Kill Yr Idols

With their punk rock ideology, Sonic Youth was bound to influence budding musicians looking for that sound that would define them. The following is a small list of notable bands that claim Sonic Youth as an influence. I'm sure that there are more, but these are just a few obvious bands that come to mind:

The Afghan Whigs, Nirvana, The Pixies, Bikini Kill, Babes in Toyland, Pavement, Teenage Fanclub, Weezer, Yo La Tengo, Beck, Le Tigre, Sleater-Kinney, and Dinosaur Jr.

Here are two major modern rock bands that, unless looked at closely, are not so obviously influenced by Sonic Youth:

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, considered by many to be Wilco's masterpiece, saw Wilco break away from County-Alt Rock and move into a more rock-rooted experimental jam band. This one has Sonic Youth written all over it. In fact, I learned while writing this article ex-Sonic Youth guitarist Jim O'Rourke (2000-2005), who then went on to produce the follow-up to Yankee, A Ghost is Born, mixed the album. Damn, I'm good.

Radiohead - OK Computer broke new ground for Radiohead, mixing complex sounds and structures to create art more than music. Radiohead does what they want, when they want to do it; punk rock at its best. Radiohead is the No Wave band of this generation, and Sonic Youth's influence on them is unquestionable.

And now, a challenge. I have hypothesized in the past that if you give me a modern rock artist, and one week, I will give you a Sonic Youth song that they sound like. In my past experiences, I've been pretty on point. Any takers?

Renegade Princess

Despite Sonic Youth's desire to remain out of the mainstream, they've had their moments in which they put themselves out there. In 1995 they headlined Lollapalooza, and even made an appearance on The Simpson's in an episode entitled Homerpalooza. Kim Gordon is the creative mind behind fashion label X-Girl, and the band recently recorded Bob Dylan's I'm Not There, for the film with the same name based on the various stages of Bob Dylan's career. Coming later this year, will be Sonic Youth's Art-Rock Exhibit, as well as the Starbucks Sonic Youth Compilation, Hits Are For Squares. The album will feature a new recording as well as hand picked tracks from musical artists such as Eddie Vedder, Beck and Jeff Tweedy, actors Portia de Rossi, Chloe Sevigny, David Cross and Michelle Williams, filmmaker and 2008 TED award winner Dave Eggers, and fashion designer Marc Jacobs. Each will also provide a few words in the liner notes. Thurston Moore explains in a Pitchfork Media interview:

I guess, for some, Sonic Youth represents something that they don't really equate with Starbucks, but I kind of like the absurdity of it. Sonic Youth has always, in a way, made itself available to the super mainstream...In a way, Sonic Youth has a branded name. People know the name, but not necessarily our music, which might be a little too outsider for some. And when they do hear a little something, it doesn't tell the whole story. I thought it would be interesting to have a CD available in a store like Starbucks where the casual consumer can sort of have access to [our music] more readily.

I don't think this Starbucks release shows Sonic Youth's commitment to punk rock ethos, but it sure sounds delicious. Regardless of its commercialism, it does reveal that Sonic Youth is, indeed, one of the most important bands of my generation. Is the mainstream ready for them? I doubt it, and I bet that's the way they like it.