The same sort of relaxed approach also informs Mascis\u2019 gear choices. He said, \u201cI am kind of a tube purist guy, but it\u2019s just also kind of inconvenient sometimes,\u201d so he uses whatever works. That means while he mixes and masters to tape, he\u2019s also tracking in Pro Tools.<\/p>\n
When it comes to designing signature instruments with Fender, he\u2019s just as easygoing. \u201cI try to, you know, do the important things that I want, but not make it too complicated \u2026 I think it\u2019s better to keep it kind of cheap \u2026 just so people can do what they want with it.\u201d The neck is his biggest concern, he said. \u201cI\u2019m a sucker for jumbo frets and, you know, if the neck is good and the frets and stuff, that\u2019s the main thing. Most of the other stuff, you know, you can swap out if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n
But that somewhat lackadaisical attitude has also caught him some heat. Two years ago, Mascis released a video for his solo track \u201cOld Friends<\/a>\u201d that was made using generative AI. Speaking with The Verge, he finally publicly addressed the controversy. \u201cYeah, just some kid did it,\u201d he said. \u201cI thought it looked cool, so\u2026 Yeah, that\u2019s dipping my toes into the… I don\u2019t do much with videos.\u201d He trailed off repeatedly while answering before finally admitting, \u201cBut yeah, I guess that\u2019s a slippery slope.\u201d<\/p>\n Similarly, he said that while he doesn\u2019t believe there is a place for AI in music making, we have to acknowledge that it\u2019s here whether we like it or not, and \u201cI guess we\u2019re learning how to deal with it. And hopefully it won\u2019t kill us all.\u201d<\/p>\n About the only thing that Mascis could muster strong feelings about was the band\u2019s infamously loud live shows. (Dinosaur Jr.\u2019s recent performance<\/a> at the tiny Baby\u2019s All Right<\/a> is what finally convinced me to start packing earplugs.) \u201cI noticed the audience too seems more desperate for something kind of reality-based,\u201d he said, letting a touch of his purist heart show. \u201cWe don\u2019t have in-ear monitors or click tracks. We have amps and you know, just, I think some people are responding to the reality of it. Like they really need something that\u2019s not, you know, computer-generated or something.\u201d<\/p>\n He bemoaned the lack of amps onstage (Mascis plays in front of three full stacks, even in a 280-person-capacity club) and the reliance on high-tech front-of-house setups. \u201cIt\u2019s very weird. Now, soundmen create the sound instead of capture the sound,\u201d he said. Of course, his recognition of the visceral power of live music and directly connecting with an audience makes his indifference to AI all the more baffling.<\/p>\n Dinosaur Jr. are currently touring the US<\/a> behind There Near, which is out now.<\/p>\n Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Terrence O’BrienClose Terrence O’Brien<\/p>\n Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n FollowFollow<\/p>\n See All by Terrence O’Brien<\/a><\/p>\n EntertainmentClose<\/p>\n Entertainment<\/p>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n FollowFollow<\/p>\n See All Entertainment<\/a><\/p>\n InterviewClose<\/p>\n Interview<\/p>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n FollowFollow<\/p>\n See All Interview<\/a><\/p>\n MusicClose<\/p>\n Music<\/p>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n FollowFollow<\/p>\n![\"Terrence](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792341850_298_TERRENCE_BLURPLE.jpg\"\/)
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