Kim Gordon

Kim Gordon

Kim Gordon is an American musician and artist from Rochester, United States, born in 1953. She is best known as the former bass player and singer of Sonic Youth, where she performs alongside Lee Ranaldo and her then partner Thurston Moore. Sonic Youth is active from 1981 to 2011, and Gordon’s departure from that band coincides with the end of her marriage to Moore.

Sonic Youth and related projects

Alongside her work in Sonic Youth, Gordon takes part in a number of experimental side projects. These include work with DJ Olive and the noise pop group Free Kitten. She is also a member of Body/Head, and is associated with Ciccone Youth, Mirror/Dash, Lucky Sperms, Glitterbust and Harry Crews.

Solo work and writing

Gordon releases her first solo single, “Murdered Out”, and later follows it with “Sketch Artist” and “Air BnB”. These tracks all appear on her first solo album, No Home Record, issued on Matador Records through Freekit Music. The album appears in 2019 and marks her debut full-length release as a solo artist.

She also writes about her experience after Sonic Youth in her memoir Girl in a Band, which appears in 2015.

Visual art

Outside music, Gordon works in contemporary art. Her practice includes curating exhibitions and creating audiovisual installations.