Photograph by Brantley Gutierrez
Alt-rock legends Dinosaur Jr. left fans longing for more when they split up in 1997. In 2005, they reunited for what was supposed to be a short tour supporting the re-issues of their first three records—and they haven't stopped recording music and touring since. Drummer Patrick "Murph" Murphy talks about the group's creative process, playing music for dads and getting to know the band all over again.
When you got back together in 2005, did you foresee touring and making more albums together?
No, not at all. Originally it was just to kind of do the reissues of those three—the first three records—and we were just going to kind of do some touring behind that, we really didn't have a plan. And then it just slowly started progressing from like a reunion band to like feeling like the band band again. Which is what it is now, like it just feels like the band again. Like nothing has changed.
How has it been different playing with the band this time around?
It's way better. We're just like better musicians. And I just, I have a lot more command over drums and the songs and like the communication is really good... J [Mascis] is really communicative. In the old days, there was like no communication, it was like pulling teeth. And I always felt like I was just flying by the seat of my pants every show. Whereas this time I just feel like I can really think about how I'm going to play these songs and play the show.
What is the makeup of your audiences like now? Is it more old fans or newer fans who just discovered you?
I mean, there's some of both. But I'm amazed, it's mainly like kids. Like new kids who are into us...it's way better...I was kind of worried about that in the beginning because it would kind of suck to play to a bunch of like 40-year-old dudes. I would much rather play to like you know screaming 22-year-olds than, you know, a bunch of dads.
How have you managed to maintain a fresh creative relationship in the band?
We just have this formula, you know. J's got a certain way he kind of works and that's just J, and he's really consistent and we just have a chemistry that...just works. There's not variations. It's a very kind of strict, creative process that we go by. There's a real formula and we're just kind of dialed in....at this point it's like this weird momentum that just keeps going.
What is that creative formula?
You know, more, I guess J is like a composer. You know, we let him pretty much dictate and write the songs and then like all the parts are pretty much done, the songs are done and then it's up to us to kind of interpret his songs and by the time Lou and I kind of jam them out and then J chimes in it starts sounding like Dinosaur...Dinosaur Jr. and that's just our process. And it works great, because J's a total composer, like he's not like anybody I've ever worked with and he keeps....he's kind of thinking about everything all at once.
Any key tracks people should listen to before seeing you at LouFest?
I would just say like Living All Over Me, and always pit it against Farm or some of the new stuff. And also try to educate yourself on some of the like '80s hardcore and some of the bands that were around in the mid- to late-'80s, and kind of think about us in relation to that. That would probably be a really good way to kind of get to us, familiarize yourself with us.
Catch Dinosaur, Jr. Saturday, August 25 at 7 p.m. For more info, go to loufest.com.
