[ann ashtray]

Always the same dilemma evolve and risk becoming boring or ever reproduce the same show , like Iggy Pop ...

TM: But Iggy Pop always said he was a " entertainer ". Basically, he's a stripper who rock Strip off when he hears the signal he sings himself: " Here comes Johnny Yen again ... "


You never had the sensation of falling into a kind of routine?

TM: Not at this point, anyway. I have seen so many bands that I liked reproduce night after night exactly the same show. And I always swore I would not do the same. Never cut the opportunity at any time to be worn by instinct. But over time, I realized that there were things that worked well on stage, such a song, and it was silly to force himself not to reproduce the principle. Because a concert is also a show, a performance that people come to enjoy a little fun. When Kim would dance every time amid Kool Thing, it was great and sincere. It was therefore realized that these were important time, provided they do not fall into a programmed from beginning to end set. Long been insisted on playing only new titles. But the public, even our own, like rehear pieces he knows. And when you finally do a little, it was amazing to see the smiles on people's faces instead of eternal concentrated or frustrated expressions.

From there, it has always tried to balance the two aspects in our concerts: a little familiar, a little experimentation. But it is the only calculation which one is to be delivered. Otherwise, it was, on stage and in the studio, exactly what we wanted to do. When I think of the number of groups that come into the studio with the head to try to approach a particular sound or style in vogue at the time, it's scary.

You felt , at a specific time that you had changed status ? That you were no longer a group of outsiders alternative but become a kind of institution ?

TM: I do not know. What I remember, however, is that at a time the audience changes, it becomes less demanding, more complacent. Rather than being surprised or reserved, he came to our shows as if he was at home. Was it because we were doing that could divert gradually trivialized, generalized? More and more groups began to have a rack with several guitars tuned differently on stage, for example. It was no longer singular. I had the impression that suddenly everything would be okay no matter what. Long been provoked very strong reactions, or rejection, or jubilation. At the turn of the 2000s, it had completely disappeared. As if everyone was on safe ground, signposted. Although cinema attendance has stabilized, I had the feeling of playing for the same audience every time. I was torn between gratitude and a desire to rush, assaulted them. Everything has become too polite. I believe that from there I started to tell me that I would not do that all my life. It was great, in a sense, to have almost four thousand people to see us everywhere we went. But there was a sense of stillness. If we were playing in front of crowds of four hundred thousand people, it would be a different story. I'd be a millionaire, I would offer me a beautiful villa in Italy, for the world, I would like to do something else. But money has


When you mentioned " your life in music " for Télérama , you quoted Blitzkrieg Bop Ramones as fetish drive your daughter when she was little . She did not like Sonic Youth ?

TM: If , even a little, ha ha! I think it was around the time of the Murray Street album. We took her with us on tour in the summer. Every evening, she examined the setlist to check that there was at least one song she loved. If it was not, it was a crisis until we agree to do it. How can you resist that? Otherwise, I have nieces and nephews who were nice Kool Thing . But it is certain that we never had such a universal and obvious as the Ramones with their " Hey! ho! let's go . "

You give importance to the texts , even though most people remember all about you dissonance , guitars jousting ...

TM: I have always considered that the texts were very important. They have never been written hastily. I always looked after, both for their sense for their sound. If you look at the texts of Kurt Cobain, you will find an easy rhymes package. There are not devote much time. When I told him about it, he told me he did not care a bit. He stuck together words that sounded much like "libido" and "mosquito" and mumbled: "If anything, it makes sense. "It's okay, it's only rock and roll, punk. But I think we read in his writings much there really.

For my part, I have always written, in addition to song lyrics. I even published enough confidence, a lot of works of poetry or various texts. I would do it officially one day. I have always taken the same approach with the written word with the music. Create a reaction, find an audience on a small scale and, if possible, develop from there. Sonic Youth did not work otherwise. We started without a second thought and, little by little, people are interested in us, we wanted to help. Small labels like SST and Blast First, then a major. They wanted us as we were, not to make us what we are not. Ideally, this should always be that way. Same for editing, people should be first know, not directly target the public.

About the book, that of Kim Gordon has just appeared ...

TM: Yes, I know ... It's her choice. I have not much to say. Except I do not think I could do the same. It's personal , it only looks at us.