Kim Gordon is a bassist, guitarist, and vocalist who co-founded Sonic Youth in 1981 with Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo. Initially trained in visual art at Otis College of Art and Design, Gordon had no instrumental experience when she began the band, which became central to the post-punk and no wave movements of the 1980s and 1990s. Sonic Youth released six albums on independent labels through the 1980s before signing to DGC Records, beginning with Goo in 1990, and ultimately released nine studio albums on the label. Gordon's work with the band incorporated dissonant guitar textures and elements of modern classical music and minimalism. Beyond Sonic Youth, she co-founded the musical project Free Kitten in 1993 and co-owned the streetwear company X-Girl beginning in 1993. Gordon has also worked as a visual artist and writer, publishing her memoir Girl in a Band in 2015, and has continued creating music as a solo artist and as part of Body/Head.