Kim Gordon biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Born on April 28, 1953, in Rochester, New York, Kim Gordon, perhaps best known for her band Sonic Youth, has broad range of talents, ranging from art to music to clothing design. She grew up in Los Angeles as the daughter of a professor and a seamstress.

At first, Gordon pursued her passion for art. She graduated from the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. It was through an art project that she first developed an interest in music. Gordon participated in a piece of performance art that involved an all-girl band. Around this time, she met musician Thurston Moore. The two, along with Lee Ranaldo, formed the band Sonic Youth in 1981.

The band's early recordings were experimental, more art made of noise than conventional music. One critic said their work "mainly consisted of feedback and ringing harmonics." In addition to exploring new ways to make music, Gordon became a contributor to Artforum as well. She also continued to make her own art.

In 1984, Gordon and Moore married, and their band soon began to enjoy some critical success. Sonic Youth received strong reviews for such albums as Bad Moon Rising (1985) and Daydream Nation (1988) and developed its own following. In 1990, the group released Goo, their major label debut. The album actually made the charts as did their next efforts, 1992's Dirty and 1994's Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star—their most commercially successful recording to date.

Other Career Ventures

Outside of her work with Sonic Youth, Gordon started her own musical side project called Free Kitten, with Julie Cafritz in 1992. The pair was joined by drummer Yoshimi the following year. Around that same time, Gordon launched the clothing line X-Girl with Daisy von Furth.

In 1994, Gordon also saw changes in her personal life with the birth of her daughter, Coco. She didn't let motherhood slow her down much, though. She and the rest of the band participated in the alternative rock tour Lollapalooza the following year. While Sonic Youth enjoyed a wider popularity in the mid-to-late 1990s, they never abandoned their avant-garde roots or interest in experimental music. They formed the SYR record label around this time to release their own unusual efforts.

With her cool, edgy look, Gordon served as a model for designer Marc Jacobs in 1998. She also helped others obtain some of her unique style with the clothing line Mirror/Dash, named for her and her husband's nicknames.