Sonic Youth

[ComfortablyNumb]

SONIC YOUTH

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Sonic Youth is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore (vocals and guitar), Kim Gordon (vocals, bass, guitar), Lee Ranaldo (vocals and guitar), Mark Ibold (bass) and Steve Shelley (drums).

In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City. Part of the first wave of American noise rock groups, the band carried out their interpretation of the hardcore punk ethos throughout the evolving American underground that focused more on the DIY ethic of the genre rather than its specific sound. As a result, some consider Sonic Youth as pivotal in the rise of the alternative rock movement. The band has experienced success and critical acclaim throughout the last three decades, continuing into the present.

Sonic Youth have expressed a wide variety of influences, ranging from the influential protopunk musician Patti Smith to composer John Cage. The band has been praised for having "redefined what rock guitar could do"by using a wide variety of unorthodox guitar tunings, and preparing guitars with objects like drumsticks and screwdrivers to alter the instruments' sound.
The tunings were painstakingly developed by Moore and Ranaldo during the band's rehearsals. Moore once reported that the odd tunings were an attempt to introduce new sounds: "When you're playing in standard tuning all the time ... things sound pretty standard." Rather than re-tune for every song, they generally use a particular guitar for one or two songs, and can take dozens of instruments on tour. This can be the source of much trouble for the band, as some songs rely on specific guitars that have been uniquely prepared.

Their main influences are Brigitte Fontaine, Patti Smith, Public Image Ltd (PiL) and The Stooges. Another major influence on Sonic Youth was hardcore punk.

Very cool band (they have been called the coolest band on the planet and I must agree with that).

Best albums to check out IMO are

Confusion Is Sex
Evol
Sister
Daydream Nation
Goo
Dirty
Washing Machine
A Thousand Leaves
Murray Street
Sonic Nurse
Rather Ripped
The Eternal

Also check out the movie 1991:The Year Punk Broke. It shows them on tour with Nirvana and many other bands.

 

[0000]

Definitely a different and really influential band... I don't listen to them, they are a bit too unique for me, too much noise, but very influential, and you can hear their influences which I like, the way their guitarists chemisty is reminds me of Television a bit which is cool, but as much as I like Television, Sonic Youth is not what I like to listen to

 

[Tattoo'd Lady]

oh man! i love Sonic Youth! great band, they have some really great material in the 80's. i think their recent output has been pretty good too

 

[Tiny Tim]

Sonic Youth is one of those bands in the Neil Young tradition where some of their records are mindblowingly awesome and others are unlistenable. I loved the era from EVOL to Dirty and some of their newer records are good. But A Thousand Leaves? Over my head I guess.

 

[Gabble Ratchet]

Does anyone have their latest album The Eternal? It's the only one I have and I quite like it! Antenna would be my favourite song from it:

 

[Tiny Tim]

Does anyone have their latest album The Eternal? It's the only one I have and I quite like it! Antenna would be my favourite song from it:

The Eternal and Rather Ripped are two of their recent records that I have really liked.

 

[Aktivator]

I like Sonic Youth. The 80's stuff is mostly excellent then it seems like they fell into the wrong mode and agree with others they have been real good again of late.

 

[Grunge]

There aren't bands like Sonic Youth. They are so, their own. Your opinion is much like mine, thumbs up recommendations.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

There aren't bands like Sonic Youth. They are so, their own. Your opinion is much like mine, thumbs up recommendations.

So so so so true.

Have you seen them live Grunge?

 

[Grunge]

So so so so true.

Have you seen them live Grunge?

No
Have you? And if you have, tell me how unforgettably rad it was.