Nina Rachel Gordon Shapiro (born November 14, 1967), known as Nina Gordon, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She co-founded the alternative rock band Veruca Salt and played on their first two studio albums, American Thighs (1994) and Eight Arms to Hold You (1997). During that time, Gordon wrote the band's hit singles "Seether" and "Volcano Girls". After leaving Veruca Salt, she released two solo albums, Tonight and the Rest of My Life (2000) and Bleeding Heart Graffiti (2006). She then rejoined Veruca Salt for their album Ghost Notes (2015). Early life Nina Rachel Gordon Shapiro was born November 14, 1967 in Washington, D.C. Her father was a law student at the time of her birth. She was raised along with her brother, Jim Shapiro, in several different locations, moving between Washington, D.C. and Madison, Wisconsin before settling in Chicago when Gordon was a teenager. Gordon has commented that her parents had a turbulent relationship and eventually divorced in her childhood. Gordon attended high school in Chicago. She intended to major in music while attending university but ultimately graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history from Tufts University. She is Jewish. Career 1992–1996: Veruca Salt formation and American Thighs Veruca Salt was formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1992 by Gordon and Louise Post. Introduced by Gordon's good friend, actress Lili Taylor, Gordon and Post quickly became friends and began playing music together. In 1993, they enlisted bassist Steve Lack and Gordon's brother Jim Shapiro, a guitarist who joined as the band's drummer as a favor to his sister. Gordon and Post both sang and played guitar on Veruca Salt's material during the 1990s. The two were also the band's primary songwriters, each writing their songs separately. Veruca Salt released a self-funded demo tape and shopped it to labels while playing a handful of small club shows. The buzz around the band grew, and after only a few live gigs, the band was signed to Minty Fresh Records and began recording with producer Brad Wood, who had recently worked on Liz Phair's critically acclaimed Exile in Guyville. The band released an orange 7" single for the song "Seether", which Gordon wrote. The song was a distorted alt-rocker about an angry and misunderstood woman. Compared to the rest of Veruca Salt's material, "Seether" sounded very pop. They sent "Seether" to radio, as it was the most radio-friendly song