// 017 // CHECK SHIRT? CHECK! // DIRTY BOOTS // SONIC YOUTH

There was a point in the early 90s when it seemed that bands were more famous for their t-shirts than for their music.  Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Inspiral Carpets, Carter USM et al seemed to be everywhere, not in music form, but emblazoned on chests everywhere.  This sort of t-shirt culture seems to have more or less disappeared now (except in heavy metal circles) but back then, you *had* to wear a band's tshirt in order to proclaim your musical tastes to the world.  At the moment the only reason to wear a band's tshirt is ironically, or because the image on the front looks cool.  Witness the fact that you can buy Motorhead t-shirts in Topshop, and Misfits t-shirts are worn by people who would run away from Glenn Danzig if they saw him in the street. 

Today skinny indie kids are wearing Sonic Youth t-shirts with the front cover of the 'Goo' album on it  not because they know who SY are, but because it's a nice shirt.  Is this an old man rant? Not really.  For a good portion of my heavy metal days I was wearing the classic 'German Army Shirt' bought from army surplus stores across the land - did I have to have been conscripted into the German Army to earn the right to wear said garment?  I just find it amusing is all...

Sonic Youth always struck a fine balance between great music and art-wank.  Years after I bought Goo, some arty friends of mine went to see Sonic Youth on the South Bank playing with some avant-garde composer and were raving about it.  I'm glad I didn't go because I would have been the guy at the back yelling for 'Kool Thing'

I always struggle with Sonic Youth - they were one of those bands that other bands name-check as being a big inspiration, but I always found their albums to be difficult, mixing some really good songs with much more experimental ones which made it difficult to sit through an entire record.  Still their best tunes were perfect mix-tape fodder, and between this, 100% and Teenage Riot, they should be on anyone's top 10 of 90s alternative bands.

An example of their wilful eclecticism - I saw Sonic Youth play live in 1993 at the long defunct Phoenix Festival where they played headlined a stage and promptly proceeded to play an entire set of b-sides, obscure cuts and early songs.  There was a torrent of people fleeing the tent as Sonic Youth proceeded to bludgeon them with a wall of feedback.  At the time I was one of the ones fleeing with ears ringing.  Now I would probably be standing at the back applauding...