Sonic Youth - Silver Rocket

[diduhear]

You can hear the distorted emotion in every single instrument. It so fuckin live.

[supermanJOEL2]

whats this song about?

[cardigansarecool]

things that you can't stop from burning a hole in your pocket.

and Andy Warhol.

[frunkus88]

steve shelley kinda looks like harry potter in this

[chabz1645]

that mustang with 3 single coils its so fuckin rare and beauty!

[ZRN959]

and stolen.

[fabiancarini1]

wow. this is good like the pixies. does sonic youth have more songs like this one? please tell me

[cardigansarecool]

get Daydream Nation.

[fabiancarini1]

thanks, but i listened to daydream nation as well as their following album "goo" and they weren't as rushing as this amazing song.

[cardigansarecool]

Well by the time Goo came out, they were a little closer to the conventional pop format. But listen to stuff pre-Daydream Nation if you want noisier stuff.

[fabiancarini1]

alright. thanks.

[smity1268]

also get goo and bad moon rising

[burnthebitch]

Thurston Moore was hot

[ortigas01]

terrific

[methlab4qt]

I'm thirstin' more Thurston Moore

[cardigansarecool]

I hope to see them in January.

[jacob7207]

Thurston Moore is lucky. He's married to the bass player. Hell yeah.

[TheMassimy]

I sonic Youth sono il mio gruppo rock preferito in assoluto! "sister" il loro disco che amo di piu'.

[coolcarlz]

nice song.

i just uploaded a self-filmed artsy music video to Sonic Youth's rare song, "Halloween", it's very intense. please check it out.thanks

[Rigwoc]

Yeah !!! Sounds like a grunge rock of the 90th :))) Cool !

[checkerdshoes21]

nope! the 90s sounded like the Youth! this is the 80s!

[bruckfracious]

Television and Blondie, new wave?  They were the first wave of punk before the pistols got their hands on it.

[joaomc]

Comparing Pixes and Sonic Youth is IMHO like comparing Anthrax and Iron Maiden: Two COMPLETELY DIFFERENT music styles.

[fabiancarini1]

PIXIES RULE!

they D E S T R O Y sonic youth

just listen to nimrods son, isla de encanta, something against you, allison, alec eiffel

[honeypower]

Why compare two very different bands?

[fabiancarini1]

sonic youth try to sound up beat. the pixies succeed, sonic youth just don't sound as good.

[jdh8403]

The Pixies are good but don't you get tired of listening to the same three or four albums. Too bad they aren't like Sonic Youth who have made something like 16 albums.

[Karasu113]

Once again, like kool thing, the middle part just ruins it.

[nickexosap]

SONIC TRUTH

[SimplyShadow]

sonic youth is classic but they made not so great albums, seriously daydream nation is not as good as it is said to be. Sonic youth has amazing songs however and are spectacular artists. deserve lots of respect, of course other underground bands are and have made music to sonic youth's level. still no guitars can be distorted and crazy and with MELODY at the same time. greats here.

[JonasRoskilde]

Is that a real Rickenbacker?

[ragnatoad]

I really can't hear what the second guitar is playing. Is it just the same chords as the first?

[romerorepeatkill]

It's great how even when a major label like UMG tells the Youth to "cut out the noisy parts" in order to make it a single, they still pump out a righteous 30 second ear bleedin' jamout.

[trutenon]

ahh this is infinite times better than the crap they set out these days.....

[sotan69]

Whoah......this is epic

[HerbKingdom]

I can troll too. but this really isnt good in like anyway. Hawkwind >

[LackingAesthetic]

This is amazing.

[Sumdude54]

Good for you, listen to one song and know they suck i don't know who you are and i usually don't say things about people but your a fucking idiot.

[ragnatoad]

And what, in your world, is 'good'?

[bananaman757]

god.. They just suck..

[rodhf]

if you think they suck why did you watched in the first place.They rock,you stupid bastard

[Sumdude54]

Ya mainstream is awesome right.

[drumorrison]

Haha, oh oh oh, no my friend. No. But hey, you're young, dumb and full of cum, so this is what I suggest. Start looking at early garage rock, "Louie Louie," The Sonics, Stooges, etc. Then that will lead you to mid-70s punk, Clash, Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks. Then learn about the New Wave artists like Television, Blondie, CBGB stuff and then the No Wave. Once you do that buddy, you'll realize exactly why Sonic Youth is one of the most significant bands ever. A little lesson for ya.

[CelticJobber2]

Thurston looks like 80's era Kevin Bacon in this video.

[BloggerMusicMan]

Great song, as most Sonic Youth songs are.

[ratsareeatingmybrain]

it was all down hill from here...

[soulseed999]

that wat i was thinking. i have a squier just for c standard tuning already too.

[soulseed999]

they have their guitars tuned up. i usually tune down. i was wondering, does anyone know if its safe to tune up to something like AAEEAA? or should i have a guitar thats always tuned to something like that all the time?

[BloggerMusicMan]

Doing a cheap electric guitar up that high works (although it's harder than it looks to make it sound good, especially through a distortion pedal). I tried to do it on a classical, a definite no no. On that first string all I started to hear was "crunch" and I was all the sudden thinking "oh shit!" and tuned down. No harm done, but not something I'm going to try again.

[whitmansincubo]

I don't know if I'd buy a "cheap" guitar like the other person suggested. I've done this and scrooged two guitars. The bridges were damaged and couldn't be fixed. If you're going to do it, my suggestion would be to tune it down again once you're done playing. That's a pain 'cause you have to re-tune every time you play, but at least it'll save your guitar. That's just my experience though ...

[goberge69]

Great video and music, why is not on their DVD coporate ghost? :(

[patrubosabi]

The full DVD title is "Corporate Ghost: The Videos: 19902002", referring to their 1990 signing to Geffen, and suggesting that things before then aren't going to be on the DVD. I was disappointed this video wasn't on there too, until the above two things occurred to me. Then I felt kind of silly that I expected it to be there...

[scuppersoh]

I just look at the year this was made, and watch them, and look at the year, again and again -- these guys were far ahead of their time....

[diViSiONdeJoiE]

Ah, the music of my youth.

I miss these times.

[manray17]

lets not forget this is live and sounds great!

[Jormunbong]

You guys are nuts, Sonic Youth are genius, they've made a lot of thing for Rock and Roll. Bands such as Nirvana, the Melvins, Dinosaur Jr or Babes in Toyland won't exist today without 'em. You're talking about a music that you never heard about: Noise. Nobody can play like SY, they have their own sound and nobody else on earth have it. Sonic Youth is one of the most complexe rock band in the history, and i dare anywone to say they're not.

[tleasner222]

they're not

nobody can play like SY because everyone knows betters than that.

Attempting to play this white noise would make you worse at your instrument:)

[mattm1836]

You are an idiot. Go listen to your Hannah Montana records.

[tleasner222]

I would prefer SonicYouth over that Hannah Montana shit...it's like this past election...i voted for McCain...you gotta pick the better of the two wrongs:)

[ZachTFLd]

Do you even know how to play guitar? Because if you did and were a sensible person, you'd understand part of the appeal of Sonic Youth, you know, Lee and Thurston's immense talent.

[toomanyscreennames]

I play guitar and am entirely unimpressed with anything they are doing

and I'm not even a good guitarist

[ZachTFLd]

Well then, do you even know what they're doing?

[bluuuuhh]

i was completely impressed when i saw them play i saw tem for the first time at osheaga fest in montreal like 2 years ago. in fact i was mesmarized and that show actually cemented myrespect for them as a band. its not only they sounds they make. its the way the move with their guitars. u gota have presence onstage. i wish id seen em in the 80's or 90's. and toomanyscreennames ur probably not good at guitar cuz u play with no feeling, see ya

[MRSUPERFUZZ]

You know that they can actuly play dumbass. Its just sonic youth. Its awsome music. Lee And Thurston Are really good at guitar. So suck it.

[moonmanmouse]

heh thats why your not impressed bro.... you probly idolize stevie ray it takes awhile to appreciate the less technically centered stuff...

[kalemarefrite]

there's the problem, if you'd be any good you'd recognise the talent

[tleasner222]

Who rates those lists...cause they're dumb ass's.

Arguing on the internet is like competing in the Special Olympics.

Even if you win, you're still retarded.

[RoPk27]

sir that comment is tottaly full of win

[mayjan08]

q rolota

[cynicalprice]

Thank you so much for your responses.

I have seen so many bands who are 'inspired' by Sonic Youth, and they have soured my appreciation of 'anti-music'. Many arrogant art-school bands. I'm a little jaded.

I am going to make a committed effort to listen to more Sonic Youth. I think I can appreciate it better in context.

[PixiesFanatic]

My favorite Sonic Youth inspired band is Nirvana, without Sonic Youth Nirvana would've just kept ripping off the Melvins and songs like Radio Friendly Unit Shifter would've never been written

[cynicalprice]

I'm making an appeal. Someone please help me!

I don't, on any level, enjoy Sonic Youth, and I don't understand why they are so iconic. Yes, he is a skilled drummer, and their hair is tousled and there t-shirts are vintage - but the music is awful!

I understand they are 'experimental', but I've always believed this is an excuse for poor song-writing.

[kavorka91]

I don't think a love for certain music is really something that can be "understood". Despite what some other people on here might tell you, It's cool if you don't dig Sonic Youth. I just like it because I like it and that's about it.

As for their icon status, they were some of the first people to popularize the 'anti-music'--distorted, dissonant, and blindingly simple.

[MicDollaBIll]

I think that's it's acceptable to challenge their songwriting abilities because they purposely deviate from established norms. But to deem them poor seems a bit much. I think you'd prefer the stuff on Murray St. or Sonic Nurse more, as it is more conventional. You'll find that they're completely capable of writing songs as Rondoes or Theme and Variation, which shows that they don't lack the ability to write more conventional songs.

[MicDollaBIll]

A good way to look at it is as follows: When punk rock first came out, it was brash and the vast majority of the public rejected it. But at the same time, it became a massive movement because it evoked a certain vibe, a certain energy that appealed to a group of people. In a nutshell, that's what Sonic Youth has done. They've made a deliberate decision to deviate from musical standards.

[MicDollaBIll]

You could say that early punk bands sounded as they did for lack of musical abilities, but for bands like the Clash and the New York Dolls, this was not the case. Similarly, this is not the case for Sonic Youth. Sonic Youth borrowed heavily from the No Wave movement (see James Chance), which blended atonal melodies with the whole drowning-in-reverberation sound of the early 80s. Sonic Youth takes this further by demolishing the vestiges of popular music, replacing them with crazy feedback.

[MicDollaBIll]

In short, you don't want to hear catchy music in a conventional sense if you like Sonic Youth. That being said, I've never actually listened to Sonic Youth or the No Wave bands. I'm basing this rebuttal on guesses alone. I don't even know what No Wave is. Whatever, man, Sonic Youth is boss, and the new Sonic Youth signature guitars look fuckin' awesome.

[fvertk]

I agree completely man. I love music a lot of fans of this like as well... but not this.

[iSabotage]

Experimental is more of a term for alternative bands since the term alternative is tossed around so often,

I do love Sonic Youth, but just because they're iconic doesn't mean they're good. Bands like Iron Maiden and Slayer influenced some bands I enjoy and are pretty iconic, but I really hate their music regardless of who they inspired.

[tapundinmak]

I'm agree with you. Today be alternative and experiment doing shits thats nobody have done means that you're an icon.

Estos cuatro quedaos no suenan mal, pero lo hacen como el culo.

[orlyorlywtf]

fucking insane!

[animal90sFreak5]

great band,they're awesome!

[brendanlec]

I'm pretty sure the tuning is EGDGF#D, it's a pretty awesome tuning

[AddEmergency]

What tunning is this?...it's wierd

[blakerwalk]

try finding a sonic youth tune with standard tuning

[AddEmergency]

Yah I know thats whats so great about them!!!

[zls88]

ACCGG#C

[clawspace]

Yeah Woo Hoo

[paulboggan]

cant help noticing this is posted by universal music group..

RELEASE THE YEAR PUNK BROKE DVD GUYS..ITS ABOUT TIME AND A CRYING SHAME IT HASNT BEEN RELEASED YET!

[Daniel0Khan]

Not arguing the point at all btw.

In my opinion I think Sonic Youth are great, and Nirvana (Bleach and The Boxset) are also great.

But what do you get out of arguing about who's band is better?

Let the music speak, not your pixels.

[Daniel0Khan]

SkyShaw.

That's just your perception of punk and metal informed by the stereotypes and prejudice you have formed against the scenes related to those genres.

There is a distinct difference between perception and fact bud.

[smknapp72]

Greatest sonic youth punk song

[blackflag277]

3:00 gigantic much thurston

[N64AndBattleTanx]

1:38 - 2:50 ftw

[lucifersam93]

unreal performance by an AMAZING band....you fools below talkin shit need to take it elsewhere....we dont go to you stupid ass hootie and the blowfish page and talk shit....(or whatever shit you must listen too)

[bearo392]

anybody who doesn't like sonic youth, doesn't know music at all, suks for them though

[archer1949]

I wanna be your Thurston Moore!

[alexmooreshake]

fucking posers, this band is shit

[M16Bleach]

posers? yeah right does that explain why Nirvana was influenced by Sonic Youth, yeah Nirvana is the bomb and so are these guys.

[jonspissed]

How so?

[alexmooreshake]

they are mainstream "punk" they are fonies

[SkyShaw]

Bwahaha, nirvana was the most mainstream of any grunge band, look at green river or the melvins for the true underground fathers of grunge.

And as far as punk goes, who gives a crap? The punk scene today is mostly leather-wearing hipsters with their heads up their own asses. Not that the metal scene is much better mind you.

[alexmooreshake]

punks dont rely on fucking "leather wearing" to state thier status as a punk, if u go to 9th NC,(which i doubt u know what it is) there are fucking the sickest dudes uve ever met. and metal? fuck metal. its all abolut the thrash and the crossover. fuck grunge pussies, kobain is dead cause that bastard SHOT HIMSELF IN THE HEAD

[SkyShaw]

Listen dude, I really don't care at all. Most of those punk bands have been playing the same stupid crap for years, that's why people like Henry Rollins, John Lydon, and Jello Biafre have moved away from the genre.

At least the Sonic Youth experiment with their sound, and as far as them being mainstream tell me the last time you heard one of their songs on a top 40 radio.

[Theywillriseagain]

Kind of a cunt, aren't ya?

[martenandrew]

actually courtney love killed him for his money

[AddEmergency]

So what if they are mainstream?They were good and that's what made them so famous.

[xXK4M4K4ZYXx]

true, ive tried, and the absolute hardest thing to find is a true ass unk, the world just seems filled with shep. but they dont think theyre sheep there doing it because its "cool"

[Henry21211]

when are they going to change their name to the Sonic Seniors?

[kesfree]

The same day that the Rolling Stones change their name to the Walking Frame Stones

[Harvesterofpie]

WOW!!! This band absolutely sucks!!!

[FusionFallGuide]

how does this band suck?

[germz43]

that chick is hot

[Abortive]

she's 56 now...

[javabeansalmon]

she sure doesnt look like it. haha nobody in that band looks like their in their 50's except for one.

[raider8sox]

I found out about them while listening to if i were a carpenter album=), Awesome cover though=)!!!..

[Lynchies20]

kim and thurston naked and tied to my bed NOW

so much sex appeal in this band for me :P

not to mention how awesome ther sponteniety is!!

and btw i love in flames, sonic youth and nirvana equally massively in addition to the yeah yeah yeahs!!

skill definitly matters but its for nothing if ur not creative

[facethruster138]

the thing ilove about them is how they dont try to hard to sound good and it makes them better, like nirvana does that too. skill doesnt matter so 11 year olds can fuck off if they dont like it

[acepple95]

i like his guitar with all the single coils slanted,and i only know this awesome band cause of Nirvana lol

[stewiegriffin6000]

You know, I am into Nirvana alot and I have to say that I have neglected to listen to this band. This is the first Sonic Youth song I have heard and I must say that... this song has ultimately made me interested in this band and that it wont be long before I am a fan.

[quinndoug]

They need to turn up the gain some more.

I'd be happier.

[TehKarmaPolice]

music to my ears my fair lady. love it. makes me orgasm.

[ohefdubs]

i <3 surfer rosa. daydream ..id put 40 oz to freedom up against most classic albums ..abby road is good ...BUT

bump sonic youth and riding silver rockets ladies !!!!

[shypunkbunnyXOX]

... i don't know how to follow all the smart sounding comments above here... i'm not as knowledgable about their history... i just really like the song and genre... :) Hopefully thats good enough so people won't yell @ me... ;D

[RonPaulmakesmehard]

I've always thought their drummer is a bit unappreciated. He is fantastic.

[moonmanmouse]

their drummers just not as prominent a figure because of the role he plays in sonic youths image. He isn't under appreciated he just isnt acknowledged to the same extent

[drgals]

he actually is very good.... his dynamics control is great, and he has some great drum lines, such as bull in the heather

[moonmanmouse]

undoubtedly he's an amazing drummer. sonic youth wouldnt have the sustainability it does if steve wasn't part of the dynamic. I feel sonic youths music draws as much from their experimental noise and zz top fueled structures as it does from the concept of the band itself.

[joe11121]

fantastic playing, fantastic video, fantastic song....i must learn it!

[ToroQ3000]

Ugh, Good luck!

[rayolacer]

haah i can play it!! it aint hard if u actually play guitar

[ToroQ3000]

Yeah, but most people are too lazy to restring their guitar for just one song, ya know. I know that after you do it, though, the tunning actually helps you play it better. Otherwise, I dont see how anyone could play Cross the Breeze or Inhuman!

[son1cyouth]

hah what about the burning spear?

[Bossk14]

That songs kicks so much ass.

[eckmacdonald]

Daydreaming of 87 surfer rosa and daydream nation the best year for music ever!

[237KMT]

Surfer Rosa and Daydream Nation are as good as anything that has ever been released. I bought both when I was a junior in high school. I listen to both to this day. The Beatles, The Pixies, and Sonic Youth just don't diminish over time. It's wonderful music.

[webkinzfreak221]

dude, you sound exactly like my sister! she is 23 though, so she was two. hahaha. but my sister loves Nirvana, The Cure, The Pixies, Sonic Youth, and stuff like that. She kinda trained me to like that music. Even though Im only 11, i love these bands!

[gigglegigggle]

Wow I'm 11 and I have better taste than you. I'm more of a metal guy myself. In Flames, Opeth, Coheed and Cambria (yes i know they're not metal), and Zeppelin. Beautiful music.

[imafuckingrobot]

Um. In Flames sucks shit compared to Sonic Youth (and the Pixies, Nirvana, Cure, etc, etc). And 11 year olds are stupid and shouldn't be allowed to use the internet.

[gigglegigggle]

First, I was just expressing my opinion. And second, why are you stereotyping? And also, Sonic Youth just doesn't appeal to me. And skillwise, In Flames beats Nirvana. ;)

[Jiraimeep]

You need to realize that just because you can play more technically doesn't make your songs better. Kurt Cobain may not have been a great guitar player, but he WAS a great songwriter. A common fallacy for a metal fan. I thought that way once too.

[gigglegigggle]

I feel the same way as I do, being able to play more technical makes song better. And of course I can't deny the fact the Kurt is an AMAZING song writer. But cut me some slack I'm only 11 :P

[DarknessHowls]

Generally, if you're more technically proficient, you know more about music, but song-writing and technical prowess don't necessarily go hand in hand. Plenty of virtuosos never compose, and only play other people's works (Rubinstein, Gould...). Only an elite few are masters at an instrument and composing.

So, yeah, you need a certain amount of technical skill to play well, but when you're playing music like Sonic Youth's, it's not about technicalities, it's about rocking the fuck out!

[bestlupinski]

your 11 go mow lawns for your neighbors

[gigglegigggle]

What the fuck?

[bestlupinski]

do you kiss your mother with that mouth now

[Abortive]

giggle. i was into SY at age 12. before taking a look at nirvana.

let these fanboys molest 'the eternal' or mogwai or something...

[doublethink921]

there's more to skill than complexity, there's creativity, imagination, etc. all of which nirvana had more of.

[akasaart]

Kim Gordon..sexy

[Willieboy9000]

When is Sy gonna release a Dvd with all of their vids from the 80s?

[malchetti]

Exactly, a DVD was promised at the time of Corporate Ghost! I just bought the VHS of "Screaming Fields Of Sonic Love" on ebay to get the 80s videos.

[rayolacer]

theres that dvd with the xray photo of a jazzmaster as a cover that has all the videos

[malchetti]

I think you're talking about Corporate Ghost which only has the Geffen videos from Goo onwards.

[curlyrocks1]

awsom... i am in aw

[etatseerfegnaro]

they were so YOUTHful

[kjs1170]

Man, this brings back memories . . . fantastic song off of a classic album.