Throwing Muses
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Throwing Muses are a post-punk alternative rock band formed in the early 1983 in Newport, Rhode Island, that toured and recorded extensively until 1997, when its members began concentrating more on other projects. In a couple of articles, lead singers Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly have separately indicated that they actually started playing in their band around the age of 15, which would be at the earliest late 1981; however, their first recorded demos are dated 1983, and several articles mention 1983 as the significant band creation date. They are known for music with shifting tempos, creative chord progressions, unorthodox song structures, as well as poetic, surreal, evocative, and sometimes dramatic original lyrics.
Hersh enlisted her stepsister, Donelly, to help form the group when they were in high school. The two served as guitarists, lead vocalists, and songwriters for the group. The band eventually signed to the 4AD label and released their untitled debut album in 1986. They also released some of their albums on Sire/Reprise Records and Rykodisc. With cover stories about them published in most major British music publications of the 1980s, they became one of the first successful alternative rock acts to be led by two female singer/guitarists, helping set the stage for later arrivals like Sleater-Kinney, as well as changing the dynamics of what was accepted as "normal" for a rock band's male/female composition in a band fronted by a woman. Instead of employing the usual format of one woman singer (who in some groups also played guitar) backed by male musicians, as with The Pretenders and most other major label bands fronted by women prior to Throwing Muses, their original band lineup of two female lead singer/guitarists, a female bassist, and a male drummer set them off as historically unique for their time among major label acts, although the band has mentioned they did not consciously design the band with a particular gender balance in mind.
The band's personnel has changed over the years. Donelly left Throwing Muses after 1991's The Real Ramona release, first to perform in the Breeders and afterwards to form Belly. Hersh and Donelly have both maintained careers as solo artists since the mid-1990s.
Throwing Muses' main period of intense activity ended after the 1996 Limbo album, though the band has regrouped on occasion, performing special "Gut Pageant" events in 2000 and 2001. They toured the U.S. and Europe briefly and released an album as recently as 2003. Kristin Hersh and Bernard Georges formed a new band, 50 Foot Wave, with drummer Rob Ahlers in 2003, when cofounding Throwing Muses drummer David Narcizo began to focus on his graphics design company. Narcizo has also released recordings in his own side musical project, Lakuna, on 4AD Records.
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Personnel
- Kristin Hersh: vocals, guitar (1983 – onwards)
- David Narcizo: drums (1983 – onwards)
- Bernard Georges: bass (1992 – onwards)
- Fred Abong: bass (1990–1991)
- Elaine Adamedes: bass, vocals (1983–1984)
- Becca Blumen: drums, vocals (1983)
- Tanya Donelly: vocals, guitar (1983–1991, guest in concerts and recording 2001 and 2003)
- Leslie Langston: bass (1985 – 1990, recording briefly 1992)
Discography
- Stand Up EP, 1984 (self-released 7")
- Doghouse Cassette, 1985 (self-distributed cassette)
- Untitled, 1986
- Chains Changed EP, 1987
- The Fat Skier, 1987 (seven-song mini-album)
- House Tornado, 1988
- Hunkpapa, 1989
- Dizzy EP, 1989
- The Real Ramona, 1991
- Counting Backwards EP, 1991
- Not Too Soon EP, 1991
- Red Heaven, 1992
- Firepile (part one) EP, 1992
- Firepile (part two) EP, 1992
- The Curse (live), 1992
- Bright Yellow Gun EP, 1994
- University, 1995
- Limbo, 1996
- Shark EP, 1996
- Ruthie's Knocking EP, 1996
- Live to Tape EP, 1997 (limited promotional release: 750 copies)
- Freeloader EP, 1997
- In A Doghouse (2 CD compilation), 1998
- Live in Providence, 2001
- Throwing Muses, 2003
References
- "Discography." (http://www.throwingmusic.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=15&page=1) Throwing Music Online. Retrieved Dec. 2, 2004.
- Haas, Marcel. "Throwing Muses Discography." (http://www.countingbackwards.com/albums.php) Counting Backwards. Retrieved Jun. 3, 2005.
- Kirkcaldie, Matthew (October 15, 1994). "Throwing Muses/Kristin Hersh Discography, Third Edition." (http://quimby.gnus.org/html/interview/ThrowingMuses.discograpy.html) Retrieved Dec. 2, 2004.
- Le, Vinh (1996–2005). "Tanya Donelly Timeline" (http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/1625/tanya_timeline.html). Vinh Le's Belly/Tanya Donelly Pages. Retrieved Apr. 26, 2005.
- "Number 4 of 2003 — Throwing Muses: Throwing Muses" (http://www.ninthspace.org/blog/archives/2004/08/08) (August 8, 2004). Ninth space. Retrieved Dec. 19, 2004.
- Phares, Heather. "Throwing Muses Biography." (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE47818DC4FAB7320C0803A45C4B772E007D755FB823E394B5DD3BA7F4B82006AF554E7868AE0A829F87DB0FD29BB580FD3CFA257FED6663E378DE6B61145&sql=11:p9n8b5n4tsqk~T1) All Music Guide. Retrieved Apr. 26, 2005.
- "Throwing Muses Discography" (http://quimby.gnus.org/html/group/throwingmuses.html). Eyesore. Retrieved Dec. 2, 2004.
Song samples
- Beestung fan site with Throwing Muses audio downloads (http://www.beestung.com)
- 4ad site audio samples (http://www.4ad.com/artists/throwingmuses/discography.html)
- Official website live and demo audio downloads (http://www.throwingmusic.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownload&cid=2)
External links
- Official website (http://www.throwingmusic.com/)
- Counting Backwards resource site (http://www.countingbackwards.com)
- Tour history (http://www.fedge.net/users/tmdisco/muses/)
- 4ad Throwing Muses pages (http://www.4ad.com/artists/throwingmuses/biography.html)
- Lyrics from Always on the Run site (http://www.alwaysontherun.net/throw1.htm)
- Red Eyes Throwing Muses and Kristin Hersh guitar tabs (http://www.thisship.com/kh.html)
- Guitar tabs at Passagen site (http://hem.passagen.se/sna/PopularTabs/Guitar/ThrowingMuses/)