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

[@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

[@jayala2637]

One of my all time favorite bands

[@calebmastronardi915]

They had been around for 11 years at that point

[@tonyelbows]

and still crappy.

[@Jma952]

@@tonyelbowsdood they blow hahahahaha

[@CthulhuInc]

these minstrels will soothe my jangled nerves

[@mazurbeem]

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

[@mogmason6920]

Or “Are those drums rentals or yours?”

[@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

[@ryeinaldobettahavmamony7656]

The best late night show performance ever.

[@andrewd7316]

my right ear enjoyed this

[@jamesesposito37]

😂

[@pmbear]

I thought one of my AirPods wasn’t properly charged

[@nicholasmorling1076]

Hahaha

[@lamborghini_meltdown]

Sound test

[@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!

[@arclight2012]

Somewhere there’s an actual stereo upload of this, meanwhile I appreciate very much that this is here!

[@locatolaka]

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

[@paulerxx]

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

[@damienf.7543]

I think the additional guitarist and bassist are studio musicians

[@imnotarob0t1984]

someone has to make the annoying guitar noises on top of the track lol

[@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

[@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

[@billyastro2U]

I remember watching this episode when it first aired. I miss the “original” Jon Stewart Show that was on MTV. He had the BEST 90’s bands perform!!! ❤

[@joshuafult84]

Exciting new band and they are about 40 lmao

[@anonymousposter6671]

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

[@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 ❤

[@imnotarob0t1984]

it's crazy to think Kim Gordon was nearly 40 here... I didn't realize how much music they put out in the 80s until recently

[@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

[@Andromedan76]

So relaxing.

[@RealAsaMitaka]

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

[@nevereverville]

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

[@tylermcbeath5059]

Slide with a baseball bat? AMAZING!

[@ellie-kc4kj]

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

[@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

[@benbryson6598]

Notice paul joins in and tips his keyboard over?

[@richardshort311]

love them.

[@dk7934]

The baseball bat killed me

[@anniebellie1234]

this is so sickkkk

[@skuzzbunny]

ARE YOU ALL RIGHT???

[@WoRN808]

Royal Trux shirt.

[@karinadalbo6354]

Lot of love

[@herchelleonwood7463]

this song is written for Joe Cole , former roadie for Black Flag and Rollins band.

[@BrianKishreviews]

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

[@luziddr33m]

That was awesome!!!!!! 🤘😎🤘

[@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!

[@iii2187]

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

[@jlouis4407]

I think the comments were tongue in cheek

[@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.

[@miracles4u]

Love the nirvana outtro....

[@timmatthews1085]

But not the intro?

[@splattergore33]

100% !

[@mogwai142]

FUCK YEAH!!!

[@robsmissen4]

I honestly don't believe this happened. Just too much.

[@paoloantoniocuervo3735]

are you alright? 😄😁😃

[@ontheoutside6304]

thats a good jump

[@Badhabitches]

I feel like everyone at the enchantment under the sea dance

[@ANYWHO420]

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

[@brendonkellas9778]

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

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

David Michael Letterman 12 de abril de 1947 77 años. (78)

[@enyx.666]

never noticed how tall thurston was

[@js27-a5t]

That bass player in the back (not Kim, the dude behind her) is so nerdy, it's like someone's dad showed up to jam with them.

[@pmbear]

I was happy when the Louisville Slugger came out

[@cliffcox7643]

Why can't I play Superstar on YT for Sonic Youth?

[@imnotarob0t1984]

what country are you in? could be due to copyright reasons

[@cliffcox7643]

@@imnotarob0t1984 USA

[@seanh3488]

wow way to end off with the vine boom effect before it was cool. really puts the youth in sonic youth amirite

[@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.

[@roqueiii645]

que tiempos

[@dstock9855]

I love Thurston's jag

[@1176hambone]

Who are the other guys?

[@slimsantilli4476]

Dave is only 6 years older than Kim.

[@shawnsuave5694]

Weird guys, but I like their music

[@enricobarile77]

epic

[@christopherschullo6251]

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

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

THURSTON JOSEPH MOORE 25 DE JULIO DE 1958 64 AÑOS (65) (66) (67)

[@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

[@BIGeSTRING]

dat is nou aandacht trekkerij op het laatst. Dat was totaal niet nodig, maak gewoon muziek en laat die onzin achterwege. Ik ben er ook van overtuigd dat als ze het nu zelf terugzien dat ze denken, "nou nou, iets te overdreven".

[@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.

[@mavisbeeswax8136]

The 3 other guitarists get paid by hour on zero hour contracts 😅

[@stephenc3504]

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

[@orangerollsangelspit]

POOR THURSTON LMAO

[@abelisraelcruzayuso4682]

New young group??? 00:10

[@louie40205]

WTF are Paul Schaffer and those session musicians doing?

[@atomeyes99]

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

[@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.

[@christheant1431]

song name?

[@velocipastor739]

100% by sonic youth

[@yournamehere6002]

Kim was so sexy

[@neilryan4166]

Song title 💯% of nothing.

[@ponch2100]

Sounds mono too bad

[@freedomshapes]

Now you’re getting it

[@HerveMendell]

Are they avant garde or just annoying?

[@traxcanonch.2421]

Prolly never heard their other songs lmao

[@jturquoise]

No melody in sight Lol

[@kanikama9579]

Una tortura no metieron ninguna nota

[@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

[@johnnyslist9355]

Fake

[@briancraig1082]

What a fucking joke

[@fpicc8807]

Cringey Paul

[@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

[@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

[@shadowselfCA]

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

[@jaycliche8778]

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

[@neoneherefrom5836]

Wow this sucks

[@rjmaggio2187]

That was just awful....

[@dingosmith9932]

God help you ....