Sonic+Youth

Back to Musical/Rhythmic Nir Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Kim Gordon, and Steve Shelley are known as Sonic Youth.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/revengeradio/2070382994/in/set-72157602732713650/

receiving good reviews from noted critics at the time || plays a two-week tour of Europe; while well-liked in Europe, not very popular in the US || London show, causing guitarist Thurston Moore to destroy it; though the band believed it was an inadequate performance, it actually gathered very positive reviews from major British music magazines and the band became popular in New York || a change in style; this receives mixed reviews as it featured slower, noisier and more repetitive songs which bored some but caught the attention of others. Their first music video was also produced, for "Death Valley '69" || becomes perhaps the band's most popular album; "Teen Age Riot" gets radio play; //Rolling Stone names the album [|45th best of the decade] // || Lollapalooza music festival || Simpsons and performs the show's theme song during the credits || regarded by some as the worst Sonic Youth album ever recorded (Pitchfork gave it a [|stellar 0.0] ), but some liked it ([|Robert Christgau], a former enemy of the band, gave it an "A") || [|Anniversary Jazzmaster Concert] , among greats such as J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., Tom Verlaine of Television, and Nels Cline || [|video interview] to Pitchfork Magazine || and Lee Ranaldo [|signature guitars] , custom iterations of Fender's Jazzmaster ||
 * **Year** || **Event** ||
 * 1981 || [|Sonic Youth] forms in New York, NY ||
 * 1982 || Releases its eponymous debut,
 * 1983 || Releases its second album and
 * 1984 || Band's gear stops working at a
 * 1985 || Releases //Bad Moon Rising//, marking
 * 1988 || Releases //Daydream Nation//, which
 * 1995 || Sonic Youth headlines the
 * 1996 || The band has cameos on The
 * 2000 || Releases //NYC Ghosts & Flowers//,
 * 2008 || Thurston Moore plays at Fender's 50th
 * 2009 || Releases //The Eternal// and grants a
 * 2009 || Fender introduces Thurston Moore

http://www.flickr.com/photos/revengeradio/1452850008/

Sonic Youth is a band which formed in New York and became part of the No Wave scene. The No Wave art movement, a very experimental scene unlike any other, did not last long, but Sonic Youth has. Unlike the other bands to emerge at the time, Sonic Youth attained both mainstream and underground success and continues to record music and play shows today. Their 1988 album //Daydream Nation// received the highest rating possible from [|PopMatters], [|Blender] , [|allmusic] , [|Pitchfork] , and [|Rolling Stone] , reaching #45 on Rolling Stone's "[|100 Best Albums of the Eighties]" list. In 2008, Fender invited Thurston Moore to play at its [|50th Anniversary of the Jazzmaster] concert. A year later, both Moore and Lee Ranaldo headed production of their own [|custom Fender guitars] to be sold to the public. Sonic Youth [|continues to tour] today.
 * Overview**

http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?display_article=328

Sonic Youth's two guitarists, Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, are known innovators in the music world, both for their musical style in general and on the guitar. They contributed to the popularization the Fender Jazzmaster, which they bought practically in bulk when they found out the guitars were cheap and well-made. They frequently played behind the bridge of the guitar ([|like the man third from the left is doing so in this picture; that's Nels Cline] ). Doing so created a high-pitched sound which was, until popularized, considered to be undesirable as sometimes it occurred by accident, muddling the tone of the guitar when played cleanly. Moore and Ranaldo also invented their own guitar tunings to change the sound and feel of their instruments, Moore saying "When you're playing in standard tuning all the time... things sound pretty standard." (Azerrad 243)
 * Departures in Guitar Playing**

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Leescrewdrivercropped.jpg

New guitar tunings were a method of being creative. Moore and Ranaldo conceived each tuning during the band's practices. The tunings often include several strings at the same pitch or at slightly different pitches, which makes a booming or droning effect depending on the way it is played. The band bought many guitars to accommodate each tuning, as retuning one or a few guitars during a performance often was not practical. Thus, they collected dozens of instruments, which can all be viewed [|here]. Some guitars would only be used for one or two songs. Requiring so many instruments sometimes caused problems with touring, as guitars were sometimes stolen or broken. Still, the new guitar tunings gathered attention toward Moore's and Ranaldo's playing and influenced the sound of Sonic Youth's music.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/sonic+youth+live/Sossysozzyouth/sy_88.jpg?o=11

during the No Wave art movement in New York City, a scene where, in music, dissonant and textural music was valued over melodic, mainstream sounds || During [|1982], the year after Sonic Youth's formation, the United States entered a deep recession || The hardcore punk scene that also emerged at the time of Sonic Youth's formation strived to avoid mainstream influence || the band's guitarists, attended art school at Binghamton University, a liberal arts college || The band's members were often short on money, causing them to experiment with different ways to alter the sound of their instruments || Thurston Moore believes that [|corporate greed and pop culture] should not be hailed as the most influential part of life || hardcore punk gained mainstream popularity in the 1980s, providing a strong background for the band and rationalizing their music to the public || Their shortage of money also led to the purchase of multiple cheap guitars, which influenced the creation of new tunings || At first the band relented in signing to a major record label; even when they released albums under Capitol (owned by EMI) and DGC, they persisted in holding their own beliefs || inhabitants struggles, affecting their early lyrics and attitude || Thurston Moore is smart with money: seeing other bands of his time make even more money with reunion tours, he wonders if Sonic Youth [|should have broken up], as they would be rich if the band had done so then had gotten back together for a reunion tour || Due to Sonic Youth's near- rejection of mainstream music and culture, their music remains unaffected by their success || played with Glenn Branca's band; Branca is known for making highly experimental music || In 2009, during the recession, Sonic Youth (or, at least, their record label Matador) made their music more affordable by releasing smaller formats of it, with a [|"Record Store Day"] planned to celebrate vinyl with the public || Some of the band's members were only blocks away when the September 11 attacks happened; they organized an All Tomorrow's Parties music festival for the United States (originally held in England) || media type="custom" key="5558149"
 * Social || Economic || Political ||
 * Sonic Youth formed
 * Lee Ranaldo, one of
 * Hard rock, metal, and
 * New York City gave many
 * Lee Ranaldo originally

a Sonic Youth quiz, for the youth. (answers at bottom, before Works Cited - it would make me very happy if you would try not to cheat):

1. In what city did Sonic Youth form?

a. Los Angeles, CA b. Brooklyn, NY c. New York City, NY d. Boston, MA

2. What short-lived, experimental art scene had a major impact on the band?

a. No Wave b. New Wave c. Neo-industrialism d. Communism

3. Which Sonic Youth album received the most critical praise, as well as inclusion on a certain //Rolling Stone// decade-related list?

a. //Bad Moon Rising// b. //Dirty// c. //Daydream Nation// d. All of the Above

4. On which popular television program did the band appear and perform a rendition of the theme song for the credits?

a. Seinfeld b. Family Guy c. Charles in Charge d. The Simpsons

5. Released in 2000, which of the band's albums received highly polarized reviews from different critics, including a 0.0 from Pitchfork and an "A" from Robert Christgau?

a. //Goo// b. //Dirty// c. //NYC Ghosts & Flowers// d. //Sonic Youth//

6. Why did Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, the band's guitarists, use the cheap, oft broken guitars they played?

a. They were cheap and the band did not have much money b. They held their tuning well c. They sounded better and suited the guitarists' style of playing d. Both a and c

7. Of these cheap guitars, which did Moore and Ranaldo help popularize and now have their own signature models made?

a. Fender Jazzmaster b. Fender Jaguar c. Gibson Les Paul d. Gibson Marauder

8. Were you paying attention to the pictures on this page? What object does Lee Ranaldo have in between his guitar strings and fretboard in the only close-up picture of him playing?

a. Drumstick b. Live kitten c. Screwdriver d. Another guitar

9. What experimental guitarist did Ranaldo also play with who influenced Sonic Youth's style?

a. J. J. Cale b. Lou Reed c. Iggy Pop d. Glenn Branca

10. What major event happened near where some of the band members stayed at the time that changed their perspectives?

a. JFK Assassination b. Assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan c. September 11, 2001 attacks d. Genocide in Darfur

Bonus: What is my current favorite Sonic Youth song?

a. Mote b. Dirty Boots c. 'Cross the Breeze d. Silver Rocket e. Titanium Exposé

Bonus 2: Which of these letters is NOT a correct answer on this quiz?

a. a b. b c. c d. d

Answers (CAUTION: SPOILER ALERT IF QUIZ NOT YET TAKEN):

1. c 2. a 3. c 4. d 5. c 6. d 7. a 8. c 9. d 10. c

Bonus: If you guessed a, b, c, d, or e, you are wrong. All of these songs are great, but I couldn't pick a favorite.

Bonus 2: None of these. The answer b was not used earlier, but if it were correct, referring back to the question would render the answer false.

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