J Mascis: “I’ve Been Thinking”
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With his long shock of white hair, beard and glasses, J Mascis is an easily recognizable guy. He’s primarily known for his work as the amplifier-bursting frontman for pioneering indie rock band Dinosaur Jr. But behind the guitar squall and feedback, Mascis is a prolific master of heartfelt pop songwriting.
Born in Amherst, Mass., Mascis first found success as the drummer of hardcore punk group Deep Wound. After Deep Wound’s breakup, Mascis along with Deep Wound bassist Lou Barlow (later co-founder of the band Sebadoh) and drummer Murph (born Emmett “Patrick” Murphy) formed Dinosaur Jr. in 1985. With big, fuzzy, wall-of-sound guitars and Mascis’s laid-back vocals, the band’s 1987 record You’re Living All Over Me and 1988’s Bug cemented Dinosaur Jr. as essential in the alternative rock canon. The trio has had a tumultuous relationship; breaking up and re-forming a few times since the first break in 1989. With grungy guitars and pop melodies, Mascis’s two early 00s records with his band the Fog picked up where Dinosaur Jr. left off. This past March, Mascis released his first solo studio recording Several Shades of Why. It’s an intimate, acoustic record that let’s Mascis’s talents as a songwriter and guitarist really shine.
Today Mascis issues a new 7” single featuring a cover Edie Brickell’s “Circle” on the A-side and today’s song of the day “I’ve Been Thinking” on the B-side. “I’ve Been Thinking” was recorded during the sessions for Several Shades of Why, and features deft, bittersweet acoustic picking and tender vocals from Mascis.
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