Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Arts & Entertainment

Sonic Youth Auction Off Their Gear For Charity, Tell Joey Ramone Anecdotes


By

Ben Yakas

Published Jun 17, 2011

Modified Jun 17, 2011


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

Ben Yakas

Published Jun 17, 2011

Modified Jun 17, 2011


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Everyone's favorite art rock noisemakers Sonic Youth are well known for their bizarre tunings and extensive collection of gear—they even have an inventory of all their guitar equipment on their website for gearheads and music nerds. And now, they've started putting some of it on eBay for charity!

Sonic Youth are contributing guitar cases, glockenspiels, drum machines and more to raise money for a charity called ShelterBox, who specialize in delivering aid boxes to people when natural and manmade disasters strike. As Flavorwire points out, one particular highlight is a xylophone which was used on "Kissability" off of their landmark album, Daydream Nation. You can check out the auction page here.

While you're in that Sonic Youth mood: singer/guitarist Thurston Moore sat down for a performance/interview with La Blogoteque at his home in NYC for their Take Away Show recently. In the video below, he talks about working with Beck, who produced his recent solo album Demolished Thoughts, and performs "Blood Never Lies" and "Benediction." He also offers this anecdote about meeting Joey Ramone when he first got to the city:

I was following Joey Ramone walking down Bleeker Street. I rolled open my Volkswagon window, and I yelled at him, 'Where CBGBs?' And he said, 'It's this way.' I asked him if he wanted a ride, and he said 'yeah,' but he was with some friend of his, and his friend grabbed him by the arm and said, 'No, you dont jump into a strangers car like that.' Which I thought was kinda cute.

Tagged

auction

charity

joey ramone

Music

rock

sonic youth

thurston moore


Ben Yakas

Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE arts-entertainment

The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?

Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.

By

Lindsay Lee Wallace

Published Oct 8, 2026


Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?

If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.

By

James Ramsay

Arts & Entertainment

Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?

If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.

By

James Ramsay


What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.

By

Jayson Greene

Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City

By

Sonia Rao

Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries

By

Alec Hamilton


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .