VERY special guests will perform a full show to 300 lucky fans. Tickets go on sale today, Tuesday, March 29 at noon PST at jmascis.com and ticketweb.com .
Saturday, April 16
Spaceland
1717 Silver Lake Blvd, Hollywood
Tickets are $15 / 21 and over welcome
11:30 set time (two opening acts / doors at 8:30 PM)
Originally released between '85 and '88 on two of the most important independent labels of the time - Homestead and SST - Dinosaur, You're Living All Over Me and Bug are now available on Merge to an entirely new generation of music fans.
All three CDs have been remastered and will be reissued with original cover artwork but the new booklets will contain never-before seen images. Bonus materials include a rare live track - "Does It Float" - which captures the power and sheer chaos of early Dinosaur shows, as well as videos for classic tracks "Little Fury Things," "Just Like Heaven," "Freak Scene" and a recently-discovered, never before seen video for "No Bones."
Just for example, their version of the Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” is astonishing. They begin with surprising fidelity to the goth/gloom/pop classic original, but as the band hits the refrain, an anvil chorus shouts in metallic unison while Mascis’ guitar pounds out barbed wire power chords, startling poor Robert Smith out of his mascara. The ending is no less shocking and abrupt.
Article comments
1 - Mat
Excellent! I landed my first real girlfriend by wearing a Dinosaur Jr. tee-shirt. And darn-it if she didn't take all those early albums with her when we broke up. Great to see I can get them again, and remastered at that.
Thanks for the post, Eric.
2 - Eric Olsen
very cool Mat, except for the part about her taking the CDs. When my first marriage ended, I was willing to give up most anything other than my records and my audio equipment.
3 - Mat
What can I say? I was young and foolish to let a girl get in the way of some good grunge punk. I swear to never let a little hard ache distract me from the important things in life.
4 - Eric Olsen
as long as that's settled then
5 - Temple Stark
Eric, with appropriate time reference changes,
This work of art in words you have created now has another venue for success, glory and taking control of the world - and many more eyes - at the Advance.net Web sites, a place affiliated with about 10 newspapers.
One such site is here.
Also please let your contact know the review is published at one more place. That helps a lot.
Thank you.
Temple Stark
6 - Eric Olsen
whoa, thanks