The UGLY BREAKUP of Sonic Youth. Will They Reunite?

The ugly breakup of Sonic Youth and is there a chance they could reunite?
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Hailing from Manhattan’s lower east side in the early 80’s Sonic Youth was part of the experimental no wave art and music scene before changing their sound and becoming prominent members of the American noise rock scene. Author David Browne best described the no-wave scene as a time when "art, music, illustration - all were in the process of being torn down, reassembled, and combined with other media."
Sonic Youths classic lineup was made up of vocalist and bassist, Kim Gordon, guitaristThurston Moore, guitarist Lee Ranaldo, and drummer Steve Shelley, and they were credited with doing things with guitar that hadn’t really been done before. That included - creating sounds with strangely tuned guitars, using feedback and placing objects on or between between the strings such as drum sticks and power drills. Author Michael Azzerad who has written extensively about America’s indie underground rock scene said the following of sonic youth’s sound:
[Sonic Youth] could only afford cheap guitars, and cheap guitars sounded like cheap guitars. But with weird tunings or something jammed under a particular fret, those humble instruments could sound rather amazing - bang a drum stick on a cheap Japanese Stratocaster copy in the right tuning, crank the amplifier to within an inch of its life and it will sound like church bells
Sonic Youth was also huge influence on the alternative rock acts who followed in their footsteps most notably Nirvana who claimed even after the release of their juggernaut album Nevermind that they wanted to be like Sonic Youth.
Sonic Youth became one of the most popular yet staunchly independent bands throughout the 80’s in the United States. The band spent a good chunk of the decade releasing albums on independent labels with their streak ending after the release of 1988’s two-disc Daydream Nation.
The album received universal acclaim from critics, making many best of lists with some considering it sonic youth’s best work of their career. They nabbed the number 1 spot on the charts on the alternative chart in america and were voted top tten best bands in japan and played a few concert dates in the former soviet unionDespite the accolades, the album was met with modest sales and. The band was disappointed with how the their record label Enigma promoted the album and how they were being treated. The label was suffering from distribution and financial issues, so Sonic Youth would leave them the following year and signed with DGC, which was owned by Geffen Records. It wasn’t just labels they were leaving but cities too. The band contemplated leaving new york city, finding the city too run down and violent with gordon telling the mami herald. It’s gotten realy ugly. The crack problems has caused more street people and homeless people. I don’t know where else we’d move.
Their first release with Geffen 1990’s Goo, was their biggest album of their career up until that point . They spent 150,000 making the record, which was more than 5x times the recording budgets of any of their past records. The album netted the band their first appearance on the billboard 200 charts with the album selling in excess of 100,000 units and yielding the hit song Kool Thing. The album peaked at number 96 on the charts.The album proved that Sonic Youth they didn’t have to sacrifice their experimental sound while at the same time being radio friendly. They soon upgraded from playing late night clubs to playing auditoriums. The band was no apologetic about signing to a major label with Gordon telling the miami herald “if you’re not on a major label, the music industry actsl ike you don’t exist. That’s kind of annoying. Adding that she saw a lot in common with rap music claiming both the band and rap involve lots of layering. Of textures. In fact, Public Enemy’s Chuck D even guest starred on kool thing. Gordon even interviewed LL Cool J for spin magazine - an interview that came off as les than flattering of the rapper. By the early 90’s the band’s name was misleading, the youngest member was 28 while the oldest was 37 and they had a fully realized sound. Sonic Youth were already ehld up as a sort of elder statesoducer butch vig and mixer andy wallace, both of whom

[@rnrtruestories]

what other topics do you want to see me cover? Throw suggestions below!

[@CupofCloud]

@@rnrtruestories The Cure's epic comeback album, Songs Of A Lost World, after 16 Years of no releases. Please!

[@vratyasvakyas6022]

Mike Portnoy's departure and eventual return to Dream Theater please! 🙏

[@villainwolf]

Smashed Gladys

[@LostHorizons0]

Sunny day real estate for the 100000th time

[@chrisfrench8006]

HIM

[@robertweikel5796]

They still send me a happy birthday email every year. One year, they were the only one besides my mom to wish me a happy birthday. It sounds sad but I think it's funny. And I signed up on their website in the late 90s, so they've been wishing me a happy birthday for a quarter of a century and a decade after their break up. Of course, I know that it's just an automated thing, but I still think it's pretty cool that after all these years, it still gets sent out

[@joeshepherd6159]

Only an American person would find that cool.

[@valley_robot]

Im british and i want sonic youth to wish me happy birthday . I used to talk to the lead singer of the chameleons Mark Burgess on his website in the late 90s , its the little things that matter

[@sixxjr]

​@@joeshepherd6159no one gives a shit about England, brother

[@michaelkenyon6173]

@@joeshepherd6159your insult reveals your immaturity. Sad.

[@DennisDaleUntethered]

​@joeshepherd6159 only a miserable f-ck would not find it cool

[@MisfitJ74]

I don't wanna... I don't think so...

[@jnyfumare]

😂

[@rexchiquine6049]

@@MisfitJ74 exactly,,,ExAcTlY,,,

[@rexchiquine6049]

@@MisfitJ74 you got 118 likes,,,you win,,,

[@misterwin2393]

I've heard Kim Gordon's new album, and I don't think they need to reunite at all. She knows EXACTLY what she's doing, and it's... Glorious

[@kicksex]

With such a huge history, I think you did Sonic Youth about as much justice as you possibly could in 13 mins. And this is coming from a huge fan. Well done!

[@rnrtruestories]

I’ll be going back and revisiting their albums

[@kicksex]

@@rnrtruestoriesmy favorite era is probably the washing machine/ 1000 leaves /Murray street era But I love all their albums

[@JamieTannerPresents]

@@rnrtruestories I love Rather Ripped. Mature Youth was great they are not just Sister and Daydream Nation

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

@@rnrtruestories I think "Bad Moon Rising" was their best. Total dada rock. "Sister" really great too. "Evol" was too produced sounding yet "Daydream Nation" too underproduced. "Dirty" is not my favorite LP but the production is perfect. Kinda makes me think Butch Vig should go remix the albums I mentioned.

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

@@JamieTannerPresents That album was OK. Too much Kim Gordon though. She had no business doing more than two songs. Lee Renaldo should have had more tunes as usual. Was interesting to hear them play standard tuned guitars. That's probably why the record had sort of a "mature" sound.

[@justsomedudeyouknow8372]

Someone would have to be pretty naive or stupid to think you could cheat on your partner that you're in a band with and it wouldn't affect the band at all/wouldn't cause a breakup.

[@lolah3838]

Exactly. Some of his social media posts are ridiculous. He sounds like a narcissist.

[@rexchiquine6049]

@@justsomedudeyouknow8372 variety is the spice of life,,,

[@zeitok8]

Whatever, I love all their discography.

[@rexchiquine6049]

@zeitok8 stop using those big words it's punk rock,,,

[@DeafmanDuhCyborg]

at least get a banging breakup, kimmy the coward shoulda kicked Thurston ass on stage at the last show... 2029 Reunion Kim Kicks Thurston A$$ on stage.... with instruments

[@carlosbengaly9128]

I was there on their last concert here in Brazil -- my first festival ever. Among all the mud, rain and chaos of that day, I was super happy to see one of my favourite bands back in the day, but I immediately noticed the band seemed tired and something just didn't seem right. The whole background behind the breakup only surfaced years after that. Seeing it in retrospective, I have mixed feelings about being able to see the last concert of one of the most influential artists of alternative rock, at the same time they were going through such a trauamtic moment due to some idiotic mid age crisis of one of the group's leader. Still, their legacy lives on -- and always will, at least to me. Great video!

[@Zepster77]

Get over it and quit judging people

[@alexbouvier6455]

@@Zepster77thurston moore burner account found

[@Zepster77]

@ 😹😹😹

[@TedDiabetes]

While I greatly admire Sonic Youth and understand their contributions and place in history, I've always found Thurston Moore to be insufferable. He's the textbook definition of pompous and pretentious. Him being surprised that Kim didn't wanna continue the band speaks volumes to that.

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

Newsflash. She is far more insufferable than he is. "Pompous and pretentious" should have been the title of her shit book.

[@JackFate76]

Others can do it. Big Thief for example.

[@davidprice7162]

Sonic Youth sucks. Bunch of talentless, white noise garbage. And if I was married to the worst bass player in history, I’d cheat on her too.

[@robertbloom4424]

@@JackFate76 Fleetwood Mac made it the band's identity.

[@kevinb7126]

He’s always been an elitist.

[@irenemerring]

He cheated horribly on her. It sounds like they tried to keep the work in tact for as long as they could until Kim couldn't stay silent any longer. A memoir is about your life and she wrote her truth. I've always admired her. She's tough and talented.

[@cactaceous]

So is Thurston. His ideas, songs and attitude impacted my generation greatly. To this day his solo music is very good.

[@irenemerring]

@cactaceous Both of their talents can exist at the same time. They do not cancel each other out

[@Triple_Crown25]

True. She also said in her book that they never had sex again after the birth of their child. It seemed like it was her idea. So, it sounds like she checked out of the marriage & he was young enough that he wanted an intimate partner. Cheating isn't cool, but it's no different than a lot of marriages with non-celebs. It happens & the one cheated on always feels angry & betrayed. It's also cowardly. Such is life.

[@Karaokeparty2025]

💯

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

She's a creep. Not much talent either.

[@andyb7638]

Shelley’s an underrated drummer. Ranaldo had the best songs.

[@matthews7805]

True dat, True dat. Ronaldo's solo albums stand on their own also.

[@Noloveforspectre]

Yeah Thurston songs sucks except incinerate,kim songs were the best ones

[@iank1130]

Best drummer the Crucifucks ever had. RIP.

[@davidroberts454]

@@Noloveforspectre You really think Thurston only had ONE good song?????

[@Noloveforspectre]

@@davidroberts454 i never actual said just one but most of his songs blew....tbh a lot of SY songs blew... Kims were almost always good 100% is one of my favorites if it makes you feel better They were sort of like Pink Floyd, a bunch of great standout songs averaging maybe 4 or 5 per album unless DSOTM or Wish You Were Here... They were more of a singles bands than a full album is amazing type

[@mattmiller4821]

Mid life crisis is a hell of a drug

[@jasonbeatty831]

At that point in time, it wasn’t even mid life, he was in his early 50’s. Just so scummy.

[@WesleyGravolet]

It happens, people fall out of love and do stupid things...I was bummed about it being a fan since 1985 but they seem fine!

[@jasonbeatty831]

@ yeah, but you don’t hide it from your spouse, you don’t fucking cheat on them, actually wait…that’s very much the thing that’s done, but shouldn’t be.z

[@adrianordonez8800]

Seriously, you'd think being in the coolest band while married to one of the coolest women in the Western hemisphere would be enough but I guess nothing hit like that extramarital, indie-clout-goblin ass.

[@jhonviel7381]

@@adrianordonez8800 white people amirite?

[@TheLunarnotes]

I often see Thurston sitting by himself in my local pub in Stoke Newington, that is all.

[@uggles_mcfuggles]

I believe this.

[@jevinday]

Thurston Moore had an affair and then said "i never wanted the band to break up" kind of confirms how I've always felt about him. He's always seemed like kind of an asshole to me. Yeah, I'm judging someone i don't know, I'm only human

[@jovanreid6782]

How he treated Nardwuar also kind of says it all.

[@dublev78]

@@jovanreid6782Beat me to it. That Narduwar interview gave me secondhand embarrassment.

[@samlowry1]

kim cheated on him 10-12 years earlier, just sayin'

[@rhubarb1073]

yeah, thurston has such a new-york-cool-guy attitude that's pretty insufferable. I've seen it outta kim a bit too, they're both super unhumble

[@cinemar]

That's a shame. He speaks highly of you.

[@IndexFossilchannel]

Thurston Morre was big influence on Dave Grohl 😏 Joke apart, I fucking love Sonic Youth!

[@cpphatz]

Failed to mention that the affair went on in secret for over a decade.

[@jimtroeltsch5998]

yeah, that has to be a terrible thing to experience, and would make a person so angry, being lied to for ten years by your intimate partner.

[@cpphatz]

@@jimtroeltsch5998 absolutely. its hard to take thurston moore seriously after hearing that.

[@inphanta]

And that he wrote songs about her that the whole band played together…

[@bluemooninthedaylight8073]

@@jimtroeltsch5998 Let alone risking giving your partner an STD. It's gross.

[@cpphatz]

@@inphanta So gross.

[@msnewsenior]

Thanks for covering Sonic Youth! I’ve loved them so much and I was crushed when they broke up

[@elosoguapo8137]

Kim is doing cool solo stuff now at age 70, so I think sonic youth is safely over. Ultimately the thing between her and Thurston is just another example of don’t put people up on pedestals. Those two had the same problems as anyone. They’re just people.

[@rexchiquine6049]

@@elosoguapo8137 wow,,,

[@rexchiquine6049]

Punk rock turn 60,,,she was older than Billy idol,,,

[@mikeburkhardt7893]

My cousin was their audio engineer and they came to my cousins wedding with their daughter Coco in 2000. Really sweet people, got to see them backstage during their final album tour too.

[@rnrtruestories]

Thanks for sharing!

[@drumdust]

Disappearer is still one of my all time faves.

[@jessejordache1869]

That's a Thurston Moore song I think? Yeah, that and Titanium Expose make that album: it's just euphonic chords and mini-melodies thrown at you that as a musician I don't know where to place. That they could do that for album after album makes them transcendent. I'm talking more about Disappearer: Titanium Expose is more of a screamer with a shoegazey part in the middle.

[@miameramusic]

Kim is doing awesome. Her new album is nominated for a Grammy and she’s even in an H&M ad campaign with her daughter.

[@brutallyremastered4255]

Wow, in an advertising campaign. What an artist.

[@DontKnowDontCare6.9]

Age makes you realize that you cant beat the system and need to be a sell out once in a while.

[@Fakename70]

Gotta remember, she’s from L.A. She’s probably wanted to be doing that kind of shit forever, but, it wasn’t considered cool for someone in a New York band.

[@ms.mcghee6286]

Whenever I think of Sonic Youth, it's Kim Gordon. She's rock and roll af! Still pumping out rad music; she is better than ever.

[@shonna_77]

without Kim they probably would have been a rather poetic punk band with great drumming, but Kim brought so much art and strangeness

[@Blaculo]

It was fun while it lasted. Glad to have seen them five times live.

[@CinemaGulp]

Do an episode on Sebadoh. Really interesting story.

[@JL0ndon]

Thurston tried to hook up with my friend when she was 16… he’s no good.

[@user-jm4cd5sd1x]

oh no, 16, the horror dork

[@JL0ndon]

@ no i can say im pretty fine with being a dork if that means im not 20 plus years older than a 16 year old trying to bring her home.

[@chrisconny2285]

​@@user-jm4cd5sd1x who's the Dork here ? Sounds like you are !

[@user-kj9oz7lb8s]

​@@user-jm4cd5sd1xokayyyyyyy?!

[@user-jm4cd5sd1x]

@@JL0ndon Yes I can see you're fine with being a dork.

[@inphanta]

Sonic youth are one of my favourite bands and this came as such a blow in 2011. The legacy of their music remains, as do their contributions as individuals, but you can’t help but lose some respect for Thurston after that. What he did to his long term partner and mother of his child was unforgivable.

[@aisle_of_view]

Saw them in 2000 and they were phenomenal - unlike any other concert I had previously attended.

[@ElSantoLuchador]

I saw Sonic Youth live in Seattle. Lydia Lunch was the opener, and Kim Gordon was standing next to me in the crowd. I turned and said, "hello," and she snarled at me, practically hissing like a cat. ("Oh no, I know a dirty word, hello, hello, hello...")

[@reiandyou]

There's a lot of things I could say about them when they were in Northampton but fuck it. HOLYOAKE

[@Arturo-p1g4y]

The Fleetwood Mac rule was violated. Never, ever be in a band with a significant other.

[@DontKnowDontCare6.9]

Thats not a rule, thats just logic. Thats why having a relationship are looked down in the work space in several cultures. Makes it awkward after a bad break up.

[@Arturo-p1g4y]

@DontKnowDontCare6.9 It's just a common phrase. Another is"don't sh*t where you eat.". You're correct all the same.

[@jessejordache1869]

Actually I think Fleetwood Mac is a counter-example to that rule, no? Even if you don't think their best stuff was with Nicks and Buckingham, that still leaves you with the McVies.

[@jessejordache1869]

@@Arturo-p1g4y I never got that analogy. Is the sh*tting part the "being in a couple" or "being in a band"? Well I suppose it depends on the band.

[@jessejordache1869]

@@DontKnowDontCare6.9 Oh word up. I had the same job as a girlfriend I lived with, and... well being an introvert (read: NEEDS ALONE TIME) made it so much worse. We'd be walking home from work and I'd say "I think I want to walk by myself" and my girlfriend would go "okay!" and then continue to follow me. And I'd be like "let me rephrase..." and nothing did the job. Let a couple of months pass and I want to just... go out, and she'd run in front of the door and sit down in front of it, and I'm obviously like "okay, my assessment of this person was clearly an error" but I have to own my own mistakes -- the constant signals of feeling crowded and wanting to be by myself had to have set off her insecurity. Doesn't make later acts of violence okay (and yeah, legally and ethically, preventing someone from leaving a room is an act of violence) but I can afford to be philosophical about it now.

[@eanymeanyminymo]

His comments prove her right, he doesn't take any responsibility for his behavior which ruined the band and their relationship. What a prick.

[@burningdaylights]

The Nardwuar interview with Sonic Youth makes them look like the world's nerdiest bullies. As people, they suck.

[@adamimberti6948]

Try sit through the interview they did with the guy from Nation of Ulysses. They're the most pretentious, unintelligent and uninteresting people I think I've ever seen.

[@ROOKTABULA]

I've always found Moore to set off my Douchenozzle radar.

[@mickeyrube6623]

I don't know why, but instead of reading this as "douche-nozzle," I read it as "douchen-ozel," with a German accent😂😂😂!

[@One_Call_System]

Yeah... Thurston did the band dirty on this one.

[@miahconnell23]

At some point, Sonic Youth had a huge amount of their equipment stolen: loading or unloading from a gig, I think. That’s terrible for any musician, but Sonic Youth had heaps of guitars tuned and / or altered just for ONE specific song or sound. You can’t just re-do -or even remember- all the alterations they made. I was lucky to see them on the Goo tour at the Orpheum in Boston. It was one of the best days in my life. I lost my date (I had a crush on and a ticket for a girl that i couldn’t find before the concert) and Redd Kross was not as great as an opening act for Sonic Youth ought to be, but it was still an amazing.

[@robert779]

Serves them right for stealing Peter Frampton’s food!

[@punkrockpat465]

​​@robert779 c'mon, he's not going to eat all that watermelon!

[@jessejordache1869]

@@robert779 Serves Peter Frampton right for stealing Humble Pie's revenue. Actually, I don't know if he had any idea that that was going on.

[@stee8345]

SY was the 1st concert I ever went to...loved em. Do they need to reunite? Hell no..they're pushing 70 and tbh I'm surprised they stayed around as long as they did--cheating or no cheating.

[@zbignoz.tunnlerwitz_109]

"Thurston, this is Watt. Didjya find yer shit?"

[@gregdahlen4375]

what does this refer to?

[@wristwart4133]

@@gregdahlen4375the track Providence on Daydream nation

[@TheFilmFatale]

Saw them multiple times…first time while I was still in high school in New Orleans touring for Bad Moon Rising…honestly a foggy memory that didn’t stick with me like some of their later shows. I think it’s best they stay apart. Let their legacy speak for itself. …and Kim seems to be doing grand…more power to her!

[@telekmetyk]

I met thurston at a book signing around 2015, it was very clear that he was only interested in talking to the few teenage girls that were there.

[@bsheets5888]

sad

[@tomrom1217]

I knew them, and hung out with them many times when I live in NYC. They were all cool and nice people.

[@mattrasbury7539]

Sonic youth from 1986 to 1992 was amazing in my opinion, someone worth looking into would be Glenn Branca, maybe not for your channel but in your free time. Interesting music lol.

[@nathanieledwards7150]

Glenn branca, swans, etc....that stuff stands on its own hind legs

[@cwrichardson3]

Yeah that's your opinion

[@mattrasbury7539]

@cwrichardson3 Thank you for pointing that out stranger.

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

I don't know if you knew this but Glenn Branca died a few years ago in 2018. He had been dead almost three years when I first found out.

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

@@mattrasbury7539 Yeah what an idiot. A troll bot.

[@angusraze9638]

I’ve met Eva before - she was at this gig i was at and she was there with Thurston in London - and Kim’s quote about ‘if you met her you’d know’ is so true, she had such a social climber vibe and constantly kept insisting she’d give my friend a job at her publishing company like she wanted to work for her after meeting her for the first time for like 20 seconds lol

[@rnrtruestories]

Haha thanks for sharing

[@angusraze9638]

@ no problem , I really have no hate towards Thurston or Kim at all, they’re adults and nothing is black or white in life, im sure Eva has some positive traits and relationships but my immediate first impressions were very clear

[@michelleischia]

Nonsense she’s effing loving wam and lovely , Kim’s straight bully . Glad karma bit her bitter

[@jamesdrummond7684]

@@angusraze9638 her positive trait was that she was more attractive than his wife at the time.

[@vlatkap]

The 'star-struck woman/mid-life crisis' quote is actually from Kim Gordon, not Thurston Moore. This was in a 2013 Elle interview. That's a pretty significant omission to attribute it to Moore. Actual Moore quote: “I’m involved in a really sweet relationship and it really does make me happy, it truly does. But I’ll always have that experience of sadness that a separation brings, especially one that was as important, not just to me but everybody around us. There have been some fall-outs, but that’s to be expected. It’s pretty heavy.”

[@dadahuman]

Came to the comments to find this!

[@BATMAN7666]

Still mad at Thurston for hurting Kim! Huge part of my youth. As a girl watching Kim Gordan on stage. I wanted to be a Goddess like her with a 🎸 ❤

[@rexchiquine6049]

Your youth was sonic,,,

[@BATMAN7666]

@rexchiquine6049 💯 Facts

[@rexchiquine6049]

@@BATMAN7666 i thought i was their biggest fan,,,

[@rexchiquine6049]

saw them in santa monica CA they were my life,,,

[@cwrichardson3]

It a 2 way street

[@lowe-quay-shush]

She made a great album on her own: 'No Home Record'. 'The Collective' wasn't bad either.

[@TheExtremenarcissist]

I saw Thurston Moore in 2017 leading a ‘supergroup’ attempting to emulate the music of Can in London. It was a travesty. His self-importance clearly dwarfs his abilities as a musician.

[@dustystarr2297]

Ha, those "cheap" guitars are straight up collector items now, you see how much a 70's Jazzmaster goes for?

[@coldacre]

MIJ Jazzmasters can be picked up for $1000 every day of the week. that's what Thurston used

[@dustystarr2297]

​@@coldacre Yes! That's a good deal but still to much for me. Less than $300 is cheap to me lol

[@sayastra]

On one hand she came off as a woman scorned. . . on the other hand, she totally was. He screwed her over and OF COURSE she's going to want to stay away from you.

[@rexchiquine6049]

men lose themselves in cause women lose themselves in effect,,,

[@csweet207]

The way Thursty treated Nardwar tells me all I need to know about what a POS he is.

[@BootsORiley]

i was wondering if i would see this comment. i wholeheartedly agree. Thirsty Thurston was always a massive dork.

[@KentBuchla]

that's because you are lazy and easily swayed via emotion.

[@quarrydoggs4532]

I enjoy his interviews, but Nardwar is a nasty POS as well, so whatever.

[@pbarra81]

Wow. I saw them in the Maquinaria festival (November 2011, Chile) and until this video i didn’t know they had already broke up by that moment. That’s awful 😔. I remember it was a good concert, and now it makes sense to me that Gordon’s performance was furious at times (but maybe she was always like that, i don’t know).

[@Eric777-r1h]

I remember the day I got the death valley 69 EP, (when it was released) effing fantastic

[@gnarlyrayjepsen5085]

Love that one and don't see many people mention it

[@katrinagrentz5035]

That song will always remind me of high school (Big Black Kerosene was the other staple of the video arcade where we hung out back then)

[@buh2001j]

Enigma? Not even a passing reference to their being signed to SST???

[@michaelmalone7231]

Oh yeah! Major oversight.

[@blast_processing6577]

_Daydream_ _Nation_ is, in my opinion, one of the best albums of all time, and Sonic Youth tried for years to capture the magic of that album after but never truly suceeded. As much as it saddens me to say, it doesn't matter if they get back together now, that magic isn't coming back.

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

Yeah those magic years between 1985 and 1989 the band seemed unstoppable.

[@martindewhurst2485]

I think Rather Ripped is one of their best albums and that was 18 years after Daydream Nation. Their individual work since has been really good, too. So, I reckon we’re missing out

[@JamieTannerPresents]

Listen to Rather Ripped. Its really high quality

[@joshbengston4316]

Washing Machine is my favorite. i think it all depends on the album that gets you into a band.

[@meatazzsandwich]

Dirty is their best album

[@teethgrinder83]

Honestly there's so much SY back catalogue and solo stuff (as well as Ciccone Youth with Mike Watt from Minutemen-which im not a fan of personally despite loving those 2 bands separately) that I wouldn't even want them to reunite unless all of them genuinely felt comfortable and I frankly can't see it happening which I can absolutely understand. I couldn't continue or reunite if my partner or wife treated me like Moore treated Gordon I know that

[@genghis_connie]

Oh, Andy Wallace. Genius. it seemed like it would be harder to find a great alt album in the ‘90s without him producing than not. I first noticed him on Jeff Buckley’s Grace.

[@mikegeary8056]

Sonic Youth applied Glen BRANCA’s tuning techniques to rock music.

[@Xcalator35]

I don't see it (reunion) happen. The breakup was very traumatic. I think is better that way to be honnest!

[@Mr.H0LLYW00D]

Y'all remember what they did to NARDWAR??

[@jovanreid6782]

Yup! You actually beat me to commenting on that. That was not cool at all.

[@misterzero8667]

It was decades ago they were young and stupid and nardwar is a deucebag

[@marswillrule2431]

At least they were kinda cool later, Blur on the other hand.

[@AzoreanProud]

They refuse to remember. Bunch of scum bullies.

[@PeteMunchel-sn9ff]

Makes me SO SAD!! I'm such a huge fan, and Rather Ripped is an incredible album that never got the respect it deserved

[@demonicsweaters]

People have relationships, stay together, or break up all the time. It's very annoying to me how everyone obsesses over Kim and Thurston's relationship. Unless you're personally in the relationship, you have no idea what it was like on either side. They were a great band. I don't take either side.

[@msnewsenior]

I think cheating on your wife instead of just outright admitting the relationship ran it’s course is pretty rotten

[@Noloveforspectre]

Thats why Jack White lied about Meg being his sister

[@demonicsweaters]

@@msnewsenior I think other people's relationships are none of my business.

[@jevinday]

And I think he sounds like kind of an asshole. I'm allowed to have my opinion. That doesn't make it my business, but I'm still going to have an opinion. You not caring is still your opinion. So you still have an opinion too AND you're still talking about it online, just wanted to point that out.

[@jovanreid6782]

Yeah but you've got to admit based on the cheating alone Kim was done pretty damn dirty.

[@eymerichinquisitore9022]

I saw them live two or three times between '88 and '90, exhausting all the little curiosity I had towards them.

[@NoBSMusicReviews]

“Un-wheel-dee”. “Low-ping”.

[@JamesThompson-zk1ht]

Un-wild-ly!

[@NoBSMusicReviews]

Incorrect. Un-weal-dee, if you prefer.

[@buddhafyre]

Chuck D guested on 'Kool Thing', a song written about LL Cool J....

[@rnrtruestories]

Yup

[@rexchiquine6049]

it was written by the universe for the universe with universal impact more universally destructive than hiroshima,,,

[@rexchiquine6049]

saw public enemy live in 1989 with Chuck d and flava flav,,,life was incredible back then,,,

[@vonslagle]

They were my Grateful Dead. I saw them like two dozen times

[@dr.danielmckeownastrophysics]

People die, relationships die, but the music they made together is eternal

[@mikb5587]

Based on the golden rule of how a band treats Nardwar, Sonic youth fail the vibe check.

[@OnaOmaOla]

Agreed. Bands should rise and fall based on how they treat their Nardwars.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

I'm still waiting for them to write an actual song. I'm 60 years old. Maybe there's still time before I die.

[@Bob-n2l9p]

😂😂😂

[@nogrecords]

5:37 my man! Hahahaha you just repeated that sentence 😂😂😂

[@seamless_rhymes]

Kim Gordon is such a queen. ❤

[@Man_Ray78]

I saw Sonic Youth when they finally came here to Reykjavík in 2005. I was really impressed with their stage antics like Thurston, so late into his career, hanging on by a thin thread in the ceiling by one hand, doing wild physical stage stuff, while making this noise-sculpture on top of a tight beat and solid bass-lines. But I was not impressed with how much of the track-list were songs I could not feel, somehow. I think it was 80-90 % newish songs, that I was not familiar with. In 2005, they had put out around 25 LPs, so it must be hard to please niche crowds. I thought it was selfish of them.

[@rexchiquine6049]

sometimes music is for the musician not for the crowd,,,it is by nature a selfish project,,,

[@EROC270]

How dare a band play their new songs

[@dublev78]

Based on the Narduwar interview, they all seem like a hole bullies. Made some good music, though.

[@crisis.13]

i ALMOST went to see them when they toured Lima in 2011. top 3 shows i regret missing 💔

[@rexchiquine6049]

evidently you will never be satisfied or have correct priorities,,,

[@ubiktd4064]

Do one on Butthole Surfers They were nuts

[@humblemonkm61]

In the mid-1980s I waited tables at Maxwell's in Hoboken & Sonic Youth played there all the time along with other great bands. I would often feed them before the show. Kim was always very nice to me.

[@231-isntthisalotoffun4]

Interesting that you only identified Kim as a vocalist when Lee sang on nearly as many songs as she did and Thurston sang on more songs than either of them

[@rexchiquine6049]

@@231-isntthisalotoffun4 is he gonna liberate us from male white corporate oppression,,,though,,,

[@rexchiquine6049]

The cassette was turned over,,,then turn over,,,then turned over i listen to kool thing all day,,,

[@AbstractM0use]

@1:44 Man, that's an add from Charlotte, NC. I saw many now legendary 80's and 90's bands at the Pterodactyl, the Milestone, Tremont and 1313! Great times.

[@bpark222]

Evol was an excellent album

[@Arturo-p1g4y]

Check out the Crucificks "Our Will be Done" record if you want to hear Steve Shelley's best drumming. Seriously.

[@marswillrule2431]

That guitar sound. Doc's voice and lyrics.

[@Arturo-p1g4y]

@marswillrule2431 Yeahhh man! Everything about that record is just perfect!

[@CoryFukuoka]

"Doing things with guitar that really haven't been done before." Strangely tuned guitars, using feedback, and placing objects on or between the strings." Obviously you don't know about the Velvet Underground. Lol Pause your clip at 1.32. Even they mention the VU in the newspaper article.

[@JamesThompson-zk1ht]

"Prepared instruments" were an avant-garde thing before rock music even existed

[@BrytonBand]

Now they’re Sonic Senior

[@OnaOmaOla]

"Time to rock the road and tell the story of my osteoporosis." -Dirty Depends.

[@DanGoodman-n4b]

Sonic Old Farts. Just playing.

[@Ritff666l-e9e]

and you Sonic Villagers

[@teddnagurski5583]

I read her book. She seems super jaded.

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

Add to that super lame and petty.

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

I answered your comment with something pretty benign but KZbin assholes erased it. I hated her book.

[@rnrtruestories]

Just to clarify I didn’t delete anything KZbin flags comments on its own. I feel like age jades a lot of people. I know I feel jaded by life in general

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

@@rnrtruestories Oh no they have been after me forever. That is why I mentioned them so not to blame you. Every other comment I make they erase.

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

@@rnrtruestories Anyhow I was a big fan of Sonic Youth between 1985 and 1987. Followed their career to the end but never was as big a fan as I was up to "Sister".

[@allanvanuga9196]

Great video.

[@michaelmolitor1888]

I saw Sonic Youth in Nov 95 at the Bomb Factory in Dallas. It was a freakin great show!

[@MisterGuitarItalia]

This band sounded way better on paper than in reality...

[@stormbringercoming8105]

Saw them open up for Neil Young & Crazy Horse in the early 90’s. They were booed mercilessly. Never saw a band treated so nasty. They played on like troopers and left. As much as I didn’t care for them, I did admire their persistence.

[@rnrtruestories]

Was that with social distortion too?

[@stormbringercoming8105]

@@rnrtruestories Yes. They were the opening act. My buddies brother got too high and passed out, otherwise we would’ve caught them. I did discover SD’s music shortly afterwards. Loved them ever since.

[@christheghostwriter]

I saw them on that tour too, at a small arena on the USF campus. Most of the he crowd hated SY, but I thought they were a revelation

[@mrkgrmn3]

I attended that tour stop in New Orleans. When Neil & Crazy Horse came on the volume was double that of the opening bands. Not sure if that was intentional.

[@marlinfrank1362]

​@mrkgrmn3 it was absolutely intentional, Young's crew were totally old school and didn't "get" S.Y.

[@thechurch5000]

I liked Sonic Youth in the late 80s and early 90s saw them a couple times once with Nirvana at the Hollywood Palladium. The fact Kim was going through Thurston's mail says a lot I wish Thurston and his wife the very best. There are two sides to everything of course but no relationship lasts forever which is what Kim appeared to think regarding them.

[@rascaltuff]

Sonic Youth!!!! one of my all time faves! Let’s gooooo!!! also Thurston sucks. check out Kim’s solo stuff if you haven’t already

[@rexchiquine6049]

@@rascaltuff the band doesn't sound half bad,,,

[@stretchhfab7315]

There a garbage band

[@rexchiquine6049]

@stretchhfab7315 their,,,

[@rexchiquine6049]

@stretchhfab7315 actually garbage is another band,,,called garbage,,,

[@rexchiquine6049]

@stretchhfab7315 they are the BEST band and thousands of fans on this,,,

[@Darrylizer1]

I seriously miss this band and the indie band scene of that era.

[@thomassummerhill6357]

I used to put sonic youth records on when I had uninvited people round , they wouldn’t stay long !

[@GreggH-d3l]

They had several albums before the first one you mentioned. I discovered Sonic Youth from the Thrasher Skate Rock compilation tapes from the 80s.

[@brannonmcclure6970]

That will mess it up all the time. He disrespected her in the worse kind of way. All those years. Honesty; it’s the only way it works.

[@William1866]

The real reason was one of them wouldn't get their 10th booster.

[@michaelmalone7231]

What? Is that some kind of low-key MAGA troller post?

[@bobleglob162]

Yep it disgusted me how so many ant-establishment type artists stepped right into line with all the vax propaganda.

[@William1866]

@@michaelmalone7231 Have you noticed all these bands that were once on the edge are now part of the establishment? Of course you go Maga. Anything that goes against your New World Order is Maga. Life must be so simple.

[@timothyreal]

Are you still whining about vaccines? Give it a rest.

[@William1866]

@@timothyreal Whining? I'm laughing. HAHAHAHAHAHA

[@alexunderros]

Well. What speaks a lot more than real life situations is music. And Thurstons' solo releases are solid. Basically felt like usual Sonic Youth. Unlike Kims' solo LP's which were not so interesting if interesting at all

[@matthews7805]

Da Yoots! Listened to them the other day!

[@CinemaGulp]

Top 3 favorite bands of all time for me. Thank you for this. Very interesting. Luckily I got to see them 5 times before the downfall.

[@death265]

I love Sonic Youth and especially Kim Gordon! Moore didn’t know how lucky he actually was, being married to an awesome legend of a bassist like her. Of course im a fan of Moore too, but not his morals.

[@Vince-l4k]

One of the most original bands of all time

[@cheallen1626]

They were Shamers.

[@44almm]

i'm sure sonic youth lost a fair few fans when they were assholes to Nardwuar

[@VrakDock]

Last time I saw sonic youth Thurston was so drunk he could barely play his nice riffs it was sad to hear

[@stalwartzero7001]

Living in the tri state growing up seeing Sonic Youth was at least once a year was the minimum