“A lot of different people”: The musicians who became Kim Gordon’s biggest influences
An undisputed icon of the alternative, Kim Gordon has been lending her enigmatic tones to a wealth of anthemic and experimental tracks for nearly five decades at this point. From her early days immersed in the underground no-wave scene of New York City to the cult audience amassed by Sonic Youth and her recent solo triumphs, Gordon has remained uncompromising and individualistic throughout her career. Along the way, the songwriter has taken on the inspiration of countless different figures.
It was back in 1980 that Gordon, then an art school graduate, relocated to New York City in the hopes of pursuing art. Inevitably, though, she quickly became enthralled with the city’s diverse musical output. After all, the concrete jungle had played host to the epicentre of the punk rock explosion only a few years prior, and was a haven for new wave, disco, and early hip-hop at the same time. It was the no-wave scene that particularly attracted Gordon, noted for its subversive qualities and focus on experimentation within music and composition.
No-wave provided Gordon with her essential first steps in becoming a musician, leading to the formation of Sonic Youth in 1981. Those early years of the endearingly dissonant outfit were marked by their no-wave influences, culminating in stunning collaborations with some of the scene’s most prolific names, notably Glenn Branca and Lydia Lunch. At the same time, though, Gordon was already expanding her musical horizons, immersing herself in a vast array of different sounds, artists, and styles from all over the world.
After all, it was the expansive sound and endless innovation of Sonic Youth that earned the band such enduring success within the world of alternative music. The band explored everything from profound experimentalism to abrasive noise rock, and even took on influences from unexpected avenues, like psych-prog master Kevin Ayers. So, it should come as no real surprise that Gordon took vocal inspiration from an incredibly broad range of sources.
Back in 2016, during an interview with She Shreds Media, Gordon was asked about those influences, shedding light on some of the performers who have played a part in forming her own ethereal tones. The ever-casual songwriter initially responded with, “I don’t know. A lot of people,” before highlighting a handful of names. “I like this Portuguese singer, Catherine Ribeiro,” she said.
Born in Lyon to Portuguese parents, Ribeiro rose to prominence during the 1960s, with her unique vocal style and dedication to experimental, avant-garde folk music setting her apart from the rest of the French musical landscape of the period. Given her pioneering qualities and penchant for experimentation, she is a natural influence on Kim Gordon. “She’s pretty great,” the songwriter affirmed. “She’s Portuguese, though she sang in French.”
Gordon went on to highlight a few other influences, including another French avant-garde legend and a pioneering Japanese noise rock outfit. “Brigitte Fontaine, Yoshimi and the Boredoms,” she shared, adding a mention for her punk rock leanings, too: “Joan Jett, the Runaways, a lot of different people.”
Those diverse figures have all had a hand in crafting the distinctive voice of Kim Gordon. What’s more, her ever-expanding repertoire of inspiration has aided the former Sonic Youth musician in remaining on top of the alternative music scene for so long, consistently reinventing her sound and exploring different avenues of musical and artistic expression.
