Sonic Youth deftly summarized by musical theatre student in one of my classes

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Mike: What are you listening to?
PT: Oh, um.. Sonic Youth...?
Mike: (Pondering) Sonic Youth.. Hmmmmmm... Would I have heard them?
PT: Maybe. They haven't really been on the radio in a long time.
Mike: What are they like?
PT: Well, you know, they're a rock band, I guess.
Mike: Can I hear some?
PT: Sure. Uh.. (Switches track to "Teen Age Riot.") Try this. (Mike puts on the headphones, starts bobbing his head side-to-side, eventually snapping his fingers.)
Mike: Kinda emo, yea?
PT: ... well, they were kind of before all that.
Mike: (Taking off headphones) Cool. I really like it! Sort of Garden State-y.
PT: Oh.
Mike: Well, you know, not as existential.

Awesome.

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 22:59 (twenty years ago)

they keep us honest, the kids

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:01 (twenty years ago)

it's like Edward Albee but with more pain

― Banana Nutrament (ghostface), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:08 (twenty years ago)

napoleon DYNO-MITE!

― blackmail.is.my.life (blackmail.is.my.life), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:10 (twenty years ago)

what, no reference to 'the o.c.'?

― maura (maura), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:10 (twenty years ago)

when first trying to explain the concept of "emo" to me sometime in the mid-late 90s, Sonic Youth was the best example my brother could think of. I spent almost a half-decade thinking that "emo" meant this really sort of experimental, free-form music with detached vocals and a lot of guitar freakouts.

Not that I have a good idea of exactly what it is now, but I'm pretty sure it's not Sonic Youth.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:12 (twenty years ago)

i think if you ran a contest to see who wrote more embarassing lyrics, sy or the shins, we know who would win.

― strng hlkngtn (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:12 (twenty years ago)

He started SNAPPING HIS FINGERS???

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:13 (twenty years ago)

Also I approve of "Garden State-y" as a new musical genre. It'd make for a hell of a section in a Tower Records.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:13 (twenty years ago)

Tim: snapping your fingers is a clear indication that the music isn't worthy! "oh, that's nice..." [furtively looks over rest of cd tower/booklet conspicuously located in dorm room. Exeunt.]

xpost

― blackmail.is.my.life (blackmail.is.my.life), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:23 (twenty years ago)

Overheard in midwestern news/comics/candy shop circa 1991:

Teenage Boy 1: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups! The second most important thing in the world.

Teenage Boy 2: What's the first most important thing?

Teenage Boy 1: [looks around furtively, drops voice to a whisper] Sonic Youth.

Ah. 1991.

― xero (xero), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:25 (twenty years ago)

I feel really bad doing this because this guy's really nice and all, but... HERE'S HIS FACEBOOK PICTURE!!!

http://i16-7.facebook.com/pics/0/6/n806047_2047.jpg
"I'm the boy, who can't enjoy, invisibility..."

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:29 (twenty years ago)

Well, only listening to an excerpt from "Teenage Riot" might not make SY sound that different from a lot of poppy alt-rocky stuff.

― Sundar (sundar), Thursday, 29 September 2005 00:25 (twenty years ago)

mike sounds like an idiot

― gear (gear), Thursday, 29 September 2005 00:28 (twenty years ago)

I don't know dude, he can judge how existential something is in like 15 seconds. I can't do that.

― Ha ha ha, you're so dud! (wetmink2), Thursday, 29 September 2005 01:00 (twenty years ago)

But then I can't do a lot of things.

― Ha ha ha, you're so dud! (wetmink2), Thursday, 29 September 2005 01:01 (twenty years ago)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

sigh. oh, nyu.

― rockaction (rockaction), Thursday, 29 September 2005 20:36 (twenty years ago)

I spent almost a half-decade thinking that "emo" meant this really sort of experimental, free-form music with detached vocals and a lot of guitar freakouts.

That's funny because I always expect Sonic Youth to be some kind of wild atonal guitar freakout thing and whenever I hear them it always sounds like standard generic 90s indie rock with polite vocals.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Thursday, 29 September 2005 21:04 (twenty years ago)

You're not listening to the right Sonic Youth albums.

― fabio_gonzales (fabio_gonzales), Thursday, 29 September 2005 23:09 (twenty years ago)

Some of my favorite critiques

"The Flaming Lips sound like the Beatles on acid or something"

"This sounds like hippie crap!"- on MBV's When You Sleep

― Cunga (Cunga), Friday, 30 September 2005 00:31 (twenty years ago)

I keep coming back to that photo.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 30 September 2005 00:37 (twenty years ago)

what are Mike's favorite bands/artists

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Friday, 30 September 2005 00:42 (twenty years ago)

Update. Just passed him in the foyer.

Mike: Are you listening to that Sonic.... whatever?!
PT: Yep!
Mike: Crazyyy!!!

"Favorite Music: Jewel, Seal, Gwen, No Doubt, Billy Joel, James Taylor, Christina Aguilera, pre-hot mess Britney, Tori Amos, old school Dave Matthews, Tori Amos, OAR, Five for Fighting, Bonnie Rait, Aerosmith, Sondheim and Jason Robert Brown"

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Friday, 30 September 2005 00:51 (twenty years ago)

That's DOUBLE Tori Amos my good man

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Friday, 30 September 2005 00:56 (twenty years ago)

You're not listening to the right Sonic Youth albums.

This seemingly innocuous sentence has produced so much pain and suffering over the years. Come on, think of the children

― yuengling participle (rotten03), Friday, 30 September 2005 03:22 (twenty years ago)

He started SNAPPING HIS FINGERS???

Did you miss the thread title? "Sonic Youth deftly summarized by musical theatre student in one of my classes"

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 30 September 2005 03:26 (twenty years ago)

That's old school Dave Matthews. Before he got all experimental and went to India.

― a picture of a fat girl hugging Rick Perry, awesome (Matt Chesnut), Friday, 30 September 2005 03:33 (twenty years ago)

yes, let us laugh at this funny musical theatre student fellow. ha ha!

― lemin (lemin), Friday, 30 September 2005 03:38 (twenty years ago)

Ha ha!

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 30 September 2005 03:48 (twenty years ago)

you can't laugh at anything anymore.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Friday, 30 September 2005 03:59 (twenty years ago)

hahaha

― gear (gear), Friday, 30 September 2005 04:23 (twenty years ago)

Hey PT, didn't you used to have a DMB sticker in the back window of your car? (I feel really bad doing this because this guy's really nice and all)

-someone who would know

― BigBrother, Friday, 30 September 2005 15:39 (twenty years ago)

amazing. that made my day.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Friday, 30 September 2005 15:46 (twenty years ago)

these are the people that NEED Da Yoof!!!!
now, more than evah!

save them from themselves before it's too late...

― eedd, Friday, 30 September 2005 16:49 (twenty years ago)

I didn't hear Sonic Youth until 2000, and I would be very happy never hearing them again.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Friday, 30 September 2005 17:13 (twenty years ago)

do people say "hot mess" all the time now? ive heard it a couple times before and was befuddled.

― Stuh-du-du-du-du-du-du-denka (jingleberries), Friday, 30 September 2005 17:14 (twenty years ago)

is that the killers album?

― mike h. (mike h.), Friday, 30 September 2005 17:16 (twenty years ago)

He's making references to what he knows, what else would you expect? At least he didn't say they were influenced by Nickelback. ;-)

― nathalie, a bum like you (stevie nixed), Friday, 30 September 2005 17:55 (twenty years ago)

awww curtis :(

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 30 September 2005 17:59 (twenty years ago)

At least you didn't play Silver Rocket. Then he'd say "Cool. Kinda like Nirvana. All grungey and stuff."

(Oh, and I'd actually pay money to see Sonic Youth perform Sondheim.)

― Matt Carlson (mattsoncarlhew), Friday, 30 September 2005 19:36 (twenty years ago)

ahhh, mr. mysterious...you so silly.

not as if any of 'the kids' would even care about SY...
unless it has the disco beat or 80's synth's, they don't wanna know.
whoops, forgot to include DMB......

which reminds me!

― eedd, Friday, 30 September 2005 19:39 (twenty years ago)

keke

It's kind of Garden State-y
Not that We know what that means.

― sleep (sleep), Friday, 30 September 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

oh, jesus, facebook talk on ilx. like i need these two cross-pollinating.

playing SY for someone in freshman year of HS, 1999: "what's with all this panpipe shit?"

― joseph (joseph), Friday, 30 September 2005 21:11 (twenty years ago)

Hey guy, fuck you

― Mike (THE MUSICAL THEATRE GUY), Friday, 30 September 2005 21:26 (twenty years ago)

Panpipe?!

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 30 September 2005 21:27 (twenty years ago)

i don't even know.

― joseph (joseph), Friday, 30 September 2005 21:28 (twenty years ago)

You have a friend request awaiting confirmation.

― lemin (lemin), Friday, 30 September 2005 21:52 (twenty years ago)

POKE

― joseph (joseph), Saturday, 1 October 2005 03:19 (twenty years ago)

Hey PT, didn't you used to have a DMB sticker in the back window of your car? (I feel really bad doing this because this guy's really nice and all)

truth hurts.

(at least i didn't teach myself to play "If I had a Million Dollars" on the guitar)

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:00 (twenty years ago)

Come on, he's a musical theater student. His mother took him to voice lessons when he was 10 and he sang "Memory" and "High Hopes" for his Aunties.

― shookout (shookout), Saturday, 1 October 2005 15:03 (twenty years ago)

"musical theatre" studies. Musical, theatre, studies. Can't get over it.

― blunt (blunt), Sunday, 2 October 2005 02:48 (twenty years ago)

What's the dealio with Cats?

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Sunday, 2 October 2005 03:38 (twenty years ago)

Nice thread, flirty and all.
So musical theatre = Popera ?

― blunt (blunt), Sunday, 2 October 2005 04:30 (twenty years ago)

KILL HIM NOW

― Aaron A, Sunday, 2 October 2005 16:41 (twenty years ago)

i was at an Acid Mothers Temple show the other night in SF and before the band came on i was listening to two ppl behind me...

guy one: So, what's this band like exactly?
guy two: Who? (probably thinking he meant the opener who was onstage at the time)
guy one: Acid mothers whatever...
guy two: Oh, them. Well, they're, like, an up-and-coming jam band

― ken taylrr has gone off the internet because of you (ken taylrr), Sunday, 2 October 2005 19:53 (twenty years ago)

The ending of "Tuff Gnarl" somehow made me think of Penderecki tonight. It's not a super-close comparison or anything but it came to mind.

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 02:00 (twenty years ago)

I've been considering devoting a thread to "Study Rock," a category the iTunes Music Store has patented (which seems like it could accurately be described as "Garden State-y")

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 03:32 (twenty years ago)

xpost to Ken

Oh the evils that the "jam band" category hath wrought....

― sleeve (sleeve), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 04:00 (twenty years ago)

"Come on, he's a musical theater student. His mother took him to voice lessons when he was 10 and he sang "Memory" and "High Hopes" for his Aunties.
-- shookout (shookou...), October 1st, 2005."

so, are you saying there should be an outpouring of pity for this lad?

i mean, i already do...let's face it, musical+theatre=eeeesh.

there are a few types of people that i try to avoid, and that's usually #3 (1-republicans, 2-wanna G's).

― eedd, Tuesday, 4 October 2005 12:49 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

Lol @ this!

― roxymuzak, Friday, 23 November 2007 06:55 (eighteen years ago)

oh, jesus, facebook talk on ilx. like i need these two cross-pollinating.

ROFFLE.

― nathalie, Friday, 23 November 2007 08:54 (eighteen years ago)

quaint

― deej, Friday, 23 November 2007 09:04 (eighteen years ago)

aw, mike... music update

Aerosmith, Alanis Morisette, Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, Ben Folds Five, Billie Holiday, Billy Joel, Black Eyed Peas, Blondie, Bonnie Raitt, Britney Spears, CHRISTINA AGUILERA, The Corrs, The Cranberries, Disney, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Fiona Apple, Gwen Stehani, James Taylor, JEWEL, Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Michelle Branch, O.A.R., Sarah McLachlan, Seal, Shakira, Simon and Garfunkle, Spice Girls, TORI AMOS, Tracy Chapman, U2, and some showtunes

― poortheatre, Friday, 23 November 2007 12:39 (eighteen years ago)

i think he just got back from touring with Seussical: The Musical!, too.

― poortheatre, Friday, 23 November 2007 12:40 (eighteen years ago)

Only one Tori Amos now, though she's been promoted to ALL CAPS.

― onimo, Friday, 23 November 2007 13:08 (eighteen years ago)

Results 1 - 10 of about 241,000 for garfunkle. (0.17 seconds)

― StanM, Friday, 23 November 2007 13:15 (eighteen years ago)

just remember all caps when you spell the man name

― poortheatre, Friday, 23 November 2007 13:21 (eighteen years ago)

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