Sonic Youth


Interviews


Interview with Steve Shelley (2004)

Sonic Youth - Interview with Steve Shelley

Remaining constantly inventive, Sonic Youth are soon to release their nineteenth album, 'Sonic Nurse'. Mark Rowland talks to drummer Steve Shelley about its creation,and their recent turn as curators at the All Tomorrow's Parties alternative rock festiva


Live

Roundhouse, London, 1/9/2007

Sonic Youth - Roundhouse, London, 1/9/2007

In the iconic recently opened venue of the Roundhouse in London, Dominic Simpson watches Sonic Youth in a 'Don't Look Back' show give a dynamic and forceful perfomance of their classic 1988 album, 'Daydream Nation'


Capital Music Hall, Ottawa, 6/8/2004

Sonic Youth - Capital Music Hall, Ottawa, 6/8/2004

Sonic Youth recently played Ottawa as part of their current world tour. While not as overwhelming as their reputation would suggest, Andrew Carver still finds them able to play a " very coo" show


Live at Shepherds Bush Empire, London,

Sonic Youth - Live at Shepherds Bush Empire, London,

A large turnout and high expectations were all in order for Sonic Youth's first UK appearance this year since their controversial set at All Tomorrow's Parties. Before they began their set however, ou


Albums

Daydream Nation (2007)



Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation


Jon Rogers looks at Sonic Youth's 1988 opus 'Daydream Nation'which has just been re-released with both additional songs and a whole extra disc of live versions of the album


Daydream Nation (2002)



Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation


In the latest in our Favourite Album series, in which one of our writers writes about an album of his or her choice, Andy Snowball looks at Sonic Youth's classic 1988 album , 'Daydream Nation'


Features

Sonic Youth 'EVOL' and 'Sister' (2011)

Sonic Youth - Sonic Youth 'EVOL' and 'Sister'

In our ‘Soundtrack of Our Lives’ column, in which our writers reflect upon music that has had a personal impact on them, Jon Rogers writes of Sonic Youth’s 1986 and 1987 albums, ‘EVOL’ and ‘Sister’


Reissues (2006)

Sonic Youth - Reissues

Mark Rowland assesses the recent reissues of three Sonic Youth-related albums-their self-titled 1982 mini album, side project Ciccone Youth's 1988 album 'The Whitey Album' and Thurston Moore's 1995 solo record 'Psychic Hearts'


Reviews


Smart Bar-Chicago 1985 (2013)
Sonic Youth - Smart Bar-Chicago 1985

Forceful and raw live album from Sonic Youth, recorded at a 1985 Chicago club gig, which will be of appeal only to hardened fans


Simon Werner A Disparu (2011)
Sonic Youth - Simon Werner A Disparu

Superb latest album from Sonic Youth composed for a French thriller, which maintains an excellent balance between both the New York-based band's traditional rock and more esoteric halves


The Destroyed Room (2007)
Sonic Youth - The Destroyed Room

Largely instrumental and experimental, but rewarding compilation of outtakes, leftovers and odds and sods from Sonic Youth released to clear out their major label cupboard


Rather Ripped (2006)
Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped

Impressive new album from Sonic Youth, which, despite being their most conventional and straightforward record in some years, finds them having lost little of their explosive edge


Goo (2005)
Sonic Youth - Goo

Remastered re-release of Sonic Youth's 1990 'Goo' album, spread across two CDs, and with the addition of B sides, outtakes and demos


Sonic Nurse (2004)
Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse

19th album from the ever impressive Sonic Youth, which finds them as "strong a band as they ever were" and still capable of turning heads


Dirty (2003)
Sonic Youth - Dirty

Worthy re-appraisal and re-evaluation with additional B sides and "rehearsal recordings" of Sonic Youth's much under-rated 1992 album, 'Dirty'


Related


Interviews

Lonna Kelley
Interview Lonna Kelley - Interview

Solo artist and Giant Sand member Lonna Kelley speaks to John Clarkson about her first single in four years, 'Will I See You?', and her new band Ard Eevin which includes Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley on drums.


Original Silence
Interview Original Silence - Interview

Original Silence is an improvised alt rock/jazz formed by Swedish saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, and which also features Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and producer Jim O' Rourke. Mark Rowland talks to him about it, and 'The First Original Silence', the band's debut CD


Mainline
Interview Miscellaneous - Interview

Six piece band Irish Mainline merge together distorted Jesus and Mary Chain style guitars with Spiritualised psychedelic grooves. Anthony Strutt chats to them about their first British single and touring with Primal Scream and Sonic Youth


Go ! Team
Interview with Ian Parton Go Team - Interview with Ian Parton

The Go ! Team's mix of old school hip-hop, soul and funk, Sonic Youth style guitars and cheerleader samples have drawn them increasingly big audiences over the last year. The band's songwriter and leader Ian Parton speaks to Mark Rowland


Profiles

All Tomorrow's Parties
Minehead, Somerset, 8/12/2006...10/12/2006 Miscellaneous - Minehead, Somerset, 8/12/2006...10/12/2006

Dominic Simpson casts his mind back on December's All Tomorrow's Parties long weekend, which was curated by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, and featured performances from among others Fursaxa, Deerhof, the Gang of Four, Dinosaur Jr and Iggy and the Stooges


Live

Thurston Moore
Thurston Moore/Mark Gardener - Bodega, Nottingham, 12/11/2014 Thurston Moore - Thurston Moore/Mark Gardener - Bodega, Nottingham, 12/11/2014

At the intimate Bodega in Nottingham, Anthony Strutt watches ex-Sonic Youth front man Thurston Moore, with Ride's Mark Gardener as support, play an intense but versatile set


Lee Ranaldo and the Dust
Garage, London, 21/11/2013 Lee Ranaldo - Garage, London, 21/11/2013

Adrian Janes watches former Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo, with a surprising support slot from his ex-band mate Thurston Moore, play a heartfelt and atmospheric set at the Garage in London


Hallogallo
Barbican, London, 27/10/2010

Hallogallo is the project of Neu's Michael Rother, Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley and Aaron Mullan from Tall Firs. Jon Rogers watches them play a forceful set at the Barbican in London


Albums

Pavement
Brighten the Corners Pavement - Brighten the Corners

Jamie Rowland examines influential indie rock outfit Pavement's 1997 fourth album, 'Brighten the Corners', which has just been re-released in a new double CD edition


Features

Pavement
All Tomorrow’s Parties, Minehead, June 2010 Pavement - All Tomorrow’s Parties, Minehead, June 2010

Mark Rowland relives his favourite gig of all time, a long-awaited chance to see Pavement at their curated All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in Minehead


Condemned to Rock 'n' Roll
August 2008 Miscellaneous - August 2008

In the latest episode of his 'Condemned to Rock 'n' Roll' column, Ben Howarth looks at some of the sacred cows of rock including the Rolling Stones, Pink Gloyd, Alanis Morrisette, Sonic Youth and Fleetwood Mac


Soundtrack of Our Lives
Teenage Life and Sonic Youth My Bloody Valentine - Teenage Life and Sonic Youth

In the latest instalment in our 'Soundtrack of Our Lives', in which our writers write about the effect of music at important times in their lives, Dominic Simpson tells of his teenage discovery of Sonic Youth