However a few of singer/guitarist Bob Mould‘s greatest music occurred after Hüsker Dü – as evidenced by his work with Sugar and as a solo artist all through the ’90s. And he continues to supply up memorable and impressed music to at the present time, as evidenced by his fifteenth solo effort total, Right here We Go Loopy.
Mould spoke with AllMusic a month earlier than the March 7, 2025 launch of Right here We Go Loopy, and was up for having a look again all through his profession, in addition to the story behind his newest solo effort.
It has been 4 years between Right here We Go Loopy and your final launch, Blue Hearts. Why so lengthy?
“I believe, like a lot of the world, I obtained a bit of knocked off my regular cycle. Sometimes, my cycles for my total grownup life, give or take just a few months right here and there, is months of writing a report, then a time period to report a report, then, {that a} bizarre time period the place I’ve turned in my homework, however no one will get to have a look at it. And that is the interval that you simply and I are in at the moment – the press and the all that stuff. After which there’s the discharge, after which there is a tour. So, Blue Hearts had a plan that was constructed precisely that approach, however with out touring, the whole lot form of froze in place.”
“I’m the type of musician who actually appreciates performing and getting suggestions on new materials, and I form of misplaced that a part of my MO for what, a few yr and a half. I do not assume I used to be in a position to get out and do reveals till the autumn of ’21. So, spending a lifetime in that type of repetitive cycle and having it damaged, I used to be a bit of bit little bit misplaced with, ‘I ponder if these things’s any good?’ That final little little bit of suggestions was lacking. I used to be writing via ’20 and ’21 with some blended outcomes. I used to be a bit preoccupied with different stuff. Y’know, staying alive I assume being the principle one. So I believe that is a part of the drag in time.”
“I imply, I believe the stuff that I used to be writing throughout that interval wasn’t…I had a pair good songs – ‘Respiration Room’ was an early track, ‘When Your Coronary heart Is Damaged’ was a fairly early track. However it wasn’t top quality output all the way in which round. Simply in a time like that, I’ve discovered from expertise, for those who rush it, it is in all probability not going to be your greatest work. So, simply wait. Simply hold working and it will all come into focus. And thru ’22 and thru ’23, I used to be out doing numerous solo electrical work and attempting out new stuff.”
“Type of rebuilding that reference to the viewers and getting an excellent sense of how Blue Hearts hit them, how the brand new materials that I used to be enjoying was becoming subsequent to the catalog. And that was the type of stuff that was lacking. So after I was getting that, then the whole lot begins to line up a bit of bit higher. I do know that is a brilliant lengthy reply to a quite simple query, however it was a protracted break. I used to be tremendous busy with touring in ’22/’23, and a good bit of ’24. It is simply now that it feels just like the cycles are again. The cycle, so to talk, is again in place.”
Let’s focus on the observe “Right here We Go Loopy” and its video.
“The video was shot and directed by a gentleman named Gus Black. And the brand new report firm, effectively, the brand new mother or father firm, BMG, had labored with Gus prior to now. I noticed a bunch of his work and actually linked with it. And Gus and I talked for like an hour and mentioned, ‘Yeah, let’s attempt to make this video. Let’s do that, and do that, and possibly try this if we now have a bit of further time.’ We shot the whole lot within the totally different desert places in Southern California. And I believe Gus did an incredible job. It is a very cool video. I had numerous enjoyable working with him.”
“The track itself, effectively, it is the title observe. And very like the title observe from Sunshine Rock, or the title observe from Sgt. Pepper, it was…because the recording was wrapping up, it grew to become fairly clear to me that that could be the opening for the report. I had different songs in thoughts to be the opener, however that one turned out actually nice, and it felt like the easiest way to introduce individuals to the remainder of the album. To form of set a time and a spot and a location and a sentiment. It is identical to that, ‘We hope you’ll benefit from the present’ type of factor.”
“When Your Coronary heart Is Damaged” I believed is a standout observe on the album, too.
“That is an excellent one. That is an on the spot traditional for me, proper? Mid-tempo, super-pop catchy guitars with super-depressing lyrics. [Laughs] That is form of my specialty, I assume. However ‘Right here We Go Loopy’ is fascinating, as a result of it is numerous like, small snapshots of what I have been as much as the previous few years, and issues that I am simply attempting to form of set this huge open area for individuals. And simply exhibiting individuals bodily places, specific objects that come to thoughts, recurring themes.”
“The title is, gosh, possibly I ought to put a slogan mark on ‘Right here We Go Loopy,’ in order that some chain restaurant would not steal it. [Laughs] However it’s a kind of titles, proper? It is a good one and who knew by placing out the observe on January eighth, that it will be considerably well timed in a common sense. I did not see that coming.”
I’ve all the time discovered the ’90s to be a really fascinating a part of your profession, together with Sugar and your solo work. What do you recall about that period specifically?
“If I take a look at ’89/’90 – Workbook and Black Sheets of Rain –Workbook was positively an announcement of intent. ‘I’m not simply the man from Hüsker Dü.’ Black Sheets to me was form of a reimagining of what [bassist] Tony Maimone and the late [drummer] Anton Fier dropped at Workbook, and what all of the touring from Workbook obtained us to this heavier, louder model. And that was Black Sheets. And after that report ran its course and I parted methods with Virgin Information, the objective in 1991 to me was to simply begin writing what I hoped could be the very best report I may probably write.”
“I used to be on the highway, always doing solo acoustic reveals. I’d play for 3 weeks and check out new materials. I would go dwelling for a pair weeks, write extra stuff. I would return out for one more three weeks. And this was all form of planting seeds for what was to return. That is the understanding the fabric in entrance of the individuals to gauge what’s good and what’s not. After which by the tip of ’91 it grew to become clear to me which report firms would have an interest, what sort of construction would work.”
“And January ’92 is me and David Barbe and Malcolm Travis – the three of us rehearsing and studying 30 songs at the back of a tire store in Downtown Athens, Georgia, with the intent of constructing the third Bob Mould solo album. And we obtained requested to do a present at 40 Watt the night time earlier than we began heading as much as suburban Boston, to report the album. And determined we should always give it a band title, and we got here up with the title Sugar. That is form of how that every one began.”
“The subsequent three years was a whirlwind. I knew Copper Blue and Beaster have been actually good information. I did not foresee being the beneficiary of, y’know, I assume the wave of grunge that basically picked up steam when Nevermind got here out. And I believe, form of ‘reverse engineering’ why that report was profitable – it will take you to the Pixies, that will take you to Hüsker Dü. As like, only a small proportion of what made that report nice. I believe the roads have been already paved in a approach.”
“I didn’t see the moment success of Sugar because it was occurring. I imply, the second I assume I knew, was we did a pair reveals in London in late July/early August of ’92, and one among them was at ULU – the College of London Scholar Union Constructing. And it was only a fully unhinged, insane present. Components of the PA falling into the gang, nutty stage diving – simply insanity that I hadn’t seen in years. And I may form of really feel it – ‘That is taking off, and we have not even put the report out.’ In order that was fairly thrilling.”
“We ran arduous and quick. In ’94, the recording of File Underneath Straightforward Listening, I used to be working so quick that I did not have a very superb report written. However, we went with what we had. After which by the tip of ’94, the band was wrapping up. And I believe our final present was in Sendai, Japan in January of ’95. After which I retreated quietly, understanding that that venture was achieved. I stored writing music. Recorded an album – a few of it at dwelling, a few of it in a small studio in Austin – and that grew to become the eponymous album that numerous us name Hubcap.”
“I didn’t intend to tour on that report. The ask from Pete Townshend to open a pair reveals of his in New York within the spring of ’96 obtained me eager about getting out and dealing once more, and went out and did numerous solo touring. After which ’98 was The Final Canine and Pony Present, and by the point I obtained there, I used to be beginning to get stressed for one thing new in my very own life. Not my skilled life, however my private life. I had moved again to New York Metropolis and was integrating with the LGBTQ neighborhood greater than I ever had. So I used to be enriching my life in that course, and thought, ‘Possibly this might be an excellent time to cease being solely the rock man who’s on the highway in a van for his complete life.'”
“And in order that that notion of stepping away from rock touring with that report, that was 100% in earnest, that I simply felt like, ‘I am gonna take a break right here, and I am gonna construct this different life that I by no means actually took the time to construct.’ I believe that is it in a nutshell. There’s the professional wrestling stuff within the fall of ’99 via spring of 2000 – that form of ran parallel to my homosexual life in New York, my curiosity in digital music. A variety of issues have been shifting. To go write professional wrestling [music] and begin writing digital music, that ultimately led me to DJing for a lot of the aughts. I knew I wished to vary, I did not know what kind it will precisely take, however it all got here collectively fairly effectively. Naturally, I believe.”
The Sugar track “Your Favourite Factor” is a ’90s alt-rock traditional. What do you recall about writing that track?
“Actual tremendous riff, tremendous catchy. I do not assume that one took lengthy to jot down. That may have been like, a half hour track. Which, numerous the great ones are. However I simply thought it was a very cool signature riff. It is form of in that traditional ‘Sugar tempo’ – y’know, the 120s to 130s. Simply these form of arduous driving 4 on the ground pop songs. The lyrics, there’s nothing revelatory within the phrases. However hopefully the way in which that they have been constructed is fascinating. Good track, although.”
Earlier than you mentioned one thing that I completely agree with: “The roads have been already paved” earlier than Nirvana’s Nevermind hit. As a result of I’ve all the time felt that bands such because the Pixies, REM, Hüsker Dü, and a number of other others from the 80s positively helped set the stage for different rock’s large breakthrough within the early ’90s. Do you see that on the time?
“I believe I noticed it when Sugar obtained actually large. I used to be like, ‘Oh yeah, we did this.’ [Laughs] On the danger of the sound of me patting myself on the again being louder than my voice. And I imply Mudhoney, Meat Puppets…there’s so many issues that obtained into Nevermind, proper? However yeah, I believe I knew, by the point Sugar was blowing up that if I had any doubts about what possibly had occurred prior to now, then I believe that was form of like, ‘Oh yeah. That is proper.‘”
What have been your impressions of listening to Nevermind for the primary time?
“Nicely, I had the demos as a result of I used to be in rivalry for producing the report. I didn’t have the demo of ‘Teen Spirit’ – I do not know if there was one, and I do not know if anyone obtained it, if there was. However I keep in mind sitting with Gary Gersh at Geffen, and it got here up. Historical past went the way in which it did, and it was completely the precise approach. Butch Vig was any individual that I labored with again in ’84. Butch is superb. And it was an ideal match for what the songs on Nevermind have been. And the whole lot went precisely because it ought to. [Laughs] Y’know, Butch does that, they blow up, after which it is form of like, ‘Oh, now I’ve obtained this E-ZPass for the toll highway I could have had a hand in constructing.'” [Laughs]
How vital was MTV and 120 Minutes for alt-rock artists within the ’90s?
“MTV, usually – and Matt Pinfield and 120 Minutes, particularly – did a lot to raise all of us that have been making that type of guitar-driven music within the early ’90s. It was so vital. There have been different reveals earlier than it – a present again within the ’80s, The Chopping Edge. I keep in mind that as a result of there was one episode, it was the primary time the Smiths have been on TV in America, I believe. There was one thing with Morrissey speaking.
I keep in mind going to see Stone Temple Pilots in 2000 or one thing with a good friend. And after like, the thirteenth track, I checked out my good friend like, ‘These are all Stone Temple Pilots songs?’ I had heard all of those songs eternally, however I did not know who they have been.
“And that very same episode, Hüsker Dü was on, as effectively. There was form of a trampoline or basis being set already earlier than 120 Minutes. However yeah, 120 Minutes was the place that every one of us wished to be. It was the place the place everybody discovered about new music. It was the way in which to get there. No query about it.”
“There have been numerous radio stations that had been round. Faculty stations, after which stations like WLIR in New York. So, that was all a part of constructing the firmament, as effectively. It was a protracted course of. It did not simply occur out of skinny air. And WBCN, and Matt was DJing down in South Jersey. So, that late ’80s via ’91/’92, all of that was essential infrastructure, as effectively. It is simply humorous – you realize this and I do know this – however there’s form of a ‘mainstream historical past,’ like, ‘There was all this hair metallic, after which Nevermind got here, and it modified.’ There was lots of people who did numerous work to get to that time.”
Who’re a few of your favourite ’90s alt-rock artists?
“Not many. [Laughs] I imply, I’ve numerous respect for Pearl Jam and Nirvana. I keep in mind going to see Stone Temple Pilots in 2000 or one thing with a good friend. And after like, the thirteenth track, I checked out my good friend like, ‘These are all Stone Temple Pilots songs?’ I had heard all of those songs eternally, however I did not know who they have been.”
“In the course of the ‘Sugar years,’ the bands that jumped out to me would have been my UK label mates, like Swervedriver. Or the Boo Radleys, who came to visit and toured with Sugar. However the largest one to me was My Bloody Valentine. I hold ready for any individual to prime Loveless. There have been information since then which have gotten near that stage…however that was like a beacon of sunshine of what may be achieved with this kind. So, that will be the one which I’d all the time go to.”
“Swervedriver being up there on the prime, as effectively. The way in which that Adam [Franklin] and Jimmy [Hartridge] strategy songwriting and placing stuff collectively and the sounds of their information was actually sensible, as effectively. It was simply the guitar interaction, Adam’s voice, the songwriting was actually advanced…however it stayed actually catchy. And I knew about these guys from like, ’88, once they have been known as Shake Attraction – as a result of they despatched me the demos that grew to become Son of Mustang Ford. I am going approach again with them, and I am an enormous fan. I all the time sing their praises. And so they obtained new stuff – the brand new stuff is fairly cool, too. There is a observe that got here out possibly three weeks in the past. It is nonetheless obtained the entire earmarks. So, it is nice.”
What can followers anticipate from the upcoming tour?
“The touring for ‘Right here We Go Loopy’ within the US, it is precisely what you’d anticipate. It is me, and me and the rhythm part which have been on the final six information. It is simply going to be a pleasant celebration of this report. I’d counsel that it will likely be a celebration of all six information that we recorded collectively. I would wish to put the highlight on that – which the three of us did collectively, and simply actually focus into that. I imply, I’ve obtained a deep catalog – solo, Sugar, Hüsker Dü. I believe the meat and potatoes of the tour would be the six information that we made. And I believe the whole lot else will in all probability…do not quote me on this! [Laughs] Simply kidding – I believe these different parts of my songbook, that’ll be the spice, not the meat of it.”