The band was originally called "Dinosaur", but changed its name following the release of its debut album Dinosaur in 1985, after a band called Dinosaurs, featuring ex-members of Country Joe and the Fish and Jefferson Airplane, threatened them with legal action. (They still used the name Dinosaur on their albums until 1987 at the latest, and some copies of You're Living All Over Me still lack the "Jr").
In 1987, Dinosaur Jr. signed to SST Records on the recommendation of Sonic Youth, and with them released what is often considered their best album, You're Living All Over Me. Bug followed the next year, an album which, in the UK, was released by Paul Smith's Blast First Records (home to Sonic Youth, Big Black and Butthole Surfers). During this period Dinosaur Jr. became known for their very loud concerts.
Despite not gaining much commercial success, the band has enjoyed something of a cult following. The success of singles Freak Scene and Just Like Heaven, and recommendations from the likes of Sonic Youth saw them signed by Warner Brothers. The signature Dinosaur Jr. sound is the melodic tunes saturated in layers of guitar noise and punctuated by J Mascis' elaborate, yet laconic guitar solos. They were a major influence on the up-and-coming band Nirvana.
Tensions ran high between Mascis and Barlow, and in 1989 Barlow was kicked out of the band. As a result, Barlow continued to work with his own band, Sebadoh. The two famously fell out on stage with Mascis attacking Barlow. Dinosaur Jr. subsequently became little more than a pseudonym for Mascis. He switched labels to Blanco y Negro in the UK, Warner/Sire in the US, with Green Mind (1991) being his first release in that deal.
After Barlow left the band, Van Conner, from the Screaming Trees, played bass for at least one live show in 1990, and Donna Dresch, from Team Dresch played bass at least once live with the band in 1990.
In 1991, Mike Johnson joined Dinosaur Jr as full-time bass player. He was in the band for 1991's Whatever's Cool With Me, 1993's Where You Been, 1994's Without A Sound, and 1997's Hand It Over.
Murph left the band in late 1993, after the Lollapalooza tour.
George Berz took over on drums, and drummed from 1994-1997. He was on Without A Sound, and Hand It Over. He later drummed for J Mascis + the Fog in 2000, 2001, and 2003.
Through the 90s, Mascis sometimes explored quieter and more tranquil shores than Dinosaur Jr. had in the 80s. The band formed part of the 1992 "Rollercoaster" tour. A package tour based on the successful "Lollapalooza". The tour featured The Jesus & Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine & Blur. On the 1993 release, Where You Been, the opening track ("Out There") had an accompanying video and was aired on MTV for a short time. After 1994's Without a Sound and 1997's Hand It Over, Mascis began to release albums with the band J Mascis and the Fog.
In 2004, J Mascis regained the master rights to the first three Dinosaur Jr. albums from SST, and arranged for their reissue on the Merge label in early 2005. The reissues coincided with an announcement that the original lineup of J Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph (Emmett Patrick Murphy) were reuniting for a summer tour. The success of this tour resulted in a new album entitled Beyond (2007) and single Been There All The Time. They are Lou Barlow's first recording with the band since 1989. The original line-up of Dinosaur Jr. has been touring extensively since 2005. They are currently on a world tour.
On February 20, 2009, Pitchfork Media announced that the band had signed with indie label Jagjaguwar, and their first release on the label entitled Farm was released June 23, 2009, to largely positive reviews.
Almost Ready
Dinosaur Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Asking, but I'm always scared
Asking 'cause I want to care again
Come on life
I'm almost ready
Not right
I'm almost ready
Wondering if I made a dent
Wondering what it is you meant again
Come on life
I'm almost ready
Not right
I'm almost ready
Can you see me there?
Cause I'm not sure
See me, 'cause I lost my nerve
See me there, 'cause I feel worse again
Come on life
I'm almost ready
Not right
I'm almost ready
Let me find the truth I will attack
Find the truth, I won't go back
Find the truth, I'm way off track again
Come on life
I'm almost ready
Not right
I'm almost ready
Come on life
I'm almost ready
Not right
I'm almost ready
I'm almost ready
I'm almost ready
The song Almost Ready by Dinosaur Jr. is about a person who is questioning the existence of a loved one. They have been asking around and wondering if this person is still present in their life. However, they are struggling with fear and uncertainty about the answer they may receive. The singer states that they want to care again, indicating that there may have been a past experience leading them to feel withdrawn from relationships.
Asking if someone is there can be a tough and vulnerable question to ask. The repeated lines, "Come on life, I'm almost ready. Not right, I'm almost ready," show a sense of readiness and an eagerness to face the truth. The singer is on the precipice of confronting their situation, but they are not entirely ready yet. They want life to signal them when the time is right to be bold.
The chorus of the song shows a sense of hopelessness and the struggle to face reality. The singer may be experiencing self-doubt, which ties into the message of the song. The search for the truth is risky, but it’s an important step for the singer to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been asking 'round if you were there
I've been asking people if they have seen you around because I am curious about your whereabouts.
Asking, but I'm always scared
Despite my curiosity, I am hesitant to ask directly because I am afraid of the answer.
Asking 'cause I want to care again
I am asking about you because I want to start caring about something or someone again.
Come on life
Life, I am relying on you to provide me with the answers I am seeking.
I'm almost ready
I am almost prepared for whatever answer I may get.
Not right
I know that I am not completely ready, but I am trying.
I've been wondering if the message sent
I am contemplating whether or not the message I sent was received.
Wondering if I made a dent
I am unsure if the message I sent had any impact at all.
Wondering what it is you meant again
I am left wondering about the meaning behind your actions or words once again.
Can you see me there?
I am unsure if you even notice me or if I am visible to you.
Cause I'm not sure
I am uncertain about my own visibility and place in your life.
See me, 'cause I lost my nerve
If you can see me, it is likely because I worked up the courage to make myself visible.
See me there, 'cause I feel worse again
I want you to see me because I am feeling worse and need someone to notice me.
Let me find the truth I will attack
I am on a mission to find the truth and I will stop at nothing to uncover it.
Find the truth, I won't go back
I am determined to find the truth and will not give up until I do.
Find the truth, I'm way off track again
Despite my determination, I am still struggling to find the answers I seek.
I'm almost ready
I am getting closer to being ready for whatever answer I may get.
I'm almost ready
I am still working towards being fully prepared for the truth.
Come on life
Again, I am relying on life to provide me with the answers I need.
I'm almost ready
I am nearly ready to accept and handle the truth.
Not right
Although I am almost ready, I still know that I am not fully prepared yet.
I'm almost ready
I am very close to being ready for whatever comes next.
I'm almost ready
I am working hard to be fully prepared and accepting of the truth.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOSEPH DONALD MASCIS JR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind