Sonic Youth’s former bassist-vocalist Kim Gordon has been having a go at Smashing Pumpkins’ frontman Billy Corgan and Hole’s frontwoman Courtney Love.
In Gordon’s new memoir she labels the Pumpkins’ singer as a “crybaby” and claimed that Love had several mental health issues.
The book titled ‘Girl In A Band’ charts her time with Sonic Youth, discusses her marriage to the band’s singer Thurston Moore and reveals her thoughts on some of rock’s most recognisable figures.
The memoir’s title is taken from the lyrics of Sonic Youth’s 2009 song ‘Sacred Trickster’, ‘What’s it like to be a girl in a band?/I don’t quite understand’.
An excerpt published in Vogue, reveals the first time she met Courtney in 1990, before she went on to produce Hole’s album Pretty on the Inside.
Kim describes Love as a ‘narcissist’ and questions her mental stability.
Gordon said: “No one ever questions the disorder behind her tarantula LA glamour – sociopathy, narcissism – because it’s good rock and roll, good entertainment! I have a low tolerance for manipulative, egomaniacal behaviour, and usually have to remind myself that the person might be mentally ill.”
She then moves onto Love’s boyfriend at the time Billy Corgan.
“Courtney asked us for advice about her ‘secret affair’ with Billy Corgan. I thought, Ewwww, at even the mention of Billy Corgan, whom nobody liked because he was such a crybaby, and Smashing Pumpkins took themselves way too seriously and were in no way punk rock.”
Kim also describes the affair that ended her marriage.
“No one could understand how Thurston, who always had a good nose for the user, the groupie, the nutcase or the hanger-on, had let himself get pulled under by her. I did feel some compassion for Thurston … but that’s a lot different to forgiveness.”
Kim Gordon’s ‘Girl In A Band: A Memoir’ is available via Dey Street Books on February 24th.
