Not that it matters , but , it occured to me , The first time I saw Sonic Youth was in 1986.
I only saw them in 2003 because they were opening for The Stooges. Same with Shellac , a few years later.
John Battles said:
....While I agree , especially with the last line you wrote , D.A. , not everybody who's smug makes it , or gets branded a sell out. No one would call Albini a sellout , but , he's as smug as they come. I've seen him in action. I'm sure he has a "Cool" side and all that , and , yes , Big Black were contemporaries to Sonic Youth , so he witnessed firsthand whatever changes they made to become moderately famous , so his comments are not unfounded. But , their popularity seems like a fluke , in hindsight. I liked Sonic Youth to a point , but , not enough to buy their records. However , I saw 'em twice in '87 and once in 2003. They sounded exactly the same in '03 as they did when I first saw them , playing to about 40 people . I found Big Black , Rapeman , and Shellac uncommercial as Hell , but , that did'nt mean I liked them. Whatshisname , Big Black's ex - Bassist , he's got my respect , because he's the only person of any note from the Chicago music scene that I used to see riding on the el train with his axe. You WILL be branded a sellout if money is your only motivation. The Pulsebeats' comment about working with The Dirtbombs , earlier , a grand for a band as popular as they are is'nt that much at all (Though it was'nt clear - to me - as to whether he was talking Dollars or Pounds , or whether that was a large amount to pay , compared to other bands.). Those guys draw several hundred people a night , maybe more in Europe.
On the same token , The Gories could have reformed just about any time after about 1995 and been the huge draw they are , now , or close to it. They were virtually unknown outside of Detroit in their day , and only got bigger by splitting up , a strange but effective career move. But , I know Mick and Danny well enough to know their motivations for breaking up the band , and , finally , reforming , were not shallow. If they did tour their asses off , now , yes , the money would be very good , but , they still just do what they feel like doing. They deserve whatever the Hell they do get paid. I was third on the bill to them , two years ago , and even I was surprised with what the club paid me. I'm very , very used to working not for profit , or for next to nothing, so it made up for a few gigs I had to do for free , and I got to work with some people I really like. I think we share the philosophy that , yes , you should work your touchas off , be you big or small. People came out to see you , you should work HARD , BUT , some things are better left to chance . Maybe that was'nt Sonic Youth's attitude about it , but , by the time they'd infiltrated the mainstream , I was, like , "Who cares?".