EVERY generation gets the rock documentary it deserves. As he followed the young Bob Dylan in 1965, D. A. Pennebaker captured a singer-songwriter in transition from boyish folkie to wary, druggy and dandified rebel in ''Don't Look Back.'' Martin Scorsese's ''Last Waltz'' found the Band, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Mr. Dylan under the influence...
The earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan have inspired benefit concerts across New York City. One of the first to be announced was held on Sunday night at Miller Theater at Columbia University. It was organized by the saxophonist and composer John Zorn, who has lived and performed in Japan and for decades has collaborated with, promoted...
A coalition of music groups has announced that its members will boycott all performances in Arizona to protest a tough new anti-immigration law there, and it has urged fans to sign a petition demanding the revocation of the legislation, which it calls ''an assault on the U.S. Constitution.'' The campaign, called the Sound Strike, has been organized...
Sonic Youth er et noise rockband fra New York, dannet i 1981. De gennemgående medlemmer er Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vokal), Kim Gordon (bas, vokal), Thurston Moore (guitar, vokal) og Steve Shelley (trommer).
Sonic Youth udsprang af Glenn Branca og no wave-scenen i New York, og har rendyrket en melodisk støjrock med gennemgående brug af dissonanser, opnået ved at stemme guitarstrengene på alternative måder. Der er ofte noget dæmonisk og dystert over musikken på især de tidlige plader, som står i en vis kontrast til den ironi man ofte finder i teksterne.
Deres indflydelse på den alternative rock er stor, også i kraft af at de løbende har taget ukendte yngre bands til sig og promoveret dem. Det mest kendte eksempel er Nirvana, som Sonic Youth hjalp til at få en pladekontrakt på Geffen Records, hvorefter Nirvana slog igennem med Nevermind. Fold ud