Sonic Youth Recover Stolen Guitars After 13 Years

On the morning of July 4, 1999, a Ryder truck holding Sonic Youth’s massive collection of one-of-a-kind modified touring gear (amps, drums, pedals, guitars) was stolen in Orange County, California. The truck was found several days later in L.A., its door hanging open, completely empty.

*Thurston Moore’s white Jazzmaster, used by on songs including “Bull in the Heather,” “Dirty Boots,” and in the “Diamond Sea” video, came from a fan in Belgium who noticed it on eBay. “*

All was lost. But over the years, some fans have remained on the lookout, tipping the band off whenever a guitar for sale raises an eyebrow. This month, the sixth and seventh guitars to be recovered from the robbery both mysteriously reappeared within one week of each other. “It’s kind of wild,” Lee Ranaldo said. “After all this time, things are still surfacing thanks to the diligence of fans.” Read more >