[jico.]

http://www.stern.de/unterhaltung/mus....html?nv=ct_cb

lame translation... it works fine, but maybe someone could work on this a bit, it's a good interview.

July 11, 2007
"Women are communication talents"

 

Since the beginning of Sonic Youth, you have and the other volume members as Sonic Youth or as a solo-artist almost each year a disk published. Will that to go further or are you it slowly tired?

Not at all! In September comes again a solo-album of Thurston, "Trees Outside of The Academy", that we just produced.

They write, you paint, you produce other volumes and sketched for your own Label "X-Girl" dress. They seem to burst before creativity...

I sold "x-Girl", but I think already again about that after to establish a new Label. I write excites myself at present a little, but most momentarily forming art: Painting and installations. In April I had with the German artist Jutta Koether, a friend of me, a Performance by the name of "Dead Already" in New York in which it concerned dance, film and music.

How does one create to come out it as a volume so long together? Others separate themselves and celebrate 10 years later its joint comeback...

We work as a volume very democratically. And we do not take very so many drug. Every of us has on the side its own projects at the running. That brings new energy into the volumes. One cannot expect of a volume, of a relation that it fulfills all needs.

In publications was written often over the three rules, determined that you to the foundation of Sonic Youth...

Three rules? Which then?

No member the volume should receive the roll of the front man, the music should remove itself of the Mainstream-skirt and should solve itself the volume members of all tying up of musical.

I do not know say... that nothing to myself. But you know yes how journalists are. One summarizes somewhat and everyone others write off that. That is like "quiet postal service".

How are the rolls in the volume distributed then? Is there an optimist, a pessimist, a mediator?

Here that has more with the zodiac signs to do. Lion is Thurston - it is often the initiator for something new. Steve is the realist...
And how would you describe yourself?
Women are communication talents. We try to retain and to mediate the large entire in the view.

They play on your current tour all songs of "Daydream nation" in the same sequence how they are on the album. Songs that you wrote before almost 20 years. How does that feel itself?

It is exciting. It transfers one back into an intellectual bearing, of which one had forgotten, that it ever existed. And it is a quite conceptual Herangehensweise for us, that to play through album of ahead until behind. We so never made that. It is simultaneous however also irritating.

Did you publish the disk once again in order to close a circle? Did it or have a financial background? There is busies itself a department in universally, that with our previous publications. There is thought differently - these people find our old things exciting. They asked us three years ago whether we want newly put on some albums: "Goo", "Dirty" and now "Daydream nation". We considered a while and decided then for that.

And what does it have with the Starbucks-Compilation on itself?

About a year ago, when our last album "Rather Ripped" came out, we were frustrated rather over the bad marketing.

A problem, that it already 1988 in that banished gave of "Daydream nation".

Honestly said, in every of our disks. Thurston were been noticeable this Starbucks-Compilations, for which well known people select songs, that like it. It meant, it would be yet a good idea if persons, that are more famous much than we, out of our songs which choose itself, that are summarized then to an album. Lou Reed for example. Or actor as well as me yard of Williams. We wanted persons who are fewer nearly lying. Persons whom we do not know, but that like us. The Compilation will come probably in December out. We must balance out another new song for that.

Will the CD be internationally available?

I do not believe. It is on display probably only in certain branches. In areas where people live, who hear Sonic Youth. They must play the CD namely in the store and goes that only, if its customers our music also abkönnen.

Sonic Youth to go?

I know, that will become release again the large "Sonic Youth commercially" -discussion. But I find that laughably. We have been since 1990 in major-Labeln under contract. Can star cheek be worse than that? It is yet naive, to think. One must see the irony therein. In order around to be honest: It was also a despair deed.

You and Thurston bogs have a daughter in the teenager-age. How did the birth of Coco Haley affect your life as a musician?

I had to learn to set priorities. To consider me exactly, to which projects I want to dedicate my time. And it was difficult for me to preserve me the free room in the head, that I need for my creativity. On the other hand Coco gave me a perspective. And its drawings inspired me very.

More to the subject of Sonic Youth concert: We wanted yet so much after your daughter 1994 came into the world, published you an album with the title "what cliff Machine". Did you come on the title in the diaper change?

Not entirely. We were included and thought about in Memphis, when we the album about that to rename ourselves in what cliff Machine. As Sonic Youth, we had loaded ourselves so much ideal baggage, that we dragged with us around and we thought, that someone never would buy our disks. Therefore we thought about over typical India-skirts-names and came on what cliff Machine. We thought about earnestly about that! But our management was on the other hand.

Although Sonic Youth counted always as a very earnest vanguard-rock bands, you seem to take yourself not very so seriously. Nevertheless you had a guest entrance in the Simpsons...

That was fun! We know mat Groening quite good, it comes even out of the skirt-scene. Displaced was that we newly had to balance out the Simpsons-Titelsong - Danny eleven man who wrote the melody, a High-School is-dear of me.

And in the series Gilmore Girls, you appeared also.

Yes. Thurston, Coco and I.

How did it come in addition?

Oh, we are large fans of the series! We saw it regularly home and fell ourselves sometime up that the performers spoke again and again about Sonic Youth. Therefore I have its authors who asked married couple Palladino, whether they would want a song. Before both of the maker Warner Bros. separated have itself, they wrote another last sequence in which we appeared then too third.

Did you like the series because of its strong women roll?

The women are crazy. And I like the pop culture-quotations. Vincent Gallo refer to and its film "Brown Bunny" for example. Very clever.

How do you think over a strong woman of the tip of the USA?

Hillary Clinton has a good chance. It has much political experience. I personal favor Barack Obama, but I think, it has not its power, also if it won clearly at execution done. On the other hand Hillary has served selected just a Celine--title as a campaign-song - I believe, I must think about there another time about that. Bill Clinton had chosen himself at that time nevertheless Fleetwood Mac.

They turned 1992 with other feminine stars an advertisement for the right to legal abortion in the USA. Are you yet always active feminist?

I try only to be a good person. But the feminine image in the music industry makes me worries. In the moment, I see only setback. It is to be believed naively that the things will change ever. That is already clear to me. In the Mainstream-area, the motto was already always "sex sells". But just seems to reach the entire a highpoint to me. Hollywood, the music industry in L. A., the Porno-industry - all holds together that.

How would you react if your daughter would hear disks of Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera?

Oh, I explained its already some years ago that this music is written by thick, old men. Therewith the subject was settled.

You the volume Modest Mouse should have prevented even an entrance before a couple of years in the Lollopalooza-festival because its singer Isaac Brock had to fight at present with an accusation because of rape, that became later fall let. Does that agree?

No! I like Modest Mouse. Incidentally its tour-manager with a good friend of me is married. That is a rumor.

And what is would have commercialized with its statements, Kurt Cobain the Grunge too deaths?

Grunge had to be killed! (Laughs loudly) bring honestly said I Nirvana not at all with Grunge in connection. There will be always volume, that imitate a successful music direction in order to become part of a movement. But therewith the movement goes also toward its end.

How did Sonic Youth create it in spite of Top-40-Platzierungen in the Charts to be perceived always as an Underground-volume?

Because we made always Underground-music! No, it lies that our Label had to issue hardly something for us. We may make what we want, for that they do not invest in us. But that is anyway snow of yesterday. We fulfilled the contract with them. No idea what brings the future.

Interview: Jessica brown

[sonicl]

For a start, replace the word "volume" with "group". Not that that helps all that much, but it's a start.

[jico.]

yeah you're right...
or maybe... i'll just wait until some german boarder show up.

sorry, i just woke up... and i'm a bit lazy...

[sonicl]

It's past midday, Jico. I'm disgusted at your laziness.

[jico.]

haha, i know... but i was up to late.

and i'm on summer vacations... laziness is the main ingredient in these days.


edit: laziness? i just babel fished a whole interview for you guys, you think that's easy? i even added a picture!

[nicfit]

Originally Posted by jico.

 

"Kame- ha - me...."

[Moshe]

Thanks. cliff Machine=washing machine?

[Green_mind]

You mean, you've never heard of 'Cliff Machine'?

 

and you haven't listened to 'Rockie's promise', 'Cliff-Like', 'Little Troubled Cliff' nor 'The Diamond Cliff'??/
my word man, and you call yourself a fan?

[Moshe]

^LOL

[pantophobia]

Originally Posted by jico.

You the volume Modest Mouse should have prevented even an entrance before a couple of years in the Lollopalooza-festival because its singer Isaac Brock had to fight at present with an accusation because of rape, that became later fall let. Does that agree?

No! I like Modest Mouse. Incidentally its tour-manager with a good friend of me is married. That is a rumor.

this is the first time i have ever read in an article about the Issac Brock rape allegation in a news article, i have known about the rumor for years, but it's such an odd question to ask

[GrungeMonkey]

That took a while to read...

[making the drama scene]

I tried to translate it, maybe now it's easier to read....don't mind my spelling

Interview with Kim Gordon

"Women are communication talents"

She's regarded as a pugnacious intelectual, as an active feminist and mother of grunge: Kim Gordon, bassist and vocalist of Sonic Youth. In the stern.de-interview she talks about persistence, underground music and the slogan: "Sex Sells".

M(r)s. Gordon, Sonic Youth uses different guitars for every song. How many guitars do you have with you at the current "Daydream Nation"-tour?
I think, they're around 25.

And how many do you have at home?
(laughs) I can't count them any more. But somebody told me, the Rolling Stones would allways take 70 guitars with them and don't even use them.

Since the beginning of Sonic Youth you and the other band members have released a record every year as Sonic Youth or as solo artists. Will this go on or are you gradually getting tired of it?
Not at all! In September the new solo album from Thurston "Trees Outside The Academy", which we've just produced will be released.

You write, you draw, you produce other bands and you have designed dresses for your own label "X-Girl". You seem to be exploding from creativity...
I have sold "X-Girl", but I'm already thinking about founding a new label. I am writing a little at the time, but what I'm temted to most is graphic art: drawings and installations. In April I had a performance in New York together with the german artist Jutta Koether, a friend of mine. It was called "Dead Already" and it was about dance, movies and music.

How do you as a band manage to get along together for such a long time? Other bands break up and celebrate their comeback 10 years later...
We work very democratically and w we don't take that much drugs. Everybody of us has his own side-projects. That brings new energy into the band. You cannot expect a band, a relationship to be fulfilling all your needs.

Publications often talk about three rules you manifested during the founding of Sonic Youth...
Three rules? What are they?

No member should be in the role of a frontman, the music should stand out from mainstream-rock and every band member should throw of her/his musical chains.
I don't know...I'm not familiar with these. But you know how journalists are. One writes something and all the others copy it. It's like "silent mail" ("Stille Post", the game, I don't know what it's called in english)

How are the rolls allocated in the band? Is there an optimist, a pessimist, a mediator?
It's more like zodiacal signs. Thurston is a lion - he often is the initiator for something new. Steve is the realist...

And how would you describe yourself?
Women are communication talents. We try to keep the whole in mind and try to mediate.

On your current tour you play all songs from "Daydream Nation" in the same order like they are on the record. Songs you wrote nearly 20 years ago. How does that feel?
It's exciting. It takes you back in a mental attitude, you had forgotten that it existed some day. And it's a really conceptional approachfor us to play through the album from start to end. We've never done this before. At the same time it is irritating.

Did you release the record again to close a circle? Or did this have a financial background?
There is a section from Universal which is busy with our previous publications. They think different - these people find our old stuff exciting. Three years ago they asked us if we want to re-release a few albums: "Goo", "Dirty" and now "Daydream Nation". We thought about it for a while and decided to do it.

And what about the Starbucks-Compilation?
About one year ago, when our latest album "Rather Ripped" was released, we we're kind of frustrated about the bad marketing.

A problem which was already existent at the marketing of "Daydream Nation".
Honestly, at all of our records. Thurston recognised those Starbucks-Compilations, where popular people select songs they like. He thought it would be a good idea, if people, who were much more popular than we are, would select songs from us, which woul be put together on one album. For example Lou Reed. Or actors/actresses like Michelle Williams. We wanted people who weren't so obvious. People we don't know, but who like us. The compilation will probably be out in december. We still need to record one song for it.

Will this CD be internationally available?
I don't think so. It's probably only be available in certain branches. In sorroundings where people live who listen to Sonic Youth. The have to play the CD in the shop which is only possible if the guests like it.

Sonic Youth to go?
I know, this is gonna activate the big "Sonic Youth is going to be commerce"-discussion. But i think that's ridiculous We've been under conract at major-labels since 1990. Can Starbucks be worse than this? It's naive to think like that. You have to see the irony in this. But to be honest: It also was an act of desperation.

You and Thurston Moore have a teenage daughter. How did the birth of Coco haley influence your life as a musician?
I had to learn to set priorities. To think exacly about for which project I want to spend my time. And it was difficult for me to keep the free space in my head which i need for my creativity. On the otheer hand Coco gave me a perspective. And her drawings really inspired me.

After your daughter was born in 1994, you released an album entitled "Washing Machine". Did you think about the title when you were changing diapers?
Not really. We were in Memphis, when we recorded the album and thought about renaming the band into "Washing Machine". As Sonic Youth we had loaded up so much spiritual luggage with us and we thought nobody would ever buy our record. That's why we thought about a typical Indie-Rock-Name and came to Washing Machine. We seriously thought about it! But our management was against it.

Allthough Sonic Youth has allways been regarded as a very serious Avantgarde-Rockband, you seem not to take yourself so serious. After all you had a guest appearance at the Simpsons...
That was fun! We know Matt Groening pritty good, he's coming out of the rock scene himself. The crazy thing about it was, that we had to record the theme song - Danny Elfmann, who wrote the melody, is a high-school-love of mine.

And in the series Gilmore Girls you appeared as well.
Yes. Thusrton, Coco and I.

How did that go?
Oh, we are big fans of the series! We've been watching it regularly at home and at some point we recognised that the protagonists keep talking about Sonic Youth. So i asked the authors, the couple Palladino, if they wanted a song. Before they both splitted with the producer Warner Bros. they wrote one last episode in which we three appeared.

Did you like the series because of the strong women roles?
The women are great. And I like the pop-culture quotes. Referencees to Vincent Gallo and his movie "Brown Bunny" for instance. Very smart.

How do you think about a strong woman at the top of the USA?
Hillary Clinton has a good chance. She has much political experience. I personally prefer Barack Obama, but I think he does not have her power, even if he has obviously won assertiveness. On the other hand Hillary has chose a Celine-Dion-Song as election-campaign-song - I believe I have to think about it once again. Bill Clinton at least chose Fleetwood Mac back then.

In 1992 you together with other female celebrities made an advertisement for the right for legal abortion in the USA. Are you still an active feminist?
I just try to be a good person. But the female image in music industry is what makes me worry. At the moment I just see retrograde steps. It's naive to believe that things will ever change. That's clear for me. In the mainstream-section the slogan has allways been "Sex Sells". But right now for me the whole seems to be reaching a climax. Hollywood, the music industry in L.A., the porn-industry - that's all hanging together.

How would you react when your daughter woul listen to Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera?
Oh, I explained her already a few years ago that this music is written by fat, old men. With this the subject was closed.

A few years ago you're said to have prevented the band Modest Mouse to play at Lolopalooza, because their vocalist Isaac Brock had to fight with a charge because of rape, which was layed down later. Is that true?
No! I like Modest Mouse. By the way their tour-manager is married to a friend of mine. That's a rumour.

And what about your statement, Kurt Cobain had commercialized grunge to death?
Grunge had to be killed! (laughs loud) Honestly I do'nt get Nirvana in connection with Grunge. There will allways be bands who imitate a successfull genre of music, to be part of a movement. But with that the movement also comes closer to its end.

How did Sonic Youth manage to allways be seen as underground-band despite Top-40-ratings?
Because we've allways made underground-music! No, it's because our label hardly had do spend money for us. We're allowed to do what we want and they don't invest in us. But that's stale news. We fullfilled the contract with them. No idea what future brings.

Interview: Jessica Braun

[atsonicpark]

aww, thanks for the translation, but the first one was a bit funnier.

[making the drama scene]

yeah, i actually like first one more myself
it's easier for me
it still has this german structure (don't get me worng I'm talking about language)

[hirsute_biped]

what? thats the way kim talks, dude...

[tasteinmen]

Originally Posted by making the drama scene

Did you release the record again to close a circle? Or did this have a financial background?
There is a section from Universal which is busy with our previous publications. They think different - these people find our old stuff exciting. Three years ago they asked us if we want to re-release a few albums: "Goo", "Dirty" and now "Daydream Nation". We thought about it for a while and decided to do it.

Does that mean there will be no more remasters?

[greenlight]

thanks for the interview!