Sonic Life

A Memoir

By: Thurston Moore

Narrated by: Thurston Moore

From the founding member of Sonic Youth, a passionate memoir tracing the author's life and art—from his teen years as a music obsessive in small-town Connecticut, to the formation of his legendary rock group, to thirty years of creation, experimentation, and wonder

"Downtown scientists rejoice! For Thurston Moore has unearthed the missing links, the sacred texts, the forgotten stories, and the secret maps of the lost golden age. This is history—scuffed, slightly bent, plenty noisy, and indispensable." —Colson Whitehead, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Underground Railroad and Harlem Shuffle

Thurston Moore moved to Manhattan’s East Village in 1978 with a yearning for music. He wanted to be immersed in downtown New York’s sights and sounds—the feral energy of its nightclubs, the angular roar of its bands, the magnetic personalities within its orbit. But more than anything, he wanted to make music—to create indelible sounds that would move, provoke, and inspire.

His dream came to life in 1981 with the formation of Sonic Youth, a band Moore cofounded with Kim Gordon and Lee Ranaldo. Sonic Youth became a fixture in New York’s burgeoning No Wave scene—an avant-garde collision of art and sound, poetry and punk. The band would evolve from critical darlings to commercial heavyweights, headlining festivals around the globe while helping introduce listeners to such artists as Nirvana, Hole, and Pavement, and playing alongside such icons as Neil Young and Iggy Pop. Through it all, Moore maintained an unwavering love of music: the new, the unheralded, the challenging, the irresistible.

In the spirit of Just Kids, Sonic Life offers a window into the trajectory of a celebrated artist and a tribute to an era of explosive creativity. It presents a firsthand account of New York in a defining cultural moment, a history of alternative rock as it was birthed and came to dominate airwaves, and a love letter to music, whatever the form. This is a story for anyone who has ever felt touched by sound—who knows the way the right song at the right moment can change the course of a life.

Very Informative and Interesting

As a Sonic Youth fan I really enjoyed it, but as a black metal fan it was disappointing that Thurston didn’t even acknowledge his time in the black metal supergroup Twilight in the early 2010s

Treasure trove memoir of lore from Punk’s Waldo

I am delighted by how nerdy this book is it’s genuinely charming the adoration and romance in Thurston’s writing. Reminds me a bit of his hero Patti Smiths humble poetic style in the excellent Just Kids memoir.

Better than this band is your life, not quite as good as please kill me this purely in regards to its status as a condensed punk history which are two great books that’s high praise. This is all from personal anecdotes not interviews or second hand accounts.

Which that I could see how the reverence can read annoying, but rules imo I’m a geek and love sonic youth. Reassuring to know one of my musical heroes is as obsessive and passionate as his fans still.

Thurston’s specificity is charming not annoying to me as a music geek and his monotone pretentious delivery I wouldn’t have it any other way. Just finished the whole book audiobook in like 2 days was a delight. Hari Krishna

important 70’s/80's NYC scene history

Moore's autobiography functions more as history of the music and art scenes he was in than a typical autobiography. This makes for a fascinating listen for rock and roll dipshits like myself.

Sonic life forever!

The mental sonic toothpaste for your sonic tooth the sonic you booked we needed and deserved this covers. Everything highly recommended!

Fantastic in every way!

Thurston takes you through possibly the most thorough, personal trip of new and alternative on the edge music scape of the last 40+ years better then anybody else has, ever. If you love music you need to read this.