Husker Du’s Mould peforms in Ann Arbor

By Lloyd Cargo, Daily Arts Writer

November 16, 2005

Bob Mould has finally begun to get the recognition he deserves as one of the best songwriters of the last 20 years. Most famous as a member of punk-pantheon band Husker Du, Mould has since led a fairly prolific solo career, written scripts for professional wrestling and led alt-rock pioneers Sugar. His most recent release was the well-received Body of Song, which saw him returning to the guitar-oriented sound of his first solo album, Workbook, after 2003 electronica experiment Modulate. He’ll further strip that sound at The Ark tonight, where he will perform a rare solo show.

After three months of touring with a four-piece band, Mould expressed excitement over the opportunity to play alone. “There are some songs that translate to the solo setting better than others, but a lot translate well. I’m looking forward to being able to delve deeper into my catalogue,” he said.

His latest, Body of Song, has been called a return to form after an ill-received electronica phase, but Mould maintains that electronic music and his monthly DJ gig in Washington, D.C. are still something he’s very interested in.

“Just spinning other people’s songs and seeing how they fit together informs (sic) how I write, so I was influenced by that stuff constantly.” On the response to Body of Song, Mould commented, “the album is a continuation of the electronic colors I was using on Modulate, but the guitars are more forward; perhaps a little more familiar to my previous work.”

Mould is also an ardent Internet supporter: “I was a pretty early adopter of the Internet, and I had a sense it would change everything.” Mould has a popular blog at modulate.blogspot.com that he claimed has “built goodwill and trust with my fans” and “will be a practical link to fans, and a great way to circumvent the record label in times of trouble.”

Mould also made sure to warn University students, “The Internet is the world’s biggest time-waster. Between porn and downloading music, you will never get any work done,” he said.

Tonight is an opportunity to catch Mould at an intimate venue where you can expect to hear songs from throughout his impressive career. It’s not often the punk legend steps out from behind his veil of wailing guitars and showcases his talents as a songwriter. Mould boldly promises, “At the very least you will walk out of the show humming and having bought a few CDs.”