We had the chance to talk to Indie legend and all around good egg Kristin Hersh about her song writing process and music in general. You can see the results below! Kristin is on tour in Ireland as we speak and comes highly recommended. 

Irish Tour Dates:
Nov. 3 – Cork, Triskel Christchurch
Nov. 4 – Galway, Roisin Dubh
Nov. 5 – Limerick, Dolan’s Warehouse

Tell me about your song writing process, is there a particular place you like to write? Do you use a specific guitar?

I never write songs on purpose, I’ve just sort of “heard” them and then I copy them down. 50 Foot Wave songs are written on my SG or Les Paul, Throwing Muses songs on my Strat or Tele and solo on my Collings. My drummers tell me that’s a flawed system, but I like letting guitars make that call.

Do you have a special thinking hat/ other magical device that helps inspire you?

When I write books, I guess I light a candle like any other goofy hippie chick. But that’s probably because I write early in the morning and don’t want to wake anyone up by turning on lights. It does something to me, though. Like orients me to shifting light and glow in a way that suits writing which veers toward prose poetry.

Are you constantly writing songs or is it only in the run up to an album?

I wrote songs constantly from the time I sustained a double concussion in a car accident when I was a teenager until two years ago, when I was treated for PTSD and it stopped.

Do you see songwriting as a chore or is it a way to sort things out in your head?

It was a blessing and a curse.

Where do you start with a song, is it the lyrics or the tune?

Music first, then percussive melody become syllables.

Do you listen to much modern music? Any albums from the last few years that particularly grabbed you?

I listen through time like anyone else now that our soundtrack isn’t determined by marketing. So “new” to me can mean bands I’ve just discovered who did something wonderful once. Like Slint.

What musicians are your all time favourites? Who do you keep returning to?

I’ve always had so much music in my head that playing it in my house or my car felt chaotic.

Your new album has two discs and 24 songs. How long did it take to write/ record so much work?

4 or 5 years, but I recorded intermittently when I had the time and the money, which gave me the ability to listen. The luxury of listening was unknown to me when I recorded for labels. Now I can take 5 years to make a record or make 5 records a year 🙂

The album comes with a book with ‘essays and photography’ by yourself, your third book/CD release. Have you always been interested in photography?

As a shy person, I prefer use my cell phone as a camera. Not sure I’d call that “photography” 😉 You’re awfully kind.

You are often remembered for you duet with Michael Stipe. Is there any other singer you would like to perform with, living or dead?

US Maple has a cool take on deconstructing vocals and a nice vocal texture. But I just wait until I hear that a song needs a sound and then I’ll grab it, even if it’s in someone’s throat.

You are starting to work on some very different projects, with books, photography etc. What are you working on next?

Throwing Muses is technically in the studio in LA right now (even though I’m on the road in Ireland!), 50 Foot Wave just released “Bath White” which hasn’t yet been toured, a book of lyrics is on its way as well as the Rat Girl TV series, in early stages of development. And I signed a publishing deal for four more books in the next few years. I’m mostly a housewife, though. And not a very good one 😉