J Mascis (born
Joseph Donald Mascis on December 10 1965) is an American musician, best-known as the singer, guitarist and songwriter for Dinosaur Jr, though he also has been an occasional producer and film composer.
Biography
Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, the son of a dentist, Mascis formed the short-lived hardcore group Deep Wound with Lou Barlow and Scott Helland in the early 1980s. He started out on drums,
[ J FILES: Dinosaur Jr / J Mascis] but moved to guitar when he went on to found Dinosaur Jr. with bassist Barlow and drummer Emmett Jefferson 'Patrick' Murphy (aka 'Murph') in 1984 and achieved national success. His vocals have been described as "Neil Young-like"
[ Biography] 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. Also in 1996, he had a small part in the movie "Grace of my Heart" and provided a ballad and a Beach Boys-like song for the soundtrack. He then went on to produce albums with his new band, J Mascis and the Fog, starting in 2000.
In April 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 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, about whom he had previously written "Ammaring" on the first J Mascis and the Fog album
More Light. The proceeds from the album are being donated to Tsunami relief efforts Ammachi's organization is spearheading.
In 2006, Mascis returned to drumming with his newly-formed heavy metal band Witch for their self-titled debut album.
His wife Luisa is from Berlin, Germany. They reside in Amherst, Massachusetts. Philipp Virus, his brother-in-law, is a German film maker who is currently working on a documentary on J. Mascis.
July 2007 saw the release of a signature guitar by Fender, the J Mascis Signature Jazzmaster. The instrument comes in a Purple Sparkle finish and while otherwise visually similar to a standard Jazzmaster, it features a number of modifications J requested such as an adjusto-matic bridge (for improved intonation), a reinforced tremolo arm housing (for higher durability when subjected to repeated heavy bending, which the original Jazzmaster was never designed for), a satin finished neck and customised wiring.
Guest Appearances
- In 2007 Mascis makes an appearance on Thurston Moore's second solo album. The album was also recorded at Mascis' home studio.
- Also in 2007, Mascis played guitar and sang back-up vocals for Kevin Drew on the song "Backed out on the ...", which appeared on Drew's solo album, Spirit If....
- In 2006 Mascis added guitar tracks to select songs on The Lemonheads' comeback album, The Lemonheads.
- 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.
- Mascis appears in Alexisonfire's music video for Waterwings as a member of the fictional gang, the Butterscotch Boys.
References
External links
1965 birthsLiving peopleAmerican guitaristsAmerican male singersAmerican rock singersAmerican singer-songwritersAmerican songwritersPeople from Amherst, MassachusettsGrunge musiciansConverts to HinduismAmerican HindusUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst alumni
J. MascisJoseph MascisJ MascisJoseph MascisJ MascisJ. Mascis
