Throwing Muses are an American alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Newport, Rhode Island, United States,[1] that toured and recorded extensively until 1997, when its members began concentrating more on other projects.

[1] Throwing Muses are known for performing music with shifting tempos, creative chord progressions, unorthodox song structures, and surreal lyrics.

Throwing Muses were formed in 1983 by Kristin Hersh and her stepsister Tanya Donelly, who were both attending Rogers High School.

[1] They initially called themselves "Kristin Hersh and the Muses",[2] in which they were accompanied by bass player Elaine Adamedes and drummer Becca Blumen, who later were replaced by Leslie Langston and David Narcizo, respectively.

In 1985, they released a set of demos, later known as "The Doghouse Cassette," garnering a number-one college radio hit, "Sinkhole" and extensive coverage in the local music press.

Demo producer Gary Smith of Fort Apache Studios led them to sign with 4AD, where they became the label's first American band.

Hersh has written the memoir Rat Girl about the year the band moved to Boston, was signed, and recorded their first album.

[1] In 1992, the band made a fresh start recording their fifth album Red Heaven[1] at The Power Station and Fort Apache Studios.

The album was produced by Throwing Muses and Steve Boyer, and also featured guest appearances by Leslie Langston and by Hüsker Dü frontman Bob Mould (the latter duetting with Hersh on the song "Dio").