In this memoir, Kim Gordon traces her trajectory from a visual arts upbringing in Los Angeles to the center of the New York City post-punk scene. She details the technical and creative formation of Sonic Youth, focusing on her role as a bass player and the band’s democratic songwriting process. The narrative centers on the intersection of fine art and noise music, documenting her collaborations with figures like Mike Kelley and Dan Graham. Gordon provides a granular account of her marriage to Thurston Moore, the eventual collapse of their partnership, and the cultural shifts that moved alternative rock from underground lofts to international festivals.
Musicians, visual artists, and historians of the 1980s downtown New York scene read this book to understand the practical realities of a multi-decade career in the independent music industry. It serves as a study of a woman navigating male-dominated creative spaces without adopting traditional tropes of rock stardom. Readers gain a clear perspective on how personal aesthetics and technical experimentation can coexist within a commercial career. The book offers a firsthand look at the transition from high-concept art theory to the visceral mechanics of live performance and record production.
- Published
- 2015
- Language
- EN
