Dinosaur Jr
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dinosaur Jr | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Background information | ||
| Origin | Amherst, Massachusetts | |
| Genre(s) | Alternative rock | |
| Years active | 1985–1997, 2005–present | |
| Label(s) | Homestead Records SST Records Blanco y Negro/Sire Merge Records Rhino Records Fat Possum Records |
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| Associated acts |
Deep Wound Sebadoh J Mascis and the Fog Witch |
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| Website | Official website | |
| Members | ||
| J Mascis Lou Barlow Murph |
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| Former members | ||
| Mike Johnson George Berz |
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Dinosaur Jr are an American alternative rock band. Their distinctive sound, characterized by high gain, extensive use of feedback and distortion, and J Mascis’s melodic guitar solos, was influential in the grunge music revolution of the 1990s, as exemplified by the success of acknowledged fans Nirvana. In the United States, Dinosaur Jr are probably best remembered for their 1993 single “Start Choppin” and particularly for their 1994 single “Feel the Pain.”
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[edit] History
They were formed as Dinosaur in 1983 in Amherst, Massachusetts by J Mascis (guitar and vocals) and Lou Barlow (bass guitar), following the break-up of their hardcore punk band Deep Wound. Shortly afterwards, Murph (Emmett Patrick Murphy, drums) joined them. Their debut album, Dinosaur was issued in 1985.
In 1987, in part due to support from fans in Sonic Youth, they signed to SST Records and released what is often considered their best album, You're Living All Over Me. Immediately following that album's release, another band called The Dinosaurs, featuring ex-members of Country Joe and the Fish and Jefferson Airplane, sued them over the use of the name, prompting the addition of "Jr".
Tensions ran high between Mascis and Barlow, and in 1989, after touring in support of their third album Bug, Barlow was kicked out of the band. Thereafter, Barlow turned his full attention to his former side-project Sebadoh. "The Freed Pig", the opening track on 1991's Sebadoh III, famously documents Barlow's frustration at Mascis and his treatment within the band. Barlow once referred to Dinosaur Jr as "Dino-bore Jr."
Murph continued to tour with Dinosaur into the early 1990s, but starting with Green Mind (1991), Mascis (who had started out as a drummer) began to record albums almost entirely on his own. For their later years, Mascis was supported on tour and infrequently on record by George Berz on drums and Mike Johnson on bass.
In 1992 the band was part of the "Rollercoaster" tour, a package tour based on the successful Lollapolooza festival, which featured The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine & Blur. On the 1993 release, Where You Been, the opening track ("Out There") had an accompanying video and was aired on MTV for a short time, as the show 120 Minutes was still popular as a late-night "alternative" video show.
After 1997's Hand It Over, Mascis finally retired the Dinosaur Jr name. In 1999, he released the first of two solo albums under the name J Mascis and the Fog.
In 2004, Mascis regained the master rights to the first three Dinosaur Jr albums from SST, and arranged for their reissue on the Merge label in early 2005. The reissues coincided with the announcement that the original lineup of Mascis, Barlow and Murph was reuniting for a tour. The band continued to tour through 2006. While on tour in New York that year, much of the band's equipment was stolen while stored outside their hotel and has not yet been recovered.
The band were one of the curators of 2006's All Tomorrow's Parties festival.
On May 1 2007, the original line-up of Dinosaur Jr are expected to release their first album of new material since Bug. The album will be released on Fat Possum Records and is titled Beyond. It will be the first album by the original line up in 19 years.
Dinosaur Jr's career was chronicled in Our Band Could Be Your Life, a book by Michael Azerrad about several important American underground rock groups during the 1980s.
[edit] Trivia
Rachel McAdams' character in the movie Family Stone can be seen wearing a Dinosaur Jr. 'Monster & Boy' T-Shirt.
Dinosaur Jr has had a partial influence on skateboarding culture. Their songs have appeared in countless skate videos such as Blind's 'Video Days', Toy Machine's 'Jump Off A Building', Alien Workshop's Memory Screen and Habitat's 'Mosiac' to name a few.
A pair of Nike skateboarding shoes designed by J Mascis using the band's signature purple & silver color scheme were released in February, 2007.
J Mascis appeared in films such as Gas Food Lodging (1992), Grace of My Heart (1996), and Things Behind the Sun (2001).
Milo Ventimiglia's character on Gilmore Girls can be seen wearing a Dinosaur Jr Green Mind album t-shirt in an episode.
Dinosaur Jr contributed songs to the Reality Bites (1994) and Wayne's World 2 (1993), and Melrose Place soundtracks.
J Mascis plays guitar on The Lemonheads songs No Backbone and Steve's Boy, and provides vocals on a version of the Breeder's Do You Love Me Now that he produced
J Mascis was asked to play drums in Nirvana but rejected because he had a commitment to Dinosaur Jr
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Dinosaur | Homestead (reissued 1987 on SST, then in 2005 on Merge Records) |
| 1987 | You're Living All Over Me | SST (reissued 2005 on Merge Records) |
| 1988 | Bug | SST (reissued 2005 on Merge Records) |
| 1991 | Green Mind | Blanco y Negro / Sire (reissued 2006 on Rhino Records) |
| 1993 | Where You Been | Blanco y Negro / Sire (reissued 2006 on Rhino Records) |
| 1994 | Without a Sound | Blanco y Negro / Sire |
| 1997 | Hand It Over | Blanco y Negro / Sire |
| 2007 | Beyond | Fat Possum Records (will be released in May) |
[edit] EPs & Singles
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Repulsion | Homestead Records |
| 1987 | Little Fury Things | SST |
| 1988 | Freak Scene | SST |
| 1989 | Just Like Heaven | SST |
| 1991 | The Wagon | Blanco y Negro / Sire |
| 1991 | Whatever's Cool With Me | Blanco y Negro / Sire |
| 1993 | Start Choppin' | Blanco y Negro / Sire |
| 1993 | Out There | Blanco y Negro / Sire |
| 1993 | Get Me | Blanco y Negro / Sire |
| 1994 | Feel the Pain | Blanco y Negro / Sire |
| 1995 | I Don't Think So | Blanco y Negro / Sire |
| 1997 | Take a Run at the Sun | Blanco y Negro / Sire |
| 1997 | I'm Insane | Blanco y Negro / Sire |
[edit] Compilations
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Fossils | SST |
| 2000 | BBC: In Session | Fuel 2000 |
| 2001 | Ear-Bleeding Country: The Best of Dinosaur Jr | Rhino |
| 1994 | Kiss my Ass (Tribute to Kiss) Goin' Blind | |
| 1994 | Beat The Retreat: Songs by Richard Thompson |
[edit] Chart positions
[edit] Albums
| Year | Album | US Billboard 200 | UK Albums |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Green Mind | 168 | 36 |
| 1993 | Where You Been | 50 | 10 |
| 1994 | Without a Sound | 44 | 24 |
| 1997 | Hand It Over | 188 | 82 |
| 2007 | Beyond | - | - |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Album | US Modern Rock | UK Singles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "Just Like Heaven" | - | 78 | |
| 1991 | "The Wagon" | Green Mind | 22 | 49 |
| 1992 | "Get Me" | Where You Been | - | 44 |
| 1993 | "Start Choppin'" | Where You Been | 3 | 20 |
| 1993 | "Out There" | Where You Been | - | 44 |
| 1994 | "Feel the Pain" | Without a Sound | 4 | 25 |
| 1995 | "I Don't Think So" | Without a Sound | - | 67 |
| 1997 | "Take a Run at the Sun" | Hand It Over | - | 53 |
[edit] Samples
- "Tarpit" (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- by Dinosaur Jr., from the album You're Living All Over Me
- Problems playing the files? See media help.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Dinosaur Jr." All Music Guide. Retrieved June 13, 2005.
[edit] External links
