The desert birth of sonic youth.

pbradley · 05.04.2008, 07:59 AM

So, while I do understand that Sonic Youth came out of New York's No Wave scene, I still feel like Sonic Youth's brilliance was born in the desert wastes of California. There's a doom there never revealed until them. Death Valley '69. The Mojave Desert of the Gila Monster Jamboree. Are early Sonic Youth an urban depression or a natural nightmare?

I may be partial to the desert despair as I feel it informs me. I used to backpack the Sierra. But couldn't it be both? Somewhere between the two?

atsonicpark · 05.04.2008, 08:33 AM

Sonic youth is guitar music for the western sahara.

evollove · 05.05.2008, 12:19 PM

The desert, harvested wheat fields, concrete, maybe even the ocean... it's all in there.

This Is Not Here · 05.05.2008, 01:03 PM

I know what you mean pbradley, I'm not sure if you've heard the Made In USA soundtrack, but theres a real desert feel to that record in particular

atsonicpark · 05.06.2008, 12:48 AM

Agreed.

Made in USA is one of their best albums too.

uhler · 05.06.2008, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

Agreed.

Made in USA is one of their best albums too.

yeah it is really good. i actually found it today at a record store for 4 bucks. best 4 bucks i have spent for a cd.

pbradley · 05.06.2008, 01:27 AM

Marilym Moore sounds very foggy to me. I used to listen to EVOL at my old apartment a lot which was closer to the sea and the bleakness of the track work well with the fog rolling in a distant fog horns.

Death & the Maiden · 05.06.2008, 05:37 AM

Bad Moon Rising is a very desert-at-night album to me. The intro to Candle also has a desert feel to it.

The Coachman · 05.07.2008, 04:34 AM

i would give anything to have been at Gila Monster (theres a few pages about it in that new Psychic Sonic Youth Story that are really visual about it), i think Sister and Evol are total desert records.

uhler · 05.07.2008, 11:53 AM

when i listen to sister i think of the future. i guess after finding out that a lot of it is based off pkd, i think that. bad moon rising will have to be my desert pick.

barnaclelapse · 05.08.2008, 10:38 PM

Sonic Youth always makes me think of the streets of some great sprawling city...doesn't have to be NYC...just somewhere with a billion strange characters and just as many possibilties for a night on the town stretching out over the next several years.

Where everything's showing its age...right down to the sidewalk.

That's why I like Sonic Youth.

As a writer, I'm always compelled with that concept and those images.

Always have.

Derek · 05.09.2008, 07:25 AM

The Mojave Desert gigs they played are probably the most fun to watch out of all their shows on youtube.

This Is Not Here · 05.10.2008, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uhler

yeah it is really good. i actually found it today at a record store for 4 bucks. best 4 bucks i have spent for a cd.

I spent £25 on that CD! arrghh!!

anthony89 · 05.10.2008, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barnaclelapse

Sonic Youth always makes me think of the streets of some great sprawling city...doesn't have to be NYC...just somewhere with a billion strange characters and just as many possibilties for a night on the town stretching out over the next several years.

Where everything's showing its age...right down to the sidewalk.

That's why I like Sonic Youth.

As a writer, I'm always compelled with that concept and those images.

Always have.

Bad Moon Rising to me is very urban, the music contained within the album is a true reflection of the album cover. Some big city at night during late october, cold, the smell of burning stuff, people everywhere, a multicloured sky at sunset, smoke rising everywhere because of the cold air, people wearing flannel, etc. It's one of my favourite albums because of its cohesivness

barnaclelapse · 05.10.2008, 10:11 PM

Yeah, that's another one that makes me think of that.

The older the album, the more I get that image.

05.04.2008, 07:59 AM	#1
pbradley invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SoKo Posts: 10,621	So, while I do understand that Sonic Youth came out of New York's No Wave scene, I still feel like Sonic Youth's brilliance was born in the desert wastes of California. There's a doom there never revealed until them. Death Valley '69. The Mojave Desert of the Gila Monster Jamboree. Are early Sonic Youth an urban depression or a natural nightmare? I may be partial to the desert despair as I feel it informs me. I used to backpack the Sierra. But couldn't it be both? Somewhere between the two?
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05.04.2008, 08:33 AM	#2
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	Sonic youth is guitar music for the western sahara. __________________
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05.05.2008, 12:19 PM	#3
evollove invito al cielo Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,879	The desert, harvested wheat fields, concrete, maybe even the ocean... it's all in there.
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05.05.2008, 01:03 PM	#4
This Is Not Here invito al cielo Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Kingston-Upon-Thames, London Posts: 2,586	I know what you mean pbradley, I'm not sure if you've heard the Made In USA soundtrack, but theres a real desert feel to that record in particular __________________ http://images.google.co.uk/url?sourc...zLTl_B146tcuiw ~~Record of the moment~~
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05.06.2008, 12:48 AM	#5
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	Agreed. Made in USA is one of their best albums too. __________________
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05.06.2008, 01:27 AM	#7
pbradley invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SoKo Posts: 10,621	Marilym Moore sounds very foggy to me. I used to listen to EVOL at my old apartment a lot which was closer to the sea and the bleakness of the track work well with the fog rolling in a distant fog horns.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

05.06.2008, 05:37 AM	#8
Death & the Maiden expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,036	Bad Moon Rising is a very desert-at-night album to me. The intro to Candle also has a desert feel to it. __________________ www.myspace.com/ghostofanidealwife
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05.07.2008, 04:34 AM	#9
The Coachman empty page Join Date: May 2008 Location: South Tyneside, North East of England Posts: 4	i would give anything to have been at Gila Monster (theres a few pages about it in that new Psychic Sonic Youth Story that are really visual about it), i think Sister and Evol are total desert records.
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05.07.2008, 11:53 AM	#10
uhler invito al cielo Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 3,615	when i listen to sister i think of the future. i guess after finding out that a lot of it is based off pkd, i think that. bad moon rising will have to be my desert pick.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

05.08.2008, 10:38 PM	#11
barnaclelapse the destroyed room Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Waverly, Virginia Posts: 577	Sonic Youth always makes me think of the streets of some great sprawling city...doesn't have to be NYC...just somewhere with a billion strange characters and just as many possibilties for a night on the town stretching out over the next several years. Where everything's showing its age...right down to the sidewalk. That's why I like Sonic Youth. As a writer, I'm always compelled with that concept and those images. Always have.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

05.09.2008, 07:25 AM	#12
Derek invito al cielo Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 8,095	The Mojave Desert gigs they played are probably the most fun to watch out of all their shows on youtube.
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05.10.2008, 10:11 PM	#15
barnaclelapse the destroyed room Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Waverly, Virginia Posts: 577	Yeah, that's another one that makes me think of that. The older the album, the more I get that image.
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