Kim Gordon is the 71-year-old icon who co-founded Sonic Youth. She is a bassist, guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, everything. She was married to Thurston Moore for nearly 30 years (they divorced in 2013). Kim is still around and she still has opinions about pop culture, music, travel and life in general. She recently spoke to the Guardian about all of the above, and she happened to mention that she’s not really a fan of Taylor Swift. What happens if the Swifties come for Kim Gordon?
Guardian: Who is the most famous person in your phone?
KG: 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 have a party trick?
Leaving without saying goodbye.Which word that you hate the most?
“Creative”. Or “creatives”. I feel like that’s overly used, along with “trigger” and “trauma” and “journey”.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 sounded like, actually. When it comes to pop icons, I would choose Billie Eilish.
Kim actually mentioned her ambivalence (?) towards all things Swift in an interview several months ago. She was asked if she would ever tour with someone like Taylor and Kim admitted, “I don’t think her audience would like it” and “I couldn’t tell you what her music sounds like, but I was on a plane with all her fans recently on the way to Utah and they were all wearing merch. That I quite like. I think I’d just take a sweatshirt.” LMAO – it’s like Aretha Franklin’s “beautiful gowns” comment! Could not tell you the name of a Taylor Swift song but the merch is nice. My hope is that the Swifties treat Kim Gordon’s comments as a minor swipe from an icon. Kim didn’t even trash Taylor, Kim just said she’s not really a fan. Just say “fair enough, Taylor’s not for everybody” and move on, Swifties.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- Amazon Studios Premiere Of "Don't Worry, He Wont Get Far On Foot",Image: 377591075, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Kim Gordon, Credit line: FayesVision / Wenn / Avalon
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- American Musician Kim Gordon performs at The BBC Radio 6 Music Festival 2020 at The Roundhouse, London, England, UK on Sunday 8 March 2020. Picture by Justin Ng/Retna/Avalon,Image: 563894492, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- American Musician Kim Gordon performs at The BBC Radio 6 Music Festival 2020 at The Roundhouse, London, England, UK on Sunday 8 March 2020. Picture by Justin Ng/Retna/Avalon,Image: 563894607, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- Stockholm, SWEDEN – Taylor Swift plays Friends Arena on Friday night. This is the first of three concerts during the “The Eras Tour” in Stockholm. Pictured: Taylor Swift BACKGRID USA 17 MAY 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Stockholm, SWEDEN – Taylor Swift plays Friends Arena on Friday night. This is the first of three concerts during the “The Eras Tour” in Stockholm. Pictured: Taylor Swift BACKGRID USA 17 MAY 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Stockholm, SWEDEN – Taylor Swift plays Friends Arena on Friday night. This is the first of three concerts during the “The Eras Tour” in Stockholm. Pictured: Taylor Swift BACKGRID USA 17 MAY 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
This makes two of us, Kim.
Me three!
Make it 4
Five
6
7!
8!
9!
Number 10, checking in!
11…..
A strong 12.
Me: 13…no wait. I’ll be #14
Me…whatever number.
But I do VERY much admire her work ethic for her tour. Her shows have supposedly been amazing (and long sets!).
Me 16!
Don’t like Swift’s music either.
I don’t understand why it necessary to say something negative about anyone. Why not just say I think Billie Eilish is great. There is too much emphasis put on dividing women and having cat fights. Not everyone likes Taylor Swift but why go on record as saying that. I don’t listen to Taylor’s music but I do admire her philanthropy.
I don’t think giving an opinion about current popular music is “cat-fighting”. If there was a man at the top right now and the hottest topic in the media, I am sure she would give her opinion about him. Remember people talked about Justin Bieber with even worst insults when he was the most popular artist. Not everything is about misogyny.
I think if she didn’t like TS’s music, and was sharing that opinion, that would be one thing: a music legend providing a critique of a musician is legit.
But what makes this feel pretty odd/possibly cat-fight-y is she doesn’t even have an opinion on TS’s music.
And if we take her words at face value, she has never (to her knowledge) heard TS’s music/paid attention to it enough to know what she even sounds like.
So why bother bringing TS up?
Why not just “Potentially controversial hot take: Billie Eilish is the best pop icon right now!” And maybe give specifics (again, a music legend who has fashioned herself a bit of a music critic these days: go ahead, give your reasoned explanations for why Eilish is great – without needing to neg others to build her up.)
@DK, controversial means “giving rise or likely to give rise to controversy or public disagreement”. Her “controversial” opinion which the public probably disagrees with is not being a TS fan. Being a Billie fan isn’t controversial. Since Taylor is the most popular thing right now, that is by definition the controversial opinion. Like I said, people told worse things about Justin Bieber when he was the hottest topic. Should we have called them “misandrist”??
Totally with you on this sevenblue – not every damned opinion on a public female figure by another female is a cat fight.
Unless she has some dirt on Swift (and maybe she has or has heard gossip etc ?) then I will really prefer celebrities to keep enlarge on negative comments with relevant points.
I mean obviously she is making a dig that Swift’s music is unmemorable but she should say why, or what exactly makes Eilish’s music better. Otherwise it seems as petty as someone from the 2000’s saying Kristin Stewart is a because of her acting in Twilight…?!
I’ve read enough of Kim Porter’s stuff to know she’s opinionated and usually has clear reasons, and that’s part of being a critic.
Honestly, I almost never recognize Taylor Swift’s music when I am hearing it someplace. My pea brain blends her into decades of mediocre voices and music.
I was giving platelets a few months ago and was asked to choose a Netflix show that I could without using the remote, and I didn’t want to choose the show I was watching with my husband, so I chose her concert. I thought, “this is fun! So THAT’S the singer I keep hearing!”
I’m sorry, but she doesn’t make an impression to me other than in gossip circles, like, I know “Look what you made me do” because of the Kanye/Kardashian thing. Other than that, she is a mediocre white woman who makes bank from her fans. Maybe it’s my age. The themes in her music don’t usually click with me.
If she had been asked. what do you think of Eminem, and she answered not really a fan, would you be accusing her of dividing and starting cat fights? She didn’t say she didn’t like TS as a person. She said as far as pop culture went, she wasn’t fan. She didn’t denigrate TS. Why are women not allowed to have opinions that aren’t necessarily main stream? I do not like TS’s music. I have no opinion of her as a person. But her music makes me want to stick chopsticks in my ears. That doesn’t mean I want to divide women or start a cat fight. It’s my opinion about a subjective topic.
“want to stick chopsticks in my ears.” Love it!!
THIS. A female musician gave her opinion on another female artist and everyone has to chastise her. It’s so exhausting. She didn’t say anything insulting, just said she’s not a fan of her music as she is ALLOWED to do.
Male artists do this ALL. THE. TIME. and usually not in a polite way yet are rarely if ever called out for it.
Also, Kim is a freaking rock icon and a woman who achieved success in a world that was mostly ruled by men–she has absolutely earned the right to have an opinion on Taylor Swift.
Amen, HeatherC! Grabbing my chopsticks. Chopsticks are so versatile!
Sometimes when it seems like EVERYONE but you LOVES something- you sometimes bristle at the mention. In high school, i didn’t care for U2, whatever. And then the Joshua tree tour came to my town and the next day every 3rd person in my school was wearing a tour t-shirt. And for awhile i HATED U2, because they had become ubiquitous, unavailable, and i was so annoyed.
So i can see that in reference to Ms. Swift. She is THE BIG THING right now.
So if you were ambivalent, you may now be annoyed.
I will say i later learned to enjoy U2, we used to play the rattle and hum doc at the video store where i worked, and i saw them live during the Achtung (sp?) baby tour- the one where Bono called the white house from stage every night.
The Zoo TV Tour. It was one of the most brilliant tours of all time. U2 at their most creative as far as artistically creating a concert experience.
It’s perfectly valid for a musician to give her opinion about another musician. But that wasn’t even an opinion, it was just a “meh.” It wasn’t mean or a cheap shot. Billie is more punk than Taylor so that preference is not surprising.
The subject came up and she responded. It was an honest response and not an arrow shot. I doubt Taylor Swift will lose sleep over this.
Plus Taylor’s philanthropy is great so applause for her and her tax accountants. I like TS’ older works. Never got into the fandom boat, could barely keep up with her boyfriends (most of whom are dwarfs besides her, lol).
I am trying to understand these journalists asking everyone, ‘are you a swiftie?’ So weird.
I like what TS did with her career, but I know one or two songs. Good for her, but I am not going to force myself to listen to something I do not find interesting.
Not everyone has to like TS. She is not a puppy.
Kim Gordon should be seasoned/successful enough to not go into negative/pick me type tactics for attention. It’s too bad she couldn’t come up with a “controversial” opinion of any other type rather than to make a thinly veiled swipe at someone else. The “i don’t even know what she sounds like but I’m not a fan” was definitely a dig. Maybe try “I don’t like ketchup” but that wouldn’t have people talking about her interview – which was probably the point.
They asked her for a controversial opinion. She gave one haha.
She didn’t really sound like she was dissing Taylor. She simply said that she didn’t know what her music was like. She could have said much worse. I actually think what she said sounded diplomatic. Pretending not to know what Swift’s music sounds like does sound like something someone older might say — sort of saying something without really anything so no one comes after you.
The words she said she was sick of hearing actually sounded more controversial to me haha.
People have a right not to like Taylor. It’s okay and she will be fine.
Shouldn’t be controversial, everyone isn’t going to be a fan of the most popular artists in any field but it will be. For some reason minor stuff, becomes big deals for the fanbases like they can’t wrap their head around someone not sharing their likes. They did ask her what her most controversial opinion ( note that word) was and it is what it is.
Swifties: Unite against Project 2025 and the nutjob republikkkan party. Not everyone is gonna be a Swiftie and stop diverting your energy toward anything other than crushing fascists.
Well said.
This is the first place I’ve seen or heard about this so the swifties haven’t cared or gotten mad.
I don’t get why some places try to make them worse then they are, but I guarantee if they do all come together and stop project 2025 and trump places like this won’t give them credit.
This is the only place I’ve seen mention this so it’s not on swiftie radar. Sorry to disappoint.
Thank you. Everything else is just a diversion, America. Your democracy is in trouble.
I have no problem with her disliking Taylor. But what I don’t get is, you say you’ve never heard her music? Then how do you pass judgment? And why do you keep bringing it up, unprompted. You don’t have to like her, but you also don’t have to keep talking about her. I’m not a fan of pop music, so I don’t care for Beyonce or Taylor or Billie or whoever. But I don’t go around talking about it all the time. I can definitely name songs by those singers, though, because their stuff is so ubiquitous; and some of their tones are quite catchy, and a few I actually like. E.g., Irreplaceable, Halo and Sweet Thing, are my favorites from Beyonce. From Taylor: Trouble, Delicate, and September(?) duet; and Billie’s “Bad Guy.” Love those songs. But are those the first music I reach for? No. My playlist are on Freegal and it’s all old music: jazz and classical. So, I will not be attending any Beyonce, or Taylor Swift concerts. But will I spend time hating on them? Absolutely not. I’ll just ignore.
That’s what I noticed as well. She’s not a fan of Taylor Swift BUT she couldn’t tell you what her music sounds like? Kind of sounds personal to me like ‘Oh I just don’t like that person.’ I’m not a Swiftie either but I know her music. She’s entitled to her opinion but she could have kept it simple with ‘her music isn’t really my cup of tea’.
That is a good point, Taylor’s music is very different from sonic youth so I can see it not being her thing. That is totally fine and valid. Music is subjective not everyone is going to like the same thing. And you’re allowed to express that.
However, if you’ve never listened to it then you really shouldn’t comment. I mean I’ve never heard a bad bunny song so I’m not out here commenting on it I like him, I just say never heard his work. Because I do I know I don’t like it if I never heard it?
And to keep bringing it up not prompted gives off a different vibe.
She did not bring it up “unprompted.” She was asked a question as to her most controversial pop culture opinion and gave a benign, very brief answer as to Taylor Swift’s music. She didn’t even say her music was bad it just wasn’t her cup of tea. And Kim Gordon is a LEGEND. She helped pave the way for female artists like Swift. She is entitled to express every opinion she wants. My lord, the crazed defensiveness of the Swifties over the tiniest perceived slight…
Calm down no one is bashing Kim, and there was no insane defense of Taylor. However, this response not allowing people to comment on Kim’s words in a pretty benign way is the definition of crazed defensiveness.
Uh, because she HAS heard it and someone probably told her who it was? My kid had to tell me when we were in the car, and I saw her concert so that I could stay still giving platelets. The concert was fun, and that’s how I learned that I HAVE heard a lot of her stuff before. Her performing the music made it better for me, but I still find her voice and lyrics mediocre.
I think not even knowing the music is essentially the definition of not being a fan, no?
Lol, another person who dislikes the word journey, like John Waters. Im meh on some of Taylor’s music but there’s also a lot of TS songs I really like, mostly from 1989. But there’s always a few songs from every album that I like. I’m meh on Billy Eilish too though. I don’t think either women are hurting for fans though.
Kim can do no wrong. And at this point, she doesn’t have a thing to prove to anyone
This shouldn’t be a controversial opinion since it is about personal taste, but unfortunately it is. The stans and the media serving them with the most worshippy articles for clicks make things like that “controversial”. If you are leaving hundreds of posts about how TS surpassed MJ, she is the music industry, best ever bested, other people are gonna have opinions about that too. Some music critics are now writing their reviews anonymously because of death threats. So, I am gonna say she is brave commenting on her without any superlatives.
I’m indifferent regarding TS. I used to listen to her in high school but that’s about it. But I’ll say this: When a woman reaches the peak, she’s always due for a fall. Might happen to anyone regardless of gender, but I’ve seen this happening to women most of the time. I do not know how much stan culture is here to stay, but these days once loved celebrities are being targeted and their fall is much devoured in the public eye. It’s the streisand effect. Case in point: JLO, Katy Perry. It doesn’t matter if we like them or not. TS has been active since a loooong time but this is her career peak and the max it can progress. Her challenge is to stay at the top. I’m not saying she’ll fall from grace. But prepare yourselves to hear more people come out and say “Not a fan of TS” or “Her music is not for me”. Her aggressive fan base will be used against her. This is just my observation, not what I wish for anyone.
I remember her 1989 era, we thought that was her peak. She was overexposed then too, but I have never thought she could fall down that quickly. She didn’t lose her fans at the time, but in terms of the public view of her, she fell very hard very quickly from the top. Her very public relationship with Tom Hiddleston didn’t help either. Right now, again it looks like she is too big to fail, but you never know.
I don’t think she’ll “fail” anytime soon. But if the media and public can build up a woman, they can drag her down too. The annoying over exposure and infantalization also have drawbacks eventually. Right now its everyone gushing over her. Not everyone plays along. Thats how this starts. It is one or two well known people saying they are not a fan…this (can?) increase over time paving the way to eventually go after her. We out of all the people should know how this works. Not saying she will lose her fan base. But the number of people being vocal against her will also increase…not suddenly but over a period of time or years even.
@RRN, Honestly, the overexposure, her very public relationship, her pap walks look scarily similar to 1989 era to me. At the time, she pissed off some popular artists too like Katy Perry. So, some people were looking forward to her downfall. Her chart tactics and her stans going after anyone started to annoy other fan groups right now. I can see the hate for her bubbling. I hope she is smarter now.
I sort of tend to think people will come to appreciate her even more when she’s older haha.
Women who were critiqued strongly when they were younger become acceptable and “iconic” when they’re older — I’m not sure if that’s because an older (pretty) woman is seen as less threatening than a younger (pretty) woman. I’m trying to make it make sense.
Maybe she’ll have a downfall for 5 minutes next year just because. or if she takes up with a married man, but she’ll definitely be appreciated when she’s 50 and 60. I’m watching the reaction to Winona Ryder who shoplifted expensive items and I’m a little surprised at how much she’s looked up to now.
Kim Gordon always seemed cool to me, but her recent facelift really surprised me. Her face looks tweaked. Maybe cutting down someone successful makes her feel more young and relevant?
I’m lukewarm on Taylor but you can bet I don’t broadcast that to the world. My hubby loves her and I don’t want to spoil his fun 😂
As far as I know, only one artist here wrote a song about her jealousy of younger artists and it ain’t Kim. Funny you are also ignoring her praising Billie who is younger than TS and more successful than TS when TS was at her age.
Taylor never wrote a song about being jealous of younger artists. Music literacy is important, especially if you are going to use songs as a reason to bash artists.
“I know someday I’m gonna meet her, it’s a fever dream
The kind of radiance you only have at 17
She’ll know the way, and then she’ll say she got the map from me
I’ll say I’m happy for her, then I’ll cry myself to sleep”
@Sarah, considering how she dropped Olivia later like a hot potato after she blew up even though she called her “my baby”, I am gonna say I interpreted it right.
That isn’t about jealousy of younger artist it’s about her worth and value and not sure how she can keep her career going. It wasn’t about them BUT HER! The entire song is about her and her insecurity of her career. Has nothing to do with the other person.
From all we’ve heard it was Olivia who stopped talking to TAYLOR. Because she is all about Sabrina who’s blown up and sent Gracie flowers when she beat TTPD on the British charts.
@Sarah, that is your interpretation. What I see is jealousy, which, as you say, stems from her own insecurities as an aging popstar (that she also talked about in her doc). Yeah, Olivia stopped talking about Taylor after being a huge fan of hers. Why do you think that is? I am guessing because of Taylor’s behavior. It isn’t a wild guess because when this song came out, all the swifties talked about it being about Olivia.
It isn’t my interpretation it is what the song is about. Very clearly it is what it is about, I get you hate her and so you want to turn it into something negative but it is about her insecurities and fears not the other person. It is about what her place will be when she isn’t shiny and new. It is about the industry and how she feels in it and how the industry makes women feel in it.
Gordon just said she wasn’t a fan of Swift’s music. And you are attacking Gordon’s appearance. The person “cutting down” someone successful here isn’t Gordon.
The comments on her looks are wrong! She is allowed to not like Taylor and give that opinion, I think you should actually listen to stuff but also the type of music Kim makes so so different she probably just knows it’s not her jam.
But commenting on Kim’s looks isn’t right.
I dont like taylor swift either.
Why would a differing opinion be called a swipe? She doesn’t care for the music. Period.
It’s only a swipe when you want to desperately for someone to be bashing someone else.
This comment section is exactly why anyone is afraid to say publicly that they just don’t care for the music of people like TS and Beyoncé. I hate both their music, mainly because I hate modern pop.
Am I racist, misogynistic, anti feminist? No! I’m allowed to not like an artist because music is subjective.
Do I think both women have done tremendous things for not just their, but other fan bases and communities? Hell yeah. Do I respect and admire them? Ditto. But lord people need to stop attacking those who have different preferences. It’s called being an adult, and if you’re going to throw a fit with a coworker because you have different top playlists, you’re the problem.
Expressing one’s personal taste in music should not be controversial. You like what you like.
Me neither. I mean, I get she’s a good entertainer and good at writing songs based on teen/YA angst, so I get her commercial success, but not the artistic accolades. Don’t mind her politics and I generally don’t mind her as a person (with some minor side-eye at dragging former boyfriends for dollars), I’m just not into her music at all.
I’ve never heard of her. But I’m puzzled as to how she can have an opinion of Taylor Swift’s music if (according to her), she couldn’t tell you about her music. So silly.
Listening to Kim’s music, I see no reason why she would be a fan of Taylor’s. They are very different, musically. She still said something nice about the fans though. I see no reason for anyone to come for her. For those in an uproar, she was specifically asked to give her most controversial pop culture opinion. I don’t think her answer was mean at all!!
For real. For all we know, Taylor may not even be a big Sonic Youth fan herself, and that’s fine.
Shouldn’t be controversial at all. There was no shade, no personal attacks, just her saying TS’s music is not her thing.
Taylor Swift is selling out areas worldwide.
Kim Gordon just played to a small (Bohemian) cemetery here in Chicago.
Sigh.
Frankly, the interviewer was looking for clickbait, for it and the work and talent is worth so much more on all sides.
Being a 90s kid, I’m *supposed* to LOVE Sonic Youth, but I don’t. I much prefer Kim’s other projects, like Free Kitten. I’m a casual (formerly less so) Swiftie, and I’m happy to say ““fair enough, Taylor’s not for everybody”
Like what you like, don’t like what you don’t. The only rule is to not be a jerk about it, and Kim hasn’t been.
This was always going to be a popular post as most commenters here hate TS. But it Billie AND phineas (who actually does most of the writing). I always think iconic gets overstated. To me it implies longevity in career. Billie AND Phineas are still very young. The fact that she didn’t mention HIM says to me she doesn’t know much about them at all. So yes, she’s shit stirring.
“Could not tell you the name of a Taylor Swift song but the merch is nice.”
Lololol ded. I seriously laughed so hard. Kudos Kaiser.
Kim is a f&cking icon and can say anything she wants.
Lol. Even Kim Gordon’s following every publicist’s current ‘how to get a headline’ go-to: namedrop Taylor Swift to get mentions beyond your usual reach. Bonus points if you say something negative.
“I’m not a fan of (insert name)” was unfortunate wording because that’s understood to mean you can’t stand a specific person. Kim Gordon – ha! – she’ll survive. She always has. I just wish she’d worded it better with something like: “I’m not really a fan of Taylor Swift’s music.” and added a generous bonus: “It’s just not my thing – But, more power to her!”
The other notable thing – or the only notable thing in this article is how she she finds trigger and trauma overused (in the category of hated words in context).
Frankly, a lot of white women her age have these kinds of opinions. If she doesn’t like people finally talking about their trauma then don’t listen and don’t use the word.
But she can go f herself because I know exactly what she’s referring to. Dealing with C-ptsd and a husband who has C-ptsd from decades of front line work she can go f herself about hating the word trauma. We know she hates it from the way it’s inserted in the article, she says overused as an out. F you lady.
Kim Gordon’s album from this year is soooo good.