J Mascis

J Mascis. Photo: Espen Stranger Seland/[seland.org]

J Mascis is an American musician, probably best-known as the singer, guitarist and songwriter for Dinosaur Jr., though he also has been an occasional producer and film composer.

Born on December 10, 1965 in Amherst, Massachusetts, Joseph Mascis founded the short-lived hardcore group Deep Wound with his high school colleagues Lou Barlow and Scott Helland in the early 1980s. He started out on drums [link], but moved to guitar when he went on to found Dinosaur Jr. (with bassist Barlow and drummer Patrick "Murph" Murphy in 1984), which achieved national success. His vocals have been described as "Neil Young-like" [link] and his guitar riffs as "monolithic." After Mascis dismissed Barlow from Dinosaur Jr. in 1989, he recorded several more Dinosaur Jr. albums until 1997, including the 1996 acoustic solo album Martin & Me. He then went on to produce albums with his new band, J Mascis and the Fog, starting in 2000.

In April of 2005, Mascis rejoined with Barlow and Murph, as the original trio of Dinosaur Jr., to begin a tour celebrating the re-release of the group's first three albums.

In August of 2005, Mascis released a new solo album under the J Mascis and Friends banner, J and Friends Sing and Chant For Amma, an album of devotional songs dedicated to Hindu religious leader Mata Amritanandamayi, or Ammachi, whom he had previously written "Ammaring" (on the first J Mascis and the Fog album More Light) about. The proceeds from the album are being donated to Tsunami relief efforts Ammachi's organization is spearheading.

In late summer 2005, Mascis helped Danish band Mew by adding vocals to the song "Why Are You Looking Grave?" and backing vocals on "An Envoy to the Open Fields". Both songs can be found on Mew's newest album And the Glass Handed Kites.

In 2006, Mascis released an album with his newly-formed band Witch. However, he has returned to drumming for their debut album, Witch.

External links

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