Been There All The Time - Dinosaur Jr.

2007

Been There All The Time - Dinosaur Jr. (2007) Director: Matt Dillon Era: Indie Rock Reunion Era (2007) - Mid-2000s alternative rock resurgence marked by original-lineup band reunions, lo-fi domestic aesthetics, and analog-warm visual grammar deployed against early HD production norms. High curatorial value as a documented artifact of one of indie rock's most significant reunion moments. Directed by a major Hollywood actor with deep roots in indie film culture, this video connects the underground rock scene to broader American bohemian cultural networks. Its lo-fi aesthetic, fast editing, and warm visual palette make it a representative example of mid-2000s indie music video production values, and it serves as a time capsule of the 2007 alternative rock landscape. Context: Released in April–May 2007, 'Been There All The Time' arrived as the lead single from Beyond, Dinosaur Jr.'s first album with their original lineup (J Mascis, Lou Barlow, Murph) since 1988's Bug, a gap of nearly two decades. The video's domestic, no-frills aesthetic mirrors the mid-2000s indie underground's rejection of high-budget MTV gloss, aligning with the aesthetic codes of labels like Fat Possum. The choice of actor-director Matt Dillon, himself a long-standing figure in indie/alternative film culture through Drugstore Cowboy and Singles, underscores the video's roots in a broader bohemian, art-world milieu. The clip embodies the reunion-era cultural moment where legacy alternative acts reaffirmed credibility through intimacy and understatement rather than spectacle. Director notes: Dillon was hired by Dinosaur Jr. to direct the music video for 'Been There All The Time,' the lead single from their 2007 reunion album Beyond (Fat Possum / PIAS). The video is described by contemporaneous sources as a 'relatively straight-forward living room-jam clip.' The clip features Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth) and his daughter Coco as guests. The video was promoted via MTV and covered by Stereogum upon its release in May 2007. This represents Dillon's known foray into music video direction as a filmmaker rather than as a performer/cameo.