J Mascis on Black Sabbath, stolen Beach Boys records and the songs that shaped him

J Mascis, the guitarist and frontman of Dinosaur Jr., has revealed the songs that have defined his life and artistic journey in an intimate playlist conversation. From childhood favourites to the punk and metal records that transformed him, Mascis traces a musical path that explains how a kid who stole from his mother to buy the Beach Boys ended up dropping out of society after hearing Black Sabbath.

What was your first musical love?

Mascis's earliest musical memory centres on a novelty record.

Monster Mash by Bobby "Boris" Pickett

captivated him as a child, though not for the reasons most might expect.

Monsters appealed to me as a kid. I found it funny, not spooky. Since I had a kid, Halloween has become the biggest holiday of the year.

The song's humorous tone rather than its horror theme resonated with the young listener, a preference that would shape his eclectic taste across genres.

Which record did you buy with stolen money?

Mascis's first single purchase came through questionable means.

I bought Darlin' by the Beach Boys with the money I would steal from my mom.

His affection for the California group ran deep, even when their popularity waned.

I always liked the Beach Boys. I remember they were quite unhip for a while: I played them at a gig around 1989 before we came on and people hated it. Now they've become more hip again.

The band's rehabilitation in contemporary culture vindicated his early loyalty to their sophisticated harmonies and arrangements.

What song do you perform at karaoke?

Mascis has settled on a Tom Petty standard for his karaoke appearances.

Here Comes My Girl by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. It's a little high for me but I can usually squeak it out.

The choice carries personal significance beyond the performance itself.

My wife liked that the first time I did it, so I guess since she likes it I tend to keep doing it.

The song has become a fixture of his karaoke repertoire, a small domestic ritual that keeps him returning to it.

What's your go-to party track?

When Mascis has taken on DJ duties alongside his wife, one song consistently delivers results.

I've DJ'd with my wife a couple of times recently, and What's She Done to Your Mind by Rain Parade seems to be a big hit.

His approach to selecting music for social gatherings reflects a deliberate constraint.

When I DJ I do seven-inches only, which is good for limiting things.

The format restriction forces curators to make sharper choices, a discipline that has served him well in the dance floor context.

Which song sets the mood for intimacy?

For moments of physical closeness, Mascis turns to the ethereal textures of Scottish dream pop.

Sugar Hiccup by the Cocteau Twins

provides the atmospheric backdrop he favours, its layered production and Robin Guthrie's shimmering guitar work creating an intimate soundscape.

What lyrics do you know by heart?

Mascis absorbed one hip-hop classic so thoroughly during its initial release that it became permanently embedded in his memory.

Straight Outta Compton by NWA was so awesome when it came out, I listened to it so much. It just stuck in my brain.

His engagement with the album extended to its cinematic adaptation, though the experience left less of an impression.

I saw the movie they made about them but I've already forgotten much of it. I don't remember if I liked it or not.

The song's cultural impact and lyrical density ensured its survival in his consciousness even as the film faded from memory.

Which record fundamentally changed your life?

A single Black Sabbath track became the catalyst for a profound personal transformation during Mascis's adolescence.

The Thrill of It All by Black Sabbath was really my anthem of dropping out of society. I heard it when I was 11 or 12 and I grew my hair and dropped out of the popular crowd after that.

The song's heavy, defiant sound provided the soundtrack to his rejection of social conformity, a decision that would ultimately lead him toward the underground music scene and eventually to forming one of alternative rock's most influential bands.

What energises you each morning?

For daily motivation, Mascis reaches for a British hardcore punk track.

Fight Back by Discharge. It's a peppy number to get you going.

The song's aggressive energy and rallying cry serve as an effective alarm clock, its urgency cutting through morning lethargy.

Which song moves you to tears?

Mascis's emotional response to music deepened when witnessing a reunion performance.

I remember somebody telling me that when she saw once she cried. I told her that I cried when Negative Approach played Can't Tell No One and she was somehow horrified.

The US hardcore punk band's return to performing struck something profound within him.

But I'd seen them when I was a kid and then seeing them back together really touched something in me.

The convergence of childhood memory and adult perspective created an unexpectedly moving experience, one that transcended the typical punk rock aesthetic.

What should play at your funeral?

Mascis has selected a country ballad for his final send-off.

Feel Like Going Home by Charlie Rich. It just seems like the perfect funeral song. Just so sad.

The melancholic resignation of Rich's composition captures the gravity of mortality in a way that aligns with Mascis's sensibilities.

What's next for Dinosaur Jr.?

Mascis's current project, Dinosaur Jr., released its latest studio album There Near on 28 August 2026, marking the band's first studio album since 2021's Sweep It Into Space. The record was recorded largely at Bisquiteen Studio in Amherst by the core trio of J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph, with Ken Mauri contributing piano and organ. The lead single, "Several Got Away," was released ahead of the album.

The band has scheduled an extensive fall North American tour beginning on 9 October 2026 in Las Vegas and concluding on 7 November 2026 in New Orleans. A performance in Portland is scheduled for 26 September 2026, with the tour continuing through October and into early November across multiple cities.