Maillist
FOCUS ON: Thurston Moore
- Official Website >>
- Label: Ecstatic Peace >>
- Genre: Avant Garde/Experimental
Thurston Joseph Moore (born July 25, 1958) is an American musician best known as a singer and guitarist for Sonic Youth.
He was born in Coral Gables, Florida, and raised Bethel, Connecticut. Although he enrolled at Western Connecticut State University, he opted to move to New York City instead. There he learned to play guitar from Glenn Branca and soon co-founded Sonic Youth, serving as a guitarist and vocalist. In 1984, he married Sonic Youth bassist, guitarist and vocalist Kim Gordon, with whom he has a daughter, Coco Hayley Gordon Moore. He is known for playing Fender Jazzmaster guitars along with a host of "other" Fenders like the Mustang and Cyclone. He even customised several of his Jazzmasters, comically naming them "Jazzblasters".
In addition to his work with Sonic Youth, Moore has also released albums as a solo artist, including 1995s Psychic Hearts. He has collaborated with scores of artists, including DJ Spooky, Nels Cline, William Hooker, Christian Marclay, R.E.M. and Cock E.S.P. In the mid-90s Moore formed a side band, The Dim Stars, with punk legend Richard Hell. In 2004, Moore performed in and produced an album for the all-star noise band To Live and Shave in L.A., the lineup of which also features Andrew W.K..
In 2004 Rolling Stone ranked him and Lee Ranaldo, of Sonic Youth, the 33rd and 34th best guitarists of all time.
Outside of his work as musical performer Moore runs the independent record label Ecstatic Peace and reviews new music in Arthur Magazine. In May 2005, he released the book "Mix Tape : The Art of Cassette Culture".
