Having had the privilege of reviewing the brand new album from Bob Mould and being so impressed with it that I’d rank it right at the top of the man’s solo output having had it on constant rotation for a couple of months I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity of seeing the guy play the pack room venue of Rough Trade Bristol on a Sunday afternoon the weekend the album is released. Cue the hottest sold-out room imaginable, even with the air-con working over time it was akin to being dumped into a sauna with 180 like-minded folk all having forgone their Sunday Lunch to be here for some sonic sustenance and a sermon according to Bob Mould.
Bob ambled on stage right on cue and proceeded to spend the next forty-five minutes wringing the neck of his guitar and sounding bigger and louder than 99.9% of bands with his one-man electric guitar assault. ‘The War’ opened proceedings before he dove into the archive and dished up a wonderful Husker Du classic in ‘Flip Your Wig’ but I wanted to hear some of the songs that have peppered the ether around HQ for weeks and so four of the next five tracks were as familiar to my ears as the Husker Du tracks he offered up. ‘Hard To Get’, the title track and the magnificent ‘Neanderthal’ followed each other into the red-hot Rough Trade Sauna Room. ‘Breathing Room’ was inappropriate because, by the midway point, there didn’t seem to be much oxygen in the building not with Mould cooking it. We were also treated to ‘Too Far Down’ and ‘Celebrity Summer’ from the hymn book of Husker Du but there was a poignant moment when Mould offered the Bristol audience an apology on behalf of the sane portion of his home nation with all the madness that’s coming out of the White House currently. It wasn’t needed because most if not all present are behind Mould but ‘When Your Heart Is Broken’ seemed appropriate but hopeful that things can and will change.
As we headed into the home straight and Mould headed outside for some air and to cap off this matinee performance with 180 signatures of his new record he entertained us with a magnificent rendition of ‘Hoover Dam’ before ending the show with a devastating ‘Makes No Sense At All’. It was then great to show Mould our appreciation personally and the chance to thank him for a stunning new LP my only disappointment is we won’t get the chance to do this again soon and/or hear these songs with a full band but we can wait for that. If you get the chance to catch any of his up-and-coming shows my advice be it full band or Bob and his electric guitar take it with both hands you absolutely won’t be disappointed. Bob Mould and ‘Here We Go Crazy’ rocked. Now, if only they had dry clothes facilities and a towel down it would have been perfect.
Album number bazillion from alt-rock noisemaker and all-round legend Bob Mould. Often his records are slow brain bombs that burrow in, hunker down then one by one they explode into technicolour and can’t be cured by conventional remedies or medical help you just have to live with them and enjoy them a little more every play. ‘Here We Go Crazy’ has sort of dropped from out of nowhere. His last album ‘Blue Hearts’ was released in 2020 I’m finding that hard to believe to be honest because I’ve played it consistently since its release and his box sets ‘Distortion’ isn’t far from my record player either.
For the uninitiated Mould came out of the Hardcore scene with Husker Du and became a firm favourite in the counter-culture music scene often sighted as a big influence on many bands that followed. Mould has carried that burning Hardcore soul inside throughout his career but has settled into the elder statesman of the alt scene with his strong melodies tied to some very loud guitars and his music is a feast when you latch on and drink it all in. From Husker Du to Sugar to his solo work the guy has high standards and is showing no sign of slowing down or losing the passion that drives his music.
‘Here We Go Crazy’ on the first play sounded raging and bursting with highlights, there is an energy that hasn’t been so instant. You wouldn’t say Mould has ever been a “singles” artist but boy this record has plenty jumping out of the speakers. The second track ‘Neanderthal’ is epic in the best possible way it rolls in like a streamlined jet fighter on one of Mould’s huge riffs as the snare snaps and snarls like a rabid dog, Bloody fantastic and almost breathtaking as it swoops down and fills your ears with the sharpest riffs.
It’s full of comforting familiarities and envelopes the listener with a warm wholesome feeling that no matter if the world is on fire and turning into a despotic shit show some things can ground you and one of those is the sound of a warm melody courtesy of Bob Mould. ‘Breathing Room’ is majestic its like a proud Dad giving a child a warm embrace – Mid tempo, big guitar, even bigger floor tom thump and a wall of harmony that’s simply awesome.
I often try and temper my excitement when listening to albums I’ve been anticipating just incase my first reaction is not one of gratifying enjoyment or a few plays in I still wrestle with the album and the flow but this is none of that it’s reaching every preconceived high bar and continuing to get better the more I live with it. Hell, ‘Hard To Get’ is my go-to cooking song and the louder the better singing the chorus is life-affirming.
There’s no lull at all the chaff isn’t here and considering the career and output Mould has delivered it’s remarkable that in 2025 he just gets better and exceeds expectations all over the shop. I always think an acoustic song would be nice here after he’s been raging for a few songs just to get my breathing back down so it was most welcome when ‘Lost Or Stolen’ took me on a detour of epic acoustic proportions and the acoustic bass is the clincher really setting the mood and as the song reaches its peak the tambourine is as aggressive as it gets. To bring it back into the electric sphere ‘Sharp Little Pieces’ snarls and snaps. As usual, the record is splattered with great lyrics and verses that hang on some wicked melodies sometimes I feel there’s some Bowie being channelled on ‘Thread So Thin’ and the high and low vocals crossover works wonders drawing you in and demanding your attention.
To take this one home the atmospheric ‘Your Side’ is Mould dealing with some deep feelings and philosophical outlook. A dreamy first ninety seconds before kicking in a huge wall of found and the album is done. Another fantastic offering from Bob Mould and continuing to amaze and surprise me with his twisting and turning throughout his albums that always turn in some of the finest songs and as he gets older he defies logic by getting better and refining his already amazing songwriting skills. Longtime fans will absolutely fall in love with ‘Here We Go Crazy’ and new fans will wonder how on earth they managed this far without this guy’s songs filling up their head. Buy it!
Join us for Episode 57 where we offer up plenty of brand new tunes to the Rock n Roll Gods as well as some older ones. We play three connected songs and a cover or two. this week’s show kicks off with the latest offering from The Wildhearts with their new single ‘Troubadour Moon’ lifted from their forthcoming opus ‘The Satanic Writes of The Wildhearts’.
Next Chris got excited when the new tune from Punter ‘It Ain’t Pretty’ hit the speakers here in the Pumphouse at wall shaking volume and playing at volume paid off because Chris got as excited as me when he heard what he described as his new favourite band. ‘Australienation’ is the album and it’s up for pre-order from Drunken Sailor Records right now so we urge you not to snooze on this bad boy. This record absolutely rages and is possible the most Australian sounding record we’ve heard since Stiff Richards last offering. Superb stuff.
Next, we have our triple threat or triple treat with Ultrabomb playing ‘Woke Wars’ (Greg Norton) followed by Soul Asylum and a track off their Bob Mould Produced debut album with Bob Mould Sugar track ‘Hoover Dam’ recorded at the BBC for good measure. We’re sure you’ll agree that’s a hefty three right there.
Millie Manders and The Shut Up have released the track ‘Me Too’ Proceeds from the release, and from the accompanying limited edition Angry Ted Plushie Bear will be donated to Sexual and Domestic Abuse charities. The band also head out on tour through the next three months covering a lot of the UK so get out there and support the band. Tour details and places to play the single and album are Here
Black Eyed Sons have just released their debut album that includes many collaborations with some pretty big hitters in Rock n Roll but the finest track on the record features Alan Clayton (Dirty Strangers) and Steve Conte (Michael Monroe) and the excellent track is ‘Savoire Fair’.
Local South Wales punk rockers Kikker have covered a legendary local 70s punk band Dyfatty Flats classic ‘Trouble On The North Bank‘ and have done a sterling job of it too. South Wales underground punk from the first wave of alternative punk is much sought after and when you rediscover lost classics like this it has to make you want to look up Kikker and hear what these young men are feeding us. It’s Garage Punk kids and you should inhale as much of this as possible before it’s illegal.
If that isn’t convincing you then how about some Norweigan power pop with added muscle in the shape of Death By Unga Bunga. don’t let the name frighten you off because these gents do some wicked power pop and with this album, they’ve beefed it up somewhat with added studded wristbands and bullet belts for good measure. this track off the album is ‘Raw Muscular Power’ and it’s enough to start a bar brawl by itself. Thunderous stuff.
Head back to the late 70s for our next track as Leyton Buzzards had a ‘Saturday Night Beneath The Plastic Palm Trees’ from their album ‘Jellied Eels And Record Deals’ these glammed up power poppers knew their way around a banging single and this was their finest four minutes. Geoff Deane was also in pop band Modern Romance and wrote for Divine. This was and is a stone cold classic with superb lyrics.
The Oxys and their ‘Ticking Timebom’ got Chris all excited with their punk rock blitzkrieg from their ‘Generation Irrelevant’ album that came out in 2023. A banging track from a banging album you should check em out.
Taxi Girls get with the current weather on ‘Rainy’ coming outta Montreal this four-piece dishes up another excellent tune that’s available on 7″ wax.
Raw Power KEXP, a tribute to Iggy & the Stooges was performed by Seattle musicians Mike McCready, Duff McKagan, Mark Arm, and Barrett Martin, and recorded live on the roof of Pike Place Market. Recorded August 23, 2015 and to be fair it was a blistering set and the eLP is well worth tracking down if you can. This week we’ve chosen the classic Stooges track ‘I Got A Right’ which I’m sure you will agree just slays.
Another new track on us this week comes courtesy of The Monsters. One Guitar, Bass and TWO DRUMS (CLONE DRUM SET) that’s the Monsters sound. AC/DC, TEN YEARS AFTER, THE RAMONES with a Twist of their own CHAINSAW MASSACRE GARAGE TRASH PUNK. The Monsters call it: RAW RIFF TRASH ROCK we call it TRAAAASSSHH !!! This one is called simply ‘Gimme Germs’ I thank you. These loons will be releasing their new record soon and no doubt terrorising towns across Europe very soon.
Electric Children are up next with their fuzzed-out brand of Stoner Garage Rock. Don’t expect me to know what ‘Reptilian Royalty’ is all about but if you supply the legal high I guess we might one day find out.
If you are still with us ( everyone should) we have The Mistons with ‘Bronze Age Collapse’ and what a fine beastly riff that is. Outta Portland these rockers follow a fine line of Portland punk n rollers. Nadine Records are excited to be releasing their new 7”- “Single”, coming out Feb 21, 2025. “Bronze Age Collapse” and “Anxiety” were recorded with Mike Vasquez (Monkey Wrench, Cherubs, Mooney Suzuki, Toys That Kill) at his Astoria studio during a long weekend in September. The Mistons further their quest to empower and ask questions with every release. These two songs; one an ancient history lesson masked as a dance tutorial and the other an instrumental (based on a theme by Greg Sage) expertly embodying its own title, offer an apt testament to our times.
To sign off this week we bring you the brand new track ‘Sense Of Adventure’ from Crymwav who’ve just announced a show in London at the ‘Cart & Horses’ where Iron Maiden began cutting their teeth at this very same historic venue many moons ago. Friday 28th March is the date for your diary.
So there you have we finish on a high with yet another new track so don’t let people tell you Rock n Roll is dead because you can share this link and prove that it most definitely is not and comes in many shapes and forms but mostly round RPM Online its top notch. Like – share – subscribe – catch you next week!
NEW ALBUM, HERE WE GO CRAZY, OUT MAR 7th ON GRANARY MUSIC/BMG RECORDS
Having just announced a pair of special release week UK shows at Bristol Rough Trade and London’s The Lower Third, both of which sold out in a flash. Mould releass the new single ahead of the album release ‘Neanderthal’.
LISTEN BACK TO BOB IN SESSION FOR JOHN KENNEDY ON RADIO XHERE
NEW LIVE EP, THE OCEAN, OUT NOW ON MERGE RECORDS
his eagerly anticipated Solo Electric: Distortion & Blue Hearts! Tour having previously taken the show on the road across the US and Canada earlier this year. Kicking off at Brighton‘s Concorde 2 on June 9th and running through July 1st at Whelan’s in Dublin, these dates are Mould’s first on this side of the pond since the release of both his critically acclaimed 2020 album Blue Hearts on Merge Records, as well as his solo career-encompassing Distortionboxset series, available now on Demon Music Group. Catch a show across Mould’s nearly month-long UK/Ireland residency and you can expect to hear solo takes on classics from across his beloved solo back catalogue, from his iconic time with Hüsker Dü and right through to Blue Hearts. Support on all dates comes from ascendant UK singer-songwriter Katie Malco.
Of the upcoming dates, Mould says: “I’m looking forward to the upcoming Solo Electric shows in the UK and Ireland. I’m excited to be performing songs from 2020’s Blue Hearts, as well as revisiting the prior 40 years of my songbook.”
Ahead of his UK dates, Mould recently appeared in session on John Kennedy‘s Radio X show to perform a series of tracks from across his career: ‘Makes No Sense At All‘ (from Hüsker Dü’s 1985 LP Flip Your Wig), ‘Hoover Dam‘ (from Sugar‘s 1992 opus Copper Blue), ‘The Descent‘ (from his revelatory 2012 solo set Silver Age) and ‘The Ocean‘ (from Blue Hearts). Listen back to the session and interview in full here.
UK/IE tour dates:
June 9th | Brighton, UK – Concorde 2 June 10th | Ramsgate, UK – Ramsgate Music Hall SOLD OUT June 12th | Birmingham, UK – The Mill June 13th | Southampton, UK – Engine Rooms June 14th | Oxford, UK – Oxford O2 Academy 2 June 16th | London, UK – Islington Assembly Hall June 17th Nottingham, UK – Rescue Rooms June 18th | Stoke-on-Trent, UK – The Sugarmill June 20th | Bristol, UK – Thekla June 22nd | Glasgow, UK – Oran Mor SOLD OUT June 23rd | Newcastle, UK – Riverside June 24th | Liverpool, UK – Arts Club June 25th | Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club June 27th | Chester, UK – The Live Rooms June 28th | Cardiff, UK – The Globe June 30th | Belfast, UK – Limelight 2 July 1st | Dublin, IE – Whelan’s SOLD OUT
Bob Mould announces rescheduled dates for his upcoming Solo Electric 2022 UK and Ireland tour, which now begin on June 9th at Brighton’s Concorde 2. The tour, originally scheduled for Jan/Feb 2022, has had to be temporarily postponed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
In a new statement to fans, Mould writes:
“Greetings from California.“As I mentioned last fall, I’m always concerned about the safety of my audience as well as venue workers. In early December 2021, I realised it would be difficult for me — even with three vaccinations on my dance card — to stay Covid-free for the entirety of the January/February 2022 IE/UK Solo Electric tour.“Today, I’m happy to announce those shows have been rescheduled. Full dates are listed below. All tickets remain valid. Refunds can be available at your point of purchase.“Apologies in advance for any inconveniences. Lots of moving parts had to be re-positioned before announcing these new dates. With that being said, I’m hopeful for a better 2022, I’m anxious to get back to work, and I’m very excited to see you all this June!”
—
As Mould notes above, tickets previously purchased for the original shows remain valid across the board but for those unable to attend the rescheduled shows in June and July, refunds are available at their point of purchase. Please see further below for a full updated itinerary.
The shows – which include a new London date at Islington Assembly Hall on June 16th – will find Mould performing solo versions of music from across his iconic, 40+ year career, including songs from the lauded Distortion retrospective collection, from his landmark band Hüsker Dü and from 2020’s explosive and critically acclaimed Blue Hearts album. As Mould previously noted: “I’m looking forward to the upcoming Solo Electric shows in the UK and Ireland. I’m excited to be performing songs from 2020’s Blue Hearts, as well as revisiting the prior 40 years of my songbook.”Blue Hearts is available now on LP, CD and digitally via Merge Records. The 24CD Distortion: 1989-2019, 8LP Distortion: 1989-1995, 9LP Distortion: 1996-2007, 7LP Distortion 2008-2019, 8LP Distortion: Live boxsets and Distortion: The Best of 1989-2019 2LP, 2CD and 4CD compilations are all available now on Demon Music Group.
UK/IE tour dates:
June 9th | Brighton, UK – Concorde 2 June 10th | Southampton, UK – Engine Rooms June 12th | Birmingham, UK – The Mill June 14th | Oxford, UK – Oxford O2 Academy 2 June 16th | London, UK – Islington Assembly Hall June 17th Nottingham, UK – Rescue Rooms June 18th | Stoke-on-Trent, UK – The Sugarmill June 20th | Bristol, UK – Thekla June 22nd | Glasgow, UK – Oran Mor June 23rd | Newcastle, UK – Riverside June 24th | Liverpool, UK – Arts Club June 25th | Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club June 27th | Chester, UK – The Live Rooms June 28th | Cardiff, UK – The Globe June 30th | Belfast, UK – Limelight 2 July 1st | Dublin, IE – Whelan’s
Tickets for all shows available at https://bobmould.com/tour/
ANNOUNCES 2022 SOLO ELECTRIC UK + IRELAND TOUR DATES
8LP DISTORTION: LIVE BOX RELEASED AUG 6th ON DEMON
Legendary musician Bob Mould today announces a run of Solo Electric 2022 UK and Ireland tour dates beginning January 19th at Whelan’s in Dublin. The tour, perfectly timed with the incoming release of Mould’s Distortion: Live vinyl boxset, will see him perform solo versions of music from across his 40+ year career, including songs from the Distortion collection and from his landmark band Hüsker Dü, as well as from last year’s explosive and critically acclaimed Blue Hearts album. As Mould notes: “I’m looking forward to the upcoming Solo Electric shows in the UK and Ireland. I’m excited to be performing songs from 2020’s Blue Hearts, as well as revisiting the prior 40 years of my songbook.”
On top of that Mould has also shared a video in which he, along with his friend, actor, comedian and avid Mould fan Fred Armisen, open the boxes of the different vinyl volumes of Mould’s career retrospective boxset Distortion. Armisen penned the introduction to Mould’s massive 24-CD Distortion box which was released last autumn by Demon. The vinyl volumes have been released periodically over the last year, with the fourth and final vinyl box Distortion: Live now scheduled to be released by Demon on August 6th. The 8LP set includes live recordings from Mould’s solo career as well as performances by his band, Sugar.
As on the previously released box sets in the Distortion collection, the fourth volume sees each album being mastered by Jeff Lipton and Maria Rice at Peerless Mastering in Boston and is presented with brand new artwork designed by illustrator Simon Marchner and pressed on 140g clear vinyl with unique splatter effects. This box set includes 4 live albums: Live At The Cabaret Metro, 1989 (first time on vinyl); the Sugar album The Joke Is Always On Us, Sometimes; LiveDog98 (first time on vinyl), and Live at ATP 2008 (first time on vinyl). In addition, the set includes a 28-page companion booklet featuring liner notes by journalist Keith Cameron; contributions from Bully’s Alicia Bognanno; rare photographs and memorabilia, and a bonus LPDistortion Plus: Live, which features live rarities including B-Sides and stand-out tracks from the Circle of Friends concert film.
Jan 19th | Dublin, IE – Whelan’s
Jan 21st | Liverpool, UK – Arts Club
Jan 23rd | Cardiff, UK – The Globe
Jan 24th | Chester, UK – The Live Rooms
Jan 25th | Birmingham, UK – The Mill
Jan 27th | Stoke, UK – The Sugarmill
Jan 28th | Bristol, UK – Thekla
Jan 29th | Nottingham, UK – Rescue Rooms
Jan 31st | Glasgow, UK – Oran Mor
Feb 1st | Newcastle, UK – Riverside
Feb 3rd | Southampton, UK – Engine Rooms
Feb 4th | Brighton, UK – Concorde 2
Feb 5th | Oxford, UK – O2 Academy 2
Feb 7th | Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club
10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF MOULDS MEMOIR ‘SEE A LITTLE LIGHT: THE TRAIL OF RAGE & MELODY’ WITH A READING AND SOLO PERFORMANCE OF ‘WISHING WELL’
On top of that Mould has shared a trailer for his fourth and final vinyl box Distortion: Live an 8LP set that includes live recordings from both his solo career and his band Sugar. This set will be released on July 16, 2021, through Demon Music Group.
“After three years of writing my 2011 autobiography, See A Little Light, I was ‘full speed ahead’ — no more looking back. But over the past few years, during the production of the Distortion reissue series, many of the people, places, and circumstances that fuelled those albums came back to life. Oddly, I didn’t see that coming!
“As for today: the book is ten years old, I’m thrilled that 30 years of my work has been re-released in so many configurations, and I’m very grateful to be able to take these songs and stories to the stage later this year — and hopefully many years to come. As time marches on, I’m learning to embrace my past, enjoy the moment, and still have hopes and dreams for the future.”
As on the previously released box sets in the Distortion collection, the fourth volume sees each album being mastered by Jeff Lipton and Maria Rice at Peerless Mastering in Boston and is presented with brand new artwork designed by illustrator Simon Marchner and pressed on 140g clear vinyl with unique splatter effects. This box set includes 4 live albums: Live At The Cabaret Metro, 1989 (first time on vinyl); the Sugar album The Joke Is Always On Us, Sometimes; LiveDog98 (first time on vinyl), and Live at ATP 2008 (first time on vinyl). In addition, the set includes a 28-page companion booklet featuring liner notes by journalist Keith Cameron; contributions from Bully’s Alicia Bognanno; rare photographs and memorabilia, and a bonus LPDistortion Plus: Live, which features live rarities including B-Sides and stand-out tracks from the Circle of Friends concert film.
Mould has also announced that Jason Narducy will open the solo portion of his Distortion and Blue Hearts! tour starting October 15th, 2021, in Bloomington, IL at Castle Theater. These solo dates are the second part of a tour that begins with his band — Narducy on bass and drummer Jon Wurster on September 16th at Paradise Rock Club in Boston.
Narducy has been the bass player in Bob Mould’s band since 2005. The Evanston, IL-based musician first gained renown in 1982, when at 11 years old, he formed the seminal punk rock band Verböten with his childhood friends in an Evanston basement. Narducy would later go on to front Verbow, releasing three albums with the band (one in its earliest incarnation as Jason & Alison). Since his days in Verbow, Narducy has gone on to tour with such acts as Robert Pollard and Telekinesis. Today, along with playing bass for Mould he performs the same role in Superchunk, and fronts Split Single, with whom he’s recorded three albums with a rotating cast of stellar musicians, including Jon Wurster, Spoon’s Britt Daniel, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, and Wilco’s John Stirratt. Split Single’s new album, Amplificado, is out June 25th.
Discover more about the boxsets including full tracklistings and FAQs Here
The 8LP Distortion: Live boxset is released July 16th, 2021, via Demon Music Group. The 24CD Distortion: 1989-2019, 8LP Distortion: 1989-1995, 9LP Distortion: 1996-2007, 7LP Distortion 2008-2019 boxsets and Distortion: The Best of 1989-2019 2LP, 2CD and 4CD compilations are all available now.
8LP DISTORTION: LIVE BOX RELEASED JULY 16th ON DEMON
On July 16th 2021, Demon Music Group will conclude their year-long celebration of legendary musician Bob Mould with the fourth and final vinyl box in their ongoing Distortion series, Distortion: Live. The 8LP set includes live recordings from Mould’s solo career and his band Sugar.
Meanwhile, today Mould also announces his “Distortion and Blue Hearts!” tour starting September 16th 2021, in Boston at Paradise. The tour is in two parts. For the first three weeks, Bob will be joined by Jason Narducy on bass and drummer Jon Wurster. Beginning October 15th in Bloomington, IL, Mould will perform “Solo Distortion” electric shows.
The Distortion: Live box follows October 2020’s 8LP Distortion: 1989-1995 vinyl set, which took in Mould’s early solo outings as well as his records with the much-beloved Sugar, January 2021’s 9LP Distortion: 1996-2007 box set continuing through the next steps in Mould’s solo career and his outings as LoudBomb and Blowoff, April 2021’s 7LP Distortion 2008-2019 covering DistrictLine to Sunshine Rock, and the 24 CD Distortion: 1989-2019 box, which covers the entirety of his post-Hüsker Dü output (excluding last year’s Blue Hearts LP).
Mould’s live shows will span his entire 40+ year career, including songs from the Distortion collection and from his landmark band Hüsker Dü, as well as songs from the explosive and critically acclaimed Blue Hearts — about which Rolling Stone’s 4 out of 5 star review raved, “feels like a lost Hüsker Dü album with Mould howling invective over his buzzsawing guitar.”
Bob writes: “It’s been a year and a half away from the stage. I’ve missed the noise, the sweat, and seeing your smiling faces. I’m fully vaccinated, and I hope you are too, because this Fall will be a punk rock party with the band — and the solo shows will be loud and proud as well. It’s time to make up lost time, reconnect, and celebrate together with live music!”
As with the previously released box sets in the Distortion collection, each album has been mastered by Jeff Lipton and Maria Rice at Peerless Mastering in Boston and is presented with brand new artwork designed by illustrator Simon Marchner and pressed on 140g clear vinyl with unique splatter effects. This box set includes 4 live albums: Live At The Cabaret Metro, 1989; the Sugar album The Joke Is Always On Us, Sometimes; LiveDog98(first time on vinyl), and Live at ATP 2008 (first time on vinyl). In addition, the set includes a 28-page companion booklet featuring liner notes by journalist Keith Cameron; contributions from Bully’s Alicia Bognanno; rare photographs and memorabilia, and a bonus LP Distortion Plus: Live, which features live rarities including B-Sides and stand-out tracks from the Circle of Friends concert film.
The 8LP Distortion: Live boxset is released July 16th, 2021, via Demon Music Group. The 24CD Distortion: 1989-2019, 8LP Distortion: 1989-1995, 9LP Distortion: 1996-2007, 7LP Distortion 2008-2019 boxsets and Distortion: The Best of 1989-2019 2LP, 2CD and 4CD compilations are all available now.
The third vinyl installment of Bob Mould’s career-covering Distortion boxset series – this time covering 2008-2019 – alongside a series of Best Of compilations, all of which land Apr 16th on Demon.
The main vinyl box being announced includes: 2008’s District Line, 2009’s Life and Times, 2012’s Silver Age, 2014’s Beauty & Ruin, 2016’s Patch the Sky and 2019’s Sunshine Rock covering a particularly fruitful and resurgent period for Bob in which he penned some of his most beloved records. Alongside them is a bonus LP which features Bob’s collaborations with Foo Fighters and Butch Walker and his 2019 Buzzcocks cover single ‘I Don’t Mind’, as well as a 28-page booklet featuring liner notes by journalist Keith Cameron, contributions from J Mascis and Shirley Manson, lyrics and memorabilia.
DISTORTION: THE BEST OF 1989-2019 2LP, 2CD, 4CD + DIGITAL ALSO OUT APR 16th ON DEMON
On April 16th, 2021, Demon Music Group will continue their year-long Bob Mould reissue campaign with Distortion: 2008-2019, the third of four vinyl boxsets chronicling the solo career of the legendary American musician. It follows hot on the heels of October’s 8LP Distortion: 1989-1995 boxset, which took in Mould’s early solo outings as well as his records with the much-beloved Sugar, January’s 9LP Distortion: 1996-2007 boxset continuing through the next steps in Mould’s solo career and his outings as LoudBomb and Blowoff, and the 24CD Distortion: 1989-2019 box, which covers the entirety of his post-Hüsker Dü output.
Distortion: 2008-2019 follows Mould through a number of standout records that include some of his most celebrated work – collected here are District Line (2008), Life and Times (2009), Silver Age (2012), Beauty & Ruin (2014), Patch the Sky (2016) and Sunshine Rock (2019), as well as a bonus disc Distortion Plus: 2008-2019, which features Mould’s collaborations with Foo Fighters and Butch Walker plus the 2019 single ‘I Don’t Mind‘. It comes pressed on clear vinyl with an etched B-side.
Meanwhile, also seeing release on April 16th via Demon are 2LP, 2CD and 4CD Distortion: The Best of 1989-2019 compilations – the first career-spanning compilations of Mould’s solo recordings, all of which were compiled by the man himself. Gathering 24 tracks (2LP), 32 tracks (2CD) and 73 tracks (4CD) respectively, the sets collect the cream of the main Distortion boxes and offer a fascinating glimpse of a musician at the vanguard of his field for over four decades. The 2CD edition also includes a 16-page booklet with a new essay by Cameron and artwork by Marchner, while the 4CD version comes with a 32-page companion that includes all of the above alongside a foreword by Fred Armisen and contributions from Richard Thompson, Bethany Cosentino and Shirley Manson. Both compilations will also be available digitally via all DSPs and iTunes. The audio on the Best Ofs has been mastered by Jeff Lipton and Maria Rice at Peerless Mastering in Boston.
“It’s called Distortion because it describes the music and it fits the world we live in,” says Mould of the boxsets. “In this new age, everybody shares their life in real time. But I’m not done yet. If I didn’t have a constantly active career, this anthology might feel like the proverbial dirt landing on top of my coffin — though somehow I seem to be able to crawl my way out of the dirt every time!”
As Cameron offers:
“In 1989, Bob Mould was already a renowned figure, thanks to his trailblazing work with Hüsker Dü: the Minneapolis trio which refracted ’60s pop melody through the discord of hardcore punk, creating a new language that Pixies and Nirvana would subsequently teach the world to sing. With his debut solo album Workbook, however, Bob Mould amazed his audience with its pastoral beauty and contemplative tone.
“It would be the first in an ongoing series of artistic transformations, each profoundly shaped by Mould’s sensitivity to his environment. In 1992, he formed Sugar, a band whose debut album Copper Blue earned both critical plaudits and a long overdue popular dividend. Just three years later, with Sugar at its commercial peak, Mould ended the band and made a self-titled solo record mapping the most nakedly personal path down a road already hallmarked by unsparing self-expression. He shocked then confounded fans by announcing his retirement from rock music in 1998 and re-emerging in the new century as an experimental electronica artist and successful DJ, whose club night Blowoff became a phenomenon across the US. By the end of the ’00s, Mould had found a harmonious accommodation between his musical selves, and in 2012 released the catalytic Silver Age, made with his latest power trio configuration, and heralding a resurgent decade. A succession of albums up to 2019’s Sunshine Rock followed, each one a real time/real life distillation of fearless artistic vision and a master craftsman’s skill.”
Discover more about the boxsets including full tracklistings and FAQs: Here
The 7LP Distortion: 2008-2019 boxset and Distortion: The Best of 1989-2019 2LP, 2CD and 4CD compilations are all released Apr 16th, 2021, via Demon Music Group. The 24CD Distortion: 1989-2019, 8LP Distortion: 1989-1995 and 9LP Distortion: 1996-2007 boxsets are all available now.
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