Did Dinosaur Jr write a classic song about “the bug in the ointment”?
Alternative rock would be nowhere without Dinosaur Jr. Blending the sounds of the 1980s punk underground with a Stooges-esque approach to searing rock ‘n’ roll, their work is so vital that generations outside of their own laud them intensely. The J Mascis-led group is also noted for the miraculous consistency they’ve maintained throughout their career despite the changes in the lineup. Yet, it must be said that the original configuration, featuring bassist and co-vocalist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph, is their best.
Famously, Lou Barlow left under a cloud in 1989 after the release of the group’s third studio album, Bug, the previous year. Murph would hold on for a while longer, until leaving in 1993. Both proved to be significant losses, as their replacements never fully captured the lightning-in-a-bottle essence of the original trio for all of their individual brilliance.
After forming out of the hardcore group Deep Wound in 1984, Dinosaur rose to the vanguard of the emerging alternative rock scene. Forced to change their name to Dinosaur Jr due to a legal issue with another band, after this tweak to their brand and a celebrated self-titled under their original name, the scene was set to make history. Their 1987 second effort, You’re Living All Over Me, remains a genre cornerstone, featuring cuts such as ‘Little Fury Things’ and ‘The Lung’.
However, by the time the trio were recording their hotly-anticipated third record, 1988’s Bug, the tension between J Mascis and Barlow had become highly prominent. This would manifest in the music, with the album’s most famous song, ‘Freak Scene’, allegedly about the fracturing relationship. Mascis told Mojo: “‘Freak Scene’ is about a relationship with someone you wish it was easier to be in a relationship with – like, it should work out, but somehow it won’t.”
The friction between the guitarist and bassist became so intense that it negatively affected the band’s productivity. Accordingly, in 1989, Barlow was ejected after touring Bug. Instead, he focused on his project, Sebadoh, which he used as a conduit to express some of his feelings about what went down in Dinosaur Jr. In the song ‘The Freed Pig’ from 1991’s Sebadoh III, he makes his thoughts clear about his perceived ill-treatment in the trio.
As fans know, the band were still brilliant without Barlow, as albums like Green Mind, Where You Been and Without a Sound confirm. However, Barlow’s creative force and musical understanding with Mascis was a big miss. Luckily for everyone, things were eventually worked out, and Barlow and Murph rejoined the group in 2005. Picking up where they left, all of their subsequent work has been acclaimed.
Many have also interpreted the ‘Freak Scene’ as a manifestation of the tension between Mascis and Barlow. This is something Barlow also believed, telling the publication in 2005 that he was the “bug in the ointment”.
Referencing the album title, he said: “There was a ‘Bug’ in the ointment, and it was me.”
Despite his original comments, 16 years later, in the same magazine, Mascis denied that the song reflected the tensions in Dinosaur Jr. He maintained: “No, it’s definitely not about the situation in Dinosaur Jr”.
Barlow also told the publication that he’s surprised that ‘Freak Scene’ is so loved, as he doesn’t consider it one of the best moments on Bug. He asserted: “There are much better songs on Bug, like ‘They Always Come,’ ‘Let It Ride, ‘No Bones.’ I was surprised ‘Freak Scene’ was so simple and I was also surprised by how much people embraced it.”
