A dois meses do concerto

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: a Sonic Youth Discography
(the official 16, + 2 extras from Lee*)

SONIC YOUTH EP, 1982
Made in two 8-hr. sessions at Radio City Music Hall. The janitor let us in the back door. We wanted it to sound like PiL. We were lucky it came out sounding like a record. [KG]

CONFUSION IS SEX, 1983
Out of the gallery and into the mosh pit. Started as a cheapo single idea, turned into the first full-length killer. Opened our doors that are still and forever unhinged and blown. [TM]

KILL YR IDOLS, 1983*
A German-released EP; no one else was interested in releasing a SY record. Consolidating gains made on Confusion, and rocking tunes direct to 2-track tape with no funny studio business. [LR]

BAD MOON RISING, 1985
We were realizing what it meant to be an American band: where hippie idealism met the cold hard world, where Woodstock met Altamont; Death Valley, Charles Manson, Brian Wilson, musicians, murderers, heroes and villains. [LR]

EVOL, 1986
Steve Shelley takes over for drummer Bob Bert. Rotting tenement barefoot-in-the-headtrip psyche. Covergirl Lung Leg as post-wave superstar. [TM]

SISTER, 1987
Imagery zapping in from P.K. Dick, Sun Ra, and Black Flag culminates with all that is holy sonic pop. Recorded on vacuum-tube equipment; sealed our fate as neo-servants of the imperfect art. [TM]

DAYDREAM NATION, 1988
A celebration of the sprawling wilderness that is musical America and beyond. No limits, no boundaries. The feeling of mystery. Made us famous whether we liked it or not. [TM]

THE WHITEY ALBUM (as Ciccone Youth), 1988
An LP/concept co-designed with Mike Watt as a hardcore/beatbox experiment with lo-fi studio gear, improv and frolic. That was us taking a break. [TM]

GOO, 1990
Taking off in any direction available in the transition from self-management to whole new ballgame. $$$ for candy-floss. One of major-labeldom's weirdest moments. [TM]

DIRTY, 1992
Thrash meditations on a child's concern. The emotional complex of the "secret friend." Loss and faith and the muse of the positive explored in rhyme. [TM]

EXPERIMENTAL JET SET, TRASH AND NO STAR, 1994
Cooling our jets with an eyes-closed session of ESP-driven melodics. A cruise to the altitude beyond the raunch, and a blues for a feather to the breath. [TM]

WASHING MACHINE, 1995
One of my favorites. It was relaxing to be out of N.Y., recording in Memphis. Can't believe it ever got made. Coko was 8 months old; she met her first Elvis impersonator. [KG]

A THOUSAND LEAVES, 1998
The first full-length recorded at our home studio on Murray St. "Sunday" was originally recorded for the film Suburbia and then redone. [SS]

SYR4: GOODBYE 20th CENTURY, 1999*
We attempted to pay homage to the many modernist composers we've admired, including John Cage and Yoko Ono. A chance to stretch the expectations of what makes a SY album. [LR]

NYC GHOSTS & FLOWERS, 2000
A glance back at our fair city from mid-century on, taking a long look at the creative souls who helped make it the cultural nexus that drew us all in. [LR]

MURRAY STREET, 2002
Murray St. was like a shelter for us after 9/11. Our studio was behind the barricade; we had to cross it to work. It was nice to have something to do that we felt good about. [KG]

SONIC NURSE, 2004
Stands out because of Jim's contribution to the arrangements and the sound. This and Murray are very special to me for that reason. It's maybe my favorite album cover. [KG]

RATHER RIPPED, 2006
Coko said to us, "Oh, by the way guys: Noise music is only good if you're the one making it." She wanted us to make a record that sounded more like theme songs to her favorite TV shows. And of course, Kim complied. [TM]