© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WECS · WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM · WVOF
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Sonic Youth: A 25-Year Experiment in Artful Noise

In rock 'n' roll, it's rare for a band's original members to stay together for nearly a quarter of a century. And most bands that do are simply cashing in on their past hits.

Sonic Youth is an exception to both rules. The New York art-noise band is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and its new recording, Rather Ripped, is one of the most straight-ahead rock albums the band has ever made.

It might seem as if Sonic Youth is moving toward the mainstream. But if anything, it's the other way around. Consider this: Producers of the hit television show The Gilmore Girls invited members of the band to play on the show's season finale last month.

There was a time when Sonic Youth never considered playing on TV -- and TV never considered the band. But over the years, Sonic Youth has built a respectable, if not huge, following with its avant-garde, sonic experiments and strong independent streak.

Member station WHYY's Joel Rose reports on the musicians who came together in the heady, downtown New York art scene of the early 1980s -- and have been together ever since.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Joel Rose is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk. He covers immigration and breaking news.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.