New Book Explores Sonic Youth's Audiovisual Legacy

Researcher Maria Teresa Soldani has published "Made in USA: L'opera dei Sonic Youth tra indie e pop, video e cinema" with Mimesis in 2024. The book examines the band's history from 1981 to 2011, focusing on their audiovisual production and collaborations with visual artists like Richard Kern, Raymond Pettibon, and Dave Markey. Soldani, a researcher at the University of Milan's Department of Philosophy, previously worked at the Luigi Pecci Center for Contemporary Art. The study highlights themes of authenticity, the body, and desire, analyzing how Sonic Youth deconstructed rock conventions through anomalous tunings and feedback, and appropriated imagery from pop culture and mass media. Their 1990 album "Goo" marked a turning point as they signed with DGC while maintaining artistic control, producing music videos for MTV and a visual album with independent filmmakers. The book also connects their work to artists like Dan Graham, Dara Birnbaum, Richard Prince, and Robert Longo, and situates them within the context of American independent cinema and the No Wave scene.