Conversation with Thurston Moore is a little like reading his new memoir, Sonic Life, in that it breezes along and is liberally punctuated by cultural references and memories of exhilarating moments when music grabbed him and changed something in him, ultimately presenting Moore with ideas for how he would reshape rock ’n’ roll for a new generation with Sonic Youth.
These moments might include simple pleasures, the primacy of a Kingsmen riff, or the reflexive squeal of electric guitar feedback – the preliminary throat-clearing of any self-respecting punk guitarist’s rig before the first powerchord is hit. Moore is a connoisseur of feedback squeals, admitting that he might release a supercut of his favourites. He is only half-joking.
