Are SY the most musically knowledgable band ever?

Thurston Hunger · 05.05.2006, 04:11 PM

I always enjoy Sonic Youth interviews because they love, listen to and know about music. Are they the most musically knowledgable band ever?

Any idea of their current favourite sounds?

schizophrenicroom · 05.05.2006, 04:13 PM

Eh. They know a lot of obscure and underground stuff, though.

FruitLoop · 05.05.2006, 04:19 PM

To a certain extent, yes. But I wonder what their knowledge of the current bluegrass scene is?

m^a(t)h · 05.05.2006, 04:26 PM

No. They may know about all the cool bands, but theres a lot more to music than that....

Magic Wheel Memory · 05.05.2006, 04:52 PM

They may not be the most knowledgable, but they know about a lot more than just the "cool" bands. I'd say they're pretty well-versed in pop, based on interviews, etc.

atsonicpark · 05.06.2006, 01:42 AM

Not really at all.

Everyneurotic · 05.06.2006, 02:14 AM

sonic youth rocks!!!

sonic life!!!

best band ever!!!

fishmonkey · 05.06.2006, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everyneurotic

sonic youth rocks!!!

sonic life!!!

best band ever!!!

yeah! defo, they do man, they know it ALL!!! anything they dont know is'nt worth knowing

Hip Priest · 05.06.2006, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thurston Hunger

...Sonic Youth...Any idea of their current favourite sounds?

Thurston recently said that he doesn't listen to much conventional music now - he said he's just into the noise artists like Leslie Keffer, 16 Bitch Pile Up and Lightning Bolt.

I quite like Leslie Keffer.

I think that was on the Air America interview.

Everyneurotic · 05.06.2006, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishmonkey

yeah! defo, they do man, they know it ALL!!! anything they dont know is'nt worth knowing

yeah!!!

thurston is the best!!!

there's no music he doesn't know or own all the records ever on vinyl!!!

i want to grow up and be like his left nut!!!

you rock fishmonkey!!!!

greenlight · 05.07.2006, 02:27 AM

they are involved in music industry, of course they're knowledgable. not most, but enough

Paperhouse · 05.07.2006, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AssBlaster

Phish knows about not only pop and fringe music, but they also know much about New and Old Music Theory, Traditional and Atonal Composition, American music history (outside of just pop music), American Jazz History, American Pop history, TV Theme Music, Barbershop quartet music, American Traditional Bluegrass, Klezmer music (Jewish folk music) among other types.

I imagine that Sonic Youth know most of that stuff too. Have you seen Thurston and Kim's record collection? They have more than most record stores...

Based on their being able to instantaneously cover anything they're asked to cover I'd say that Yo La Tengo are probably contenders for the most knowledgeable crown, although, of course, they're not often asked to cover, say, the third song on that old phonograph recording made in some village in Tennessee in 1913.

TheDom · 05.07.2006, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everyneurotic

yeah!!!

thurston is the best!!!

there's no music he doesn't know or own all the records ever on vinyl!!!

i want to grow up and be like his left nut!!!

you rock fishmonkey!!!!

yeah!!!

sonic life man!!!!

SpectralJulianIsNotDead · 05.07.2006, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thurston Hunger

I always enjoy Sonic Youth interviews because they love, listen to and know about music. Are they the most musically knowledgable band ever?

Any idea of their current favourite sounds?

Like anyone could even know that napoleon

h8kurdt · 05.07.2006, 01:13 PM

If John Peel was still alive he'd win the "most knowledgable guyin music" hands down.

schizophrenicroom · 05.07.2006, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paperhouse

Based on their being able to instantaneously cover anything they're asked to cover I'd say that Yo La Tengo are probably contenders for the most knowledgeable crown, although, of course, they're not often asked to cover, say, the third song on that old phonograph recording made in some village in Tennessee in 1913.

have you heard their new thing, "yo la tengo is murdering the classics"? some of their covers are amazing.

everyneurotic- haha, you take left, i'll be right.

Paperhouse · 05.07.2006, 03:28 PM

lots of very specific examples don't make phish objectively more knowledgeable than sonic youth. i can say that jim studied under luc ferrari, or that thurston's played with derek bailey, or that sonic youth were early supporters of hip-hop, or whatever. i'm not arguing that sonic youth are definitely more knowledgeable than phish, just that you're not necessarily proving otherwise.

HaydenAsche · 05.07.2006, 03:47 PM

SY only like noise because it is 'in'.

Glice · 05.07.2006, 03:53 PM

re: Phish. I haven't really given their music a fair crack, but I do worry that a lot of people (Zorn/ Zappa being the first two that spring to mind) who are able to do a wide variety of styles end up just doing shit versions of each - it can end up a bit 'jack of all trades, master of none'. I think it's one thing listening to lots of things, but very, very few people can do several distinct genres well without it seeming like ironic nonsense. I would say Otomo Yoshihide is one of the few I can think of at the moment who is very good in distinct genres (although he hasn't tried to cover every genre ever yet, unlike Zorn/ Zappa...).

krastian · 05.07.2006, 05:25 PM

It's true that Trey is filthy, but I don't really think a "formal" education in music really is a defining factor. I mean going to art school doesn't necessarily make one have supreme knowledge in art. Either way Phish rules and y'all should check out their live shows if you haven't before (even though I think most of you guys won't like it unless maybe you are a musician). Later.

05.05.2006, 04:11 PM	#1
Thurston Hunger little trouble girl Join Date: May 2006 Location: Just over there... Posts: 48	I always enjoy Sonic Youth interviews because they love, listen to and know about music. Are they the most musically knowledgable band ever? Any idea of their current favourite sounds?
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05.05.2006, 04:13 PM	#2
schizophrenicroom invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: behind you Posts: 10,807	Eh. They know a lot of obscure and underground stuff, though. __________________ fuck i'm frustrated, freaking out something fierce, would you help me? i'm hungry and i stuffer and i startle, i struggle and i stammer til i'm up to my ears in miserable quote unquote "art"
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05.05.2006, 04:19 PM	#3
FruitLoop children of satan Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 323	To a certain extent, yes. But I wonder what their knowledge of the current bluegrass scene is?
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05.05.2006, 04:26 PM	#4
m^a(t)h expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,204	No. They may know about all the cool bands, but theres a lot more to music than that....
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05.05.2006, 04:52 PM	#5
Magic Wheel Memory the end of the ugly Join Date: May 2006 Location: Nowhere, NJ Posts: 836	They may not be the most knowledgable, but they know about a lot more than just the "cool" bands. I'd say they're pretty well-versed in pop, based on interviews, etc.
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05.06.2006, 01:42 AM	#6
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	Not really at all. __________________
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05.06.2006, 02:14 AM	#7
Everyneurotic invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mexico Posts: 15,713	sonic youth rocks!!! sonic life!!! best band ever!!! __________________ Richard Clayderman found alive and still bland! Repo Man has all night! Photographic evidence of Monosodic's existance! New Kiddieriot shit after all! Never too late to share fave rex from the year before! David Keenan is a douchebag! Ron Asheton missed!
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05.07.2006, 02:27 AM	#11
greenlight invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5,131	they are involved in music industry, of course they're knowledgable. not most, but enough
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05.07.2006, 01:13 PM	#15
h8kurdt invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: In Mulder's Basement room Posts: 5,459	If John Peel was still alive he'd win the "most knowledgable guyin music" hands down. __________________ Down with this sort of thing.
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05.07.2006, 03:28 PM	#17
Paperhouse empty page Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11	lots of very specific examples don't make phish objectively more knowledgeable than sonic youth. i can say that jim studied under luc ferrari, or that thurston's played with derek bailey, or that sonic youth were early supporters of hip-hop, or whatever. i'm not arguing that sonic youth are definitely more knowledgeable than phish, just that you're not necessarily proving otherwise.
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05.07.2006, 03:47 PM	#18
HaydenAsche invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 10,755	SY only like noise because it is 'in'. __________________ rip
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05.07.2006, 05:25 PM	#20
krastian invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Baltimore Posts: 7,808	It's true that Trey is filthy, but I don't really think a "formal" education in music really is a defining factor. I mean going to art school doesn't necessarily make one have supreme knowledge in art. Either way Phish rules and y'all should check out their live shows if you haven't before (even though I think most of you guys won't like it unless maybe you are a musician). Later. __________________ Confusion is next and next after that is the Truth.
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