Where did Sonic Youth get their name from?
 

I wouldn't have a clue.
Maybe a little inspiration from The Sonics?
Who knows?

sonic
fred "sonic" smith

youth
big youth

Good question, ask them.

Pokkeherrie is right.

Thanks Pokkeherrie.
I didn't know that.

I think sonic youth is a phrase from a beat poem.

^^^^
naaaaaaaaaaah,pokkeherrie is right. 100 points.

He is right, but it brings up something that's always bothered me:

They always refer to themselves as "The Sonics" which, to me, is almost offensive!!! What about the actual band, as pictured above, who totally tore shit up, actually called "The Sonics"?!

the sonics are dead. the sonic yotuh is alive. fuck the dead!

There's this band in the area I live with the same name but they spell it 'The Sonix'. Stupid twats.

I fucking hate those twats11111!!!!

the sonics are bad. but i like them.

ah, I see pokkeherrie already answered the question.

ya no forum streetcred for you :'(

their biography author says both words comes from other artists/band names, i can't remember from what bands exactly they come but i believe pokkeherrie vbmenu_register("postmenu_124317", true); is right. vbmenu_register("postmenu_124317", true);

to the bone!

as if.

i'm sure thousands of band have thought of the name sonic youth, it's not that original (though i like it). i'm pretty sure there's no explanation to the name sonic youth other than the desire to make new fresh music...

Hi. I just signed up to this forum to say.....

Didn't they get their name from the lyrics to the song Nic Fit, by the Untouchables.

SY covered that song on the Dirty album.

The lyrics go:

Get it up, get it in
Sonic tooth, sonic truth
Nic fit, nic fit, nic fit, nic fit

Sign'em up, gotta smoke (?)
Arafat, get a smoke (?)
Nic fit, nic fit, nic fit, nic

Nic fit, nic fit, nic fit, nic fit

Sonic truth, sonic death
Sonic smoke, sonic youth
Nic fit, nic fit, nic fit, nic

Really? I don't think so. But see my post just b4 this... re the Untouchables song.

lol.

that's big

what?
when did this appear??

Wasn't it a play on the common use of the word youth' amongst Hardcore bands? They attracted a lot of that crowd in their early days simply because the band name ended in 'youth'

"Sonic" the Hedgehog, which is played by "youth"s.

thanks.
nice of you to be still typin' with no head.

They got their name from a store in SoHo that used to sell band names back in the late 70's and 80's. Same store where Teenage Jesus and the Jerks and the Cro-Mags bought their names. The Beastie Boys bought their name there too, but it was in the bargain bin at a reduced rate after remaining unsold for three years.

I just read 'Just Kids' by Patti Smith. She mentioned that Sonic part--dunno about da Youth part.

I loved that book, and I'm not even a Patti Smith fan. I especially loved reading about her early years with Robert, when they were broke and just enjoying their art and each other's company.

Fred "Sonic" Smith + Big Youth

..............

;)

(too bad a simple winky face qualifies as "message too short")

;).

Pretty much. It's all in GB20.

Great name, though.

Was well established before GB20. I'd grade that book with a c+.

I didn't say it was first uncovered in GB20. I just said it was in there, which it is. Figured it would be a good place to point someone.

Not my favorite book either. Really disappointing actually. But it's official and has some interesting tidbits.

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yeah?