There Goes MY Hero!

I remember when I first heard Husker Dü...it was the summer of 1984 and me and my friend Hank purchased Zen Arcade at the Listening Booth in the mall. We went back to Hank's house, put on the LP, and lit a joint. I must say that was one of the most trans-formative moments of my youth...The music that we heard was raw, honest and heartfelt--unlike most of the music that was played on the radio at that time.

In my opinion, Zen Arcade was up there with Duran Duran's Rio The Cure's The Top, Simple Minds' New Gold Dream..., and Prince's Dirty Mind. Though the artists I mentioned are all different, they were willing to make music that didn't sound like anything else before. Husker Dü managed to make music that captured my imagination and compelled me to LISTEN to the lyrics of a song rather than the beat or samples. The songs by Bob Mould were the ones that really caught my ear and my imagination. When I listened to his songs, I felt as if he was singing about me--but I guess that's one of the skills a good songwriter possesses. "Broken Home, Broken Heart" is still one of my all time favorite songs.

When I heard the band dissolved in 1986, I was heartbroken. I didn't think I would hear from Bob Mould again. Flash forward to 1993 and hear a familiar voice on the local alternative radio station...it's none other that Bob Mould fronting his new band, Sugar! I was stoked to hear the loud guitars and fantastic melodies once again--and Mould added a pop music element to the songs as well--Genius! But Sugar only lasted a few years and they broke up in 1995--at the height of their popularity. There are a lot bands that were influenced by Husker Dü such as Nirvana, the Pixies, and REM to name a few. Yes, Bob Mould is one of the godfathers of the modern alternative sound...and he deserves much more recognition.

This week, Mould is releasing his autobiography that chronicles his life journey from before Husker Dü to present day. I'm looking forward to this book because I have always felt as if Bob and I are kindred spirits...though he's more talented than me! I liked how he handled his coming out of the closet and that he's still making great music that still speaks to me.

Thank you Bob, for staying true to your vision and kicking out the jams! You are my hero!