In her 30 years as a creative, Kim Gordon has done it all – she’s a musician, writer, actor, director, fashion designer and visual artist best known for playing in the seminal band Sonic Youth. Joining host Fee B-Squared for a conversation about her career, Gordon arrives on stage with her effortless cool permeating instantly. It’s certainly hard not to look at her accomplishments without feeling intimidated, but Gordon’s casual manner of speaking reassures the audience that she’s retained a sense of humbleness that sets her apart from many.
Releasing her autobiography last year, Gordon reveals the book’s title Girl in a Band addresses the question frequently asked of her – “What’s it like to be a girl in a band?” The book gives readers a background into Sonic Youth’s history and Gordon’s own journey as an artist, but it’s in the more personal moments that we learn who she really is, as she candidly writes about topics ranging from her brother’s schizophrenia, her battle with cancer and divorce from Sonic Youth band mate Thurston Moore.
Gordon is honest from the start of the conversation that she’s always been vigilant about her feelings, emphasising the importance of being an artist as it provides her with an outlet to be free and express herself. Art also served an important role in allowing Gordon to escape from what she describes as her “boring and existential” hometown of Los Angeles.
She explains that music has never been about natural ability but rather an exercise in creating chemistry between her and her band members. She goes on to attribute Sonic Youth’s rawness as a reaction to the fear of sounding over polished, while noting that she believes their explosive live shows were the band at their best. “I like to see things fall apart,” Gordon admits, citing the likes of Kurt Cobain and Iggy Pop as artists she admires for their fearlessness.
It may seem like Gordon never stops creating so it’s naturally only a matter of time before someone asks her if she ever takes a break. “I’m happiest when I’m lost in doing something,” she says.
Throughout her career Gordon has been considered something of an enigma, but it’s clear she’s now in a place where she wants to reveal more to her audience. She’s nothing short of inspirational and truly deserves her status as one of the most vital rock icons of this era.
BY HOLLY PEREIRA
Loved: Fee describing Gordon as “fuck off cool”.
Hated: Not staying to get a book signed.
Drank: In every word uttered by Kim Gordon.
