Sonic Youth

[Shinmaru]

Even though I don't get a chance to listen to them as much as I used to (damn you, school!), Sonic Youth still remains one of my favorite bands of all time (and pretty much the reason I branched out into more forms of music).

I don't know that much of their history, but I'll give you what I can remember.

Sonic Youth (composed of Thurston Moore, Lee Ronaldo, Kim Gordon, and Steve Shelley, who joined the group in 1985) formed in 1981 in New York. I believe their first real album was Confusion in Sex, which was released in 1983. It was three years before they released a string of albums, E.V.O.L, Sister, and Daydream Nation. Of these, I've only had the chance to hear Confusion in Sex and I liked it a lot.

Goo, released in 1990, was their major label debut, and where they started to pick up a lot of fans. Sonic Youth was packed in with the wave of grunge music and were pretty popular at the time (along with another of my favorite bands, Mudhoney). My favorite album of their's, however, is definitely Washing Machine...my God, what an amazing album. Sonic Youth has always been know for having some wacked out, amazing guitar lines and they really shine with this album. I really can't say enough good things about it.

This is all I can conjure up right now, though. Most of my thinking is dedicated to homework right now, bleh. I need to catch up on my Sonic Youth history. I'm sure Semjaza knows a thing or two about them, heh (probably a thing or two times what I know about them).

[Semjaza]

It was funny when I saw this thread... mostly because it was really, really unexpected.... but also because I was playing something off of Daydream Nation. That has a lot of good tracks, but Washing Machine is still the best I've heard. I don't have much to add. Sonic Youth are a favorite band of mine, although they've yet to break into a top spot.

I like them for a few reasons. The main one being the similiarities to my favorite band, the Pixies. Both just know how to rock, relying mostly on guitar work to do everything. Both bands also switch between male and female vocals, although it's a focal point in Sonic Youth. In the Pixies, it seems it was mostly just so Kim Deal would stop complaining (she never felt she got enough vocal time in the band).

You can tell they could really be a break out band if they wanted to be. I've seen their videos on MTV, they've had a couple hits and they were on the Simpsons (they even did the ending song for the episode)... but they seem to keep themselves just behind that level. They always have some weird tracks on their disc or odd parts to song that just keep them from being totally radio friendly. I've always like this aspect of them.

My only problem with Sonic Youth is that I feel some of their songs are just way too long. I don't mind long songs, but these guys take it to a new level at times... especially since some just seem to drone on and one with no end in sight. This is fine at the end of a CD, but I don't think I should have to listen to a wall of guitar noise for three minutes after the main part of the song has ended when I'm only on track 2.

[Shinmaru]

Yeah, some of their songs just stretch on endlessly. You get to the point where you think it's over and...it just keeps on going.

I always felt that Sonic Youth could've been ultra-famous and be rich millionaires if they wanted to, because they definitely had the talent and the know-how to break into the mainstream. But I also respected that they just included whatever the hell they wanted to put on their albums. I tend to lose a bit of respect for people who compromise their integrity just to strike it rich.

And I liked how they just all of a sudden appeared out of nowhere in that Simpsons episode. The main focus was on Smashing Pumpkins, Peter Frampton and Cypress Hill and then Sonic Youth pops out of nowhere at the end of the episode. I always thought that was cool for some reason lol.

[Genkai]

Yeah, God Bless Allmusic.com for my introduction to Sonic Youth.. And my brother.. And Banana Yoshimoto.. So many positive reviews or people who liked them or something along those lines, I just had to get into them. They simply know what they are doing and how to do it.

I think that Sonic Youth has and never had any desire to be ultra popular. They're in it for the music, and that's it. They never need to be on MTV or whatever, they just like being Sonic Youth.. I dunno, something about them makes me think they would do what they do no matter what.

I love long songs?prolongs the greatness.. Even if the musical orgasm is over, I'm still ready for more, y'know what I mean? Okay, maybe that was the wrong analogy.

[Semjaza]

Well I wasn't implying that they wanted to break through or anything. It's just so obvious that they could if they tweaked one or two things, but they always keep it just out of reach. They're always just on the fringe of things, if they're not totally ******* up that fringe instead. They've had all the chances in the world to give in and so far, they really haven't. I just have a lot of respect for that I guess.

This reminds me of another favorite band of mine... the Butthole Surfers. They are similiar to Sonic Youth in many ways. They both seem to have the same philosophy almost.