Whoah there's a ot of EJST&NS on that set list! I'm not sure that would be smart, unless this friend is like a huge Beck or Blonde Redhead fan, in which case.... I guess s/he would have already most likely heard sonic youth. :)
I would definitely cherry pick the ten most listenable songs and give them that. I wouldn't be able to keep myself from including "Kotton Krown", but that's probably not a deal-breaker.

What friend are you talking about anyway?

I'd never show them this thread.

Yup, and you'll notice SY's two weakest albums - ATL and especially NYCG&F - are represented by only one song, "Sunday".

Stick a drill in their temple.

hahaha good story.

i don't know why everyone always says new people should check out the less noisy stuff first.
i just tell them to go get DDN, like someone here said if they don't like it now they never will.

i recall hearing Teen Age Riot for the first time.. screwed me for life. :D

That's true. I mean, 100% was a pretty hopping video backintheday, and while it does use some standard root changes, there's little but noise on top.

BTW, thank god for this thread. I thought I was the only one who has completely failed to turn others on.

I'm now at the point where if someone were to say, "They aren't my cup of tea at all, but I appriciate what they're trying to do," I'd consider that a resounding success.

I guess I'd make them sit and watch these videos:

1st Video, some fav songs comp from a fan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yivxPCgMYqA
-Schizophrenia
-Drunken Butterfly
-Youth Against Facism
-Kool Thing
-Halloween
-100%
-Teenage Riot
-The Diamond Sea
-Tunic (Song For Karen)

2nd Video - the eternal promo montage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gt265l6XYg

If they don't seem enthusiastic/attracted by the music and looks then I'd put 'Panty Lies' on loud+repeat and lock them inside the room until they drown and choke in their own vomit which will sure taste like shit just like their taste in music, anyway, they'll be used to the taste for sure, so I'd have to get in and hit them in the head with a open F sharp tuned jazzmaster until they bleed and die.

I don't really try to sway people to listen to bands anymore. Ever try to explain to someone that you sincerely honestly like yoko ono? Good luck. If it was me I would just give them a copy of Sister and see what happens. The first few times I heard the youth, via daydream nation, I didn't really get it, and it took a while before it clicked.

You are hiding your own identity why don't you do the same for other people. Why do you have to throw someone's name out there like that for everyone to see!

its hard to find people patient enough to like sy. i've tried a few times and i always meet people who are completely enthusiastic about them but then later admit they've only heard "a few songs". if SY weren't in guitar hero and rockband, they wouldn't have heard those songs

catl plus
 

you've an amazing weblog here! would you wish to make some invite posts on my weblog?

I never bothered to make this attempt, but I appreciate the suggestions. SY has to be discovered, not forced down throats. I think my best bet is to put it on in the background, and if someone notices, I will consider it a success.

^ lies, I've managed to jam it down two of my friends' throats. and it worked all right.

Yeah, so have I. But "worked all right" in these cases just means they now have a copy of Murray Street, and listen to it once every other year or so. I'd like to actually turn someone into a fan. I've only managed to do so once. It was in '02 and I played Source Tags and Codes (a new and somewhay exciting album at the time) for my roomate during a road trip. He liked it and said it was exactly the kind of music he was looking for. So I said, "man, if you're into this you should listen to Sonic Youth's late '80s albums." He was playing everything from Sister through Dirty basically on loop for the rest of the year. So much, in fact, that to this day I can't hear "Sugar Kane" without seeing images of his pomaded fauxhawk bouncing up and down in my minds eye.

That was my one real success, and because the guy was kind of a pretentious ass, I consider it something of a failure as well.

Ahh...sounds like you may have created a monster. You're a real Dr. Frankenstein. Yeah both of my friends do like 'em a lot...and I've managed to bring out with me to see 'em in STL and NYC. But yeah...



Oh and now I'm reminded of another story. So after a night out, my friends and I decided to get some Mexican food(Nothin is better after drinking). BUt yeh....for some reason the group behind decided to start singing....WTF. I start talking loudly and tell them to shut up. But yeah...two doods are like UGhgrdac gra. What do you prefer...I said "nothing, just don't sing"
but yeah...Sonic YOuth eventually left my mouth. and yeh. they suggested a band, and I remembered for like a day, but yeh.

You have no idea. I won't bore you with the story, but suffice it to say this "monster" actually embarrassed me in front of Thurston Moore with his histrionic fanboy bullshit. I couldn't listen to the band's '88-92 output for a while because it made me think of him. Seriously.

I did have a great winter storm acid trip with him once though. Teenage riot played on repeat for hours while we rolled cigarettes and waxed philosophical like baby Ginsbergs while the wind threatened to blow in the windows. SoI our time together was not a complete waste.