Dinosaur Jr.'s J Mascis on Rory Gallagher: "The energy he gave off was immense"

Rising to international attention as the singer, guitarist and primary songwriter for American alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., J Mascis is regarded as one of the greatest living guitarists. He has also released several solo albums, including his latest, Elastic Days, in 2018.

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Mike Johnson was the Dino bass player in the early ‘90s and he turned me on to a lot of great music. Rory and Taste became a favorite - I’d never sat down and listened to him before that. ‘What’s Going On’ really caught my ear. Mike also introduced me to On The Boards. That’s still my favorite

I was struck by the unique vision in Rory’s music – he played licks no one else would think of. The energy he gave off was immense. That’s all anyone can ask for: to get blasted by this intense energy. I still go back to Taste; I love a good power trio. On The Boards is a classic, and the first album has some great tracks too.

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The special Rory Gallagher 25th Anniversary Issue of Hot Press is available to order below – featuring reflections on Rory's legacy from President Michael D. Higgins, Imelda May, Johnny Marr, Mumford & Sons, Mick Fleetwood, Steve Van Zandt, Slash and many more.