Girl In A Band

It is obvious from the first page that Kim Gordon can write. The prose has an almost Didion-esque quality in that it eschews ornamentation and yet somehow still feels poetic.

Gordon weaves together seemingly unrelated fragments to create a feeling, an atmosphere, giving readers a very real sense of what it felt like to live in Los Angeles in the ‘70s or be a part of the New York creative scene during the ‘80s and ‘90s. Obviously much time is spent recounting her experiences fronting the seminal rock band Sonic Youth. However the dizzying pace at which she moves through these experiences often leaves certain sections of prose feeling flat and, at times, confusing.

As the title aptly implies, Gordon’s gender has played a major role in her life and career. Throughout the memoir she questions not just what it is to be a girl in a band, but also what it means to be a girl in what she obviously sees as a man’s world. Her relationships with male figures feature prominently, particularly those with her father, brother and Thurston Moore. In fact, at times the memoir feels as though it is as much about Moore as it is about Gordon.

Ultimately, this book is for fans of Sonic Youth and Gordon. However there’s also something in there for any girl with dreams of someday turning her creative dreams into a reality. 

In stores 25 Feb