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Sonic Youth
 

Sonic Youth

Fact Sheet

Country  USA
Years active1981-
Sonic Youth is an experimental rock group formed in 1981.

Initially inspired by the noise experimentation of Glenn Branca--with whom most of the band have performed--as well as the heavy garage rock/acid-rock of The Stooges, they were known for using a variety of unorthodox guitar tunings, and for applying screwdrivers or other preparations to guitars to alter the instruments' timbre. Supposedly their name mocks the preponderance of bands with the name 'youth' in the title in NYC in the early 1980s. They were associated with the "No Wave" art/music scene in New York City, but have outlasted most associated bands.

Initially quite abraisive, Sonic Youth have gradually incorporated more conventional elements of pop music, while still maintaining an experimental quality.

Current Personnel

Moore and Gordon's long-term marriage was seen by some members of Generation X as a model of stable family life not based on either the "family values" of adherents of Ronald Reagan, nor on whatever unsuccessful things their parents had tried in the 1960s and 1970s.

Managing to stay afloat in the cut-throat music industry financially while maintaining some sense of self and dignity, Sonic Youth have proved highly influential on underground rock music. They were particularly important in the growth of grunge: their 1991 tour with the then-unknown Nirvana being captured in the film 1991: The Year Punk Broke.

In the meantime, members of the band diversified their talents. Kim Gordon started an MTV-adored fashion label X-Girl, based in L.A. Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore have played with many experimental/noise musicians, including William Hooker, Don Dietrich, and Christian Marclay, among others. Steve Shelley has been involved in running the Smells Like Records and SYR record labels, as well as playing in backing bands for Chan Marshall (Cat Power) and Two Dollar Guitar.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band began releasing a number of records on their own Hoboken, NJ-based label SYR. These records featured experimental artists such as Jim O'Rourke, Yoko Ono, and, on Goodbye 20th Century (1999), the works of experimental classical composers such as John Cage, Steve Reich and Christian Wolff.

The band was busy working on their 2002 album Murray Street in their NYC studio during the September 11 Terrorist Attack. They were kept out of the studio for several weeks following the attacks.

The band has advised that its new album Sonic Nurse will be released on June 7, 2004.

Former Personnel

Edson left the band to appear in movies such as Platoon and Stranger Than Paradise. Bert was later involved in No Wave descendants Pussy Galore and Boss Hogg, among others.



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