Okay, here’s one that I've pretty much thrown the towel in on, but I’m still curious if it’s findable.
The strangely elongated photo below of Sonic Youth by Michael Lavine is a somewhat iconic shot of the band, taken around the era of the watershed Daydream Nation album. I remember seeing it at the time and thinking that it perfectly captured the band — urban, distorted, enigmatic. The suitably dreamy picture — snapped, presumably, on a Manhattan street corner — is simultaneously arty and gritty, providing both sides of the band’s aesthetic.
My inevitable question remains, however — where was it taken?
Lavine had shot another session with the band, depicting Thurston, Kim & Co. doing some nocturnal loitering around Crosby and Howard Street (you can check out Bob Egan’s breakdown of same here on Pop Spots). Given the afore-cited distortion of this photograph, it’s sort of hard to tell if this was from that same shoot, but I don’t believe it was.
I’ve always assumed that this photo shows Sonic Youth standing adjacent to a corner of the massive 240 Centre Street, the massive former police-station-turned-luxury condo between Broome and Grand Streets. This building was famously captured in the background of the below shot by Berenice Abbott. That seemed like likely enough turf.
But upon closer inspection, that assumption doesn’t quite line up. The factor that negates that theory is the building seen behind Sonic Youth (replete with architectural detail below each window). Simply put, there isn’t a building of comparable height next to 240 Grand that matches that.
So the question remains — where was this photo taken?
Ready, Set…..GO!
Here’s a bit of Sonic Youth to get you on yr. way….
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