Thurston Moore for John Moloney
John Moloney
-what the LP looks like is very important
What was it that first drew you to your nominee, John Moloney, how did you originally come across his music?
Thurston Moore: I was interested in what John Moloney was doing as one of the founders of Sunburned Hand of The Man – a psyche-punk-art improvising group out of Boston MA – they were creating a mystique that was relative to the NYC combo of similar intent No Neck Blues Band. But Sunburned had less of an elite sensibility and were altogether groovier and propulsive.
Do you have any certain routines or methods for discovering new music?
Thurston Moore: I’m generally drawn to a visual stimulus, such as how an artist present themselves with their personage and their art aesthetic – what the LP looks like is very important. The music has to be in a zone I’m intrigued by as well, but that’s almost secondary.
When did you start working with John Moloney, can you tell us what your process of creative collaboration is like?
Thurston Moore: I asked Sunburned to open some shows for Sonic Youth many years back and they showed up in a van with 11 people and 2 dogs. They set up and went for it and the dogs walked around nonchalantly on the stage — it was remarkable. – We got to talking and at some point we played a guitar/drums improv action set at a local experimental music hangout in Western MA called Flywheel and John was dying from food poisoning and I played thrashing feedback and he was cured.
How does music inform your tastes in art, writing, and other creative mediums?
Thurston Moore: it’s all in tandem — they disciplines can co-exist in different ways of success and failure or be amazing just as stand alone.
Tell us why you chose John Moloney as your nominee.
Thurston Moore: I realized that john has a genuine distinction as an artist coming out of a school informed by people like Raymond Pettibon, and, like Raymond, forego art school – to grab experience and opportunity by the throat. Some of his drawings I find remarkable and when he compiles them into small press art books they read with a wonderful psychosis.
John Moloney
THURSTON WITH MARILYN
THURSTON MOORE was born in Coral Gables, Florida in 1958. He is known best for being a singer, songwriter, and guitarist of Sonic Youth. In 2004, Rolling Stone listed Moore as the 34th greatest guitarist of all time. In 2012, Moore began work on a new band Chelsea Light Moving.
Nominator/Nominee
