Bob Mould on Bob Mould [Catalog Icon]

"...Sick of yourself, sick of yourself, sick of being someone else; I'm sick of myself, I'm sick of everything I am..."
(Anymore Time Between)

"...The 20th Century has not been particularly kind to me..."
(I Hate Alternative Rock)

"...You are not the person I expected to grow old with; you have changed your colors, and I am not your color..."
(Next Time That You Leave)

"...I'm a child, I'm a baby; I can change my mind like any other genius..."
(Egøverride)

"...Map begins to rip apart, I watch it falling to the floor..."
(Thumbtack)

"...When your mind begins to reconstruct the sadness into laughter maybe you can turn the karma into happy ever after..."
(Deep Karma Canyon)

"...Everything you hate is everything that you created."
(Art Crisis)

"...In this world, I've got no choice: there is nothing left at all; and you don't notice, but that's all right: you don't know what it's like..."
(Roll Over And Die)

[Album Cover] 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.

[Audio Icon] The first single from his new album, Bob Mould.
Egøverride Another single from the new album.
Next Time that You Leave

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 of success 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 more personal 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.

Want more Mould? Head here for catalog info on Sugar.

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