J Mascis

Best known for founding and fronting the 1980s underground rock band Dinosaur Jr.--a group that relied both on heavily distorted guitars and melodic vocals, and was heavily indebted to the punk bands that preceded it--J Mascis is a guitarist and singer/songwriter based out of Massachusetts. He began his music career in high school, starting a hardcore group with Lou Barlow, who he later formed Dinosaur Jr. with. While the two musicians later had a falling out, both taking on solo careers, they have since reunited several times to uphold the work of their rather influential band. When not playing with Dinosaur Jr. or his several side projects, Mascis writes and performs more Americana-influenced, primarily acoustic pieces for his solo work.