Update: the truck was found in downtown LA. nothin in it. the band has bought new instruments and moved on. however, keep on lookin, if you can. thanks.
Hello. As you may be aware, the NYC/NJ-based band Sonic Youth has recently had a Ryder truck completely packed with their equipment stolen from a Ramada Inn in Orange County, California. This happened overnight on July 3rd ==> 4th, after a show in Berkeley on the 2nd, and directly before a show in Irvine on the 4th. Much of the gear has been with the band for well over a decade, some dating back to 1981. This equipment is so drastically unusual that it would be impossible not to recognize the majority of it as belonging to the band. Some of it has been heavily modified to the brutal point where its cash value is almost non-existant. However, there is a strong personal attachment to this gear, obviously, and it plays a MASSIVE role in the band's sound. If not returned, a chapter of the band's life may well be lost.
This is not a hoax. This is 100% true. It's a devasting occurrence and the people behind it will hopefully be captured and dealt with accordingly. However, the main issue is to retrieve the band's gear.
The following is an excerpt from a message posted by Sonic Youth guitarist/vocalist Lee Ranaldo to the SY newsgroup, alt.music.sonic-youth:
We are asking ANYONE with ANY INFORMATION about this to get in touch with us as soon as possible by calling our man Aaron Blitzstein in New York City at 212.343.2314, or via email to "Mascaras66@aol.com". Call collect if you want to. Please no pranks, all, this is really serious--all the gear we've used to write our last few LPs worth of stuff, instruments used for songs old and new which if truly lost will mean those songs will be lost forever.
Help us out if you can, there will be a reward for any info, I'm sure. All our road cases, etc, are fully marked up with our name on them, the gtrs are so unusual that they won't really be too hard to mistake. ANY info at all will be appreciated.
If the thieves themselves read this, I'm sure we'd rather buy the stuff back from you than lose it forever (you fukkerz).
As you can see, it is essential that this equipment is retrieved and returned. It is unknown whether the theft was a direct attempt to gain the band's gear, or if the thief/theives' intentions were simply to swipe the vehicle and got the gear as a "bonus". In any case, it would be sincerely appreciated by the band as well as legions of fans if you can provide ANY info that would lead to the recovery of this precious equipment.
Some general information, supplied via e-mail by a party close to the band:
Aaron Blitzstein (GAS Co. East) 212-343-2314 Mascaras66@aol.com Shauna O'Brien (GAS Entertainment Co.) 310-526-1950 sobrien@den.net
Please print this list out and pass it on to anyone who you think may be of some type of assistance. Keep your eyes peeled on online services like eBay or the Recycler. If you're in California, check in ALL Guitar/Pawn shops. Please folks, let's do our best to get this gear back in the hands of its rightful owners.
Here is a link to a text file of the following list to print off or mail to anyone you think can help: Sonic Youth Stolen Gear List.
GUITARS SERIAL # description
------- -------- -----------
Kimberly Hollow Body Accoustic day glo tiger
sticker, spring
held in place w/wire
Gibson Les Paul Jr. Tobacco Sunburst 5789 Snoopy sticker
Fender Jazzmaster White 126646
Fender Jaguar (leopard paint job) 33 custom paint looks
like leopard spots
Fender Mustang Orange w/racing stripe 259425 Chrome tuner low E,
white knobs all others
Fender Telecaster Thinline F hole 370090 Semi-Hollow Body
Fender Jaguar /blond refin L98559 w/clover sticker
Fender Jaguar dark stain bare wood 12570 deep scratches on
body; DDA, Humbucking
pickups
Fender Jazzmaster Burgundy mist refin 44364
Travis Bean Koa Wood 102
Gibson Les Paul Red Sparkle 512510
Travis Bean Red Flat Top 375 Target sticker,
only two knobs,
wood broken around knobs
Fender Jazzmaster Sunburst 176211
Fender Duo-sonic White W/blue pickguard
Fender Jazzmaster Blue SY 006
Fender Jazzmaster Sunburst L68761 Japanese Neck #K625188
Drifter 4 String Guitar NA Four string, obvious
fractures, drumstick
under strings
Fender Jazzmaster Sunburst 100958
Fender Jazzmaster Black refin 614960 28 sticker, chrome
humbucking pickups
Gibson RD Artist 71218092 Controls removed,
holes showing in
body
Fernandez Sustainer guitar 89802 Dark red, Fender
bridge
looks like
threaded rod
Fender P-Bass L64305
Gibson Les Paul Special 400357 Possibly SN 503202
Yamaha Pacifica Red Sunburst Mod.312 NA
Fender Jazzmaster Red 145507 w/Squiggly Pen Lines
AMPLIFIERS/SPEAKER CABINETS
---------------------------
Peavey Roadmaster 3A-01673927 In White Hardshell Case
Peavey Roadmaster 4A-1798945 Black Calzone Hardshell
case
Mesa Boogie 400 Plus Bass Amp B 2589 or 1664
Fender Bassman Guitar Head 22111 Black face amp in black
roadcase
Fender Bassman Guitar Head A12534 Black face amp in black
roadcase
Fender 2x12 Speaker box NS
Marshall 4x12 Slant Cabinet A13762 Pink Hardshell Case
Mesa Boogie 1x18 Speaker Cabinet SY020 Self contained in road
case with heavy
duty casters
Fender 4x12 Cream Color Speaker Cab.LO-436025 Blue roadcase for same
Fender Concert Amplifier N/A Combo amp,
Red/Blue/Yellow
target painted on grille
PEDAL EFFECTS UNITS
-------------------
Sovtek Big Muff Distortion Pedal (two)
ProCo Turbo Rat Distortion (three)
MXR Phase 90 (two)
MXR Blue Box Distortion (two)
Jimi Hendrix Octave Fuzz (three total)
Mu-Tron Volume Wah 5806
MOOG Moogerfooger Ring Modulator #00608
Korg EXP2 Expression Pedal
DOD PDS1002 Two Second Delay FX994837
Maestro Ring Modulator RM-1B AE-914248 2 prong black cord,
LED and
Footswitches (custom
mod)
Maestro Ring Modulator 3 prong white cord,LED
and footswitches
(custom mod)
Hughes and Kettner Tube Factor 244117
Hughes and Kettner Tube Rotosphere 229974
Ibanez AD-80 Analog Delay 121817/111519
18 Volt Power supply
soldered in
Mutron Bi Phase Effect unit 1321 In wedge shaped suitcase
w/pedal and templates
Mutron Expression pedal 1197 In suitcase W/above
Electro Harmonix Hot tubes Vintage pedal, some wear
Electro Harmonix Micro Synth pedal Re-issue fairly new
DRUMS AND HARDWARE
------------------
Gretsch Green Satin Flame Drum Kit:
Kick Drum 22x14
Rack Tom 12x8 Model 4415 124369 Yamaha Brand
Tom Mount Hardware
Rack Tom 13x9 Model 4416 133636 Yamaha Tom
Mount Hardware
Floor Tom 16x16 Model 4418 133660 Yamaha Tom Mount
Yamaha Cymbal Stands 3 boom stands 3
straight stands
New with purple bands
DW 5000 Kick Drum Pedal New version with
clamp on side
DW 5000 Kick Drum Pedal Old version, clamp
under pedal
Two boxes Pro Mark TWJZX drumsticks
Assorted felt mallets in black stick bag
Zildjian Constaninople 20" Light Ride In Zildjian Cymbal bag
Zildjian 16" Constantinople Crash Cymbal In Zildjian Cymbal bag
Zildjian 17"Crash Custom Dark In Zildjian Cymbal bag
Zildjian 16" Crash Custom Dark In Zildjian Cymbal bag
Zildjian 20" Ride W/rivets Custom Dark In Zildjian Cymbal bag
Zildjian 14" Custom Dark Hi-Hat top In Zildjian Cymbal bag
Zildjian 14" Hi-Hat New Beat bottom In Zildjian Cymbal bag
DW 5000 Hi Hat stand Tube cut for low
playing position
14" Zildjian Nipple gong
16" Chinese gong
10" Chinese Gong
Small Bells in Cow shaped frame
Iron Pipe Gong Rack
LARGE ROAD CASES
----------------
R&R CASE CO. "Coffin" 16085 Red Case on Casters
R&R CASE CO. "Coffin" 20237 Purple Case on Casters
R&R CASE CO. "Coffin" Maroon Case on Casters
R&R CASE CO. "Coffin" Green Case on Casters,
last seen full of
T-Shirts
R&R CASE CO. "Coffin" 24664 Blue case containing
Kick Drum and Floor Tom
R&R CASE CO. "Coffin" 24665 Blue case containing
Toms/Snare
Drums/Hardware
Ludwig chrome snare drum (2) NA One has numbers written
on pieces of tape on it
White Briefcase containing: "AMPTOWN CASES", misc.
stickers on outside
Bank bag with Soldering tools
Bank Bag with Misc. Guitar tools
Bank Bag with misc. small hand tools.
Makita Drill, charger, and Battery
Fluke 65 Multi-meter
Boss TU 12 Guitar Tuner
Black Case Containing Cordura Covered Rack
("soft case")
Alan Smart Stereo Compressor
Brook Siren Systems DPR 901
Audix D4 Microphone
Audix OM 6 Microphone
Boss Momentary control Pedal
MISCELLANEOUS MICROPHONES:
Shure SM 98 (three) with cables and adaptors
Shure SM 91 with cables and adaptors
Audix OM 6 (three) in black Audix pouch
Audix D3 (two) Marked with tape
(snare top and bottom)
Shure SM 58 in pouch
Sennheiser MD 409 (two) in pouch
Small Calzone briefcase Containing:
Miscellaneous small hand tools For guitar work
MERCHANDISE
-----------
84 Cotton T shirts, size "Adult" Dog Silkscreen Design,
seagrass green color
110 Cotton T shirts Jane Birkin screen
print, scoop neck
408 Cotton T shirts Magic of Sonic Youth
screen print, maroon
color
47 Cotton T Shirts, Size "2T" SYR Records Screen print
12 Cotton T Shirts Size "Adult" SYR Records screen print
275 Cotton T shirts SYR Records, Green color
228 Cotton T shirts Astronaut screen print,
white color
85 Cotton T Shirts Astronaut screen print,
mustard color
Sequential Pro One Synthesizer NA in black Road Case W/
Violin Bow, Guitar Slides
Ok folks, please include this website's URL in your sig file
and link to it from your websites:http://www.oocities.org/SunsetStrip/Hotel/1985/sygear.htm
Hopefully the band will retrieve its gear in full and can continue to make fantastic music.
Note: I am not directly involved with the band, I am just a fan who is devestated by this incident and is anxiously awaiting a positive turnaround to this case. You can e-mail me if you have anything I should add: Chris Lawrence.
Thank you.