– under an accidental name
THE journey to “Start Choppin” goes back to a show in Santa Cruz in June 1991, when Dinosaur Jr – singer/guitarist J Mascis, bassist Mike Johnson and drummer Patrick Murphy – were watching their young support act impressed. As Nirvana blazed through a powerful set, Mascis turned to Murph and said, “This band is going to change everything.”
They certainly did. By the time Dinosaur Jr arrived at Dreamland Studio near Woodstock in autumn 1992, alternative rock was on mainstream rock radio, videos were on MTV, and bands like Pixies and Sonic Youth were on David Letterman. “Start Choppin” – the second single from Where You Been, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year – fitted the musical mood. It was recorded and mixed by John Agnello, who had worked with mainstream artists like Cyndi Lauper. He endeavoured to capture Dino’s unique sound as cleanly as possible. Although “Start Choppin” was the poppiest song on the album, it still featured gnarly guitars, a pummelling rhythm and Mascis’ trademark slacker vocals. The track was an alternative hit in the US, while in the UK it went to No 20. The parent album was a UK No 10 and sold 250,000 copies in the US – the band play the album in full this month at the Garage in London.
Such success was unexpected but not unwelcome. Dinosaur Jr had formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1984, eventually settling into, Barlow left in 1989 following constant clashes with Mascis. The band regrouped, signed to Warners through Sire, and added Johnson on bass as they entered their commercial peak.
