Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore in the NYT on Kurt Cobain

The NYT has published a great Op-Ed penned by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth on today, the 10th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death. Sonic Youth has been in the music business, turning out steaming vinyl, since 1980. They are, by far, the most influential band in contemporary rock... and they are easily my favorite group of artists, period. It was rather ironic seeing Sonic Youth open for Nirvana in the early 90's... it was like Bob Dylan opening for Iron and Wine. However, Nirvana was very very good... and a good chunk of that goodness was Kurt's voice and his knack for novel composition. It's too bad we didn't get to see what might have become...

Thurston makes a point that bears repeating... "You wouldn't know it now by looking at MTV, [...] but the underground scene Kurt came from is more creative and exciting than it's ever been." If you listen to pop radio or watch pop video on the regular, you're really missing out. There are thousands of unbelievable artists out there... good places to start are radio stations like KALX (berkeley), KFJC (san jose), WFMU (new york city), and KAOS (olympia) or sites like insound, epitonic and emusic... to boot, if you've never heard of a band, there's a good chance that the All Music Guide has.

A personal plea: don't be satisfied with what the media conglomerate feeds you... buy from independent record labels... do some research on artists you've never heard of... and above all else, listen to your friends; they know what's good for you.

The New York Times | When the Edge Moved to the Middle

When Kurt died, a lot of the capitalized froth of alternative rock fizzled. Mainstream rock lost its kingpin group, an unlikely one imbued with avant-garde genius, and contemporary rock became harder and meaner, more aggressive and dumbed down and sexist. Rage and aggression were elements for Kurt to play with as an artist, but he was profoundly gentle and intelligent. He was sincere in his distaste for bullyboy music�always pronouncing his love for queer culture, feminism and the punk rock do-it-yourself ideal. Most people who adapt punk as a lifestyle represent these ideals, but with one of the finest rock voices ever heard, Kurt got to represent them to an attentive world. Whatever contact he made was really his most valued success.

You wouldn't know it now by looking at MTV, with its scorn-metal buffoons and Disney-damaged pop idols, but the underground scene Kurt came from is more creative and exciting than it's ever been. From radical pop to sensorial noise-action to the subterranean forays in drone-folk-psyche-improv, all the music Kurt adored is very much alive and being played by amazing artists he didn't live to see, artists who recognize Kurt as a significant and honorable muse.

Posted by joebeone at Abril 8, 2004 08:04 AM | TrackBack