AOL interview with Throwing Muses

Da Muses: Howdy.

Da Muses: Why are there two of us?

SPINaps: What do you mean?

SPINaps: -dump -q

SPINaps: Welcome SPINZapper.

SPINaps: Welcome Throwing Muses.

Da Muses: Hi.

SPINaps: Hang on I have to send a bunch of opening statement kind of things before we start.

SPINaps: here goes.

SPINaps: So, Muses, where are you and who's there?

Da Muses: It's Kristin...and a typist.

SPINaps: Kristin, sorry, we said you're in NYC tonight. That's wrong, right?

Da Muses: We're actually in Newport, RI getting ready to leave for NYC...Does that count?

SPINaps: Yes, that counts. I guess.

Da Muses: Good.

SPINaps: What do you think of this MAC Music fest thing?

Da Muses: To tell the truth we don't know a whole helluva lot about it...

SPINaps: yeah, neither do we...

SPINaps: but we like computers.

Da Muses: Our friend Michael Dorf at the Knitting Factory called to ask if the Muses could do some kind of a

SPINaps: and where are you playing tomorrow?

Da Muses: special show at the Knitting Factory

Da Muses: I'm going to open for my own band

SPINaps: Let's take some questions from the masses. Random, disjointed, the usual...

Question: In the song "Downtown" from HT, are you singing of someone you know personally or is it an

Question: anonymous "she"

SPINaps: Hello?

Da Muses: I wrote that 10 years ago...out of my head...she probably stands for "she"

Question: what's it like to meet Jay Leno

Da Muses: I don't know, I've never met him.

SPINaps: Me neither.

Question: Kristin, how did the STRINGS album come into being?

Da Muses: The guy who runs 4AD, Ivo, wanted a 2nd single...

Da Muses: from Hips and Makers...I had no more songs...so we did string arrangements instead...classical music..

Da Muses: and my big head.

Question: Kristin, you've said that when writing songs, you sometimes write out the words

Question: phonetically as they come to you -- does the music come along with the words? Do you find

Question: yourself changing much once you have the new song written down?

Da Muses: Sometimes I make mistakes trying to understand the lyrics phonetically...

Da Muses: Overall, though I don't change very much other than production.

Question: How is your son?

Da Muses: Which one?

Da Muses: I have 2...They're both great.

Question: I'm aware of only two cover versions of Muses songs, both being covers of "Hate My Way";

Question: one is by The Divine Comedy, the other by GLE. Have you heard either and do you know of any

Question: others?

Da Muses: That's ok.

Da Muses: Haven't heard either of those...There is a dance version of "Your Ghost" coming out soon (!)

Question: How long will you be touring for?

Da Muses: We're finished touring for the next couple of months.

Question: Is it ever scary to wake up in the middle of the night with songs ringing in your head?

Da Muses: We're just doing this for fun.

Da Muses: Yes, scary, scary...Well as scary as humming a tune ever gets.

Question: Love the Bright Yellow Gun on the shirt I bought at one of your shows. Can you tell us

Question: about it?

Da Muses: Thanks for buying a shirt...

Da Muses: It has a gun on it.

Question: Do you get nervous on stage?

Da Muses: I get nervous before I'm on stage...I'm not really "there" when I'm playing

Question: Who do you consider your peers in todays rock scene??

Da Muses: X, Vic Chesnutt, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Pond...You have to know how hard a question that is.

Question: how about michael stipe? you two are buds?

Da Muses: He says we're buds...It sounds better coming out of his mouth...I'm flattered.

Question: What type of music do you listen to?

Da Muses: All the above mentioned, plus some others who are dead now, therefore not my peers.

Question: I heard a teensy rumor that you might be touring with Air MIami later this year. Any

Question: truth to it? (please oh please)

Da Muses: Air Miami...Yes we're trying to pull acouple of weeks together on the east coast...

Da Muses: and in the midwest, for Sept. and Oct.

Question: Do you ever take your child on tour?

Da Muses: Yes, I've taken both boys on the road...They've put in their time...The baby just flew 27 hrs from

Da Muses: London to Auckland, NZ.

Question: What is "Rabbits Dying" about?

Da Muses: Not being too safe...Not living in danger.

Question: I've got the Fort Apache compilation that came out this year, you've got a song ("Run

Question: Letter") on it. Do you regularly record at different places, and where's your favorite place so

Question: far?

Da Muses: Kingsway in New Orleans is my favorite so far...I can't imagine a better place to make records...

Da Muses: I grew up in the Fort...It's like making a record at home...We love it too.

Question: Kristin, if you had to pick a favorite song and/or album of yours, what would it/they be?

Da Muses: The album would be Red Heaven, and the song would be my next one.

Question: What inspired/prompted you to do a solo album?

Da Muses: My husband did both.

Question: Have you gotten much gardening done since you're away from touring now?

Da Muses: I do everything he tells me to (snicker).

Da Muses: Gardening?

Da Muses: I go to the beach alot.

Question: Do you get irritated (kristen) when people ask you about Tanya??

Da Muses: No, I love my sister...It's only irritating to have people think the music business could come between us

Question: were there real stories involved with the writing of "hate my way" and "vicky's box"?

Da Muses: I wish...They screamed themselves at me.

Question: What's the first concert you ever went to?

Da Muses: Peter Frampton...with my DAD! I wore a sundress(!)

Question: What do you think of Belly and The Breeders success?

Da Muses: Yay!...More great bands, better for all.

Question: Kristin, that's great lipstick you've been wearing...Is it #4?

Da Muses: I don't know what # it is...It's called Christine's lipstick, couse she gave it to me.

Question: Is there anyone that you would like to play with in the future?

Da Muses: I'm playing with "X" on Fri night in Prov...That'll do it...I'll be done.

Question: Are Throwing Muses, Chains Changed, and the Fat Skier ever going to be available

Question: domestically on CD?

Da Muses: Yes...Just be patient...We will take care of you freaks.

Question: As an artist, do you ever get very critical of your work to the point where it can be

Question: upsetting?

Da Muses: In the NEAR future.

Question: Will you bring a female backup singer on your next tour? On record it's not a problem, but

Question: without Tanya in the band anymore I think your live shows need someone else to help back you up

Question: at times.

Da Muses: If i get in the way...You won't hear that song.

Da Muses: We might bring a cellist to play backing vocal melody lines.

Question: What's your favorite song of University??

Da Muses: Fever Few today.

Question: Do you have any early influences?

Da Muses: V.Femmes, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, X...that's it. My 4 yr old son just said to say"Meat Puppets rock"

Question: Kristin, are you an online junkie?

Da Muses: My typist is...does that count?

Da Muses: Maybe if I could type.

Question: What do you think of the FM airwaves these days?

Da Muses: I don't...I'm old and tired.

Question: When is your next solo album coming out?

Da Muses: After the next Muses and a special release...Probably in early '97(!!!???)

Question: do you have to answer every question we ask???

Da Muses: Do I? Do you know where I live?

Question: do you and tanya still work with each other on occasion, or was there a complete

Question: separation between you two?

Da Muses: We never wrote together...We have different bands now, that keep us pretty busy.

Question: I heard that some weird stuff happened at a gig you played somewhere in Texas. Do you

Question: know of the ruckus I refer to?

Da Muses: YES...Ruckus Dallas...Owwww. Do they do some kind of special drug there.

Question: How much do you actually enjoy your music? You seem very serious in your shows and on

Question: record and it sometimes seems it's more work than fun for you.

Da Muses: ?

Da Muses: It makes me very happy...It's the most fun. But happy is not always "goofy"...

Da Muses: sometimes it's hard work.

Question: Why did you choose to do a longer version of "Soul Soldier" for THE FAT SKIER?

Da Muses: Big video budget...We thought the song should be longer than 3 mins.

Question: How did the intro to "University" come about with your baby singing?

Da Muses: He just climbed up to the vocal mic and said roll tape to Trina, our engineer.

Question: Do you think you will still be in the music scene in 10 yrs?

Da Muses: Not in the scene...But in music...Am I in the scene now?

Question: Was Hillbilly recorded during the University sessions, or is it newer and indicative of

Question: the next TM album?

Da Muses: It was a University "dropout".

Question: What's the story behind "DIZZY" from your Hunkpapa album?

Da Muses: My father wrote the chorus...I wrote the part that sucks.

Question: if aliens came to earth, what do you think they would look like?

Da Muses: Me, me, me.

Question: When do you think your next album might be coming out??

Da Muses: April/May '96...Itsreallygoodbuyit.

SpinZAPPER: Hi. Welcome to the SPIN Lounge. We're here with Kristin Hersh of Throwing Mueslix.

Question: Were you a child music prodigy and when did you write your first song?

Da Muses: I was 9 when I wrote my first song...I'm a grown-up prodigy.

Question: don't you think it is silly when people mosh at your concerts, and try to stage dive??

Da Muses: If they're moved and they don't hurt anyone...great.

SpinZAPPER: No, joking, I meant to say, "Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses." Glad you're here, Kristin..

Question: What is your favorite "vinyl" album cover?

Da Muses: "X" Wild Gift.

Question: what do you think of courtney love...how do feel about the way shes carried herself on and

Question: off the stage?

Da Muses: It's not up to me to think anything about her as a person...I like her band a lot.

SpinZAPPER: You can't have a SPINonline conference without a Courtney Love question

Question: You and the band sounded great on Conan. What is it like performing in front of TV

Question: cameras?

Da Muses: Cold.

Question: Some people consider the Muses' demo tape to be your "first" album. Have any floating

Question: around that you could give me for Xmas?

Da Muses: You may get one sooner than you think (wink, wink) P.S. if you have one burn it.

Question: Do you really have a "Bright Yellow Gun"???

Da Muses: No...It's a METAPHOR...Maybe bright shiny things that catch our eye are dangerous and that's great.

SpinZAPPER: And on that note-- Kristin, do you have any last words for the masses?

Da Muses: Yes.

Da Muses: Thanks everyone.Bye.

SpinZAPPER: Buh bye. good night. .

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