Thurston Moore Looks Back on 30 Years of Sonic Youth

For three decades, Thurston Moore helmed Sonic Youth, a band that was intimately linked to that historic, shape-shifting milieu of art and music that once emanated from downtown New York.  But in the decade since the band’s dissolution, Moore has not lessened his musical output. Sonic Life, his newly published memoir, is a fascinating chronicle of music, art, life on the road—and a vanished New York City.

Richard Klin: The range of musical influences you cite in Sonic Life are surprisingly eclectic, spanning hip-hop, Kiss, and the John Thompson piano book.

I think it was defined by the household I grew up in, having a father who was a university professor, who had a library of books—esoteric philosophy, religious studies, music studies. He was playing the piano all the time. I just thought every house was like this. When I was old enough to have playdates and you would go over