Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis discusses his relaxed creative process, his views on AI, and the band's enduring career.

Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis continues to record and tour with the band's original lineup of bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Patrick Murphy. Over 40 years into the band's career, Mascis attributes their longevity to a lack of grand strategy, noting that they simply have nothing better to do. The band is currently touring the United States in support of their latest record, There Near.

Recording and Gear Philosophy

Mascis describes his approach to recording as relaxed, avoiding long studio sessions or meticulous fine-tuning. For the new album, the band recorded demos quickly, often while members were still learning their parts. Regarding gear, Mascis identifies as a tube purist but remains pragmatic, using whatever tools work, including tracking in Pro Tools while mixing and mastering to tape. When designing signature instruments with Fender, he prioritizes the neck and jumbo frets, aiming to keep instruments affordable so users can customize them.

Views on AI and Live Performance

Mascis addressed the controversy surrounding a 2022 music video for his solo track 'Old Friends' that utilized generative AI, describing his involvement as minimal and acknowledging the technology as a 'slippery slope.' While he does not believe there is a place for AI in music creation, he notes that it is a reality to be dealt with. Conversely, Mascis expresses strong feelings about live performance, favoring a 'reality-based' approach that avoids in-ear monitors, click tracks, and heavy reliance on sound engineers to create the sound.