Thurston Moore to Release New Memoir ‘Sonic Life’

Thurston Moore is writing a new memoir, Sonic Life, which is set to be released in 2023 via Faber. The book will trace the “wild music and endless wonder” of Moore’s life and career, according to The Bookseller.

A synopsis notes, “From his infatuation and engagement with the 1970s punk and ‘no wave’ scenes in New York City, to the 1981 formation of his legendary rock group, to 30 years of relentless recording, touring, and musical experimentation, birthing the Nirvana-era of alternative rock, and beyond, it is all told via the personal prism of the author’s intensive archives and research.”

Moore previously confirmed the memoir in several interviews, including one with Vulture last year. He said that the pandemic gave him the space to start writing about his past experiences.

“I’ve always wanted to get involved with a writing project I had in mind for many, many years,” Moore told Vulture. “[It’s] essaying about music and talking about my own personal experience of being a teenager coming to New York in the ’70s, what the city was at that time, the underground music scene downtown, and the records coming out of this 1976, ’77 and ’78 cavalcade of punk rock, No Wave, New Wave, and post-punk. This downtime period allowed me to do this, so I have this manuscript called Sonic Life that I probably will publish at some point in 2021. That’s the bright moment, being able to actually execute that.”

In February, Moore released a surprise instrumental album, Screen Time, on Bandcamp. The release followed Moore’s 2020 album, By the Fire.