Kim Gordon Announces First-Ever Solo Album, No Home Record w/“Sketch Artist” Video

Back in 2011, Sonic Youth fans were shaken by the news that Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore would be separating and, with that, the group they love would be disbanding, as well.  After 30 years, one of the most groundbreaking and influential music projects in history would be no more, as the married couple behind its formation, consistent innovation, and longevity would go their separate ways.  For a lot of us, this was almost like the equivalent of when folks were sobbing into tabloids at the checkout aisle, because Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston — a couple of people who earn their living by pretending to be other more interesting people — were getting a divorce.  “If those two crazy kids couldn’t make it work, what help is there for the rest of us?”  Gordon and Moore were like a beacon of hope in a world where nothing good ever seems to last.  This inspiration related both to romantic unions, as well as to the idea that a band could, not only, stay together for that long, but do so while continuing to produce substantial and relevant work.  I’ve heard more than one person, at the time, state that they felt as if their parents had split up, and there was a good amount of people pissed off at their dad about it.

The upside to a scenario like this is that it forces outsiders to finally recognize the individuals in any partnership by who they are outside of the unit.  After all, when Kim Gordon initially moved to New York City from Los Angeles, she did so as a graduate from Otis College Of Art & Design set on pursuing a career in visual arts.  This background and perspective would influence the music that she would go on to create in the future.  Sonic Youth formed in 1981 and they’ve had an immeasurable impact on so many artists, not to mention, in directing the evolution of music, in general.  That’s why it’s not unreasonable to expect the minds of most people to jump to immediately to the SY association when hearing Gordon‘s name.  That being said, she’s always been much more than that, from her work in the bands Free Kitten and Harry Crews and her production on Hole‘s debut, Pretty On The Inside, to her X-Girl clothing line, curating shows at the Whitney, and her early writing for Artforum, before forming a band was even a consideration.

Thurston was always going to keep releasing music as he always has, because, along with randomly showing up in every documentary I ever seem to watch, it feels like something that he needs to be doing.  Kim, on the other hand, has her hand in so many other things, that it doesn’t feel like she relies on the music world to quite the same extent.  That also means that, if you do only focus on the music world, live tours, and the typical venues, it might seem as though she’s been much more dormant than Moore or their fellow bandmate, Lee Ranaldo, who continues to pump out albums with various projects, often featuring Sonic Youth drummer, Steve Shelley.  Since the band’s breakup, 8 years ago, Gordon has refocused, delving back into her art with exhibits in fine art galleries in cities like New York, Dublin, Pittsburgh, and London.  She wrote the tremendously received New York Times best-selling memoir, Girl In A Band; and has even taken on several acting roles that range from spots on shows like Girls, Portlandia, and HBO‘s Animals to starring in a German horror movie and another film which was screened at MOMA.  As for her musical output, she has continued to lean in more experimental directions, forming a pair of guitar duos, the first being Body/Head with artist/musician, Bill Nace, and later teaming with surfer, Alex Knost as Glitterbust.  She’s never lost her artistic sensibilities or drive.  Her motivation always seems to be the work itself and experimenting with different sounds, approaches, and mediums to see what will come of it.  Commercialism and year end lists don’t play any role in her explorations.  She’s far too interesting and far too interested for any of that.  Kim Gordon leads with the art first and, because of that, the product is always the star.

Being among such prolific talents as Moore and Ranaldo for three decades means that she’s accustomed to collaboration and being part of a something larger than herself without needing all of the eyes directly on her at all times.  And while that’s respectable and we definitely miss Sonic Youth as a band, the news that Gordon is now finally set to release her very first solo album is still pretty fucking exciting.  She is so well respected and so well connected that she must have endless options and opportunities for collaborations, whenever she might want to take advantage of them, but being able to witness her own uncut vision is something that we are definitely ready for.  Titled No Home Record, as a nod to the French-Belgian director Chantal Akerman’s film No Home Movie, her solo LP is slated for an October 11th release via Matador Records.  Addressing the questions of “‘Why a solo record? And why now?,’” Gordon explains, “I don’t know, but it wouldn’t have happened without the persistence of Justin Raisen.  Living in LA the last few years it feels like home, but the transience of the place makes it feel sometimes like no home.”

Our first sample from the upcoming release comes in the form of a video for the opening track, “Sketch Artist” and it’s a beautifully jarring watch.  Berlin-based artist and filmmaker, Loretta Fahrenholz directed the video and offers some insight into the project by stating, “‘Sketch Artist’ is a haunted car ride. Kim drives as ‘Unter’ Pool summons passengers throughout nighttime LA. The city drifts by, passengers intermingle in the back seat and Kim’s deadly stare shocks pedestrians along her route.”  You may recognize the first of these passengers as actress/comedian Abbi Jacobson of Broad City fame.

No Home Record is available for pre-order now, with a limited edition white vinyl exclusive to the Matador store.

Check out “Sketch Artist” below, followed by the full No Home Record tracklisting.