Noise: Fiction Inspired by Sonic Youth »

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.

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 include: 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, and Peter Wild.

Cornfield webs: an introduction Lee Ranaldo Ranaldo, Lee 1

Death to our friends J. Robert Lennon Lennon, J. Robert 3

Disappearer Matt Thorne Thorne, Matt 11

That's all I know (right now) Katherine Dunn Dunn, Katherine 19

Bull in the heather Scott Mebus Mebus, Scott 35

Shadow of a doubt Rebecca Godfrey Godfrey, Rebecca 45

Flower Steven Sherrill Sherrill, Steven 53

Wish fulfillment Mary Gaitskill Gaitskill, Mary 65

Dirty boots Samuel Ligon Ligon, Samuel 71

My friend goo Shelley Jackson Jackson, Shelley 81

Protect me you Eileen Myles Myles, Eileen 103

Kissability Laird Hunt Hunt, Laird 111

Snare, girl Catherine O'Flynn O'Flynn, Catherine 119

Brother James Emily Maguire Maguire, Emily 127

Swimsuit issue Kevin Sampsell Sampsell, Kevin 135

Kool thing; or why I want to fuck patty hearst Torn Mccarthy Mccarthy, Torn 143

Unmade bed Christopher Coake Coake, Christopher 149

Radical adults lick godhead style Peter Wild Wild, Peter 161

Little trouble girl Emily Carter Roiphe Roiphe, Emily Carter 175

On the strip Rachel Trezise Trezise, Rachel 185

Rain on tin Jess Waiter Waiter, Jess 197

Sunday Hiag Akmakjian Akmakjian, Hiag 207