Freakscene: The Story of Dinosaur Jr.

One of the most influential bands to emerge from the 1980s underground, East Coast rock legends Dinosaur Jr. laid the foundation for the grunge and alt-rock explosion of the 1990s with their ferocious mix of melody and distortion. This intimate documentary offers a rare glimpse into the complex dynamics between the band’s members—enigmatic singer and guitarist J Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow, and drummer Murph—who, despite a famously turbulent personal history (falling-outs, firings, breakups, reunions), put their uncompromising approach to music above all else. As the unlikely guitar hero Mascis puts it: “I don’t know where people got this idea that music was supposed to be fun. It never occurred to us that it was supposed to be fun.” Fellow indie veterans including Henry Rollins, Frank Black, Kim Gordon, and Kevin Shields are all on hand to pay tribute to the band’s formidable legacy.