NOTE: this was modified from a message originally posted by myself to alt.music.sonic-youth, in an attempt to get people to dig out their copies of SONIC DEATH and constructively listen... which is why it reads like more of a review than a list of facts, at times...!
SEVERAL UPDATES BASED ON THE 2006 'SONIC YOUTH' EP REISSUE APPEAR...
Side one fades in with an extended version of the section in "The Good and the
Bad" that sounds reminiscent of "I Dreamed I Dream". I like this
instrumental very much, and the percussive melodies of the guitars on this
version are really appealing. Interesting to note that Lee does some type of
spoken word overtop, which is absent on the EP version. "shadows... morning sun... blades of grass..." "dark night... sunlight... twilight..." The only known performances of "The Good and The Bad" are in 1983, but it was surely played in 1981 and 1982 as well, so this recording could be from any of those years. Since the track fades in, we can't know how it began, but the song does appear to end here, which would mean it was being performed with a different arrangement than on the first EP. Total length: 5:05
FULL SIDE LENGTH: 38:32
00:00 - 05:05
With the 2006 release of the self-titled reissue (and more specifically, its live bonus tracks), we can confirm the sources for several tracks on 'SONIC DEATH', including the first 2 pieces. The first five minutes are taken from the 09/18/81 performance of 'Loud and Soft', an early version of 'The Good and the Bad' w/ a different arrangement and Lee's spoken word vocals. Preserved below are my original comments.05:05 - 07:16
This is also taken from 09/18/81, and is in fact an early version of "She Is Not Alone". Original comments below.
This is a completely unfamiliar piece, vaguely reminiscent of their cover of DNA's "Blonde Redhead" in rhythm, but otherwise unknown. It begins with guitars detuning, then the drums kick in. Read up on "Destroyer" -- this track does feature guitar strings tuned to slack. However, Thurston curiously sings "She is Not Alone" once at the end. In "Confusion is Next" it's mentioned that She Is Not Alone existed in an earlier form when it was first written, including Lee running a power drill thru a wah pedal (which he'd later do on the EP version of Burning Spear). Given Thurston's vocal, and the melodical nods to the finished version of "She is Not Alone", perhaps this is more likely (if this is the case, this recording is from mid 1981, at one of the band's earliest shows). And speaking of the finished version... Total length: 2:11
In a segment lasting from 19:16 til 20:25, 1 minute and 9 seconds, there's a strange riff that repeats incessantly, with a screwdriver humming away while the bass and drums play off each other in a riff reminiscent but not quite identical to "Confusion is Next". There's another guitar there though, and Confusion only has one, so it's difficult to say exactly what this is. "Repetitive, but intriguing!" Total length: 1:09
TRANSLATIONS COURTESY OF JB. THANKS!
in the first side, just after the 20:26 – 23:46 “confusion is next” , a french radio presenter says low : “...c youth, concert en direct” translate: (...c youth, live concert)
In 25:16 – 26:16 portion, after the slow riff of “I wanna be yr dog”, the same french radio presenter says: “ voilà le concert en direct est presque terminé...quelques..quelques détails encore à vous donner: demain soir Sonic Youth sera donc au centre de loisirs ( sounds like grantakoné, phonetically ), avec en première partie ( phonetically it sounds like marylin manson )”
translate :
“so the concert live transmission is almost ended ...some..some details to give you: SY will be in concert tomorrow night at the “centre de loisirs”(leisure house?) grantakomé (phonetically, cos it’s hard to hear exactly) with, on first part (a name of group sounds like marylin manson-i think it isnt him!).
the 30:21 – 33:39 part begins with the same radio presenter : “...ex, the sonic youth, toujours Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Lee Rananldo et Bob Bert......la deuxième partie du concert en direct de sonic youth...”
translate :
« …ex, the SY, always KG,TM,LR and Bob Bert…the second part of the live concert transmission of SY… » then starts “Burning Spear”.
PRESUMABLY FROM UNKNOWN FRENCH 1983 RADIO BROADCAST.
"The World Looks Red" -- 17:02 - 19:15 (sped up)
"Confusion is Next" -- 20:26 - 23:46
"Burning Spear" -- 30:21 - 33:39
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