I think Sonic Youth won't stand the test of time, like a few other bands, because they weren't very good. They were basically 'abstract art in sound' - and esse

I think Sonic Youth won't stand the test of time, like a few other bands, because they weren't very good. They were basically 'abstract art in sound' - and essentially their sound was 'breaking moulds'. It was very different, hyper alt. But it wasn't necessarily, in and of itself, very great. So, Sonic Youth 'works' in the culture of the late 1980's and early 1990's. But it doesn't work beyond that. Very timely, but not timeless. So Van Halen, kind of the opposite of Sonic Youth ... I was never a fan but dragged to see them live a few years ago - it was monumental. A sound created to fill a stadium, just 4 dudes and not a lot of fuss/electronics or gear. A clean big sound from just them playing. A little like Chilli Peppers in terms of 'just four guys without much else'. Ironically I only ever saw them with Pixies opening.