Group

Sonic Youth

US rock band

From: New York, United States
Active: 1981–2011
Rating: ★ 4.7 (7 votes)
Releases: 214

alternative rock
noise rock
experimental rock
no wave
indie rock
post-punk
grunge
rock

About

Sonic Youth was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1981. Founding members Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar), Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the band, while drummer Steve Shelley, who joined in 1985, rounded out the core lineup. Jim O'Rourke (bass, guitar, keyboards) was also a member from 1999 to 2005; Mark Ibold of Pavement (bass, guitar) joined in 2006 and remained in the band until their 2011 split.

Sonic Youth emerged from Manhattan's no wave experimental art and music scene before evolving into a more conventional alternative rock band and becoming prominent in the American noise rock scene. Sonic Youth has been praised for having "redefined what rock guitar could do", including the use of a wide variety of unorthodox tunings and preparing guitars with objects like drumsticks and screwdrivers. The band was a pivotal influence on the alternative and indie rock movements.
After gaining a large underground following and critical praise through releases with SST Records in the late 1980s, the band became more popular throughout the 1990s and 2000s after signing to major label DGC in 1990 and headlining the 1995 Lollapalooza festival. The band disbanded in 2011 following the separation and subsequent divorce of Gordon and Moore, with their final live shows taking place in Brazil. The members have since asserted that the band is finished and will not reunite.

From Sonic Youth on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Members

Anne DeMarinis 1981–1982 · former keyboard
Richard Edson 1981–1982 · former drums (drum set)
Kim Gordon 1981–2011 · original member · former guitar, lead vocals, bass guitar
Thurston Moore 1981–2011 · original member · former lead vocals, guitar
Lee Ranaldo 1981–2011 · former guitar, lead vocals
Bob Bert 1982–1982, 1983–1985 · former drums (drum set)
Jim Sclavunos 1982–1983 · former drums (drum set)
Steve Shelley 1985–2011 · former drums (drum set)
Jim O’Rourke 1999–2005 · former bass guitar, guitar, synthesizer
Mark Ibold 2006–2011 · former bass guitar, guitar