Detailed Throwing Muses Discography
K. Lena Bennett
about a year ago, so it might be lacking some really recent stuff, but
it's quite comprehensive.
**********************************************************************
>Sender: ne...@newsroom.utas.edu.au
OK, in response to the requests I had, here's the whole Throwing Muses
recording story as far as I have seen it, in chronological order.
1986: Throwing Muses consist of:
Kristin Hersh - lead voice, guitar
Tanya Donnelly - guitar, voice, percussion
Leslie Langston - bass, voice
David Narcizo - drums, voice
Kristin and Tanya are half-sisters. Kristin is married, and much
of her music deals with the horror and boredom of domestic life.
After about five years playing in the Boston, Ma area, they are
signed by UK indie label 4AD and release a self-titled album regarded by
many as their finest work.
CAD 607 _Throwing Muses_ produced by Gil Norton
call me / green (T) / hate my way / vicky's box / rabbit's dying
america (she can't say no) / fear / stand up / soul soldier /
delicate cutters
[here, as in all the entries, a (T) after a song indicates that
it was written and sung by Tanya Donnelly]
BAD 701 _Chains Changed_ produced by Gil Norton
finished / reel (T) / snail head / cry baby cry
This EP is pretty hard to get now (I'm told) but I think Reprise
are going to include it on the re-released CD of the debut album.
Note that the UK CD of _Throwing Muses_ does not include it.
CAD 703 _Lonely Is An Eyesore_ 4AD compilation album
This has "Fish" (released also in a different form on some
compilation from C'est La Mort records), a line from which is
the album title...it's worth getting for the various artists on it.
MAD 706 _The Fat Skier_ produced by Mark van Hecke
garoux des larmes / pools in eyes (T) / a feeling / soap and water /
and a she-wolf after the war / you cage / soul soldier
The version of "Soul Soldier" here is on a side of its own and
is extremely long due to recorded studio chatter (including a
backwards tape of people talking about kites!) and had an
art-house video made by a friend of the band for her art project.
The other 6 tracks are on one side which is 33rpm (while the
"Soul Soldier" side is 45).
CAD 802 _House Tornado_ produced by Gary Smith
colder / mexican women / river (T)/ juno / marriage tree / run letter /
saving grace / drive / downtown / giant (T) / walking in the dark
The UK CD of this album includes all of the A-side of _The Fat Skier_,
i.e. the whole album except for the long version of "Soul Soldier".
Don't know why it was left off...there's plenty of room on the disc!
(Maybe for diehard collectors to feel special)
CAD 901 _Hunkpapa_ produced by Gary Smith
devil's roof / bea / dizzy / no parachutes / dragonhead (T)
say goodbye / fall down / I'm alive / angel (T) / mania
the burrow / take
The album loved and loathed in equal numbers. "Dizzy" was a bit
of a silly song, but it *did* get them a much wider audience.
UK CD includes "Santa Claus" from the "Dizzy" single release.
BAD 903 "Dizzy" produced by Gary Smith
dizzy (single mix) / santa claus / mania / downtown
"Mania" and "Downtown" were recorded live at the Town and Country
Club, London, 1st May 1988. At this concert they were supported
by Pixies (!) and the live tracks on Pixies' single "Gigantic"
were recorded at the same concert.
During 1990 the band went on a punishing round of touring which
left them huge financial troubles and exhaustion. Leslie Langston decided
to leave because she was marrying the guy who did lighting on the tour.
She was replaced by Fred Abong. The Wolfgang Press' album _Queer_ features
Leslie's inimitable bass style as well as some singing. Listen to "Honey
Tree"...great!
BAD 1001 "Counting Backwards" produced by Dennis Herring and Throwing Muses
counting backwards / amazing grace / same sun / cottonmouth
"Amazing Grace" is the old song...done brilliantly!
Note: I think "Same Sun" and "Cottonmouth" are two of the most
brilliant tracks Kristin has put her name to...but _House
Tornado_ is still far and away my favourite.
CAD 1002 _The Real Ramona_ produced by Dennis Herring
counting backwards / him dancing / red shoes / graffiti / golden thing
ellen west / dylan / hook in her head / not too soon (T)
honeychain (T) / say goodbye / two step (Throwing Muses)
"Say Goodbye" is a huge extension of the acoustic fragment on
_Hunkpapa_ and is very different in feel, pretty apocalyptic.
On this album, only the lyrics to "Two Step" were printed, as
opposed to the previous releases which had at least part of
every song.
BAD 1015 "Not Too Soon" produced by Dennis Herring and Throwing Muses
not too soon (T) / red shoes (remix) / cry baby cry / dizzy (version)
"Cry Baby Cry" is the John Lennon / Paul McCartney song from the
Beatles' _White Album_ (?), as opposed to the Kristin Hersh original
song of the same name on _Chains Changed_. Two singles off one album?
The plot was thickening.
Tanya Donnelly, who had been involved in the Breeders and a This
Mortal Coil project as well, announced her long-secret decision to quit
Throwing Muses. This had been decided before the tour which accompanied
_The Real Ramona_ and was seen as the only way of preserving the relationship
between Kristin and Tanya. Kristin, meanwhile, had had a very ugly custody
battle for her son Dylan (of whom the song "Dylan" is a "portrait in sounds"
as she described it) in which she lost, due to the instability of working in
a touring band. The Musicians' Union brought a law suit claiming royalties
owed to them from Throwing Muses performances in just about every US state,
and with debts of about $30 000 she decided that the band could not die.
The original idea was for Kristin and David Narcizo to continue as Khulli
Loach, but it turned out that the name was already being used by another band,
and the associations with the old name were worthwhile (and, as principal
songwriter and singer, she had every right to use it).
Tanya took Fred Abong with her to her new band Belly, while David
and Kristin enlisted the help of Leslie Langston to make another album,
which Kristin says "had to be made" because of the relief songwriting gives
her. Kristin has suffered from bipolar disorder for many years (manic
depression in the old terms) and, though controlled, it has provided the
spark for much of her work.
BAD 2012 "Firepile" EP (Part One) produced by Throwing Muses
firepile / manic depression / snailhead / city of the dead
"Manic Depression" is an instrumental cover of the Hendrix
classic (surely tongue in cheek!) while "Snailhead" is the song
from "Chains Changed".
BADD 2012 "Firepile" EP (Part Two) produced by Throwing Muses
firepile (remix) / jak / ride into the sun / handsome woman
"Jak" is by Peter Prescott (origin?). "Ride Into the Sun"
is an instrumental cover of a song by the Velvet Underground.
CAD 2013 _Red Heaven_ produced by Throwing Muses
furious / firepile / dio / dirty water / stroll / pearl / summer st /
vic / backroad / the visit / dovey / rosetta stone / carnival wig
Leslie Langston plays bass. Bob Mould (of Husker Du fame) sings on
"Dio". For all you doubters, this album IS worth having, and it
grows like crazy...it's a step away from commercialism, and Kristin's
songwriting is very strong, even if David's drumming is a bit
pedestrian. Initial copies of the album came with...
KH 1 Kristin Hersh Live at Maxwell's, Hoboken
juno / marriage tree / pearl / stand up | dovey | mexican women /
run letter / soap and water / rabbit's dying / cry baby cry /
counting backwards | handsome woman / take / soul soldier / bea /
delicate cutters
Just Kristin and an acoustic guitar...spellbinding and also interesting
for the way songs sound stripped right down...better in some cases,
different in most. "Cry Baby Cry" is, of course, her own song.
Next Throwing Muses release is the live album coming out on a label called
Guernica in November. I can't wait! (and I'd BETTER be able to get it here
in Tasmania, or there will be trouble.)
Well, that's wasted a big chunk of time. I would add the side projects stuff
like Belly and the Breeders but I'm done for now...I'll post the other stuff
tomorrow, I think. By the way, Fred has left Belly to be replaced by...
Leslie Langston. Make your minds up!
Any mail is welcome, especially Muses things I don't know of!
Matthew Kirkcaldie (now very tired)