Sonic Youth - Letterman 1992

This song is a copyright of Sonic Youth.
I don't own it in any way, shape or form.

[@firegold763]

This explains how Sonic Youth were underground in the 80s, at the time they've already did at least seven albums lmao and they called them "new band"

[@peterrutkowski8172]

That's because they sucked and still do.

[@basedmarlon]

And “exciting young band” half of the band were in their 30s and married

[@billepperson2662]

@@basedmarlon . . . To each other (heh)

[@squirtreynoldscinema]

@@basedmarlon Well to be fair Thurston looks 19 here!

[@literallyunderrated]

It was just the usual banter between Dave and Paul. Don’t make too much of it

[@calebmastronardi915]

They had been around for 11 years at that point

[@tonyelbows8045]

and still crappy.

[@DredgenX]

Thurston completely aware he was on live tv in front of millions of people, gave his absolute best! Legendary band

[@morbidmanmusic]

... yeah. He is unaware... ok. Fans are goofs.

[@DredgenX]

@@morbidmanmusic its true, in fact they told Thurston in advance the show would never be aired or even recorded, so yes I can see how he would be unaware of being on live tv, in a similar way that the beatles were exposed to millions of americans.

[@MathTravels]

Paul Schaefer: What key are you in? Sonic Youth: Yes

[@sebastianbjork1974]

😬

[@buckrogers7498]

Best Sonic Youth comment ever.

[@elalek8444]

B

[@thomas79marshall]

It's in G.

[@elalek8444]

B = si = yes

[@mazurbeem]

Every good Letterman set should end with "Are you alright, Paul?"

[@mogmason6920]

Or “Are those drums rentals or yours?”

[@ryeinaldobettahavmamony7656]

The best late night show performance ever.

[@redacted2275]

I was going to say that putting Sonic Youth together with Paul Shaffer's Band is the most avant-garde move on network TV but then Thurston falls on his butt right after I thought about it... I can't, I was holding my sides... Then I remembered that Paul's band used to be the supporting band to a lot of musical acts on the show in the late 80s, early 90s... they were quite talented. One of the best SY's TV appearances.

[@danielstoddart]

This is one of those situations on the Letterman show where they really should have let Sonic Youth play alone as a band. Two drummers, two bassists, and *three* guitarists? It's really too much and doesn't work with Sonic Youth's sound. They were such a self-contained band that it doesn't make sense to have them play with additional musicians.

[@HGZMO]

Art and noise rock. Beautiful psychedelic punk rock and exploring sounds

[@locatolaka]

paul and the house band trying to level up on noise rock

[@sly7642]

Love to hear loud amps buzzing on network TV when there’s a pause in the playing.

[@tommarney1561]

That's part of the song.

[@brandonmason388]

Seriously, everything’s so pristine nowadays. And sometimes partially or completely prerecorded. This was anything but!

[@andrewd7316]

my right ear enjoyed this

[@jamesesposito37]

😂

[@pmbear]

I thought one of my AirPods wasn’t properly charged

[@matthatter2849]

I saw this when it first aired. I remember when the show came back from commercial Dave said "Did we just see tempers actually flare?"

[@TreeLibrary]

I don’t get it

[@matthatter2849]

@TreeLibrary The performance or what I said that Dave said afterwards?

[@TreeLibrary]

Yeah the Letterman line

[@matthatter2849]

​@TreeLibrary He meant "Did we just see the two band members get angry at each other?"

[@TreeLibrary]

Ah because Thurston did his wrestle with Lee thing@@matthatter2849

[@joshuafult84]

Exciting new band and they are about 40 lmao

[@StuartwasDrinkell]

Brought all those good bands to Geffen introduced the Boredoms, The Make Up, Pussy Galore, Pavement... they can all point at Nirvana and god love 'em... but SY TILL I DIE - SONIC LIFE! though The Mighty Fall deserve to be named as do the Bauhaus and the Pixies... i was stuck in deep purple zep and floyd with exception of the coolest of weirdos who still tops the chart of my heart the CAPTAIN "Don Van Vliet" Beefheart that Spolight Kid the Discord King of Trout Mask infamy, until Kimberley Gordon stole my soul, with a wave of noise from messrs Moore, Ronaldo and Shelly... any insanity left over was quickly provided for by the Butthole Surfers and Ween! I miss those days of genuinely exiciting prospects!

[@youngjuahn]

That's the highest mic stand I've ever seen

[@GoldenEraMix1]

Really! Ahahah 😅

[@apullcan]

Based on how tall Thurston is, that mic stand is probably taller than most of the people watching this video lol

[@anonymousposter6671]

Me then: fuck yeah rock and roll! Me now: ouch, that’s gonna leave a bruise!

[@paulerxx]

3 guitarist and 2 bassist?? How have I never realize this.

[@damienf.7543]

I think the additional guitarist and bassist are studio musicians

[@neilryan4166]

Dave must have liked them because they appeared on his show again in 1994.

[@lamar4827]

nah, just money

[@JosephMoore-uh6ee]

They've done good stuff. Not here.

[@sonicdiablo8968]

@@lamar4827 ?

[@jayala2637]

Kim playing that base like a goddess ❤

[@EM-xj8hy]

Spectacular...

[@politicaltroll8920]

Not their TV debut, they performed on Night Music NBC’s show that ran after Letterman’s 11:30 spot years before this

[@johnfrenette]

Which was a flat-out brilliant show

[@tylermcbeath5059]

Slide with a baseball bat? AMAZING!

[@nevereverville]

I can’t understand why Paul and the house band always insisted on playing with the guest bands.

[@karinadalbo6354]

Lot of love

[@anniebellie1234]

this is so sickkkk

[@WoRN808]

Royal Trux shirt.

[@Badhabitches]

I feel like everyone at the enchantment under the sea dance

[@edwardbrumbaugh8461]

If you wanna keep time for the breaks to this song just hop up and down like Kim. KG knows how to keep time

[@luziddr33m]

That was awesome!!!!!! 🤘😎🤘

[@Andromedan3912]

So relaxing.

[@skuzzbunny]

ARE YOU ALL RIGHT???

[@BrianKishreviews]

he didn't shake steve shelly's hand :(

[@splattergore33]

100% !

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

THURSTON MOORE 25 DE JULIO DE 1958 64 AÑOS (65)

[@ANYWHO420]

Purple cracked lips and red circles around bloodshot eyes, great junkie look on thurston.

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

David Michael Letterman 12 de abril de 1947 76 años.

[@RealAsaMitaka]

i like how they had a baseball bat there just lying around

[@ontheoutside6304]

thats a good jump

[@miracles4u]

Love the nirvana outtro....

[@timmatthews1085]

But not the intro?

[@roqueiii645]

que tiempos

[@iii2187]

They were in their mid 30s, a fee albums, a lot of years in the underground at this time

[@pmbear]

I was happy when the Louisville Slugger came out

[@enricobarile77]

epic

[@christopherschullo6251]

Thought I heard a stranger...I'm bill.

[@ellie-kc4kj]

Thurston tripping over and then doubling down to make it look like he did it on purpose

[@AndySo2000]

why would pauls band play along with them? Kind of weird by today's standards. Love sonic youth though thanks for posting.

[@rosssteppling9975]

King krule was talking about something like this when asked about conan’s horn section playing with them. He agreed because it added another element to the song. How often will the chance to have a late night backing band join you? they’ve probably played this song 1000s of times, just the four of them on any other night.

[@paoloantoniocuervo3735]

are you alright? 😄😁😃

[@1176hambone]

Who are the other guys?

[@brendonkellas9778]

I always had to say to my mom or my friends, they have better songs when they see certain bands on tv.

[@orangerollsangelspit]

POOR THURSTON LMAO

[@lonkylaine]

Thanks to Nirvana for this appearance. And thanks to sonic youth for Nirvana to exist is first place.

[@redacted2275]

Not really: "Goo", SY's first release on a major label (Geffen), was released in 1990 and reached number 96 on the US Billboard 200, "Nevermind" was released only by the end of 91. It was SY who suggested that Geffen signed Nirvana in the first place, then SY took Nirvana on tours as supporting band. Geffen was investing hard on all of their rock bands at the time.

[@buckrogers7498]

@@redacted2275 That doesn't really contradict what Lonkylaine said though.

[@ZachisntReal]

I feel like sonic youth doesn’t get the recognition they deserve with kids these days. I’m gen-z and I taught one of my friends who sonic youth was even though they listen to Nirvana and wear their merch.

[@slimsantilli4476]

Dave is only 6 years older than Kim.

[@stephenc3504]

That was some funny fake falling all over the place . Lol . Good song , didnt need to prat fall though

[@christheant1431]

song name?

[@velocipastor739]

100% by sonic youth

[@cannedheat33]

They punked the fuck out of it to show up those session musicians. Fuck yeah😉👍👍

[@literallyunderrated]

I don’t think that was what they were going for

[@louie40205]

WTF are Paul Schaffer and those session musicians doing?

[@atomeyes99]

yeah....they were the original HELLO YOU FELLOW KIDS meme.

[@abelisraelcruzayuso4682]

New young group??? 00:10

[@awilltopower]

how is this band popular?

[@traxcanonch.2421]

Because they have good music?

[@alera1821]

@@traxcanonch.2421 haha, well if you like the sound of a monkey fighting a snake trapped in a bag with a distorted guitar then sure.

[@mpavilion3092]

Thurston going for cred by wearing an RTX tee - nice try, dude... ;)

[@danielstoddart]

Sonic Youth predates Royal Trux. And anyway, Royal Trux were a couple of junkies who spent their signing advance on drugs. Don't get me wrong, I still like "Twin Infinitives" and "Skulls." But Thurston needing "cred" from RT? That's hilarious.

[@mpavilion3092]

@@danielstoddart 🙄

[@louie40205]

Paul Shaffer trying to push is little keyboard off the edge just exemplifies the fact his stupid band should’ve sat this one out.

[@ponch2100]

Sounds mono too bad

[@freedomshapes]

Now you’re getting it

[@neilryan4166]

Song title 💯% of nothing.

[@user-th3ll8rl7i]

Are they avant garde or just annoying?

[@traxcanonch.2421]

Prolly never heard their other songs lmao

[@kanikama9579]

Una tortura no metieron ninguna nota

[@jturquoise]

No melody in sight Lol

[@johnnyslist9355]

Fake

[@briancraig1082]

What a fucking joke

[@fpicc8807]

Cringey Paul

[@fivehead6675]

A new young group... Kim Gordon was 40 years old! She was already an old fart

[@curly-d23]

There’s no need to be ageist.

[@CMHobbies]

Age is just a number

[@MoonshineH]

This sucks.

[@traxcanonch.2421]

Probably because there was another unnecessary guitarist and bassist playing with them.

[@MoonshineH]

@@traxcanonch.2421 And their music just sucks

[@caesarsneezer6992]

When those cute mugs wear off, we'll have the remnants of this awful song. C'mon, Sonic Youth, you can do better than that

[@clarkem4119]

God damn, you can barely tell what key it's in. So overrated.

[@neoneherefrom5836]

Wow this sucks

[@jaycliche8778]

this band really suck!!!!!!!!!! I feel sorry for the letterman backing them up!!! SMH

[@rjmaggio2187]

That was just awful....

[@dingosmith9932]

God help you ....