That time J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. didn't feel like doing an interview

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      Dinosaur Jr. plays the Pemberton Music Festival tomorrow at 1:30 pm. Here's a classic interview I did with J. Mascis way back in 1991.

       

      J. Mascis is a man of few words—and many pauses, sighs, and yawns.

      That’s when he’s being interviewed, anyway.

      In concert, with his band Dinosaur Jr., Mascis creates quite a ruckus, as should be the case when the band plays 86 Street next Saturday (June 22).

      The Georgia Straight called singer/writer/guitarist/producer Mascis in Toronto recently and coaxed a few words from the Reticent One about his new album, Green Mind.

      You produced and wrote everything on Green Mind yourself. Have you always made albums that way?

      I’ve produced before.

      Do you have a particular fave tune on the new album?

      Let’s see…uh…well, it depends on when you’d ask me, I guess.

      How about right now?

      Maybe…uh…[long pause].

      Tough to choose, eh?

      Yeah. I dunno. The uh [heavy sighs]…mmm.

      Let’s go with “Puke and Cry”.

      You’d go with that one?

      Catchy title.

      Yeah.

      Who’s the kid on the album cover?

      That was just in a photo book that a friend of mine had.

      Kid’s a little young to be smoking.

      homepage_large.5cff4911

      Little degenerate.

      What about the back photo—those little yellow and red things with the eyes?

      Frogs.

      Is that what they are?

      Yeah. That’s my little art thing.

      The Village Voice called Dinosaur Jr. “the best new band in America”.

      [Long pause] When was that?

      That’s what it says in your bio here.

      I think that was a while ago.

      Think that’s a pretty accurate description?

      Nope. We’re on the way down.

      There’s another quote here from a publication called Matter which calls the band “an inspired and inspirational boner”.

      Yipes.

      I wonder what they’re getting at there.

      I don’t wanna know.

      I understand you’re into daytime television quite heavily.

      Mmm…

      Or is this bio just full of shit?

      It’s full of shit.

      How would you describe the music on Green Mind if you had to?

      [Yawns] Ummm…[huge pause] Easy listening.

      Easy listening?

      Sure.

      As compared to a chain-saw?

      Well, you know…

      Who are you listening to in your spare time these days, J.?

      Rod Stewart.

      No way.

      Yeah. All the time. His first four albums. Faces stuff.

      Oh, I see. Right. So what can Vancouver fans expect from the live version of Dinosaur Jr. Should they bring earplugs?

      Yeah. I would. But you never know.

      Yeah, you never know. Well…[long pause while the interviewer tries to think of something else to ask, then decides to forget about it]…thanks for your time J., and good luck till you get up to Vancouver here.

      All right [yawns, hangs up].

      Comments