Kim Gordon
Encyclopedia
Kim Althea Gordon is an American musician, vocalist, artist, record producer, video director and actress. She has sung and played bass
and guitar
in the alternative rock
band Sonic Youth
, and in Free Kitten
with Julia Cafritz
(of Pussy Galore
). Gordon has collaborated with a number of musicians, including Ikue Mori
, DJ Olive
, William Winant
, Lydia Lunch
, Courtney Love
, Alan Licht
and Chris Corsano
.
, Gordon and her family moved to Rochester, New York
in 1958. The next year, Gordon's family relocated to Los Angeles so that her father could take a job with the UCLA sociology department. After her high school years, Gordon attended the Otis Art Institute of Los Angeles County and York University
in Toronto
where she played in an experimental heavy metal art group.
and joined the short-lived band CKM with Christine Hahn and Stanton Miranda
. Through Miranda, Gordon met her future Sonic Youth bandmates Lee Ranaldo
and Thurston Moore
. When she began dating Moore, the three formed Sonic Youth in 1981.
In 1989, Gordon, Sadie May, and Lydia Lunch
formed Harry Crews
and released the album Naked in Garden Hills. She was also one of the producers of Hole
's first record, Pretty on the Inside
, released in 1991, and co-directed The Breeders
' "Cannonball" video
with Spike Jonze
.
The band Free Kitten
, a collaboration with Julie Cafritz that also includes Mark Ibold
and Yoshimi P-We
, has released three albums on the label Kill Rock Stars
, with the fourth and most recent album released on Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace
label. Another of her side projects is the band The Supreme Indifference, who appear on the compilation Fields and Streams
.
and worked for several Soho
art galleries. She curated an exhibition at White Columns gallery in 1982 in which Mike Kelley and Tony Oursler
were among the participants. Dan Graham
invited her to join in a performance of an all-female rock band, which marked the start of her first band CKM. In 1996 Gordon was involved in an exhibition entitled Baby Generation at Parco gallery in Tokyo.
Her exhibition titled Kim's Bedroom was shown at MU in the Netherlands and included drawing and paintings along with live music and special guests. This resulted in a limited-edition book and CD published by Purple Books. In 2003, Gordon was featured in the Gothenburg
Biennale, and exhibited Club In The Shadow, a collaboration with artist Jutta Koether at Kenny Schachter's Contemporary Gallery in NYC. In 2005 she took part in the Her Noise exhibition in London and did another collaboration with Koether.
An artist's book titled Kim Gordon Chronicles Vol. 1 featuring photos of Gordon throughout her life was published in 2005. In 2006, Kim Gordon Chronicles Vol. 2 was released, featuring her artwork.
Apart from her career in music and in arts, Gordon has also made appearances in films and television. She appeared in Gus Van Sant
's Last Days
, a fictionalized biopic of one of her close friends, Kurt Cobain
. She also has a small part as a textile exporter in the 2007 film Boarding Gate
starring Asia Argento
and in I'm Not There
.
In the season six finale of Gilmore Girls
, she played a street troubadour along with Thurston Moore and their daughter Coco, performing the song "What a Waste" from the album Rather Ripped
.
Gordon, along with the rest of Sonic Youth, made an appearance in the television series Gossip Girl
and performed an acoustic version of the song "Starpower".
. They were frequently seen in the area, and played a benefit concert with Cat Power
for the Greenfield Center School
in 2005. The band played a second benefit for the school in 2007.
It was announced in October of 2011 that Gordon and Moore had separated.
Gordon also runs her own clothing company, X-Girl, in Los Angeles. In September 2008, she launched a limited edition fashion line
called "Mirror/Dash" inspired by Françoise Hardy
, deciding that "there's a need for clothes for cool moms."
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
in the alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, and in Free Kitten
Free Kitten
Free Kitten is a musical collaboration between Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and Pussy Galore's Julie Cafritz. Originally performing under the name Kitten, they changed their name, after receiving threats of legal action by a heavy metal singer performing under that name...
with Julia Cafritz
Julia Cafritz
Julia Cafritz is a musician who has performed with Pussy Galore and Free Kitten.- Biography :In 1985, guitarist Julia Cafritz joined fellow Brown University drop out, Jon Spencer, to form the punk noise band Pussy Galore. In May 1986 they moved to NYC...
(of Pussy Galore
Pussy Galore (band)
Pussy Galore was an American garage rock band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1985. They had a constantly fluid line-up until their demise in 1990. Like many garage rock outfits, they were dogged by substance abuse problems...
). Gordon has collaborated with a number of musicians, including Ikue Mori
Ikue Mori
, also known as Ikue Ile, is a drummer, composer, and graphic designer.-Biography:Ikue Mori was born and raised in Japan. She says she had little interest in music before hearing punk rock...
, DJ Olive
DJ Olive
DJ Olive is an American disc jockey and turntablist active in free improvisation, jazz and illbient music. He is often credited with coining the latter term....
, William Winant
William Winant
William Winant is an American percussionist.In addition to his work in contemporary classical music -- notably performing Lou Harrison's compositions—Winant has worked in a variety of genres, including noise rock, free improvisation and jazz. Notable collaborators include Glenn Spearman, Thurston...
, Lydia Lunch
Lydia Lunch
Lydia Lunch is an American singer, poet, writer, and actress whose career was spawned by the New York No Wave scene...
, Courtney Love
Courtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
, Alan Licht
Alan Licht
Alan Licht is an American guitarist and composer, whose work combines elements of pop, noise, free jazz and minimalism. He is also a writer and journalist.-Biography:Licht was born in New Jersey in 1968...
and Chris Corsano
Chris Corsano
Chris Corsano is a drummer from New England, USA. He often performs in an improvisation duo with saxophonist Paul Flaherty. He has also recorded material with artists such as Evan Parker, Dredd Foole, Sunburned Hand of the Man, Six Organs of Admittance, Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Matt Valentine,...
.
Early years
The daughter of a seamstress and a high school guidance counselor who worked in Ferguson, MissouriFerguson, Missouri
Ferguson is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 21,203 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Ferguson is located at ....
, Gordon and her family moved to Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
in 1958. The next year, Gordon's family relocated to Los Angeles so that her father could take a job with the UCLA sociology department. After her high school years, Gordon attended the Otis Art Institute of Los Angeles County and York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
where she played in an experimental heavy metal art group.
Musical career
After graduating, she moved to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and joined the short-lived band CKM with Christine Hahn and Stanton Miranda
Stanton Miranda
Stanton Miranda is a Factory Records artist from New York City from the 1980s. She achieved some notice for her single "Wheels Over Indian Trails" and her later cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division...
. Through Miranda, Gordon met her future Sonic Youth bandmates Lee Ranaldo
Lee Ranaldo
Lee M. Ranaldo is an American singer, guitarist, writer, record producer, and visual artist, best known as a co-founder of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth...
and Thurston Moore
Thurston Moore
Thurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...
. When she began dating Moore, the three formed Sonic Youth in 1981.
In 1989, Gordon, Sadie May, and Lydia Lunch
Lydia Lunch
Lydia Lunch is an American singer, poet, writer, and actress whose career was spawned by the New York No Wave scene...
formed Harry Crews
Harry Crews (band)
Harry Crews was a short-lived hardcore / Thrash / No Wave band made up of Lydia Lunch , Kim Gordon and Sadie Mae . Their one album, Naked in Garden Hills, released in 1989, was a compilation of live recordings at clubs in London, UK and Austria...
and released the album Naked in Garden Hills. She was also one of the producers of Hole
Hole (band)
Hole is an American alternative rock band that originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with former songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
's first record, Pretty on the Inside
Pretty on the Inside
Pretty on the Inside is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Hole. Released August 23, 1991 on Caroline Records, it was Hole's first major label release after their formation in 1989 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
, released in 1991, and co-directed The Breeders
The Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced a number of line-up changes; the current line-up consists of Kim Deal , her twin sister Kelley Deal , Jose Medeles , Mando Lopez Todd the Fox...
' "Cannonball" video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
with Spike Jonze
Spike Jonze
Spike Jonze is an American director, producer and actor, whose work includes music videos, commercials, film and television...
.
The band Free Kitten
Free Kitten
Free Kitten is a musical collaboration between Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and Pussy Galore's Julie Cafritz. Originally performing under the name Kitten, they changed their name, after receiving threats of legal action by a heavy metal singer performing under that name...
, a collaboration with Julie Cafritz that also includes Mark Ibold
Mark Ibold
Mark Ibold is a New York-based bass guitarist, member of the indie band Pavement from 1992 to 1999, and again as of their 2010 reunion. He is also currently in the alternative rock band Sonic Youth....
and Yoshimi P-We
Yoshimi P-We
Yoshimi P-We, is a Japanese musician best known for her role as the longest consistent drummer in the Japanese rock band Boredoms.Yoshimi also plays trumpet, guitar, and keyboard, and sings....
, has released three albums on the label Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
, with the fourth and most recent album released on Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace
Ecstatic Peace
Ecstatic Peace! is a record label based in Easthampton, Massachusetts, founded in 1981 by Sonic Youth member Thurston Moore. The premiere release was a split cassette featuring spoken word performances from Michael Gira of Swans and Lydia Lunch...
label. Another of her side projects is the band The Supreme Indifference, who appear on the compilation Fields and Streams
Fields and Streams
Fields and Streams is a double CD compilation album released by the label Kill Rock Stars on May 7, 2002.-Track list:CD 1# "Memo From The Desk of the Quails - The Quails# "Sex Object - Manda & The Marbles# "Waste of Time" - The Coolies...
.
Art career
Gordon is also an established visual artist and curator. Her work has been exhibited across the U.S., Japan and Europe. She graduated from the Otis College of Art & Design in Los Angeles. In the early 1980s, Gordon wrote for ArtforumArtforum
Artforum is an international monthly magazine specializing in contemporary art.-Publication:The magazine is published ten times a year, September through May, along with an annual summer issue...
and worked for several Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
art galleries. She curated an exhibition at White Columns gallery in 1982 in which Mike Kelley and Tony Oursler
Tony Oursler
Tony Oursler is a multimedia and installation artist.- Tapes, Installations: 1977-1989:Tony Oursler is known for his fractured-narrative handmade video tapes including The Loner, 1980 and EVOL 1984. These works involve elaborate sound tracks, painted sets, stop-action animation and optical special...
were among the participants. Dan Graham
Dan Graham
Dan Graham , is a conceptual artist now working out of New York City. He is an influential figure in the field of contemporary art, both a practitioner of conceptual art and an art critic and theorist. His art career began in 1964 when he moved to New York and opened the John Daniels Gallery....
invited her to join in a performance of an all-female rock band, which marked the start of her first band CKM. In 1996 Gordon was involved in an exhibition entitled Baby Generation at Parco gallery in Tokyo.
Her exhibition titled Kim's Bedroom was shown at MU in the Netherlands and included drawing and paintings along with live music and special guests. This resulted in a limited-edition book and CD published by Purple Books. In 2003, Gordon was featured in the Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
Biennale, and exhibited Club In The Shadow, a collaboration with artist Jutta Koether at Kenny Schachter's Contemporary Gallery in NYC. In 2005 she took part in the Her Noise exhibition in London and did another collaboration with Koether.
An artist's book titled Kim Gordon Chronicles Vol. 1 featuring photos of Gordon throughout her life was published in 2005. In 2006, Kim Gordon Chronicles Vol. 2 was released, featuring her artwork.
Film career
Gus Van Sant
Gus Green Van Sant, Jr. is an American director, screenwriter, painter, photographer, musician, and author. He is a two time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director for his 1997 film Good Will Hunting and his 2008 film Milk, both of which were also nominated for Best Picture, and won the...
's Last Days
Last Days (film)
Last Days is a 2005 American film directed, produced, and written by Gus Van Sant, and is a fictionalized account of the last days of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. It was released to theaters in the United States on July 22, 2005, and was produced by HBO. The film stars Michael Pitt as the...
, a fictionalized biopic of one of her close friends, Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
. She also has a small part as a textile exporter in the 2007 film Boarding Gate
Boarding Gate
Boarding Gate is a 2007 French thriller about the sophisticated power plays between a debt-ridden underworld entrepreneur, his provocative and ambitious ex-associate and a manipulative young couple who employ her. Written and directed by Olivier Assayas, the film features an international cast...
starring Asia Argento
Asia Argento
Aria Asia Anna Maria Vittoria Rossa Argento is an Italian actress, singer, model and director.-Family and early life:...
and in I'm Not There
I'm Not There
I'm Not There is a 2007 biographical musical film directed by Todd Haynes, inspired by iconic American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Six actors depict different facets of Dylan's life and public persona: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, and Ben Whishaw...
.
In the season six finale of Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
, she played a street troubadour along with Thurston Moore and their daughter Coco, performing the song "What a Waste" from the album Rather Ripped
Rather Ripped
Rather Ripped is the fifteenth studio album by Sonic Youth, which was released on June 13, 2006. It was their first album without guitarist Jim O'Rourke since 2000's NYC Ghosts & Flowers. The album was described by Thurston Moore as "a super song record" containing "rockers and ballads". The name...
.
Gordon, along with the rest of Sonic Youth, made an appearance in the television series Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
and performed an acoustic version of the song "Starpower".
Personal life
Gordon married Moore in 1984, and she gave birth to their daughter, Coco Hayley Gordon Moore, on 1 July 1994. Gordon, Moore, and Coco currently reside in Northampton, MassachusettsNorthampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
. They were frequently seen in the area, and played a benefit concert with Cat Power
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie Marshall , also known as Chan Marshall or by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer/songwriter and occasional actress and model. Cat Power was originally the name of Marshall's first band, but has come to refer to her musical projects with various backing bands...
for the Greenfield Center School
Greenfield Center School
For schools of a similar name, see Greenfield School.Greenfield Center School is an independent day school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, located in Greenfield, Massachusetts. It has a population of about 140 children, and was founded in 1981.The Greenfield Center School, was...
in 2005. The band played a second benefit for the school in 2007.
It was announced in October of 2011 that Gordon and Moore had separated.
Gordon also runs her own clothing company, X-Girl, in Los Angeles. In September 2008, she launched a limited edition fashion line
Fashion line
A fashion line is a clothing subsidiary that designs and sells garments according to a specific ethos, often only slightly different than the company's flagship brand. A single designer or creative director will often be in charge of many lines, each presenting a different take on the company or...
called "Mirror/Dash" inspired by Françoise Hardy
Françoise Hardy
Françoise Madeleine Hardy is a French singer, actress and astrologer. Hardy is an iconic figure in fashion, music and style. She is married to the singer and movie actor Jacques Dutronc.-Biography:...
, deciding that "there's a need for clothes for cool moms."