Ageing hipsters

There's been a few bands of late that have gotten onto my ipod on account of "cult iconic status", I've heard their music and been like, cool enough but you know there's way more reason why people are still talking about them. Sure there is, and that's why i'm here today to learn you (arc♥) and teach me so when i'm talking to some of my friends who are into classic rock and look down on me for being so damn modern. I am mainly about the music though so that will be the concentration of my major.

I'll try and post links to individual tracks if they're integral to the history and not commonly available, but i'll also post their discographies just to be needlessly retro/(lazy).

Dinosaur Jr.

Formed in 1984, Joseph Donald Mascis is the only remaining member of the original Massacusetts born line-up that forms the current group, which returned in 2005 and brought out a fresh album in 2007. There were 7 albums before that, the most famous of which being "you're living all over me" which was ranked at #31 in spin's 2005 list of the top 100 albums of the past 20 years.

They achieved major recognition in the U.K with Freak Scene which was the first single from "bugs" which itself reached #1 in the album charts here.












Pavement

Pavement were pioneers of american indie rock, stretching 10 years from '89-'99. They were indie in the traditional sense and despite never signing to a major label achieved relative success. Wowee Zowee is a great example of how their sound changed massively without restraint during their time as a band, starting off as low-fi and bridging genres with reckless abandon.

There's consistant talk of a reunion and it's probably going to happen.











Jesus and Mary Chain

"Do you remember the JAMC? And reading aloud from magazines?" Ben Gibbard mused on we look like giants in 2003... My obsession with Death cab meant that i had no choice but to download their discography. And with that a low-fi treasure trove of scottish folk rock, and also the key to unlocking neutral milk hotel, the mountain goats and other modern bands that these guys influence, these two will definately be mentioned in a later blog.

Their story is pretty great, two brothers jim and william reid, spent 5 years on the dole writing songs, turning up to gigs pretending to be a support band. They only had two drums ("why buy two more these are the only two i fucking use") and the bass guitar only had three strings. They'd make a quick exit after their short performances to little musical praise.

Once they moved to london and sent out a demo tape things started picking up and were signed by creation on the stregnth of a soundcheck. Nice. Things were definately going in the right direction and soon Neil Taylor of NME described them as "the best band in the world". Some accolade but this was the 80's.

They only released 6 albums in their 16 active years, the most revered being their debut "psycho candy" it's regularly included in best ever albums lists including Q and Rolling Stone.

They reformed for Coachella in 2007 and are currently working on a new album.