SONIC YOUTH
 

We are now in year 31 of the great SONIC YOUTH experiment.
If the last few years and releases have shown us anything is that all the members of Sonic Youth continue to be vital, creative, involved people, fully invested in their lives and art.
What it has also shown us clearly is that the individuals in SY are more invested in their own personal projects, whatever they may be, than they are in the collective entitiy called SY. Thurston has been writing most of the songs alone, on a fucking acoustic guitar of all things, and then he hands out lyrics to Kim. They do not spend the time it takes together to influence each other's ears and minds, creating new sounds. Between his folk-soft shit (which I swear I will LOVE if I make it to retirement age) and his writing, publishing, etc. T's time is pretty used up.
Lee has been busy with intimate solo performances and art pieces, and crafting new solo songs FINALLY, that there is no way he can be as invested in the SY.
Steve is in 8 bands, as I have said before. A great drummer is always in demand and Steve will only grow in his skillz and subtlety. He has a lot of music in his future.
Kim has been busy raising a daughter, writing songs with other people besides the Youth, and getting even more heavily involved with the Haute Couture and Fine Art worlds. She has said in interviews that what she looks forward to as far as the SY go, are the live performances. She has also said that it is a heavy drain on her and her hands, even after her switch to "rhythm guitar" and Ibold on bass.

As one gets older, (and I hit 38 a couple months ago so I can see the future), one's creative focus can narrow in an introspective way. Painters, musicians, writers, we all go through it. The communal creative experience just loses some importance. The personal, the stuff that is original to onesself as an individual human, that is what begins to fascinate, to feed the fire of one's art.

For all the great tunes on the last 3-4 SY albums, if you are honest with yourself, you will see that they are basically SY-Lite. They lack a cohesion of force. It may be my own opinion but that is what it feels like. The last album I was 85% in love with was Sonic Nurse. The Eternal seems like a collection of half-assed SY, much like what I felt during the EJST&NS era. I thought that SY was done then. They mended the fences and continued on with great stuff, but the end was near. It could be felt.

SY have outlived so many other bands. SY have made so many fantastic records. They have created some of the most intense songs ever. They have shown how to be a proper BAND. I love them so much.

SY are worth hours, days, years of my life. They are worth travel, expense, collecting all their shit, and my undying love.

but all good things must end, and I would rather they end before they release anything truly embarrasing.

I felt like this was going to be something to read, but I lost interest here: "on a fucking acoustic guitar of all things"

Don't worry NR, Rob will always continue to make close-minded blanket statements like that.

The second quoted paragraph I should not have to say I cosign with all my heart.

The first paragraph I humbly disagree with, and I take umbrage with "if you're being honest with yourself." Well then. Being 100% honest with myself, I think "The Eternal" is their best record since "A Thousand Leaves." As good as? No. But it's a light year or so ahead of "Rather Ripped."

As always though, Rob, I admire your passion. I also look forward to 2015, when I will be able to see the future. Oh shit, "Skip Tracer" lyric mystery solved.

just sayin what I feels.

I love sonic youth more than is healthy.

I want the skronk which they used to provide, but i get that from other sources now.

what is musical fandom if not individual blanket statements?
I hated when Nirvana did Unplugged. I still hate it. It is my choice to do so. Playing acoustic versions of songs whose main draw for me was their pummelling onslaught just doesn't appeal to me.

so what?

all instruments are NOT created equal.

I felt like this was going to be something to read, but I lost interest here: "on a fucking acoustic guitar of all things"

so you're being closeminded about being closeminded? sensitive about acoustic instruments much?



We (the SYG) are all talking around the inevitable and why not face it? I really do not want to see SY in 10 years playing the halftime super bowl, or whatever sad shit rotten meat like the rolling stones have to do.

I love all SY music, even that which I badmouth, but I also love the IDEA of SONIC YOUTH, that a band can do what they have done, and for two of them to do it as a long-standing marriage, with the ability of all to do side projects as they saw fit, always exploring, always trying new shit. Never really making music for mass consumption and regurgitation.
That idea lives forever for me, regardless of band breakup, Kim Thurston break up.


Nothing lasts forever

Nothing stays great forever either. Sonic Youth have not crossed the UN-greatness line yet. I hope they never do.

I would expect nothing less, J to the B.

I myself am deeply fond of about 85% of Rather Ripped we like what we like.
no deal.

Thurston will keep on Neil Youngin' it for a while, I will buy all the albums, save them for when I am in the mood for them, and enjpy them then. I know they are quality, like Neil Young's stuff, but I know right now it is not what I want to hear from him. T RAWKS harder than most anyone alive when he feels it. I hope he feels it again.

ok, you want me to talk real talk. I don't want my favorite band to break up. At all. If they stayed together 10 yrs, they would not be invited to play the super bowl. They'd be doing smething interesting on their own terms, just like the last 30 yrs. I'm devestated by the prospect of losing that annual "what will SY release THIS year" thing. They're the only band I care about in such a way. And the only band I have cared about in such away for so many years (more than a third of my life). The truth is, I'm not good with change -- in any way really. And this to me is just sad. I'm all for "facing it" if that means not having all the stupid fucking threads that have been started about it ad having something honest instead. I'm all for honesty. But my facing it is not embracing it. I don't want it, nor do I think it's a good thing or that it's them avoiding embarrassment. My facing it is just admitting how sad it will make me.

Kim doesn't put up with that kumbaya shit either, Rob, why should we?

go back to Camp Minifukfuk, you dirty hippies!!!

God...all of this SY talk is REally getting me down. I am a newbie fan by your guys' standards. I mean...I've only been listening for about 8 years now and they have been my favorite thing since then. They've opened up my world in more ways than jsut musically. And...I wish I can continue but I have errands to run. maybe later. see you doods.

NYCG&F??? C'mon, admit it people. Seriously.

admit what? I love NYCG&F.

I don't want them to break up either man. I don't. I wish that the ideal wuld happen, that the 5 (ibold too) could all rock forever.


As my brother said once
"All my heroes are dead"

They have to blow our minds at least once this decasde. XCOMCE ON SCONCI YOUTRH@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~

I disagree with Rob about the quality of Rather Ripped and Eternal and Thurston Solo´s, but agree about that it´s better to split than make something embarrasing (I don´t believe SY ever do that, but of course I could be wrong). If SY will split, I think it would be the great end with the Eternal (or SYR9 whatever you liked to see it).

how can it be assumed they will make anything so "embarassing" as to be considered their "worst", if they do proceed with another album?

remember "assume"-ing can really just make an "ass-out-of-you-and-me"

Was thinking about SY compared to REM, who formed basically at the same time, and how much more consistent SY are. And REM's split has generally been accepted as the right thing to do. But then REM, who I love, have released some things that are truly embarrassing. *sigh*

^^^this, exactly as far as i'm concerned.

Finally some posts I find interesting to read. Rob seems to vaguely hint at something about SY which I don't see discussed on this forum much: Their relationship with visual arts. I do wonder if I would have been a fan of theirs for so long if it wasn't for this aspect of the band. That's why to suggest Kim Gordon is a replaceable member of SY is downright insane. She is as intengral to the band Sonic Youth as any other member. Also, her presence is strongly felt on many of their greatest songs.