Editing Thurston Moore (section)

==Sonic Youth==
{{Main|Sonic Youth}}
Moore met [[Kim Gordon]] in 1980 at the final gig of [[the Coachmen]], the band he was in with J.D. King, Daniel Walworth (replaced by Dave Keay), and Bob Pullin. Moore, with Gordon, Anne Demarinis and Dave Keay formed a band, appearing under names like Male Bonding,<ref name="browne45">{{cite book | last = Browne | first = David | title = Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth | publisher =Da Capo Press | year =2008 | pages=45 }}</ref> Red Milk,<ref name="browne45" /> and the Arcadians,<ref>{{cite book | last = Browne | first = David | title = Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth | publisher =Da Capo Press | year =2008 | pages=46 }}</ref> before settling on Moore's choice of Sonic Youth just before June 1981.<ref>{{cite book | last = Browne | first = David | title = Goodbye 20th Century: A Biography of Sonic Youth | publisher =Da Capo Press | year =2008 | pages=47 }}</ref> The band played [[Noise Fest]] in June 1981 at New York's [[White Columns]] gallery, where [[Lee Ranaldo]] was playing as a member of [[Glenn Branca]]'s electric guitar ensemble as well as in duo with David Linton as Avoidance Behavior.<ref>{{cite book|first=Alec|last=Foerge|title=Confusion is Next|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers]]|location=London, England|date=1994|isbn=978-0312113698|page=[https://archive.org/details/confusionisnexts00foeg/page/66 66]|url=https://archive.org/details/confusionisnexts00foeg/page/66}}</ref> Moore invited Ranaldo, who he had known when the Coachmen shared a [[CBGB]] stage with Ranaldo's 1970s band the Flux, to join the band. The new trio played three songs at the festival later in the week without a drummer.<ref>{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Ford|url=http://diffuser.fm/sonic-youth-facts/|title=11 Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Sonic Youth|website=[[diffuser.fm]]|publisher=[[Townsquare Media]]|location=Greenwich, Connecticut|date=August 18, 2015|access-date=October 28, 2018}}</ref> Each band member took turns playing the drums, until they met drummer [[Richard Edson]].<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Lynn|last=Gellar|url=https://bombmagazine.org/articles/richard-edson/|title=Richard Edson|magazine=[[Bomb (magazine)|Bomb]]|publisher=New Art Publications, Inc.|location=New York City|date=July 1, 1989|access-date=October 28, 2018}}</ref> The band signed to [[Neutral Records]], then to [[Homestead Records]], and then to [[SST Records]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Owen|last=Adams|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/nov/03/label-love-sst|title=Label of love: SST|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|location=London, England|date=3 November 2008|access-date=28 October 2018}}</ref>

[[File:Sonic1991.jpg|thumb|left|Live in the Netherlands (with Sonic Youth), 1991]]

Moore and Ranaldo make extensive use of unusual guitar tunings, often heavily modifying their instruments to provide unusual timbres and drones. They are known for bringing upwards of fifty guitars to every gig, using some guitars for one song only.<ref name="our-band-could-be-your-life" /> In 2004, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked Moore and Ranaldo the 33rd and 34th ''Greatest Guitarists of All Time''.

Thurston Moore has explained the band's decision to sign with [[DGC Records]] at a time when many were fiercely dedicated to [[independent record labels]] like [[SST Records|SST]], [[Dischord]] and [[Sub Pop]]:<ref name=goldberg>{{cite book |last1=Goldberg |first1=Danny |title=Serving the Servant: Remembering Kurt Cobain |date=2019}}</ref>
<blockquote>We noticed [[Hüsker Dü]]'s music hadn't changed when they signed to Warner. On the independent labels we dealt with, SST Records, [[Blast First Records]] and [[Neutral Records]], if there was accounting, it was always somewhat suspect. With Geffen, we would get an advance that would allow us to be able to pay our rents, get health insurance, have a slightly better lifestyle, and maybe, just maybe, not have to work day jobs. We felt like we could negotiate a contract that would make sense.</blockquote>

When [[Steve Albini]] accused corporate labels of ripping off artists, Moore wrote in response that a band "getting butt fucked by corporate labels [must] be really ''stupid''". He defended the band's decision to sign with DGC Records explaining that they knew what they were getting into and viewed it more as "buying in" than "selling out".<ref name=goldberg />

In 2011, Moore and his wife, Sonic Youth bassist [[Kim Gordon]], separated; shortly afterward, Sonic Youth went on indefinite hiatus.<ref name="separate">{{cite web|first=Amy|last=Phillips|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/44318-kim-gordon-thurston-moore-separate/|title=Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore Separate|work=[[pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|publisher=[[Pitchfork Media]]|location=Chicago, Illinois|date=October 14, 2011|access-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref> Though his marriage was ending Moore never claimed that Sonic Youth was finished.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collideartandculture.com/#!thurston-moore-collide-exclusive/cpl4|title=Thurston Moore interview|last=Lennon|first=Andi|website=Collide Art & Culture Mag|access-date=2016-08-10}}</ref>