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a poor band,life here is so tormenting but happy!!

I was introduced to SY's songs when I first watched its 1991's documentary "1991: The year punk broke". I became a fan right away then. I confess I'd been strongly influenced by Kurt Cobain and Nirvana's propaganda over them, but in time I came to know Nirvana was right, Sonic Youth is great. Here in Brazil the big dinosaur rock'n'roll marketing is ( and has always been forever ) manipulated by the major artists , neverthless some of us rock'n'roll punk influenced social dysfunctional kids were looking for the opposite side, which Sonic Youth indeed was. They have influenced people worldwide, not only musically - I tell you we've done and found out much more than without them.

While it is true that Sonic Youth's sound had strong roots in late 70's "experimental" atonal noise music, I believe that they were also somewhat influenced by certain 60's psychedelic bands that used effects laden guitar work, feedback and "noise" and also had a definite, shall I say "pop" sensibility that was completely missing from bands such as Teenage Jesus and the Jerks. Rock history people should take listen to "Ball and Chain" from Big Brother and the Holding Company Cheap Thrills (don't forget to turn the volume way up).It's a blues number but sounds more like SY (with better vocals)than Muddy Waters. Many similar examples exist from Blue Cheer to the Stooges....and of course V.U.. I've always had a fantacy of hearing SY do a cover of Voodoo Child. Maybe for Obama's innauguration party. Thurston..are you listening?

i love bitter spinach

MUCH disagreement here about the "worst" bands that Sonic Youth chose to tour with. I saw them in 1993 with The Boredoms, who were SO INCREDIBLE that it wsa hard to get energy to see Sonic Youth afterwards..

Please check out the show curated by Thurston Moore at KS Art - 73 Leonard St.

They have had some great moments, but they've been making the same record for over 20 years.

Why don't you bother to even do the smallest modicum of research regarding contemporary bands which are influenced by or working with Sonic Youth?

I never got Sonic Youth. I bought their albums in the early-mid 90s because it seemed like the thing "to do" if you were a literate minded music fan. But the music's unlistenable, pretentious and not much fun. Sonic Youth is the bitter spinach of my music diet.

To clarify, one mistake is to discuss "Sonic Youth" as a single, monolithic entity. In fact, like indie rock, there are many Sonic Youths to be had within their body of work. Yes, there were the major label records (a relationship that lasted longer than you guys have admitted) and then there was the late 80s, post-hardcore SY and, more interestingly, the records that they released on Sonic Youth Records.

I saw Glen Branca with my husband at tier 3 back in like 1981. It was amazing to see so many guitarists get on stage. I think that early influence is heard through out Thurston's career with Sonic Youth and with his solo stuff. I loved it then and I love it now, and has never grown old for me. The band really has not compromised much through the years, and that is what earns them so much respect. They are just who they are, and do what they feel inspired to do.

I saw Sonic Youth play at least a dozen times during their Sister/Daydream Nation years. We would drive hours up and down the east coast for a chance to see them play in a mall in Baltimore, a factory in DC or some hole in Trenton. They managed to make beautiful, delicate, aggressive music that was both catchy and experimental. But why why why why why did they always choose the worst bands of their time to tour with? Every Sonic Youth show meant sitting through STP, Bewitched and other low talent bands that appeared to be little more than friends of the band. Why tour with Bewitched when you could have toured with Big Dipper, Galaxie 500 or other worthy bands?