The Day I Met j

[OriginalPosterLost]

We all know of J mascis as this epic, this guitaring god, the leading light of indie rock, the overlord of sonic fuzz. We all know this, that’s why we are here. Yet most can sense that there is more to it than that. One thing about J’s music is that while it tends to satisfy all neurosis it still leaves a certain dissatisfaction, namely a disconnection from the true epic of the music, J himself. Drawn so close to the music yet remaining so distant from its creator. (I cant help but make the connection to life, lets face it how close are any of us to our creator)
So, I have a couple of tickets to the show in Toronto. A show I have been waiting on for about 4 years now. I get down town at about 5:00. In a few hours, I muse to myself, I am going to be watching this man, J mascis, pull and twist at his guitar creating ear bleeding sounds that seem to talk to my insides, numbed distorted vocals that I can’t keep out even if i wanted to. Yet that distance will remain, I’m in the crowd he is on the stage, and there really isn’t a way to bridge that final gap. Maybe thats the way it should be. Yeah thats the way things are meant to go, I insist to myself. I pop in at edge 102, rumour has it j is going to be there at 7:00, low and behold the rumour is true. Not only is he going to be there but he is going to play acoustically. Suddenly and quite unexpectedley i am faced with the very real possibility of coming face to face with what I have always percieved to be such a distant figure. 7:00 rolls around, there is maybe 30 people in the studio at the most. In walks, yes, Jmascis, mike watt, and george berz. "J whats up?" I call. "Heh" he responds. That simple response, "Heh" sent chills down my spine, not to be melo dramatic but I feel a lot in my life has been leading up to that "heh". It was perfect, he couldn’t have said more in saying so little. This structure, saying so much in so little continues. He plays sameday answers a few questions and then walks over to a table to sign some stuff. If it seems like events are moving quickly its beacause this is just how it felt at the time. On his way over to the table i have to stop him, This is the closest I’ve ever been and that moment in time wasn’t just going to roll on by. I shake his hand and ask if i can take apicture with him. "Sure" he says. I throw a friend my camera and put my arm around his shoulder, he puts his arm around mine, i think this man is warmer, and more intimate then he lets on, but who am I to assume anything. I hand him an envelope with a fan letter inside, I dont even remember what i had wrote, I have a feeling that I didn’t say what I had wanted. He stuffs it in the pocket of the purple cardigan he was wearing at the time. I hope he read it, or maybe I dont. Anyway, I quickly became the gushing fan, something I had promised myself I wouldn’t do. J took it all in a stride remaining entirely below it, where I think he likes to be.
The day I met J certainly will not be forgotten. I still dont feel that I have really made any connection, other than the purely physical meeting.Yeah maybe thats just the way things are meant to go, I insist to myself.

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[OriginalPosterLost]

Wow, you put a lot of thought into the whole situation. That’s cool though. You should post the picture somewhere so that we can all see it.

By the way, are you by chance a fan of Dismemberment Plan? (In case you’re not, they have a song called "Spider in the Snow.")

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"If you can’t pay money… At least pay attention!" – My Dad

[OriginalPosterLost]

I agree [img]http://www.freakscene.net/ubb/smilies/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Very cool post. You know we have an image upload button when you post to make it easy [img]http://www.freakscene.net/ubb/smilies/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Anyway, thanks for sharing this with us. Very cool to hear other peoples experiences with it.

jeremiah

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[img]http://www.freakscene.net/ubb/smilies/18.gif[/img]
jeremiah

[OriginalPosterLost]

That is one wicked story man. I think you and me are on the same level. Ive been listening to Dinosaur Jr for about six years now and my dream is to meet the man himself. I’m going to the Brisbane show so hopefully a chance will pop up.

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M.deasy

[OriginalPosterLost]

I guess I’ll share my story with meeting J. too, now that you’ve inspired me.

I saw J. play a few months ago, but I actually met him about 2 years ago. My friend and I went to Spaceland in LA to see him do an acoustic show. The friend that I went with is an actor, pretty well known and I also work in the entertainment business. We have met and worked along side many celebrities and musicians and it’s just work…you know? You don’t think about it. Well, my friend and I saw J. disappear behind a curtain and we just looked at each other and went in for the kill. We were determined to talk to him and get our picture taken. My friend and I went up to J. and we were stumped. We acted like two star-struck idiots. We were completely tongue twisted and talking like total geeks. I felt like I was 16 again, because I had dug his music for so long and had seen him play a few times in Philly. J. was looking at us, like "what?" So my friend just starts talking and talking and talking about how we love his music, etc. and J. looks completely overwhelmed. I was perceptive to that, so I told him that I liked him in "Gas, Food, Lodging" and J. replied with "Oh, my acting debut?" and he smiled. He seemed a little less freaked out then. My friend and I felt a little calmer too, so I asked him for a picture and he was so sweet about it. I will post it when I have a chance. I went to see J. a few months ago at the Troubadour and I passed by him, and I just thought to myself, "i’m not going to humiliate myself again!"

On a completely different topic, I went to see Lou Barlow do an acoustic show a few months ago, and it was literally the worst thing ever. My roommate and I actually felt bad for the guy. We were waiting for him to bust out with "Peace Train" by Cat Stevens.

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[OriginalPosterLost]

if i were ever so lucky to met J me and my best friend would totally do the were not worthy thing from Waynes World, i hope it wont freak J out, ohh and keep on watching Comedy Central they played the J Saturday night live the other day

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"You look down at me and see a fool, you look up at me and see your lord, you look at me and see yourself"
Charles Manson

[fata morgana]

The worst thing about not reaching out to someone is that you’ll never know. It will never change your lousy half-assed life,you will never know happiness and the lot. J. was there, two feet away from me, I mean, he brushed past me, and all I could think of were excuses on how NOT to talk to him. How I couldn’t find anything interesting to say, how I couldn’t find one lousy question to break the ice, so on… And, of course, now, it’s too late. Will there be a next time? One can only hope.

[dennisjoyce]

My experiences meeting celebrities are all very bittersweet. I met J. last night at the Wetlands in New York City after the show. Perhaps I did not know the correct protocol but I went up to him and said great show and shook his hand and made a few comments. His response was lukewarm then and the other times I said something quick throughout the next twenty minutes when I passed him. It then occurred to me that this may "just be J." as he is always described as being more reserved and slackerish. Regardless I feel lucky to have met two of my heroes from high school (Evan Dando was there as well) and was lucky to overhear a J Mascis/Evan Dando conversation. I just can’t help feeling that maybe I should not have had such a "I not worthy attitude" and more like the jaded record exec who doesn’t even listen to J. Mascis and is just there for the free beer and girls. [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[aholeronald]

denn, you lucky bastard, you! evan dando and j mascis are two of my all time fav performers too! so, why don’t you divulge what they were talking about if you can remember. maybe evan was asking j if he could put in a good word for him to the execs at ultimatum. i guess he has some new material but can’t find any record companies to put it out. that would be too sweet if he could get picked up by ultimatum too, then he a j could go on tour together and sing duets [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] and all that good stuff.

[dennisjoyce]

They were talking about skiing. It was the weirdest thing. They were both really slackery and kind of out of it. I would love to say that they were getting down in dirty about the state of rock and roll. But instead it was more like the type of conversation you have when your just chit chatting with and old friend. Like I said before it was a bittersweet encounter. The whole time I had the feeling I did not belong there and I should leave. But it was a memorable experience anyway. I thought I would be able to engage them in a small conversation like Wayne and Garth did with Alice Cooper. But it was more like a blowoff. It was probably my fault for being backstage when I didn’t belong there. I hope I did not make a fool out of myself. [img]images/smiles/icon_redface.gif[/img]

[aholeronald]

whoops, i didn’t mean to post so many times!

hey denn, i wouldn’t worry too much if you thought you made a fool of yourself or not. you were just trying to engage in friendly conversation, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. just because j and evan are "stars", doesn’t mean they should be looked at as unapproachable. i’m impressed you had the nuts to even try, i know i would have been much too intimidated and in awe to say anything. i’m going to see evan at the end of the month in minneapolis, maybe i’ll heckle him a bit to get him back for blowing you off. Later, ahole

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