sonic youth
11 movies and shows

Desolation Center
Fri, 16 Mar 2018
The untold story of a series of Reagan-era guerrilla punk and industrial desert happenings in Southern California that are now recognized as the inspiration for Burning Man, Lollapalooza, and Coachella. Interviews and rare performance footage of Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Redd Kross, Einstürzende Neubauten, Survival Research Laboratories, Savage Republic, Swans and more.

Rap Damage
Fri, 12 Apr 1991
Thurston on a bender. Shot one day during a break on the Ragged Glory Tour. Hip Hopped-up NYC roadie Maurice Menares plays the psychotic sidekick/bunny. Offensively endearing, in the face of P.E., N.W.A., REM, and Desert Storm. Chance occurrence of fire, predating the LA riots. Stopping at yard sales, ended up on Venice beach. By the end of the day, I went nuts. Keep in mind, this was at a time when "Rico Suave" by Gerrardo was in heavy rotation.

1991: The Year Punk Broke
Thu, 19 Nov 1992
David Markey's documentary of life on the road with Sonic Youth and Nirvana during their tour of Europe in late 1991. Also featuring live performances by Dinosaur Jr, Babes in Toyland, The Ramones and Gumball.

Changing Fashions
Thu, 15 Jul 1993
Anthony Kiedis and Sofia Coppola try to escape the fashion influence of Debbie Harry.

Lou Believers
Fri, 01 Jan 1988
Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, and Lou Reed roam the streets of Los Angeles searching for James Woods.

Welcome to My Castle!
Tue, 04 Dec 2007
Over 5 hours of full-length interviews with Nirvana, Tommy Chong, Sonic Youth, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Ron Jeremy, and many more. Includes videos of Nardwuar's band, The Evaporators, along with all sorts of bonus material!
Don't Bring A Dog
Wed, 01 Jan 1997
Don't Bring A Dog shows a part of the New York underground music scene - rooted in the early eighties - existing apart from MTV and billboard charts. Music, interviews, sounds and pictures of the city blend into a collage. Don't Bring A Dog works like a time capsule of people and music in NY at a particular moment

Grunge Pedal
Fri, 19 Mar 1993
Starring Vehicle for Free Kitten. Kim Gordon, Julie Cafritz, & Mark Ibold lounge on suburban lawns, jamming a guitar effects box & Japanese beat boxes. Thurston reads lyrics off Public Service (early 80's L.A. hardcore compilation), and Saccharine Trust's "Pagan Icons". Mark, in English accent, reads bio penned by Byron Coley.

Sonic Youth: From The Basement
Wed, 22 Jul 2020
Enjoy Sonic Youth’s full From The Basement set! Track listing: 01:26 - The Sprawl 10:45 - Incinerate 16:15 - Hey Joni 20:42 - Jams Run Free 24:34 - Pink Steam Recorded August 2007

Skeeno H.C. Rules
Fri, 16 Aug 1991
Sonic Youth play hockey arena w/ Neil Young in Reno, Nevada. Ten years earlier 7 Seconds recorded the earnest hardcore classic "Skins, Brains, & Guts" EP. The town was known as Skeeno. Audio recorded especially for the film by Society's Ills, a band consisting of Mike Watt (bass), Thurston (vocals), Dez Cadena (guitar), & David Markey (drums), who cover said EP.

DRIFT
Mon, 12 Dec 2005
DRIFT is a collaboration started in 1991 between visual artist Leah Singer and musician and poet Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth. DRIFT is an immersive sonic/visual environment consisting of music, sounds and texts by Ranaldo in response to two 16mm analytical film projectors performed in real time by Singer. Much as a DJ scratches a vinyl record, Singer manipulates her films in a live improvisation with Ranaldo's guitar, poetry and soundscapes.