• Dinosaur Jr is an alternative rock band that formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1984 consisting of guitarist J. Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph. The band disbanded officially in 1997 and reunited in 2005. Their ninth studio album, Farm, is due out June 23 on Jagjaguwar Records.Tiny Mix Tapes: Dinosaur Jr.’s Jagjaguwar Debut Farm Coming (March 24, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Genre: Indie rock
  2. Origin: Amherst, Massachusetts
  3. Years active: 1984 - 1997, 2005 -present
  4. Label: Jagjaguwar
  5. Originally called Dinosaur
  6. Studio albums: 8
  7. Debut album: 1985's Dinosaur
  8. 1989: Barlow was kicked out of the band
  9. Throughout the band's lifetime, Mascis has been the only constant contributor
  10. Beyond was the first album released by the original lineup since 1988
  11. Mascis and Barlow were in the band Deep Wound from 1982 - 1984
  12. Barlow is also a member of the band Sebadoh
  13. Mascis plays drums in the band Witch
  14. Notable fans: Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Henry Rollins

• History

  Mascis and Barlow formed their first band together, Deep Wound, while still attending high school. They went through a few more name changes before settling on "Dinosaur" in 1984. In 1987, they were forced to change the name to "Dinosaur Jr." after a band called The Dinosaurs, made up of ex-members of Jefferson Airplane, threatened to sue them over the name.

  Their debut album, Dinosaur, was recorded in a home studio and self-released, earning the band little mainstream attention. After being invited to tour with Sonic Youth in 1986, they recorded their follow-up, You're Living All Over Me. Around this time, Mascis moved to New York City, and tensions began forming within the core trio over control over the band's career and direction. Bug followed in 1998, which featured the band's first hit single, "Freak Scene".

  After a contentious tour in support of Bug, Mascis kicked Barlow out of the band and started working on Dinosaur Jr. albums essentially by himself. (Barlow went on to front his own successful indie rock trio, Sebadoh.) After a string of successful records released by the major label Sire, Mascis retired the Dinosaur Jr. name in 1997, continuing to record under the name J Mascis and the Fog.

  Dinosaur Jr. reunited on April 15, 2005 on The Late Late Show, and have since embarked on a tour and released an album of new songs, 2007's Beyond.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Sonic Youth | Nirvana | Mudhoney | The Melvins | Pavement | Yo La Tengo | The Pixies | Pearl Jam | Built to Spill | Joy Division | Arcade Fire | Sebadoh | Talking Heads | The Lemonheads

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