Noise: Fiction Inspired by Sonic Youth (Paperback)

~ Peter Wild (Author)
Key Phrases: Sonic Youth, New York, Michael Chambers (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

For more than twenty-five years, the antimelodic “noise” of Sonic Youth has assaulted us, exhilarated us, inspired us. Why?

Katherine Dunn says it's because they operate in the foggy world between the real and the surreal. Mary Gaitskill says that Sonic Youth caught her, years ago, when she was falling. J. Robert Lennon says it's because Sonic Youth rip it apart. Emily Maguire was hooked because once she was in love with chaos.

Their sound is caustic, elemental, nihilistic—and quite unlike any other cult band ever to achieve rock godhood. In Noise, twenty-one great literary voices offer short fiction based on or inspired by songs from Sonic Youth—a raucous coupling of music and literature featuring marrow-colored goo, severed hands and abandoned babies, Patty Hearst watching the apocalypse on TV, and other unruly images of the Zeitgeist.

Contributors
Hiag Akmakjian • Christopher Coake • Katherine Dunn • Mary Gaitskill • Rebecca Godfrey • Laird Hunt • Shelley Jackson • J. Robert Lennon • Samuel Ligon • Emily Maguire • Tom McCarthy • Scott Mebus • Eileen Myles • Catherine O'Flynn • Emily Carter Roiphe • Kevin Sampsell • Steven Sherrill • Matt Thorne • Rachel Trezise • Jess Walter • Peter Wild

About the Author

Peter Wild is the editor of a series of fiction anthologies based on the songs of rock and pop bands. His articles and fiction have appeared in The Independent (London), The Guardian (London), The Big Issue, Word Riot, NOÖ Journal, and 3:AM magazine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (January 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061669296
• ISBN-13: 978-0061669293
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #423,425 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Effectively exudes Sonic Youth's sensations, March 12, 2009

By	RebeccasReads.com "Rebecca's Reads" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Rachel Riebeling Durfor for RebeccasReads (3/09)

If you've ever listened to Sonic Youth before, you'd understand the plethora of adjectives that come to mind when attempting to describe their sound: unusual, surprising, versatile, puzzling, experimental. Those just came right off the top of my head, but if I were looking for one word to accurately capture the essence of Sonic Youth, it would have to be "Noise," which is, incidentally, the perfect title for this collection of short stories inspired by the band.

Any of the abovementioned terms would also do well to describe the stories found in this anthology, which is one of the reasons it's been a little difficult to review. Some of the stories within definitely lay claim to the puzzling aspect of the collection, while others project their meaning with palpable clarity. I found the entire collection to be a little experimental, almost avant-garde, another term that is often associated with Sonic Youth.

I enjoyed the stories within immensely (though some more than others), including the extreme diversity of the writing styles and subject matters. Of course, you could never accuse Sonic Youth of being derivative, and like the stories in "Noise," their songs and albums differ greatly. Sonic Youth are constantly reinventing themselves, and "Noise" effectively exudes the sensations that they have managed to inspire in fans for more than a quarter of a century.

I've noticed that the editor of "Noise," Peter Wild, is also responsible for "Perverted by Language: Fiction inspired by The Fall," and "Paint a Vulgar Picture: Fiction inspired by The Smiths." I think it's a fascinating concept he's employing, and I must say that in musical taste, I've found an affinity with Peter Wild.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Stories, Just Not As Good As The Original Inspiration, February 20, 2009

By	Sacramento Book Review "SacramentoBookReview.com" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews

While the collection of short stories contained within //Noise// is, overall, quite good, its downfall is that the majority of the writing does not live up to or surpass the song-writing of the band from which the stories are inspired. Sonic Youth, one of the most influential and important groups of the past few decades, easily shines beyond 90% of the book.

That is not to say that any of it is terrible, or even bad. In fact, it's all quality work, and a few are standout stories that make you say "Damn..." But, the Sonic Youth set such a high standard that when basing fiction off of their work, simply doing well is not enough. In spite of that fact, /Noise/ is still a worthwhile read, as a few of the stories give not only a new, but an interesting spin on some of the ideas and themes found within Sonic Youth's music.

Reviewed by Jordan Dacayana