"Junkie's Promise" is the second track from Washing Machine, recorded circa April 1995 in Memphis, Tennessee. The band did a week of college gigs at the end of April to warm up for the forthcoming R.E.M. and Lollapalooza tours, and this is where the bulk of the Washing Machine material was premiered. "Junkie's Promise" made its first known appearance on April 23rd, in Philadelphia, and unlike many other new songs played on this tour, it is essentially identical to the album version. Initially, Thurston would play the verse once instrumentally, then the band would come in and he'd start singing. They finally dropped this intro on the first date of the North American Washing Machine tour in Raleigh on October 13th.
The song was not chosen very often on the R.E.M. tour, and was played at just under half of the Lollapalooza shows. By the fall tour and subsequent Pacific Rim + European tours, the song was played more often than not, but not quite nightly. Its final performance was at the WOMAD Festival in Las Palmas, Spain on November 23rd, 1996.
Aside from the enigma that is "Little Trouble Girl", this song is the most curious of the Washing Machine compositions, if only because it does not use pre-existing tunings like F#F#F#F#EB, GGDDD#D#, or GGCGCD. Instead, Thurston dug out Kim's old Musima Eterna guitar, which he had previously used on the '89 European tour. Kim had last used it on Dirty, playing it live for only a week's tour before replacing it with a Les Paul. Thurston, who was openly trying to reduce the amount of tunings he used around this time, nevertheless came up with the DADABB tuning and used it solely for "Junkie's Promise", which I assume he wrote the bulk of. Lee created his own tuning to complement Thurston's, and Kim used the same tuning she used for all of her Washing Machine guitar parts: BEGDBB (a variation of her earlier DEGDBB tuning used on Dirty and Jet Set - indeed the previous tuning of the Eterna!)
You know...Thurston notoriously nicked Stephen Malkmus's CGDGBE tuning, lowering the high E to have unison Bs. Malkmus's other tuning, responsible for "Summer Babe" "Here" "Frontwards" "Silent Kid" "Gold Soundz" "Rattled by the Rush" etc was DADABE - did Thurston try to recreate the earlier CGDGBB magic (aka Psychic Hearts) by stealing the other classic Pavement tuning (and proceeding to write exactly one song)? I think we can safely conclude that he did!
As a side note, after the song left the set and the guitar was no longer needed on tour, it survived the '99 gear theft and in fact was the first instrument Kim grabbed when songwriting sessions began for NYC Ghosts & Flowers immediately afterwards. In this case, she didn't change the tuning, and continued using DADABB for the next 6 or 7 years (or more if you believe my "Machine" theory), on songs like "Nevermind" "The Empty Page" "New Hampshire" and "Rats".
While Thurston and Kim's tunings are relatively straightforward (although if you've never used Kim's before, scope out the tuning tutorial for tips on how to maneuver it - one of the few tunings I'd honestly suggest restringing for!), Lee's is a bit more puzzling. He used a few different guitars during this song's brief lifetime, initially a Tele Deluxe and then a Guitar Castle oddity, replaced by another Tele Deluxe. The Guitar Castle "Hopf Telstar" was built specifically for Sonic Youth by Tim Knight in Salem, OR. It was auctioned in 2018 and thoroughly photographed, which may have cleared up this song's tuning:
I found the negative image a little easier to read:
Based on the gauges and extensive notes, I don't think the tuning is the simple low to high I'd previously assumed (a low D, two As matching the regular A string, two Ds matching the regular D string, and a high A). I've never been able to figure out exactly how to read Lee's notations when he draws a line either above or below one of the letters in the tuning. I first saw this in the Bad Moon Rising CD liner notes and puzzled over it for a while. It's not as simple as "tune down" or "tune up", maybe something to do with whether it's lower than the next string? Does anybody have any ideas??
Regardless, these seem to be the gauges:
Although that seems peculiar, I think it's correct based on the interval notes:
I think that means Lee's guitar is strung and tuned as follows:
Realistically, you can rearrange the notes to make it more friendly to a regular set of strings: DADAAD / I've included tabs for both the real tuning and the cheat tuning. You're welcome!
The song is also noteworthy for being Lee's opportunity to use the infamous Ludwig Phase II Guitar Synthesizer, which Thurston made famous on "The Diamond Sea". Here Lee utilizes it during the song's first instrumental section.
Although never a single, the band played the song twice on television (in addition to the legendary Rockpalast "Easter" '96 set). The first time was on MTV Europe's Hanging Out, where the band was interviewed and played a few songs. Ten days later they made their 2nd appearance on Late Night, first with new host Conan O'Brien. Once again they played a ferocious version of "Junkie's Promise", with Thurston using the Eterna, Kim with her Les Paul Special, and Lee on one of his classic Tele Deluxes, now with a Bigsby. Curiously, the next time the band played Late Night, to perform "Nevermind" in support of NYC Ghosts & Flowers, Kim was now playing the Eterna, Lee was playing the same Tele Deluxe in a new tuning, and Thurston was playing a Les Paul (a real Les Paul, although he used a Les Paul Special on the album itself).
Washing Machine might just be my favorite Sonic Youth album, but I'm not always thrilled with some of the mixing choices they went for. At the time, they spoke in interviews about the lack of bass on most songs being a bit of a shock at the mixing stage, so I understand why they chose to experiment, but I will always be predictable and take my Sonic Youth with Kim down the center and Lee and Thurston split left and right. "Becuz" gets it right, then on "Junkie's Promise" they have placed Thurston's guitar in the center, I suppose since he is playing the main riff in the song (as Kim was on "Becuz"). Likewise, Lee gets placed center on "Saucer-Like", and we'll talk about "Washing Machine" when we get there! Kim's weird guitar is panned right on "Junkie's Promise", then left on "Saucer-Like". At least all the songs with bass are mixed normally...
The song revolves around a dirty verse/chorus primarily driven by Thurston, with Lee and Kim accenting his riffs in their own unique way. After the 2nd chorus there is an instrumental break where Lee shows off the aforementioned Ludwig Phase II Guitar Synthesizer, before reprising the chorus and proceeding to the final suite of the song, a steady jam that begins on one note and increases with intensity before exploding into a nasty tribal sludge highlighted by a slick Thurston guitar lead. The end of the song is virtually improvised based solely on the rhythm of the attack, check out either video above to see them in action.
For the record, this tab was last updated 04/04/02 - 20 years ago! - and never featured Lee's part or Kim's correct tuning. I'm hoping this is a slight improvement.
"JUNKIE'S PROMISE"
LAYOUT
A
KIM
BEGDBB
RIGHT
THURSTON
DADABB
CENTER
LEE
DAADDA
LEFT
B
A
B
C
B
D
E
A SECTION (VERSE 1) 00:00-00:34 Thurston plays his riff once before the band comes in. B-------------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-- B-------------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-- A-------------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-- x 4 D--7-7-5-7-10-9-7-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-- A--7-7-5-7-10-9-7-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-- D--7-7-5-7-10-9-7-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-- Kim's riff: B---------------------3\5-6-- B---------------------3\5-6-- x 3 (x 4 during verse 2) D---7-7--7-7--7-7-7---------- G---------------------------- E---------------------------- B---------------------------- Lee's part: A--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-- D--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7--7-7-7-3--3-3-3-3-3-- x 3 (x 4 during verse 2) D--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7--7-7-7-3--3-3-3-3-3-- A--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-- A--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-- D----------------------------------------------- B SECTION (CHORUS 1) 00:34-00:49 Thurston plays: B---------0------0-0-0-0-0-0-- B---------0------0-0-0-0-0-0-- A---------X------3-3-3-3-3-3-- bend this string up x 4 D--2------2------------------- A--2--2-2-2--2-2-------------- D--2--2-2-2--2-2-------------- palm mute low notes Kim: B--0--0-0-0--0-0--12-12-12-12--12-12-- bend the 12th fret notes slightly x 4 B--0--0-0-0--0-0--12-12-12-12--12-12-- D------------------------------------- in some live versions, it sounds like she turns on her octave fuzz G------------------------------------- while playing the 12th fret notes for the 2nd and 4th rep E------------------------------------- B------------------------------------- Lee's part: A--0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3---0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3\5-5-- D--0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3---0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3\5-5-- play simile x 2 D--0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3---0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3\5-5-- A--0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3---0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3\5-5-- this is based more on live versions A--0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3---0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3\5-5-- D--0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3---0^2-2-2--2\3-3-3\5-5-- A SECTION (VERSE 2) 00:49-01:19 B SECTION (CHORUS 2) 01:19-01:34 C SECTION 01:34-02:04 Thurston plays these chords: B------------------------------------------------------------------ B------------------------------------------------------------------ A------------------------------------------------------------------ D--7-------7-7-7-5------7-------7-7-7-5------10----10-10-10-7------ A--7-------7-7-7-5------7-------7-7-7-5------10----10-10-10-7------ D--7-------7-7-7-5------7-------7-7-7-5------10----10-10-10-7------ B------------------------------------------------------ B------------------------------------------------------ A------------------------------------------------------ D--7-7-7-5--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-- A--7-7-7-5--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-- D--7-7-7-5--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-- Kim plays her verse riff: B---------------------3\5-6-- B---------------------3\5-6-- D---7-7--7-7--7-7-7---------- x 4 G---------------------------- E---------------------------- B---------------------------- Lee plays these chords and also overdubbed a lead w/ the Ludwig Phase II Guitar Synthesizer. For live versions, it sounds like he just plays the following progression while using the "wah" footpedal of the Ludwig. A--7---------5--------7--------5-------10------7------5-------3---3--3-3-3--3-3-3- D--7---------5--------7--------5-------10------7------5-------3---3--3-3-3--3-3-3- D--7---------5--------7--------5-------10------7------5-------3---3--3-3-3--3-3-3- A--7---------5--------7--------5-------10------7------5-------3---3--3-3-3--3-3-3- A--7---------5--------7--------5-------10------7------5-------3---3--3-3-3--3-3-3- D--7---------5--------7--------5-------10------7------5-------3---3--3-3-3--3-3-3- On the record, he doesn't use the effect on the chords, but there is another guitar in the center playing something approximately like this (with the Guitar Synthesizer modulation) A--7-5-7-------7-5-7----------------------- D--------7-7---------7~-------------------- D------------------------------------------ A------------------------------------------ A--------------------------------5-7-8-7--- D------------------------------------------ A--7-5-7-------7-5-7----------------------- D--------7-7---------7~----5~~------------- D------------------------------------------ A------------------------------------------ A--------------------------------5-7-8~~--- D------------------------------------------ A----------------------------------------------------------10-7-5-7~~~-- D--10-10-12-10---10-10-12-10---10-10-12-10--12br-10--------------------- D----------------------------------------------------------------------- you an add the octave D string A-------- fast picking ------------------------------- to fast picked notes A----------------------------------------------------------------------- D----------------------------------------------------------------------- A-------------------------------------------------- D------------------------------------------7~7~7~-- D---------------5-7-5-------5-5-7-5-7-5-7b~7~7~7~-- A--5-5--5-5--5--------7---------------------------- A-------------------------------------------------- D-------------------------------------------------- B SECTION (CHORUS 3) 02:04-02:19 D SECTION 02:19-02:46 This section lasts 16 bars. Thurston plays this chord in a steady rhythm, starting with just the low notes but gradually building to a bigger chord: B----- B----- A--7-- D--7-- A--7-- D--7-- Kim plays this note and eventually starts adding extra notes and more sick fuzz: B----------------------- --7-- etc B----------------------- --7-- D---7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7- etc then add: --7-- G----------------------- ----- E----------------------- ----- B----------------------- ----- Lee's chord is the first one shown below. In some live versions, he plays this additional run before getting heavier with the chord. A--0--- --0--0---0--0-- D--7--- --7--9--10--9-- D--7--- --7--9--10--9-- A--0--- --0--0---0--0-- A--0--- --------------- D------ --------------- E SECTION part 1 02:47-03:25 Once the band hits the low D, they go into the E Section which lasts 46 bars. The first part of this section seems more scripted than the rest... B------------------------- B------------------------- A------------------------- x 4 D----------16~16--16~16/-- A---------\15~15~-15~15/-- just slide up to a random skronk chord, it doesn't have to be the same D--0---------------------- B------------------------------------------------------------------------------ B------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A------------------------------------------------------------------------------ D------------------------------------------------------------------------------ x 2 A----21-21-21-21-21-21-20-20-20-17--17-17-17-15-15-15-15\17-17-17-12-12-12-13-- D--0--------------------------------------------------------------------------- B---------------------- B---------------------- A---------17-17-17-17-- D---------16-16-16-16-- x 4 play any random skronk chord A---------15-15-15-15-- D--0------------------- Kim's part is so loose and based on "attack" rather than specific notes that I'm not going to tab it. Just listen for her rhythm and approximate it with heavy fuzz. Work those low Bs! Lee plays a sludgy rhythm like this: A------------------------------- D------------------------------- D------------------------------- A--5--5--5-5---5-5-5-5-8---8-8-- A--5--5--5-5---5-5-5-5-8---8-8-- D--0--0--0-0---0-0-0-0-0---0-0-- E SECTION part 2 03:26-04:02 After this, everyone gets pretty heavily improvised and I'm not going to try to tab every note they play. You should just watch one of the videos linked above to get the jist of how each player attacks their parts... I also don't believe this was a precisely scripted outro - it seems to go on for different lengths on various live versions so they probably just winkjumped it at a certain point. Thurston and Kim seem to lock into a strumming pattern where they move a random skronk chord up and down the neck in 3 different places, in rhythm with Steve's drumming. Lee is much more picking oriented, switching between high notes circa 12-14th fret and then more sludgy 5th fret jazz. By the end of it, everyone is just chugging away at loosely muted strings until they decide to stop. And that's it! BONUS! LEE PART IN "CHEAT" TUNING Realistically, only his verse riff is affected by changing the tuning since the rest of his part is either full barre chords or random skronk. SECTION A (VERSE) D--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7--7-7-7-3--3-3-3-3-3-- A--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-- A--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-- D--7-7-7-7--7-7-7-7--7-7-7--7-7-7-3--3-3-3-3-3-- A--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0-- D----------------------------------------------- Oh, and the solo bit...which you can probably play in Thurston's tuning too since it's mostly on the middle DA strings. D------------------------------------------ A------------------------------------------ A--7-5-7-------7-5-7----------------------- D--------7-7---------7~-------------------- A--------------------------------5-7-8-7--- D------------------------------------------ D------------------------------------------ A------------------------------------------ A--7-5-7-------7-5-7----------------------- D--------7-7---------7~----5~~------------- A--------------------------------5-7-8~~--- D------------------------------------------ D----------------------------------------------------------------------- A----------------------------------------------------------------------- A----------------------------------------------------------10-7-5-7~~~-- D--10-10-12-10---10-10-12-10---10-10-12-10--12br-10--------------------- A------ fast picking ^^^^^ ------------------------------------------ D----------------------------------------------------------------------- D---------------5-7-5-------5-5-7-5-7-5-7b~7~7~7~-- A--5-5--5-5--5--------7---------------------------- A-------------------------------------------------- D-------------------------------------------------- A-------------------------------------------------- D-------------------------------------------------- text + tab by Chris Lawrence
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