Born in Malone, New York, Mould lived in several places, including Pine City, Minnesota and the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, where he attended Macalester College. There, he formed Hüsker Dü in the late 1970s, with drummer/singer Grant Hart and bass guitarist Greg Norton.
Mould released his first solo album after Hüsker Dü broke up; 1989's Workbook eschewed Mould's trademark wall-of-noise guitar for a stripped-down sound featuring acoustic guitars and cellos. 1991's jagged Black Sheets of Rain put Mould in more familiar territory, recalling Hüsker Dü's loudest, angriest moments. Mould also started a record label, Singles Only Label, which released singles from up and coming bands such as Grant Lee Buffalo.
Mould then formed the group Sugar, a college/alternative radio favorite in the mid-1990s. Along with extensive touring, Sugar released two albums, an EP and a B-sides collection before splitting.
Mould returned to solo recording, releasing a self-titled album in 1996 (which is often referred to as Hubcap because of the cover photo) and 1998's The Last Dog and Pony Show. During a stint living in New York City in the late-1990s, Mould's tastes took a detour into dance music and electronica. Those influences were clear on his 2002 release Modulate, which featured a strong electronica influence to mixed critical reviews. To pursue this sound, Mould also began recording under the pseudonym LoudBomb (an anagram of his name). He has released one CD so far under this name.
Mould took a brief break from the music world to get involved with another passion of his, professional wrestling, when he joined WCW as a scriptwriter for a brief period. Creative differences with some of the other writers of the league led to Mould leaving the company and returning to music. The liner notes for Modulate thank some of the wrestlers he associated with, most notably Kevin Nash and Kevin Sullivan.
In addition to his solo work, Mould is also a live DJ in collaboration with Washington DC-area dance music artist Richard Morel, under the collective banner Blowoff. A recording under that banner was released in September 2006. Mould has been asked to do remixes for a variety of dance and alternative rock artists. A recent remix of the Interpol song "Length Of Love" has led to more critical acclaim for the veteran artist.
For much of the 1990s, Mould toured playing solo acoustic renditions of his catalog (occasionally switching to electric guitar midway through his set). In 2005 his solo album Body of Song was cross-announced with his first band tour since 1998. Brendan Canty, best known as the drummer for Fugazi, and Mould's Blowoff collaborator, Morel, played drums and keyboards, respectively, for the 2005 tour. Mould's latest album, District Line, was released in February 2008.
Though his homosexuality was previously something of an open secret, Mould was outed in the early 1990s; he is now openly gay. Though it was often rumored during his Hüsker Dü days that he and bandmate Hart were an item (Hart was also gay, and both acknowledge taking partners on tour), both have flatly denied ever having been romantically involved.
In 2006, Mould contributed the song "If I Can't Change Your Mind" to the album Wed-Rock, an album to promote same-sex marriage.
On September 29, 2005, Mould's song "Circles" was featured on The OC as Marissa Cooper was starting her first day at her public school in Season 3. Mould's song "Dog on Fire" is the theme song for The Daily Show. They Might Be Giants perform the current version. The song "See a Little Light" has been used more than once in various television applications: It was used in the closing scene of the original un-aired test pilot episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, it became one of the principal theme songs for the HBO series The Mind of the Married Man and was also used in a television commercial for TIAA-CREF (August 2007). Mould also composed the theme for the TLC program, In a Fix.
Mould and director Cameron Crowe are close friends; the character Bob Sugar (played by Jay Mohr) in Crowe's 1996 film Jerry Maguire is named for both Mould and his former band, Sugar.
Mould appeared on an episode of IFC's The Henry Rollins Show on June 15, 2007.
Mould also played lead guitar in the house band for the film of John Cameron Mitchell's Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Mould also participated in a Hedwig tribute album, Wig in a Box, on which he covered the song "Nailed."
Solo Discography
Workbook LP (Virgin, 1989)
See A Little Light Single (Virgin, 1989)
Wishing Well + 4 Tracks Single (Virgin, 1989)
Black Sheets of Rain LP (Virgin, 1990)
Poison Years Compilation LP (Virgin, 1994)
Egøverride Single (Rykodisc, 1995)
Bob Mould LP (Rykodisc, 1996)
The Last Dog and Pony Show LP (Rykodisc, 1998)
Modulate LP (Granary Music, 2002)
Live Dog 98: The Forum, London UK Live LP (Granary Music, 2002)
Long Playing Grooves (released under anagram LoudBomb) LP (Granary Music, 2002)
Body of Song (Yep Roc, 2005)
District Line (Granary Music, 2008)
Silver Age (Edsel 2012)
Beauty & Ruin (Merge Records, 2014)
Patch the Sky (Merge Records, 2016)
Sunshine Rock (Merge Records, 2019)
Bootlegs
The Calm Before the Storm (Kiss The Stone, 1994)
Bands Produced
Soul Asylum, Made To Be Broken LP
Articles of Faith, Give Thanks and In this Life LPs
Magnapop, Hot Boxing LP
Verbow, Chronicles LP
The Zulus, Down on the Floor LP
Impaler, If We Had Brains... We'd Be Dangerous LP
Low, Tonight the Monkeys Die Remixes EP
http://www.bobmould.com
http://modulate.blogspot.com
New #1
Bob Mould Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To there, the place where I get lost inside of
You, yeah, I see your face and hear your voice right
Through that which seems so hopeless and confusing
Sometimes I try too hard to separate the
Good times from sadness that we've had together
Balancing, I need to keep it all in some perspective
I don't want this to end, I can't lose one more friend
I go through my regrets and I return the compliments and
Hope I find that innocence, I've got to be here no matter what happens
Slow down, you say that time will tell the story, it
Goes around, but no one else could know what's here
Between us, I sense this tension that I know so
Well, but the calm I feel is being with you, near you constantly
I can't wash this away, it's here to stay
I need to cleanse my soul, these thoughts will make me lose control
So if I lose control, don't leave me, you've got to be here, no matter what happens
Trust me, I'm here for you with good intentions
Trust in me, despite some times when I don't trust
Myself, in myself, in my head, in my own confusion
My confusion gets the best of me, my illusions set me free
Free to dream about what I really need to set me
Free, is it you, is it me, what can I do to set you
Free, to be real, to be with me when I need you
Are you listening, are you listening to me
Forgive me when I lose control (sometimes I forget myself)
Forgive me for the thoughts I have (sometimes I think just like you)
Maybe I can't trust myself (I know that I can trust in you)
But I can't keep it to myself (I feel just like you)
The lyrics of Bob Mould's song New #1 are about emotional dependence and the difficulties of maintaining a relationship. The singer describes how his partner is the only one who can calm him down and make him feel less hopeless and confused. He acknowledges that he needs to keep things in perspective and not let his emotions get the best of him. However, he also admits that he can't control his erratic thoughts and impulses, and he needs his partner to be there for him, no matter what happens. The singer tries to reconcile his own doubts and insecurities with his deep affection for his partner, recognizing that their relationship is far from perfect but also indispensable to his emotional well-being. He concludes by asking for forgiveness and understanding, both from himself and from his partner, as they navigate the challenges of their complex emotions.
Overall, the song New #1 is a powerful exploration of the struggle to balance personal freedom and emotional attachment, as well as an ode to the importance of empathy and mutual support in a relationship. The lyrics are deeply introspective and confessional, revealing the inner turmoil of the singer's psyche and his attempts to come to terms with his own vulnerability. The song is also notable for its driving guitar riff and catchy chorus, which highlight Mould's distinctive punk-rock influences and his ability to infuse personal lyrics with a sense of urgency and energy.
Line by Line Meaning
You, yeah, you always haul my ball and chain right
You always take care of me and help me with my problems
To there, the place where I get lost inside of
You take me to a place where I feel lost and overwhelmed
You, yeah, I see your face and hear your voice right
I feel a sense of comfort and familiarity when I see and hear you
Through that which seems so hopeless and confusing
Even in difficult and confusing situations, I find clarity and hope through you
Sometimes I try too hard to separate the
I struggle to differentiate between the good and bad times we've had
Good times from sadness that we've had together
I find it difficult to balance the happy and sad memories we've shared
Balancing, I need to keep it all in some perspective
I need to find a way to keep everything in balance and not let the sadness overcome me
Calm me down, I need you more than you will ever comprehend
Your presence and support is so important to me, you have no idea how much I need you
I don't want this to end, I can't lose one more friend
I don't want to lose you or our friendship, I can't handle another loss
I go through my regrets and I return the compliments and
I reflect on my past mistakes and try to make up for them by giving you compliments
Hope I find that innocence, I've got to be here no matter what happens
I hope to find a sense of innocence or purity in our relationship, and I will be here for you through anything
Slow down, you say that time will tell the story, it
You remind me to take it slow and let time reveal the truth of our situation
Goes around, but no one else could know what's here
Our relationship is private and no one else could understand what we have
Between us, I sense this tension that I know so
I feel a tension between us that I am very familiar with
Well, but the calm I feel is being with you, near you constantly
Despite the tension, I feel a sense of peace and comfort when I am with you
I can't wash this away, it's here to stay
The tension and complicated nature of our relationship is something that can't be easily erased
I need to cleanse my soul, these thoughts will make me lose control
I need to address my own inner turmoil or else I will spiral out of control
So if I lose control, don't leave me, you've got to be here, no matter what happens
If I have a breakdown or lose my way, please don't leave me, I need you to stay by my side
Trust me, I'm here for you with good intentions
You can trust me, I'm here to support and help you with genuine motives
Trust in me, despite some times when I don't trust
Please trust me, even when my own doubts or insecurities get in the way
Myself, in myself, in my head, in my own confusion
I struggle to trust myself and my own thoughts because of my inner turmoil and confusion
My confusion gets the best of me, my illusions set me free
I often let my confusion or warped perceptions cloud my judgement and make me feel free or liberated
Free to dream about what I really need to set me
I am free to daydream or fantasize about what I really need to feel happy or fulfilled
Free, is it you, is it me, what can I do to set you
I want to be free and happy, but I don't know if it's because of you or because of myself
Free, to be real, to be with me when I need you
I want to be free to be my true self and for you to be with me when I need you the most
Are you listening, are you listening to me
Are you really paying attention to me and my needs?
Forgive me when I lose control (sometimes I forget myself)
Please forgive me if I ever act out of line or forget who I really am
Forgive me for the thoughts I have (sometimes I think just like you)
Forgive me if my thoughts ever cause problems, even if those thoughts are similar to your own
Maybe I can't trust myself (I know that I can trust in you)
I doubt my own judgement and trustworthiness, but I know that I can trust you
But I can't keep it to myself (I feel just like you)
I need to express my feelings and thoughts to you, even if they mirror your own
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BOB MOULD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LEE DOHSE
One of the perfectly hidden treasures in songwriting history!
LEE DOHSE
Bob has the true #1 killer voice in music! He sings with so much power and grace while kicking your ass! This song is such a gem!
Greg Selvin
Truly a great song. Soul searing.
Rich B
Love this album!
Kelly Hopkins
Great song. I dig the lyrics and can relate.
Heather Homner
Could the lyrics be more brilliant? How could this song not touch ones soul?
THOMAS BICE
I used to have this one on “repeat” (multi CD player 🙂) for hours at a time. I was so heartbroken at the time. She was it and this great song articulated my feelings perfectly.
razorbax68
5900 views?!?! a travesty! One of my faves. It should be on everyone's fave list
Brian McManus
So fucking heartbreaking. Takes me right back to '98.
Michael Belsky
My favorite Bob Mould song!!!