2007年VOA标准英语-Kristin Hersh Releases New CD

By Larry London
Washington, D.C.
26 February 2007
 
watch Kristin Hersh report

From her early-1980s career with the Throwing Muses¹ to today, Kristin Hersh has truly defined the underground world of punk music.  Kristin stopped by VOA on her recent tour to talk about her new CD, "Learn To Sing Like A Star", and perform several songs.  Larry London has the story.

Kristin Hersh

Kristin Hersh broke into the punk scene as a teenager when she helped form the band Throwing Muses.  Her love of music has been the driving force in a 20-year-old career.

"My father taught me to play my guitar when I was nine years old,” she says. “I used up all the chords he knew and started making up my own.  Then, songs happened to me pretty hard.  They moved me in such a way that I couldn't stop playing music, which is unfortunate because I used to be smart."

Hersh found that her interest in science, in particular the study of biology, was not enough to tear her away from her passion for music.  She explains how, as a teenager, she started playing in New England nightclubs.

"I started "Throwing Muses" when I was 14.  They let us play clubs because ‘girls don't start fights’ apparently², and most of us were girls.  It was many years before we were legally allowed to play in these clubs where we played.  There was a lovely non-competitive atmosphere in Providence³ and Boston at the time we started.  Five or six bands would play in a night.  No headliner.  Just beautiful noise."

It would seem that music is a strange career choice for an admittedly shy person like Hersh.

"Well music isn't … dorks [uncool people] play music.  It's just that you can't be a musician without standing⁴ behind what you do with your face and your voice and your image.  I do.  I play the game to that extent.  Music is different from the music business.  Music has always been and will continue to be … because it's supposed to be spontaneous.  I'm not sure you're supposed to be rewarded financially for it.  I like it when the big fat ugly business at the top is so bad that independent musicians don't have that dangling⁵ carrot that says if you add a hook, if you add a chorus, maybe you can make money.  That attracts egos⁶ and greed.  I prefer to hang with the dorks underground who are maybe a little hungry [eager], but they do it out of love."

Hersh is still searching for someone to guide her musical direction.

"I wish somebody would impact me.  I don't understand music and I have never written a song on purpose.  I just hear them, (and) then copy them down and I almost wish I didn't.  I love music.  It's as close to religion as I can get.  But it's too big, too intense.  I was a biology major.  I wanted everything to make sense.

When I hear a sound only one person can make, I'll run and get it. The musicians who care let their voices be heard just because they're so beautiful somehow you can find them.”

1 muses   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的第三人称单数 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• We have listened too long to the courtly muses of Europe. 欧洲那种御用的诗才，我们已经听够了。 来自辞典例句
• Shiki muses that this is, at least, probably the right atmosphere. 志贵觉得这至少是正确的气氛。 来自互联网

2 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

3 providence   

n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝

参考例句：

• It is tempting Providence to go in that old boat.乘那艘旧船前往是冒大险。
• To act as you have done is to fly in the face of Providence.照你的所作所为那样去行事，是违背上帝的意志的。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 dangling   

悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口

参考例句：

• The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
• The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。

6 egos   

自我，自尊，自负( ego的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their egos are so easily bruised. 他们的自尊心很容易受到伤害。
• The belief in it issues from the puerile egos of inferior men. 这种信仰是下等人幼稚的自私意识中产生的。