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Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981.

Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981.

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Sonic Youth Biography

Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore (vocals and guitar), Kim Gordon (vocals, bass, guitar), Lee Ranaldo (vocals and guitar), Steve Shelley (drums) and Mark Ibold (bass, guitar). In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City. Part of the first wave of American noise rock groups, the band carried out their interpretation of the hardcore punk ethos throughout the evolving American underground that focused more on the DIY ethic of the genre rather than its specific sound. As a result, some consider Sonic Youth as pivotal in the rise of the alternative rock and indie rock movements. Sonic Youth has expressed a wide variety of influences, ranging from the influential protopunk musician Patti Smith to composer John Cage. The band has been praised for using a wide variety of unorthodox guitar tunings and preparing guitars with objects like drum sticks and screwdrivers to alter the instrument’s timbre.

In 1981 Sonic Youth signed with Neutral Records, and released its eponymous debut EP “Sonic Youth” the next year. The band's first full-length album was “Confusion is Sex,” released in 1983. “Kill Yr Idols” was released the same year, under the German label Zensor Records.

“Bad Moon Rising” was released two years later on Blast First, a label created specifically for Sonic Youth releases. In 1986 Sonic Youth signed to SST Records and released “EVOL” later the same year. The album gained the band increasing critical acclaim and exposure, and the group released “Sister” and the double LP “Daydream Nation” in 1987 and 1988 respectively, the latter on Enigma Records.

In 1990 the band signed to major label Geffen Records, and released “Goo” the same year. “Goo” featured the single, “Kool Thing” which reached #7 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The band's 1991 tour with the then little-known band Nirvana was documented in the film “1991: The Year Punk Broke.”

In 1992, Sonic Youth released “Dirty.” The album included the single, “100%” which peaked at #4 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming the bands only Top 5 single to date. Two years later, the group released “Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star,” which became their first Top 40 appearance on the Billboard 200 Albums charts and “Washing Machine” the following year.

Forced to start from scratch after its instruments and equipment were stolen, the band released “NYC Ghosts & Flowers” in 2000. Sonic Youth released “Murray Street” in the summer of 2002, followed in 2004 by “Sonic Nurse.”

“Rather Ripped” and “The Destroyed Room: B-sides and Rarities” were released in 2006, the latter featuring tracks previously available only on vinyl, limited-release compilations, B-sides to international singles, and other previously unreleased material.

In 2009 they released the studio album, “The Eternal,” which was their first release for Matador Records. The album reached #18 on the Billboard 200, their highest peak to date.

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FAQs on booking Sonic Youth

  • How do I book Sonic Youth to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Sonic Youth for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Sonic Youth, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Sonic Youth or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Sonic Youth

    Speaking fees for Sonic Youth, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Sonic Youth are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Sonic Youth, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Sonic Youth speak about?

    Sonic Youth is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Entertainment, Music.
  • Where does Sonic Youth travel from?

    Sonic Youth generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Sonic Youth’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Sonic Youth for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Sonic Youth for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Sonic Youth or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Sonic Youth is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Sonic Youth for your event is available upon request. Sonic Youth generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are The Strokes, The Wallflowers, Tommy Emmanuel, The xx and Andrew Newberg. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Sonic Youth for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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