Sonic Youth Prep Rarities Comp, Zillion Other Things
Or "A Not-So-Brief Recent History of Sonic Youth"

Well, well, well. Looks like Sonic Youth are up to their old tricks again: releasing bong-loads of recordings, luring the kids out to live shows, and collaborating, side-projecting, and multimedia-mongering all willy-nilly-- last I heard, Thurston Moore was starting an improv noise ensemble with your mom. Anyhow, this latest dispatch on Youth-ful happenings may include any or all of the following: (1) info on a new B-sides/rarities comp; (2) SY's thoughts on label limbo; (3) info on the U.S. premiere of Kim Gordon and associates' Perfect Partner; (4) side project mania; and (5) tour hysteria.

First up, the rarities comp. Titled The Destroyed Room: B-Sides and Rarities, according to Billboard.com, the disc arrives December 12 via Geffen. Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo culled the collection's selections from the back sides of singles, various compilations, and bonus cuts from international editions of SY releases. While the final tracklist has yet to be determined, The Destroyed Room will also a few tunes that even you-- yes you, with the washing machine tattooed on you chest-- have never heard before. Er, maybe.

Following the release of the comp, Sonic Youth become the musical equivalent of a free agent, having fulfilled their contractual obligations with Geffen. Asked by Billboard.com if the band would stay with their longtime label, bassist Kim Gordon expressed uncertainty. "I don't really think they want us to stay. They fired a few key people working on [Rather Ripped] a week before it came out...So, I don't know."

There's also talk of an expanded reissue of Daydream Nation-- recently added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress-- which a label split might jeopardize.

Not like the Youth have any time to ponder those politics-- as usual, they're galavanting about, spreading musical mirth in pretty much every conceivable manner. Alongside hubby Moore, Youth associate Jim O'Rourke, and others, Gordon will participate in the U.S. premiere of her multimedia film, Perfect Partner. The piece combines projections (featuring actors Michael Pitt and Jamie Bochert) and live music, and plays on October 27 and 28 at Montclair, New Jersey's State University.

As previously reported, Gordon put together Perfect Partner with director Phil Morrison (Junebug) and video artist Tony Oursler. The work toured Europe in 2005, and many of its multimedia wonders-- which include live music and trippy visuals-- were bundled into a box set released back in April.

The piece itself, as Gordon told Billboard.com, drew inspiration from a rather odd source: car brochures. "Ad copy," she said, "is this existential, contemporary philosophy that doesn't mean anything, but the brochures are so sophisticated. They really stretch and try to be poetry and art."

Gordon hopes to also screen Perfect Partner in New York and Los Angeles, then showcase it elsewhere with a new group of live musicians.

In (inevitably) other Sonic Youth news (deeeep breath): Gordon told Billboard.com that Thurston Moore is currently working on his next solo album. And, for those who can't get enough of Thurston and/or improvised noise, check out the Melbourne Direct 12" on Saucerlike Recordings, which features Moore, O'Rourke, and Sonic buddies Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley making a whole lotta commotion with musical instruments.

If you're not that into noise, or sound for that matter, why not scope Moore and Gordon's visual art at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center's "Music Is a Better Noise" exhibit in NYC? As previously reported, the showcase opens October 29 and runs through January 8. Or catch Moore reading at New York University's Fales Library tonight (October 26).

And let's not forget the rest of Sonic Youth. Ranaldo has a music/film collaboration of his own with multimedia artist Leah Singer-- called Drift-- which they'll perform in Troy, NY (October 27), Helsinki, Finland (November 9), and Hasselt, Belgium (November 24).

Furthermore, the Lee Ranaldo Project-- which includes Shelley-- will perform along with Cat Power, Patti Smith, Philip Glass, Ryan Adams, and others at Music For Youth's "The Music of Bob Dylan" benefit event. As previously reported, the tribute goes down at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall on November 9.

And finally, last but not least, Shelley's Two Dollar Guitar (here featuring guitarists Chris Brokaw and Tim Folijahn) have a few dates lined up. These gigs foreshadow, naturally, some Sonic Youth full-band engagements in Europe-- including two performances at All Tomorrow's Parties' sold out Nightmare Before Christmas event, curated by Moore himself.

Anddddd exhale!

Sonic Youth:

12-08 Somerset, England - ATP's Nightmare Before Christmas
12-09 Somerset, England - ATP's Nightmare Before Christmas
12-11 Brussels, Belgium - Les Halles
12-12 Brussels, Belgium - Les Halles
12-13 Paris, France - Zenith *
12-15 The Hague, The Netherlands - Paard Van Troje
12-16 Berlin, Germany - Fritz Club #

* with Dinosaur Jr.
# with J Mascis

Two Dollar Guitar:

11-06 Brooklyn, NY - Zebulon *
11-10 Carrboro, NC - Reservoir #
11-11 Greensboro, NC - Flying Anvil ^
11-12 Columbia, SC - The Art Garage #
11-13 Atlanta, GA - The Earl #
11-14 Mt. Pleasant, SC - Village Tavern #
11-16 Arlington, VA - Iota Club and Café #%
11-18 Boston, MA - P.A.'s Lounge #
11-19 Florence, MA - Artifacts 20th Century $
11-20 Portland, ME - Space Gallery #
11-26 Bari, Italy - Time Zones #
11-27 Naples, Italy - Rising South #
11-28 Faenza, Italy - Clandestino #
11-29 Turin, Italy - Skylab #
11-30 Giussago, Italy - Ortosonico #
12-01 Verona, Italy - Lucignolo #
12-02 Genoa, Italy - Milk Club #
12-04 Catania, Italy - TBA
12-14 Paris, France - TBA #+

* with Tall Firs
# with Chris Brokaw
^ with Richard Buckner
% with Micah P. Hinson
$ with Thurston Moore, J Mascis, Dredd Foole
+ with Lee Ranaldo, Awesome Color