Sonic Youth bassist Kim Gordon has described Billy Corgan a “crybaby” and revealed she thought Courtney Love might be “mentally ill.”
Gordon is set to release her book Girl In A Band on February 24 and Spin reports that she takes aim at Corgan and Love in the memoir, as well as describes her first meeting with Thurston Moore, who she would later form Sonic Youth with and go on to marry in 1984.
Moore and Gordon split in 2011 and the band has been inactive since.
According to Spin, Gordon formed her opinion of Hole singer Love when she co-produced their 1991 debut Pretty On The Inside. She writes: “No one ever questions the disorder behind her tarantula L. 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.”
Gordon reveals Love asked her for help with her relationship with Smashing Pumpkins mainman Corgan, adding: “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.”
She also touches on her split with Moore, who she says met someone else. She writes: “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.”
On meeting Moore in New York before forming Sonic Youth, she says: “He had a glow about him I liked, and he also seemed extremely sure about what he wanted and how to get it too, though it was more a quiet self-confidence than anything brash.”
Girl In A Band is available through Dey Street Books from February 24 and is available now for pre-order.
