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Sonic Dinosaur | A Dynamic Duo

YES!

We’ve got J Mascis on board!!

J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. is known for his raucous guitar playing and intense sound. We don’t always see his acoustic softer side but in Mascis’ Tiny Desk Concert on NPR music, he has an acoustic guitar in hand and a smile on his face.

We ask Lee Ranaldo to interview him for an extended feature in the book as a pedal collector. This is one of the coolest elements of the project, that we’re able to prompt a two-sided conversation between awesome musicians. 

I keep hearing about J Mascis’ obsession with Big Muffs and his “Big Muff Museum.” I’m trying to take a different approach to get these guys in conversation based on their acquaintance throughout the years and the influence Sonic Youth had on Dinosaur Jr. This interview would come full circle, Sonic Youth actually invited Dinosaur Jr. on a short mid-west tour with them after Dinosaur Jr.’s first record Dinosaur came out in ‘85. This great piece on Spin talks about the relationship between the bands and how it came together. Very inspiring.

So instead of hiring a professional music writer, I ask Ranaldo to conduct and write the interview to stimulate the conversation between these two musicians from a unique perspective. Instead of just having a report from a writer, this enables a two-way discussion. They’re both a part of the story – the interviewer and the interviewee. Not to mention, Ranaldo is an amazing writer. 

Lee, Shiran, and I grab some burgers on the way and are fueled before our interview with J at his studio in Amherst, MA. Got to meet his family and dog and got a tour of the property… and guess what?? He’s also a vinyl collector, not surprising.

More to come on the blog !


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