The musician and artist shares the best advice her mother gave her, the words she hates, and who she’d like to play chess with.
Your name always comes up whenever we ask any female musicians about their influences. Is there a Kim Gordon for Kim Gordon?
I never aspired to be a musician, so in that way, no. As a teenager, I listened to Billie Holiday and Joni Mitchell, but I never actually thought it was possible to become a musician. I didn’t study or know anything about music. There are certainly artists, but not necessarily female artists, who I was influenced by – artists like Lucio Fontana, Yves Klein, and even Andy Warhol.
Who is the most famous person in your phone?
Kristen Stewart.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
My mother once said, “Never give any money to political causes because they won’t leave you alone after that.” I didn’t adhere to it, but it is true.
Do you believe in extraterrestrial life?
No. Well, I guess I kind of do. There’s probably life in another galaxy, but I don’t have any interest in us starting life on another planet. I feel like we’re damn near destroying this one, and now we’re just gonna go destroy another one?
Which city do you find the most interesting?
I like Paris and Berlin. Paris is just so beautiful, and there is so much history everywhere you look. Berlin is such an interesting city because you can still see the east and west; you can tell by the buildings. I still feel a sense of freedom and bohemianism there. Unfortunately, it’s hard for artists to stay there now; they have to leave to make a living. But it might be the last free city. I really enjoyed going to Tasmania too. It was one of the most interesting, beautiful, pure-feeling places I have ever been, in terms of the air and water.
If you had a sandwich named after you, what would be on it?
Probably tuna fish. I am a connoisseur of tuna fish sandwiches.
Do you have a party trick?
Leaving without saying goodbye.
Which word do you hate the most?
“Creative”. Or “creatives”. I feel like that’s overly used, along with “trigger”, “trauma”, and “journey”.
If you had to fight a famous person, who would it be, how would you fight them, and who would win?
I’d play chess or ping pong. Those are the only two games that I feel really competitive about. Marcel Duchamp would be interesting. He was a master at chess, so he’d probably beat me very quickly.
What’s your most controversial pop culture opinion?
I don’t know if it’s controversial, but I’m not really a fan of Taylor Swift. I couldn’t tell you what her music sounds like, actually. When it comes to pop icons, I would choose Billie Eilish.
Kim Gordon is performing at Volume festival at the Art Gallery of New South Wales on 18 and 19 July, then Adelaide, Brisbane, and Melbourne from 20-24 July. Her exhibition “Object Of Projection” is at the Substation, Victoria until 24 August.
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