Kristin Hersh at Robert Smith’s Meltdown

Hersh formed her first band, the art-pun group Throwing Muses with her friend and step-sister Tanya Donelly at the age of just 14, gradually establishing them as part of the Boston music scene in the 1980s.

Sixteen years and seven albums later, Throwing Muses disbanded, largely owing to a lack of funds, but would reform in 2003. In the interim years Hersh continued to make music, both as a solo artist, but also as frontwoman of 50FootWave, who also continue to play.

Through her work with both bands, and her solo output, Hersh has maintained her own distinct approach to music, with often surrealist, stream-of-consciousness lyrics paired with convention-stretching guitar sounds.

In June 2018 Hersh brought a stripped back take on this approach – just her, her guitar and occasional appearances from cellist Martin McCarrick – to our Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of Robert Smith’s Meltdown. And as she prepared to perform at the festival, she sat down for this short interview with us.