I am 44, and have been a TM/KH/50FW fan from the age of 14. I feel like we grew up together, and as much as I have loved other artists, she is everything to me. This interview is exceptional in its honesty, integrity and vulnerability. As a fan of 30 years this is one of the most incredible interviews I have heard. She has never failed to amaze, comfort, surprise and inspire me. My own shyness and respect for her would never allow me to approach her and tell her what she means to me. But she’s everything. 💚 -A
It’s one thing to buy music after its made. It’s totally another thing to say “Here’s some cash, go make some more music.” This is believing in someone, believing in the person and process. This is putting your money where your mouth is. (You can quote me).*wink* I truly smile when my deduction comes out of my account. Feels good to be a part of the larger effort. Feels good to walk the talk. -S
Kristin,
It is so refreshing to come across an individual (nevertheless famous) who shows their gratitude and heartfelt appreciation, I thank you for that! Also, knowing the illness that you have struggled with has given me (i have severe depression with anxiety) the strength and courage to persevere in my life. You are truly an inspiration and although I was not introduced to your music until I met my husband (a well devoted fan), I quickly fell in love with your story and life outlook. It is no surprise to me that you have many devoted fans, you deserve more, and I hope you realize that you are as special to us as we may be to you.
-H
I saw Muses at Mabel’s in ’89. I was 20. Friends left. “Too weird.” I stayed. Step one in being who I really am. Thank YOU.
xo
-K
Thank you, Kristin. You, your various bandmates, and your songs have been a huge part of my life for nearly 20 years now.
-R
We KH diggers are evil – we wield (as Beefheart said) kindly whips? that we yell “Where’s Kristin?” really quite often (we do!) if our desire for fannish news is not kept satisfied and we howl “give us product!” at any and every opportunity?
Well, ok – and contribute stunned replies like this – that even now are no doubt crippling your server…(for which i apologise, long day, noisy class, am covered in kid friendly paint and glue and junk, but the kids came off worst. Ha! Eat that, parents that aren’t me!)
live on, you and all the crew,
-W
I like to think of it as a cyclical relationship; we are grateful to you for sharing this amazing creativity with us, and you are grateful to us for loving it! Lets hope we manage to keep this is synch for many years to come xxxx
-V
I keep typing things and they all sound dumb so imma make it simple…thank you for music. It makes things better 🙂
-E
Thank YOU, Kristin, for making music that has resonated, inspired and been the soundtrack of my life since I first saw the Muses open for REM back in 1988. I’ve made it clear many times that you have influenced me creatively and resounded in my head in such a profound way that these vignettes you create will forever be moments in my life that I’ll remember until my last breath.
-K
The pleasure I get from being a Strangel is impossible to quantify. The rewards are, umm, immense! or possible greater than that….
Very best wishes – look forward to hearing more (& seeing you?) soon,
-A
Ok… this is weird. Every now and then, lately – even this morning, when I was choosing something to listen to, I’ve been thinking about how your songs, Throwing Muses songs and ALL your Music has become a nice source of pleasure throughout the years. One of the Voices that always has remained through all different times in my life – we are more or less the same age, I suppose.
I do not financially support you as much as I would love too. But I’m quite convinced that I will always keep on trying to listen to you as much as I can, and buying your stuff as well, of course. All your records have a very special place in my records’ collection.
Anything I can do to spread the word, just let me know! I’ll do it gladly!
So, how should I put it? Oh, I know:
I love and value you. I am endlessly grateful. You are huge in my life. Too.
xo
-F
You inspire and amaze me. Your music has been so meaningful to my life for years and years and I just recently started following you on twitter and Facebook. Through these, i feel like i’ve gotten to know you a little as a person too (and the book helped). I am also a mother of boys and am constantly amazed at how you are able to juggle motherhood and your work. I think you are wonderful. Thanks for your work and for sharing it with us.
XO,
-M
Dear Kristin,
Thanks for holding a torch simply by doing what you do and being yourself, lady. Your work inspires me to keep doing mine. I’m smiling and laughing and feeling not at all alone in the world. Keep rocking, awesome precious human.
Love,
-A
Dear K,
I can’t speak for everybody, but having your music in my everyday rotation has gotten me through some hard times as well as good times. You are greatly loved.
Thank you Kristin!
Your music….there are no words to describe how important it is in all of it’s incarnations to me.
Your Listener,
-H
Hi,
I want to send you a thank you.
I was in a very serious accident on 9/19 (hit by a van while walking across 5th avenue).
I am up & walking (albeit slowly). Have a concussion, various contusions & 5 fractured ribs.
My thank you = your music. I had a really hard time finding anything I could listen to that didn’t hurt my head or make me too sad but your music has really helped. Smart enough that I don’t get bored & sweet enough that it doesn’t hurt my head. So – thank you!
Love to you both & hope to see you soon,
-Y
Dear K,
Through my Turbulent Twenties, Flirty Thirties and now in my dotage, amidst skies nearly bursting with colorful, pulsating, exhaustively-cultivated stars, there was always the brightest one, dipping her bloody hand into Pandora’s box, pulling out something wretched and wet, holding it up to my face with one hand — shaking it like a Terrier — and in the other hand holding a small, gilt-edged vanity mirror. “Look how ugly your face is when you hate this thing,” the mirror says, and for a moment, I get even uglier for beholding my own ugliness. “You know, you don’t HAVE to be ugly,” you seem to be saying with a shrug.
I don’t know HOW you consistently manage to turn grim chimera into precious keepsakes, and I’m not sure I want to know. If you have to explain a joke, it’s not funny after all. I’m just so grateful that you’ve been in my life for 20+ years, holding up that horrid little mirror, but smiling behind it, saying, “Yah, I hate all that shit too. People fuckin’ suck dude, and Pandora’s box is filled with nothing but people. But look, if you view it through this kaleidoscope or check its rainbow refractions in this cool prism I found, it’s STILL kinda pretty, right? You have to admit that. Also, it’s kinda funny. Hilarious, actually.”
“Yah, okay. I guess. I see,” I allow, begrudgingly at first. Then I’m shocked to glance into the mirror again and find a tiny twitch of a smile on my face. Dorian Grey with a twinkle in his eye. The works of Kafka as translated by David Sedaris.
You continue: “This is a really bad movie we’re watching. The script is awful, the acting execrable, and the director clearly had no direction. I’m gonna make us some tea and orange slices and we’re going to sit right down and MST3K the SHIT outta this bitch! C’mon. Cheer up. It’s FUNNY! But only if you want it to be.”
Cheer up, indeed. Why I oughta … but I ain’t gonna.
Love,
-T
Dear Kristin,
I am a 25 year old musician who suffers from Bipolar Disorder. I have been a huge fan of your music since I was a teenager and have just finished reading Paradoxical Undressing. It was the most engaging and sincere story I have ever read. Never have I felt the ability to identify with a main character so intimately. The way you expressed your experience with Bipolar, they were the words I have always looked for when trying to understand my own illness. I’ve recommended your book to many of my friends who suffer from Bipolar and are cursed with a creative drive that never ceases to dispense explosions of ugly beauty. You are a REAL inspiration, and I would not normally write the ‘rockstar worship’ letter, but I make the exception here. Because you are real, not part of this phony world.
-S
Hi,
I just finished Rat Girl, which my sister gave me for Christmas. The same sister, Cookie, who sent me a copy of that first demo tape in 1985, I was 15 living in Burlington, Iowa, a Mississippi river blue collar town. I’ll never forget your voice and how it affected my peers and how I felt solace in your sound. You scared them more than Jello Biafra! Throwing Muses taught me a lot about the beauty I searched for as a young adult. So thanks.
Love,
-B
Dear Kristin,
Thank you for sharing your memoir through Rat Girl.
I’ve just finished the last page and am overwhelmed by your honest, humorous, painful and exceptional well written report of a year you’ll probably will take with you forever.
Your book put a smile on my face, made me feel both sad and happy at the same time, enlightened my view on bipolar disease, gave me an in depth view on the songwriting and recording processes, and made me stay up because page-turning i just couldn’t stop reading. It makes your work both educational and fun to read.
In my classes for young musicians i will most definitely quote from your work in order to give these kids the opportunity to learn from it.
Thank you again and all the best for 2012. Hope to be able to visit one of your shows.
With musical greetings,
-J
Kristin,
I first heard the Throwing Muses via the 4AD compilation, lonely is an eyesore, which had this strange song ‘fish’. That song stuck in my head and seemed so different to everything else at the time. It led me to the Throwing Muses albums that followed and then, much later, to your solo albums. I came to see your recent gig at Manchester and loved it. An age since the last time.
I love music, have plenty of people to thank, but never do. But I really wanted to thank you for so much great music for so long now. To the best singer song-writer I know.
-P