Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth formed in New York City in 1981, becoming one of the most influential bands in alternative rock through their use of altered tunings, prepared guitars, and controlled feedback. Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo developed an approach to the instrument that treated it as a sound-generating object, inserting screwdrivers and drumsticks between strings and tuning to non-standard intervals. Their gear choices reflected this experimental ethos — cheap Jazzmasters and Jaguars were favored because they could be modified, abused, and retuned without concern for preserving value. The band maintained over fifty guitars on tour, each tuned differently. Albums like Daydream Nation and Sister bridged the gap between avant-garde composition and accessible rock songwriting. Their signing to DGC Records in 1990 helped pave the way for underground acts to reach major labels. The band went on indefinite hiatus in 2011.