Master=Dik

Master=Dik
EP by Sonic Youth
Released	November 4, 1987
Studio	Sear Sound, New York Wharton's Palace of Confusion
Length	19:22
Label	SST
Sonic Youth chronology
Sister (1987) Master-Dik (1988) Daydream Nation (1988)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Blurt	[2]
Robert Christgau	C+[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]

Master=Dik is the second EP by American alternative rock band Sonic Youth. It was released on November 4, 1987 by record label SST.

Background

Inspired by New York City hip hop from the late 1980s, the song used a drum machine, sampled Kiss and name dropped Ciccone Youth, a Sonic Youth side project that would release an album the following year. The B-sides comprised several interview snippets,; parody and/or cover songs that pay tribute to the Ramones, Jesus and Mary Chain and Beatles; plus short-form sound collages, field recordings, musique concrète and human beatboxing.^[5] Dinosaur Jr.'s J. Mascis plays guitar on "Beat on the Brat".

Master=Dik's liner notes reprint a rant by Ben Weasel from the November 1987 issue of the fanzine Maximumrocknroll. In the article, Weasel criticized Sonic Youth, Hüsker Dü and several other indie rock bands from the 1980s for eschewing punk rock for a boring classic rock sound.^[6] Etchings on the vinyl's inner groove read "Ciccone death rock dream tinkle" on one side, and "Humpy pumpy psychoacoustik frenzy" on the other.^[7] When it was originally released, the album sleeve bore a sticker reading "Not as good as Atomizer, so don't get your hopes up, cheese!" The same sticker appeared on Big Black's EP Headache released that same year, and referred to that band's previous album.

Track listing

All tracks written by Sonic Youth, except Beatles cover "Ticket to Ride", written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and Ramones cover "Beat on the Brat", written by Joey Ramone. 

Side A
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Master=Dik"	5:01

Side B
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Beat on the Brat" (Ramones cover)	2:31
2.	"Under the Influence of The Jesus and Mary Chain" (recorded live on Suisse Radio)	0:43
3.	"Ticket to Ride / MASTER=DIK (Version) / Introducing the Stars"	3:14
4.	"Ringo / He's on Fire / Florida Oil Drums / Westminster Chimes"	1:40
5.	"Chinese Jam"	1:11
6.	"Vibrato / Guitar Lick / Funky Fresh"	2:24
7.	"Our Backyard"	2:17
8.	"Traffik"	0:05

Personnel

Additional personnel

• J. Mascis – guitar ("Master=Dik")
• Martin Bisi – engineer ("Master=Dik")
• Bill Titus – engineering ("Master=Dik")
• Wharton Tiers – engineering ("Beat on the Brat")
• Peter Anderson – sleeve photography
• Terry Pearson – mixing ("Under the Influence of The Jesus and Mary Chain / Ticket to Ride / MASTER=DIK (Version) / Introducing the Stars")

References

1. "Master Dik – Sonic Youth : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
2. Ferguson, Jason (July 14, 2008). "Master-Dik + J'Accuse Ted Hughes". Blurt. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
3. Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Sonic Youth". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
4. "Sonic Youth: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
5. "Sonic Youth: Master-Dik | Midheaven Mailorder". midheaven.com. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
6. Weasel, Ben (November 1987). "[Maximumrocknroll article]". Maximumrocknroll. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
7. "sonicyouth.com Discography – Master=Dik". sonicyouth.com. Retrieved April 14, 2013.

External links

• Master=Dik at Discogs (list of releases)