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Text  from ‘Brian Turner’s Show’ web page:

While the many trajectories of Sonic Youth’s 30 year existence are likely not fully encapsulated by a mere two hour radio episode, we’re going to take a stab here today with an assortment of off-the-mainstream grid selections from the band’s (and host’s) archives today, joined by 1985-2011 drummer Steve Shelley. He’s certainly one of the best fellows I know, and an avid radio-head himself on outlets like The New and Untitled Show on WYXR in Memphis co-hosted with Tim Prudhomme, Aspirin-Mint on Veneno in Sao Paulo with Paulo Kishimoto, and a country-tinged program DJ For A Day on Gimme Country with Steve Shepherd. Tireless work in the last couple years on Sonic Youth’s Bandcamp has resulted in a treasure trove of rare studio and live uploads, some of which are culled from for today’s program. Turn up the speakers and bathe in some Sonic bliss with a raging selection of live excerpts from the band’s history and some side trails, with some spotlight on some of Steve’s other projects too. His latest combo Tape Hiss (w/David Nagler, Pete Galub, Peter Zummo and Modern Lovers/Arthur Russell bassist Ernie Brooks) plays live at Mama Tried in South Slope Brooklyn Wednesday, August 13 (I’ll be spinning tunes) and he’ll also join former Can vocalist Malcolm Mooney’s band at Union Pool November 2nd. Also dig into Steve’s labels Vampire Blues and Smells Like Records for even more archives. Thanks to Steve for joining in and Sonic Youth for all the support!Brian Turner featured a live/archive/dive into three decades of Sonic Youth rarities, co-hosted with Steve Shelley at www.brianturnershow.com links there to Apple Podcasts and MIxcloud. Dig in to some ripping jams, and thanks Steve!

Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/…/the-brian…/id1516948989

Kim has a new book called ‘Performing/Guzzling’ available March of 2010 from Rizzoli press. It is described by rizzoliusa.com as follows:

“An artist’s book by visual artist and legendary indie rocker Kim Gordon, this volume is an intoxicating look into Gordon’s dreamy visual world. Watercolors, paintings, photographs, and written word combine to create a portrait of an artist’s work inspired by popular culture. The first 3,000 copies include a beautifully printed, limited-edition signed print by Gordon. This luxurious yet affordable package combines layers of media to create an extension of the artist’s portfolio, with written contributions by artist Jutta Koether and writer Hilton Als. Kim Gordon: Performing/Guzzling is the first in a series of books by Rizzoli and Nieves that consists of beautifully designed books by artists, photographers, and designers who have substantially contributed to the texture of artistic culture. Each project will be an extension of the artist’s portfolio.”

TWo shows this week—on Weds April 28 Lee and Alan Licht and Ryan Sawyer will perform, along with Laurie Anderson, Tony Conrad and others, at the Film-makers Cooperative Benefit. info here. ToL on at 10:15.

On May 1 Lee and Alan will perform at the Family Bookstore, 71 Franklin NYC with projections live by Gary Panter and Josh White. info here and here. showtime 7:30pm or so…

Before recording a new Christina Rosenvnge LP later this month  in Hoboken with Chris Brokaw, Jeremy Wilms and Charlie Bautista –  Steve will join Christina Rosenvinge for three upcoming concerts in South America. Christina will perform at  Samsung Studio in Buenos Aires, Argentina April 8 and at Teatro Nescafe de las Artes in Santiago, Chile on April 9 + April 10. Here’s a recent interview with Christina.

Sonic Youth will be featured on the Innovators in Music program on Bravo Canada, Feb 11. Others featured in this series are Steve Earle, Levon Helm, Mickey Hart, Billy Brag and Dave Stewart.

From bravo.ca: INNOVATORS IN MUSIC is a new series of documentary profiles on six dynamic musicians from a variety of genres, backgrounds, and disciplines. Each half-hour episode explores how the creative impulse extends beyond music-making and into other realms of artistic pursuit. From photography and painting, to politics and bonsai, the series examines the surprising and inspiring world of six INNOVATORS IN MUSIC.

Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore signature model Fender Jazzmaster guitars will be available in stores July 1.  The guitars reflect decades of road-tested customization knowledge. According to the Fender site: “Lee and Thurston have always heavily modified their Jazzmaster guitars- removing all extraneous controls- simplifying and stripping them back to their essence, leaving just a 3 way switch and a volume knob. In many ways these 2 instruments are similar, yet in almost every major way (pickups, bridges, frets, pickguard) they are totally different.”  More info.

Update: A cool review of these guitars is in the November issue of Premier Guitar.

Thurston recently discussed ‘Grunge’ on WNYC. Check the archive.

Sonic Youth’s 16th album, ‘The Eternal’, is now available on vinyl, compact disc, and digital album from Matador Records.  Produced by John Agnello and the band, ‘The Eternal’ not only marks Sonic Youth’s return to the independent label sphere (titles on their own SYR label excepted) after a long association with Geffen, but more importantly, ranks as one of their more inspired efforts in a 28 year career.

Recorded through November and December of last year at the band’s Echo Canyon West studio in Hoboken, NJ, ‘The Eternal’ features many firsts for a Sonic Youth album, including a number of shared vocals between Kim, Thurston, and Lee, and the studio debut of former Pavement/Dustdevils bassist Mark Ibold, a member of Sonic Youth’s touring band for the past few years. They will be touring throughout the summer in support of the new album.

Of ‘The Eternal’, Matador’s Gerard Cosloy says, “We’ve not had a record in our recent history that’s been the subject of nearly as much speculation and anticipation. Suffice to say we’re pretty amazed at the way the band delivered something this neoteric while still sounding like, well, themselves. Less of a reinvention and perhaps more to do with a particularly awesome dozen songs.”

Check out the Buy Early Get Now opportunity for the album with some very interesting bonus material. Groovy shots of the LP package are also online here.

Tracklisting:

1. Sacred Trickster
2. Anti-Orgasm
3. Leaky Lifeboat(for Gregory Corso)
4. Antenna
5. What We Know
6. Calming The Snake
7. Poison Arrow
8. Malibu Gas Station
9. Thunderclap For Bobby Pyn
10. No Way
11. Walkin Blue
12. Massage The History

SY superfan Jenn Benningfield has published her first book, entitled ‘No Setlist: Pieces of a Sonic Life‘.  Her description:

‘What do you do when you see your favorite band perform live 40 times over 11 years? If you’re an aspiring author like Jenn Benningfield, you write a book about it. No Setlist is not just a compilation of Sonic Youth concert reviews covering the time period May 1998 to May 2009. It is more than anything else an unabashed love story–of the creative spirit, of friends, of discoveries, of life. Aided and abetted by 44 pages of tremendous color photos (some personal, most shots from select concerts), these journals immerse you into the experience of countless miles on the bus or plane, exploring the sights, and meeting numerous other Sonic Youth fans at home and abroad. No Setlist is a must-have for not only Sonic Youth fans, but also anyone seeking to understand the unique mindset of that beautiful beast, the “hardcore fan.”‘

“What Is That Little Black Thing I See There In The White?”—–Lee Ranaldo/Leah Singer/Sage Ranaldo/Frey Ranaldo: Music/Movies/Candy/Paper Cutting.  All ages! 4-6″:30PM at IVANAHelsinki & Love Contemporary pop-up store, 238 Mulberry St btwn Spring + Prince, NYC.

Steve will join Chicago drone group White/Light for  a special performance on March 20 at 3pm at MCA Chicago as part of White/Light’s month-long sound exhibition. More info here

As part of his current exhibition at the gallery, Lee Ranaldo will presentA Sunday Afternoon of Sound. Sunday, February 21st from 2 – 6 pm. Lee will be onhand in the gallery for a special, casual performance of guitar drones and manipulation. This will be the closing weekend of Lee’s first solo show at The Hogar Collection. For more info:

http://www.hogarcollection.com/

Sonic Youth performed on the David Letterman show Wednesday June 10. Scope it:

Catch Sonic Youth on the Jools Holland show via a popular online video sharing site.

A vastly illustrated, 720 page English publication will be released in November 2008 by LiFE and Museion, in collaboration with Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther Konig, Cologne. Next to a selection of writings by the band members and reprinted articles by other authors, it contains new contributions by among others John Miller, Jutta Koether & Alan Licht, Carlos van Hijfte, Mike Watt, and Roland Groenenboom. Extensive new interviews with each band member, conducted by Paul Sztulman & Christophe Wavelet, highlight the band’s history in the context of the New York art and music scenes of the late 1970s and early 1980s and their many ties with visual artists, poets, musicians, filmmakers… over the last 27 years. The band’s history is documented in images of album covers, band portraits and live photos, among which many are unpublished to date. The exhibition is documented through a selection of works and a listing of the full content of the exhibition. The book furthermore contains two 7″ vinyl records with unpublished sound contributions by each member individually. The publication will soon also be available in French, German and Italian. More info.

Kim’s clothing line Mirror/Dash (named after her and Thurston’s duo project) is designed in collaboration with Jeffrey Monteiro and Melinda Wansbrough. It will be exclusively available at Urban Outfitters Feb. 16. The first group of pieces include a dot-print wrap dress and cropped double-breasted blazer. Kim will also be setting up shop at the company’s L.A. pop-up shop in April. The New York Times has a short interview with Kim on the subject. More info.

Get yr library cards out, kids! Two new SY biographies have now come to fruition:

‘Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth’ by David Browne is now available from Da Capo Press. Sonic Youth cooperated with the author on this one.

‘Psychic Confusion: The Sonic Youth Story’ by Stevie Chick is available now from Omnibus Press in the UK. No band cooperation on this one, instead it pulls from sources far, wide and deep.

Both offer their respective author’s takes on the SY story from 1981 to the present.

In addition, ‘The Empty Page: Fiction Inspired by Sonic Youth’, a short story collection by a wide range of authors taking their cues from Sonic Youth song titles, will be published by Serpent’s Tail in the UK on May 29, with a US release later in the year on Harper Collins. This book was edited by Peter Wild, with an introduction by Lee.

From Matador Records:

“After rampant speculation, Matador Records can confirm the label will be releasing a new studio album from Sonic Youth sometime in 2009. Having fulfilled their contractual obligations to the Universal Music Group, Sonic Youth recently reached an agreement with Matador to release the band’s 16th album of new material in all worldwide territories, save for Japan.

While Sonic Youth’s status as one of the more innovative and influential bands of the past 30 years needs little explanation, the group’s most recent recordings for Geffen — 2006’s ‘Rather Ripped’ being their final for the label — rank amongst the current decade’s best. For Matador, the opportunity to work in partnership with a group who’ve made such an profound impact on our roster/hometown/collective consciousness was one to jump at. Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley will commence recording the new Sonic Youth LP/CD this autumn and we look forward to sharing further details in the very near future.

L.A. ETERNAL RELEASE PARTY JUNE 9

In celebration of their new album, The Eternal, Sonic Youth will take over our little record shop. For one day only, on June 9th, Origami Vinyl will become Sonic Youth’s House of Shifting Plates and Ridiculous Juice, as dubbed by the band itself. Our wall of featured albums will display selections hand-picked by Thurston, Kim, Lee, Steve and Mark –  ranging from Okkyung Lee to John Lennon – as well as a wide range of Sonic Youth and Sonic Youth related releases. The band has also invited their friends Pocahaunted and Shiloe to play sets at the store.

Origami has also teamed up with local artist, Seizer, to create a special limited edition silkscreen print of the art attached. The art poster will be limited to 50 copies, hand numbered and signed, available for pre-order the day of the event.

As if that weren’t enough, Two Boots Pizza will create a special “Eternal” pie that resembles the album’s artwork. Slices of this pie will be given away free during the event at Origami. Phil, owner of Two Boots and long-time friend of the band, is excited to be a part of the band’s new release.

The details of the event are:
Sonic Youth’s House of Shifting Plates and Ridiculous Juice
Tuesday, June 9th from 5.30pm – 9pm
with live performances by Pocahaunted and Shiloe
Limited edition goodies provided by Deathbomb Arc and Not Not Fun
Free “Eternal” Pizza slices provided by Two Boots
+ other SPECIAL surprises
1816 W. Sunset Blvd, Echo Park, Ca 90026
213.413.3030
www.origamiorigami.com

From the High Line park website:

Text of Light–Ulrich Krieger, Alan Licht, Christian Marclay, and Lee Ranaldo–will present a live musical score to Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (Walter Ruttman, 1927), a feature-length “city symphony” film that captures urban life through a vibrant mix of documentary footage, abstract visual compositions, and impressionistic montage techniques. Text of Light’s loosely structured improvisational score will feature the remarkable intonarumori (Futurist noise machines), among many other instruments. The live performance to Berlin will be preceded by a screening of the short film Manhatta (Charles Sheeler and Paul Strand, 1921), another city symphony that depicts a day in New York City. The entire event will take place on the High Line in the 14th Street passage. Tickets