1.	Dirty Boots	5:28
2.	Tunic (Song For Karen)	6:22
3.	Mary-Christ	3:11
4.	Kool Thing	4:06
5.	Mote	7:37
--
6.	My Friend Goo	2:19
7.	Disappearer	5:08
8.	Mildred Pierce	2:13
9.	Cinderella's Big Score	5:54
10.	Scooter & Jinx	1:06
11.	Titanium Expose	6:24

 

TRACK LIST (2005 2xCD/4xLP DELUXE REISSUE):

1.	Dirty Boots	5:29
2.	Tunic (Song For Karen)	6:21
3.	Mary-Christ	3:11
4.	Kool Thing	4:06
--
5.	Mote	7:37
6.	My Friend Goo	2:20
7.	Disappearer	5:08
8.	Mildred Pierce	2:13
--
9.	Cinderella's Big Score	5:54
10.	Scooter & Jinx	1:05
11.	Titanium Expose	6:34
--
12.	Lee #2 [GOO outtake]	3:31
13.	That's All I Know (Right Now) [KOOL THING single, remix]	2:20
14.	The Bedroom (live) [DIRTY BOOTS ep 11/03/90, remix]	3:42
15.	Dr. Benway's House [DEAD CITY RADIO, alt mix]	1:17
16.	Tuff Boyz [previously unreleased '89 jam]	5:39

 

1.	Tunic [8-track demo, remix]	6:44
2.	Number One (Disappearer) [8-track demo, remix]	4:59
3.	Titanium Expose [8-track demo, remix]	4:45
--
4.	Dirty Boots [8-track demo, remix]	6:37
5.	Corky (Cinderella's Big Score) [8-track demo, remix]	7:51
6.	My Friend Goo [8-track demo, remix]	2:34
--
7.	Bookstore (Mote) [8-track demo, remix]	4:16
8.	Animals (Mary-Christ) [8-track demo, remix]	3:02
9.	DV2 (Kool Thing) [8-track demo, remix]	4:20
10.	Blowjob (Mildred Pierce) [8-track demo, remix]	8:52
--
11.	Lee #2 [8-track demo, remix]	3:34
12.	I Know There's An Answer [SMILES, VIBES & HARMONY, remix]	3:10
13.	Can Song [previously unreleased, '90 demo]	3:17
14.	Isaac [previously unreleased, '89 jam]	2:45
15.	Goo Interview Flexi [SONIC YOUTH INTERVIEW SOUNDSHEET]	6:03

NOTES

"Goo" was Sonic Youth's eighth album, and their first for DGC/Geffen. The album was their major label debut, and with arena rock staples like "Kool Thing" and "Dirty Boots" deep in its grooves, it allowed Sonic Youth to enter the mainstream world, destroy everything in their path, and emerge victorious, riding the top 10 charts to sonic stardom and glory....... or at least get them the opening spot on the 1991 Crazy Horse tour.

A two-disc deluxe edition w/ the remastered album, remixed 8-track demos and b-sides was released in 2005.

HISTORY

I know nothing of the circumstances surrounding Sonic Youth's signing with Geffen, so let's just say it happened at some point between late '89 and early '90 [let me be slightly less lazy five years later---see the deluxe edition of 'goo' for all the juicy details, folks]. In November '89 they recorded 8-track demos for what would become "Goo" (at this point the working title was "Blowjob?" based on Raymond Pettibon's art and their desire to test Geffen's sense of humor) at Waterworks in NYC, with Jim Waters engineering and Don Fleming & J. Mascis assisting with the production. All of the "Goo" songs were demoed except "Scooter & Jinx" (naturally). Several songs were clearly still in an embryonic state, "Bookstore" would become "Mote" but Lee's preliminary vocal take is radically different than the finished version. "Mildred Pierce" (aka "Blow Job?") stretches, perhaps unintentionally, for over 8 minutes (and in fact, Thurston's chilling screams from this demo were transferred to the re-recorded version for the album). One track, the instrumental "Lee #2" would not appear on the finished album, but was played live several times on the late 1990 Goo tour (w/ vocals by Lee, bass by Thurston, and guitar by Kim). Bootleggers eventually got ahold of the entire demo and it was circulating in no time, so SY countered with their own version straight from the master tapes, released via Sonic Death.

The album itself was recorded in early 1990, probably after the brief March mini-tour where the songs still sounded fairly loose (though that could just be credited to their first live performances). They recorded at Sorcerer Sound and Greene St. in NYC w/ Nick Sansano and Ron Saint Germain, seriously piling on the overdubs for the first time (a practice they'd later abandon, or at least trim down)... the minute-long "Scooter & Jinx" features anywhere from 4 to 24 tracks of Thurston making excruciating amp feedback mixed together for your listening enjoyment. They had several guest performers, including Chuck D. (after Kim's initial desire to get LL Cool J fell through) on "Kool Thing", and assistant producers J. Mascis and Don Fleming on background vocals. The album was released in June 1990, along with the first single & video, "Kool Thing". They toured North America in August, bringing future DGC superstars Nirvana along for the ride on the latter half of the tour (Nirvana had already recorded their post-Bleach/pre-Nevermind demos w/ future Sonic Youth producer Butch Vig in April 1990). All "Goo" songs were performed (except "Scooter"), plus one or two songs from each of the previous releases, and the then-unreleased instrumental "The Bedroom". They toured Europe next, expanding the set list a bit, and returned to North America for yet another tour, adding the rarely performed "Disappearer" (perhaps because it had been released as the second single around then) and the no-longer-instrumental "Lee #2" to some sets. Mudhoney supported on the latter half of the tour, and the particularly explosive November 3rd show in Irvine, CA provided several live tracks for the forthcoming "Dirty Boots" EP in 1991.

The band took a brief break, then took off in late January 1991 for a 3-month tour as the 2nd opener on the Neil Young & Crazy Horse "Smell The Horse" tour (which was later documented on Neil's incredible "Weld" CD/video, and of course the 35-minute sound sculpture "Arc", inspired by Thurston). Their sets were typically 7-9 songs in length, opening with "Tom Violence" and closing with "Expressway To Yr Skull", possibly at Neil's request (he's often called it one of the greatest guitar songs ever). To say that some crowds were less than appreciative of SY would be a gross understatement (look no further than the audience shots in the aforementioned "Weld" video for a simple explanation). To support this tour, the mostly live "Dirty Boots" EP was released (also released in 1991 was a collection of music videos for the entire "Goo" album). Following this, the band did a date in Japan, then laid low for a few months, before heading out on yet another tour w/ Nirvana, this time in Europe, and this time with cameras rolling: Dave Markey shot the excellent tourfilm "1991: The Year Punk Broke" on this tour. By now SY had begun writing new material, performing "Chapel Hill" and "Orange Rolls, Angel's Spit" at most shows. Only 5 songs from Goo were being regularly played at this point. They did 2 more shows in 1991: one, a benefit for WFMU radio, where they debuted "Sugar Kane" and "Purr"; and two, the infamous Bridge Benefit appearance, Neil Young's all-acoustic day-long show which was a virtual disaster -- SY managed to make it thru about 2 songs, aborted another, and finished up with a loose cover of "Personality Crisis" before being booed offstage. A triumphant set!

PACKAGING

The front cover features a Raymond Pettibon drawing (inspired by a photograph of Maureen Hindley and David Smith, en route to the murder trial of Maureen's sister Myra Hindley and Ian Brady), bearing the caption "I STOLE MY SISTER'S BOYFRIEND. IT WAS ALL WHIRLWIND, HEAT, AND FLASH. WITHIN A WEEK WE KILLED MY PARENTS AND HIT THE ROAD." The back cover features another Pettibon drawing (caption: "NOTHING....LIPSTICK, A LITTLE BLOOD.") next to the track list. The vinyl and CD front/back covers are more or less the same, but the vinyl art has visible scotch tape marks, as if all of the elements of the artwork was cut out and taped onto the jacket (there's even a hair caught under the tape on the back!). Both sides of the vinyl sleeve feature tons of full-colour Michael Lavine photos of the band playing major label dress-up, with credits in the lower left corner. The CD insert folds out to 6 pages, sequenced 2x3. One side is black & white, including the cover, a larger copy of the Pettibon drawing from the back cover, various band shots, a track list w/ times ("Kool" becomes "Cool"), and the album credits. The reverse side amounts to a full-color mini-poster, essentially, with one large shot of the band surrounded by mostly the same square band shots from the vinyl sleeve, and the band name + Goo logo. The disc itself features the green Goo logo + the lipstick imprint. Once again, no lyric sheet is provided.

CREDITS/LINERS

Produced by Sonic-Youth
with Nick Sansano and Ron Saint Germain
Recorded by Nick Sansano at Sorcerer Sound and Greene St. NYC
Mixed by Ron Saint Germain at Right Track, NYC
Sub-Production: Don Fleming, J Mascis
Assistant Engineers: John Herman, Dan Wood, Judy Kirschner
Mildred Pierce vocal recorded by Jim Waters, Waterworks, NYC
Mastered at MasterDisk by Howie Weinberg
All songs by Sonic-Youth (c)1990, Savage Conquest Music, ASCAP

Background vocals: J Mascis (2, 5, 6)
                             Don Fleming (1, 7)
Kool Thing: Chuck D. (Courtesy Def Jam, Columbia Records)
Additional Percussion: Nick Sansano, Don Fleming

Cover Drawings: Raymond Pettibon
Photos: Michael Lavine
Art Direction: Kevin Reagan
Stylist: Suzanne Sasic

SMASH THE PMRC

DELUXE EDITION NOTES

The second album to be given the expanded reissue treatment was "Goo", SY's major label debut, and this set is no less essential than 2003's "Dirty". Although the 8-track demos for this album had already been released, they are featured here superbly remixed from the original tapes, and sound infinitely better than the 'bootleg' editions. Several other Goo-era tracks appear. A fascinating article on the process of this product's compilation courtesy of sonic soundman Aaron Mullan, is available here.

Disc one contains the 11 album tracks, as well as the never-before-heard "Goo" session version of "Lee #2", w/ complete vocals, Kim's guitar, some acoustics, organ, and more. See Aaron's article for details on difficulties mixing this song (a whole other mix was made available on one of the web-only Mix Tapes). Following this is a new mix of Kool Thing b-side "That's All I Know (Right Now)", a Neon Boys cover, and a new mix of "The Bedroom", recorded live in Irvine, California on November 3rd, 1990 (previously released on the "Dirty Boots" EP). An alternate mix of "Dr. Benway's House", one of three tracks SY contribute to William Burroughs' 1990 "Dead City Radio" LP, follows, and an unreleased pick scrape melee titled "Tuff Boyz" from a 10/27/89 rehearsal tape closes the first disc.

Disc two features the 11 8-track demo tracks, recorded at Waterworks in NYC in November 1989, and remixed by Jim O'Rourke w/ SY in 2003. Several tracks feature additional bits not included on the original "Goo Demos" release, including a riff-rock reprise of "Dirty Boots", a screeching minute-long noise drone closing "Cinderella's Big Score", and a smooth transition between "Mary-Christ" and "Kool Thing" rather than a fade. Curiously, the drum cue intro to "Lee #2" is also excised. Another track recorded during these demos, the Beach Boys cover "I Know There's An Answer" which previously appeared on the "Smiles, Vibes, and Harmony" compilation, is also remixed and present here. A summer 1990 demo of "Can Song" (aka "The Bedroom", aka "The Destroyed Room") is next, found on the same tape as "That's All I Know". Another 10/27/89 Hoboken rehearsal is salvaged, the tuneful "Isaac" that is pretty much a fully composed instrumental, abandoned before the Waterworks sessions. The bizarre "Goo Interview Flexi" closes the second disc. Originally released as a promotional flexi, it features Kim and Thurston offering dramatic commentary on various goo-tunes.

The 4xLP edition again comes in a well-designed box, replicating the original scotch tape artwork depicted on the original vinyl release. Each of the four vinyl sleeves contains a different band member's photograph on one side, and the original LP's sleeve is replicated on the back of Thurston and Steve's sleeves. Kim's sleeve is backed with the Traci Lords "Disappearer" cover, and Lee's has an image from the "Dirty Boots" art. A 12"x12" booklet is included, containing many band photographs from various sessions and video shoots, as well as Byron Coley's very extensive 2005 liner notes. Mark Kates also contributes a brief essay recounting Sonic Youth's signing with Geffen. The CD booklet is essentially the same content, and the four 'band' sides of the vinyl sleeves, as well as the original LP's sleeve sides are included in the tray/packaging for the double-CD. The four records each contain a Pettibon drawing on one side of the record itself, with a track list on the reverse. The CD is in a 'deluxe edition' sleeve, containing the track list on the reverse, and the actual CD package features the mock scotch tape art as well.

DELUXE EDITION CREDITS

Produced by Sonic Youth
Mastered by John Golden at Golden Mastering, 2005
Management: John Silva/SAM
Art Direction: Frank Olinksy
Photos: Michael Lavine (1, 5, 6, 9, 18, 27);
Pat Blashill (2, 15, 16); Matt Ebert (12-13);
Dave Markey (20-21)
Drawings: Raymond Pettibon
Production Manager: Monique McGuffin
Product Manager: Michael Kachko
Project Supervisor: Mike Ragogna
Thank you: Michael Meisel, Michele Fleischli, Mark Kates, John Rosenfelder

EXTRA TRACK CREDITS

LEE #2
Recorded at Nick Sansano at Sorcerer sound and Greene St, NYC, 1990
Remixed by Aaron Mullan/Sonic Youth at Echo Canyon, NYC, 2004
Keyboards: Nick Sansano

THAT'S ALL I KNOW (RIGHT NOW)
Recorded by Wharton Tiers at his place, 1990
Remixed by Aaron Mullan/Sonic Youth at Echo Canyon, NYC, 2004
Originally released on DGC Kool Thing CD single, 1990

THE BEDROOM
Recorded live at Crawford Hall, Irvine CA 11/03/90
Remixed by Aaron Mullan/Sonic Youth at Echo Canyon, NYC, 2004
Live sound: Terry Pearson, mobile recording by Westwood One
Originally appeared on DGC Dirty Boots+5 CD EP, 1991

DR BENWAY'S HOUSE
Recorded by SY and Nick Sansano, mixed by SY, Hal Willner and Joe Ferla at Sorcerer Sound NYC, 1990
Originally released on William Burroughs/Dead City Radio, Island Records, 1990

TUFF BOYZ*
SY rehearsal cassette, 10/27/89, Hoboken NJ
Edit: LR

8 TRACK DEMOS
Recorded and mixed by Jim Waters at Waterworks NYC, Nov 1989
Additional help: J Mascis, Don Fleming
Remixed by Jim O'Rourke/Sonic Youth at Echo Canyon NYC, 2003

I KNOW THERE'S AN ANSWER
Recorded and mixed by Jim Waters at Waterworks NYC, Nov 1989
Additional help: J Mascis, Don Fleming
Remixed by Jim O'Rourke/Sonic Youth at Echo Canyon NYC, 2003
Originally released on Smiles, Vibes, and Harmony, DeMilo Records, 1990

CAN SONG*
Recorded by Wharton Tiers at his place, 1990
Mixed by Aaron Mullan/Sonic Youth at Echo Canyon, NYC, 2004

ISAAC* SY rehearsal tape, 10/27/89, Hoboken NJ
Edit: LR

GOO INTERVIEW SOUNDSHEET*
Promotional flexidisc distributed by DGC
Assembled and announced by Mark Kates, 1990

* Previously unreleased

SONIC YOUTH
Kim Gordon
Thurston Moore
Lee Ranaldo
Steve Shelley

www.sonicyouth.com

ADDITIONAL NOTES

From FILTER magazine 2006 SY discography self-commentary:

"conceived and realized in the transition from self-management to whole new ballgame. $$$ for candy-floss. taking off in any direction available. one of major-labeldom's weirdest moments. features "Disappearer" and the oft requested "Kool Thing". cover art by Raymond Pettibon. - TM"

SCREAMING FIELDS OF SONIC LOVE era magazine ad:

1990
GOO
conceived and realized in the transition from self-management to whole new ballgame. $$$ for candy-floss. taking off in any direction available. one of major labeldom's weirdest moments. features "Disappearer" and the classic "Kool Thing." cover art by Raymond Pettibone."

First 3000 European LPs came w/ free 7" containing "Kool Thing" 8-track demo and an interview (same interview as "Sonic Youth Interview Soundsheet").

Some Japanese versions have live bonus tracks from Dirty Boots EP.

Vinyl etchings:

• Side 1: "EVERYTHING LOUDER THAN EVERYTHING ELSE"
• Side 2: "TIPPER FUCKS OZZIE"