I met Kim Gordon three weeks ago. SXSW had just cancelled and earlier in the day I watched my local chemist try to sell his last miniature bottle of hand sanitiser for 10 quid. We were, I thought, at peak weirdness in the COVID-19 crisis… and then the last 3 weeks happened.

What felt really off back then was not being able to shake Kim’s hand when she walked into the room, or when we said goodbye after an hour together. I think I did an awkward bow of thanks, as neither of us wanted to even mention the handshake thing for fear of putting the other in a difficult position.

But hey, meeting Kim Gordon in a strange time is definitely better than not meeting Kim Gordon at all. She’s Kim Gordon – a game-changer with Sonic Youth; a visual artist; an author and essayist; a political activist; a sometime actor; a solo musician and a one-time fashion label owner. She loved Cheer (not Cheers) and takes no effort to cry.

Listen to us smashing through her career and life below or via your podcast app.