Product description

Dark 1-man masterpiece from 1996 by Husker Du/Sugar man.

.com

Bob Mould's first solo album in six years (following the demise of Sugar) is unremittingly dark, direct, and brilliant. Entirely self-written, -performed, and -produced, the 11-song collection opens with Mould bellowing that he's "sick of myself, sick of everything I am" and ends with: "If I couldn't hold you I'd end it all." That last song is called "Roll Over and Die," if that helps provide a sense of the situation. In between, Mould rails with brutal bluntness about his personal and creative strife. Someone he "expected to grow old with" has broken his heart, and he's utterly grief-stricken. No matter how many times Mould insists he's "as useless as can be," and that what he creates is "bullshit," the urgency of such cathartic music argues to the contrary. --Steven Stolder

From the Label

We asked Bob Mould to talk a little about his new album...

"I have a preoccupation with words and sounds that some might say borders on the obsessive. This is nothing new to me. When I was five years old, my only way of coping with the world was to hide myself in a room and listen to mid-60's pop singles. I was obsessive to the point of being able to memorize every bit of label copy. I kept the AM radio tucked under the pillow at night, listening to stations from exotic and faraway places. New York City, Boston, Philadelphia: the cities faded in and out uncontrollably, depending on the weather.

I started writing music when I was nine, feeling like this was my only calling in life. 26 years later, I finally feel content with myself. I understand my obsession and recognize that it has left me here, with this current recording.

Making this record was something I've always wanted to do, by myself, for myself. I wrote every word, played every note, created the artwork. There is no distilling of the thoughts, no explanations to other musicians about the raw emotion; this is the sound inside my head. It's strange to share the result with others, mostly because I wasn't completely sure what I was doing, in an emotional and creative sense.

Since 1985, I've always created what people would commonly call "demos";usually, they've sounded as good, if not better, than the actual recorded-for-release versions. It's often said that the first recorded version of a song is the best because it captures the essence of the idea. It's more of an unconscious work. This album is the closest I've come to creating that style of document; the emphasis is more on composition and arrangement, and less on the dynamic interplay between writer and interpreters. I was aware of the trade-off when starting this project, and I hope the personal nature of the work more than makes up for any lack of group interplay.

I recognize that most people might not understand the conflicts and contradictions of the music business that have made themselves apparent to me over the last few years. Measures of success, lack of privacy, concern for the craft: I've hinted at how these issues have affected me in the past. I've always tried to be as honest as possible while attempting to maintain what little privacy I deserve. As a result, I've been accused of "making good copy" and that concerns me. I value my work too much and have too much pride in myself to remain unaffected by the cynics. I've found that some things I've said may not have been fully understood or appreciated in the public forum. This time around, I don't have much to add beyond this press release -- explanations don't seem appropriate, and they may not be necessary.

I appreciate the respect I've earned from people much more than the kind ofsuccess that's measured by sales and financial reward. SUGAR ended for various reasons, but in hindsight, I think the initial satisfaction of three like-minded people having fun with music may have turned into that quest for success. SUGAR began very organically, without a plan. We were three people who enjoyed each others' company and enjoyed playing music together. Somewhere along the way something changed. Obsessions interceded: sales, credibility, money, the competitive nature of the music business. Once the business gives you a taste of the spotlight, it's hard to let go of it. It's the elixir of fame, knowing that you have a gift for shaping peoples' perceptions of themselves and the world around them. It's a gift that should not be taken lightly. When external forces begin to elevate you too much, you can lose sight of the gift. Or, even worse, begin to use it as a weapon.

So, for me, this record ended up being something less complicated, and morepersonal and revealing. Compared to my previous work, this one is unique. It represents a natural step toward a new direction, and while I have no idea how long I'll stay with this approach, it's fun for now.

I have no desire to talk about myself every day for the next three months, nor do I feel any great need to perform these songs 100 times in the four months after the talking stops. I would prefer to continue writing and working toward the next record. Maybe then I'll feel the urge to run the gauntlet again, but not this year.

The thoughts and emotions of this record speak for themselves -- there's not much else I can add. Enjoy."