Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth are an experimental rock group formed in New York City in 1981. Current personnel are:

Related Topics:
Rock - New York City - 1981

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• Thurston Moore - guitars and vocals
• Lee Ranaldo - guitars, vocals and organ
• Kim Gordon - bass guitar, guitar, and vocals
• Jim O'Rourke - bass guitar, guitar, occasional synthesizer or laptop
• Steve Shelley - drums

In their early career, Sonic Youth were associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City, but have outlasted most associated bands. They have found moderate mainstream success, and are generally seen as one of the leading alternative rock groups of their time.

Related Topics:
No Wave - Alternative rock

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Initially inspired by the noise experimentation of Glenn Branca (with whom most of the band have performed); as well as the heavy garage rock-acid-rock of The Stooges, they were known for using a variety of unorthodox guitar tunings, and for applying screwdrivers or other preparations to guitars to alter the instruments' timbre.

Related Topics:
Glenn Branca - Garage rock - Acid-rock - The Stooges - Screwdriver - Preparations - Timbre

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Members of the band have also released acclaimed books of poetry and prose (a beatnik influence shows itself both in these and in the their songs' lyrics), produced films, staged shows of visual art and more. There is also an abundance of musical material recorded and/or performed with other artists and side-projects. Sonic Youth can in many ways be said to be an artistic collective just as much as a traditional rock/pop band.

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Sonic Youth: History ►