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Lee Played Saturday Night Live
May 18, 1999

Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo turned up as an unannounced performer on Saturday's (May 15) season finale of NBC's "Saturday Night Live." Ranaldo was shown playing the song "Mote" onstage as cameras cut away for a commercial. This summer, Sonic Youth will perform at Irvine, Calif.'s This Ain't No Picnic festival as well as on several other West Coast festival bills.

Sonicnet

Jani

Sonic Youth, initially comprising of guitarist / vocalists Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, guitarist / bassist / vocalist Kim Gordon and drummer Richard Edson, were formed in New York City in 1981. A product of the No-Wave music scene of the late 1970s, the group had their roots in abrasive, experimental music, with Moore and Ranaldo having previously worked with the experimental composer Glenn Branca. The band were joined in 1985 by drummer Steve Shelley, and have now recorded 14 albums together, as well as many side and solo projects. Their work has been consistently challenging and innovative, and they are widely regarded as one of the most intriguing and influential bands of their time.