A personal lesson in female representation in punk rock, from Kim Gordon.
The first time I ever heard my favourite band, Sonic Youth, was when I was fourteen years old. I remember channel surfing through music shows on the TV (most likely looking for Jack White as his first solo record came out that year and was getting high media attention, and my young head was stuck RIGHT up his ass) and coming across ‘Kool Thing’ by Sonic Youth. My music taste back then was a strict diet of male-fronted, more ‘commercial’ sounding indie rock bands, so hearing the experimental noise of Sonic Youth and seeing Kim Gordon in the music video- a WOMAN being in front and dominating the whole dynamic of the band, was a new thing to me. I immediately decided that Kim Gordon, was in fact, a very kool thing and bought Sonic Youth’s 1990, first major label record, Goo, on CD that weekend.
I listened to Goo over, and over, and over for a few solid months after purchasing the album. It was something like I had never heard before and I really did love it, but I ended up dropping it and going back to the more popular indie boy heartthrobs, who my ears were oh, so programmed to be entwined with.
The summer of the year that I turned sixteen, I eventually got bored. I was bored with the same music that I listened to over and over again and wanted something new- so I rediscovered Goo. It was even better than the first time I heard it. Something about the noise and unconventional tunings of the guitars, the way the drums kick in on ‘Dirty Boots’ (the opening track), the angst in Thurston’s moans, Kim’s growls and the sorrowful, yet strangely soothing vocals from Lee on ‘Mote’ creating some kind of understanding but strange hope of whatever the fuck mid-teenaged feelings I was experiencing- the record served as a new, exciting and strong emotional connection to a record that I had never had before. Goo is not my favourite Sonic Youth record nor do I think it is of their best work, but I’m so glad I connected to it when I did because I cant imagine me being me now, today, without rediscovering Goo during this weird period of my life.
I discovered and listened to more and more of Sonic Youth, to the point where I had listened to everything, including each band member’s side projects (if you also hold Kim Gordon as a religious type figure but have not listened to Free Kitten- drop everything and get on it ASAP). I was, and still am, obsessed and mesmerized by this band that create strange but amazing noises.
It was also around this time when I started to identify as a feminist. I never really knew much about it before, but I always have had ideas and values of it since I was a child. The more I learnt about it the more it just made sense to me. Kim Gordon was also very important to me in this matter, as well. She was a strong woman standing up for things, creating and presenting her art and music, and showing females in a supportive, strong and bold light.
Without Sonic Youth, I wouldn’t know half of the bands I currently love or half the appreciation I have for experimental music and art. Without Kim Gordon, I would still be dreaming about marrying the rock star, rather than BEING the rock star (yes, she was married to Thurston Moore, but her power comes purely from herself). Female representation is important in rock and punk rock, as it shows other girls that they can do it too in a majority male dominated scene that we, too, love. Just how Kim did for me, and many other women in the scene do for other girls too.