J Mascis suffered two broken vertebrae in his back yesterday in an auto accident in Sweden. Mascis and his band, the Fog, were traveling to a June 18th tour date in Germany, when the tour van was apparently cut off by another car and skid off the highway.

An ambulance was directly behind the accident, and the band members received immediate medical attention. The rest of the Fog suffered only cuts and bruises, but Mascis was taken to a hospital in Halmstead, Sweden. According to a source at Mascis' German label, Mascis is in good spirits and that he should make a full recovery. He is expected to return to the U.S. today.

J Mascis and the Fog began their European tour on June 1st in Nottingham, England. Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton had joined them for a series of other U.K. dates. The tour was to have concluded on June 24th at the Hurricane Festival in Scheessel, Germany (with Weezer, Iggy Pop and Everclear), but due to Mascis' injuries remainder of the dates have been cancelled.

ANDREW DANSBY
(June 18, 2001)