First R.E.M. splits up, and now Sonic Youth may be over: After 27 years of marriage and 30 years as bandmates, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon today issued a statement announcing they’ve separated, and while Sonic Youth will honor its South American touring commitments next month, the future of the band is uncertain.
According to Spin, the pair confirmed the split via a statement released by Matador Records:
“Musicians Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, married in 1984, are announcing they have separated. Sonic Youth, with both Kim and Thurston involved, will proceed with its South American tour dates in November. Plans beyond that tour are uncertain. The couple has requested respect for their personal privacy and does not wish to issue further comment.”
The band — which also features guitarist Lee Ranaldo, drummer Steve Shelley and recent addition Mark Ibold, formerly of Pavement, on bass — is scheduled to perform five dates in Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Chile and Brazil in November. Should Sonic Youth not survive the couple’s break-up, the band’s final show could be Nov. 14 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.