Kim Gordon

Kim Althea Gordon is an accomplished American musician, vocalist, and artist, best known for her work with the alternative rock band Sonic Youth. Born in Rochester, New York, on April 28, 1953, Gordon was raised in Los Angeles, California. She later studied art at the Otis Art Institute, which would later influence her work in music and visual arts.

In 1981, Gordon formed Sonic Youth with ex-husband Thurston Moore, serving as the band's bassist, guitarist, and vocalist. The band quickly rose to prominence in the New York City music scene, becoming one of the most influential alternative rock bands of the 1980s and 1990s. Throughout her time with Sonic Youth, Gordon collaborated with various musicians, including Ikue Mori, Kurt Cobain, DJ Olive, William Winant, Lydia Lunch, Alan Licht, and Chris Corsano.

After Sonic Youth's breakup in 2012, Gordon formed Body/Head with friend Bill Nace, releasing their debut album Coming Apart in September 2013. Gordon has also worked on various other musical projects, including Free Kitten with Julia Cafritz (of Pussy Galore), and producing Hole's debut album Pretty on the Inside (1991). In addition to her work in music, Gordon has also worked as a visual artist and fashion designer, debuting a fashion line called X-Girl in 1993.

Gordon's memoir, Girl in a Band, was published in February 2015, by HarperCollins imprint Dey Street Books. The memoir provides an intimate look into Gordon's life, from her childhood in California to her time with Sonic Youth and beyond. It offers a unique perspective on the music industry and the experiences of a female musician in a male-dominated field. Through her work in music, visual arts, and fashion, Gordon has made significant contributions to the cultural landscape and continues to inspire and influence artists today.
Non-Fiction Books
# Title Year
1 Sonic Youth: Sensational Fix 2009
2 Is It My Body? 2014
3 Kim Gordon: No Icon 2020
Faber Greatest Hits Books
# Title Year
1 The Dark Stuff 1994
2 The Dark Stuff (By: Nick Kent) 1994
3 In the Country of Country (By: Nicholas Dawidoff) 1997
4 In the Country of Country 1997
5 Coltrane 2008
6 Coltrane (By: Ben Ratliff) 2008
7 Rip it Up and Start Again (By: Simon Reynolds) 2009
8 Rip it Up and Start Again 2009
9 Lowside of the Road 2009
10 Lowside of the Road (By: Barney Hoskyns) 2009
11 A Very Irregular Head 2010
12 Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head (By: Rob Chapman) 2010
13 Re-make/Re-model (By: Michael Bracewell) 2011
14 Re-make/Re-model 2011
15 Electric Eden (By: Rob Young) 2011
16 Electric Eden 2011
17 Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys 2014
18 Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys (By: Viv Albertine) 2014
19 Girl in a Band 2015
20 Turn the Beat Around 2015
21 Turn the Beat Around (By: Peter Shapiro) 2015
22 Art Sex Music 2017
23 Art Sex Music (By: Cosey Fanni Tutti) 2017
Kim Gordon Anthologies
# Title Year
1 It's So You: 35 Women Write about Personal Expression Through Fashion & Style 2007
2 Sonic Youth: Sensational Fix 2009
3 My Ideal Bookshelf 2012
4 This Woman's Work: Essays on Music 2022