Sonic Youth Poised to Take Indie Label Plunge
Photo by Will Marsh
For as much as we may consider them paragons of indie-ness in pretty much every sense of the word, the truth remains that Sonic Youth have been on a major label roster-- Geffen's-- for almost two decades.
With their Geffen contract up following the release of 2006's Rather Ripped, however, all signs point to Sonic Youth returning to the loving hands of an indie imprint. But which?
"There's one label we are certainly going to go with at this point," Thurston Moore recently told Rolling Stone's Rock & Roll Daily blog. "But I don't think I'm allowed to disclose that right now. I don't want to risk having a shit storm."
A recent article in Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen quotes Moore as suggesting the label is Domino, and that Sonic Youth's new album will arrive in spring 2009 bearing the title The Eternal. A representative for Domino, however, refutes the claim that SY have signed to the label.
The title may be a bit premature as well. Indeed, according to Rock & Roll Daily, Sonic Youth are still in the writing stage on the new record. Quoth Moore, "I've written a half-dozen song ideas. I try not to complete them so much. Last time we got together, we were creating sort of new band-zone-vibe sort of things." The group reportedly plans to hit the studio in November.
Another rumored strong contender for SY's contract ink is Matador, though the label denies this as well.
One thing's for sure though: Moore is enjoying the relative freedom that comes with a return to indie-dom. "It feels great," he told Rock & Roll Daily. "The last four or five records we did were just so compromised by that [major label] situation. But that's the way it goes."
Until somebody breaks the silence surrounding Sonic Youth's new record deal, however, we'll have to content ourselves with the handful of SY and Thurston Moore shows in the coming weeks.
Sonic Youth:
08-29 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts !
08-30 Brooklyn, NY - McCarren Park Pool *
! with the Hold Steady
* with Times New Viking, Vivian Girls, Wolf Eyes
Thurston Moore:
09-17 Northampton, MA - Pearl Street #
09-19 Monticello, NY - Kutshers Country Club (ATP New York) #
# performing Psychic Hearts
Kim Gordon:
09-26 Saratoga, CA - Montalvo Arts Center (Kim Gordon Meets Phantom Orchard)
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