Bob Mould’s Righteous Anger and Hope for the Future

Bob Mould’s last record, 2020’s Blue Hearts, was a blistering, fiery blast of politically-minded aggression that recalled his Hüsker Dü days. Released in September, it was supposed to be toured during the election, but instead, he found himself at home on Zoom calls doing press about it instead of bringing it to the people. 

Now, as if he knew we would need his singular mix of righteous anger and hope again, Mould is back with Here We Go Crazy, another politically-minded record. But this time out, the music is more of a piece with his recent solo triumphs like Silver Age and his work in Sugar. Longtime Mould fans know the highest compliment that can be given to one of his records is that it “sounds like a Bob record”, which is the case here.

This time, the shows are coming, too. Mould will be on the road supporting Here We Go Crazy this spring with J. Robbins, another indie music legend with a political focus and a dedicated following. While the pair have done several solo tours, the upcoming shows are full-band for both of them, and Mould will have longtime collaborators Jon Wurster and Jason Narducy in tow.

“I know what my audience likes about my work, and it’s relatively painless to supply that. If you like my records, you will like this one. But I know what I am good at and what people like. While doing the solo electric shows, I found the lighthouse for this record, and then I could see the vision: Short guitar pop. Dark up front, uncertainty in the middle, and the hope toward the end,” he explained.

That winning formula has captivated fans for decades, and Bob Mould is still a true believer in the power of music as a transformative force. “Moving people’s minds and hearts is still possible. The magic of songwriting is when the writer puts together words and a melody that are instantly memorable to the listener. If the message is important, the melody is strong, and it gets in listeners’ heads, it will reappear for a long time. That’s better than most propaganda. I’m in your head. You’re singing it,” he laughed.

While he kept busy preparing two solo career-spanning box sets during lockdown, being unable to share Blue Hearts on tour was tough on Mould for many reasons. “Blue Hearts was released in late September 2020. There was a plan, and it got knocked off course. I was out of work for two years. Being unable to tour was so difficult. After that screamer, I got kind of stuck without the crowd evaluation. I wasn’t sure how the fans felt about it,” he said.

Not touring also affected his creativity. “The songwriting took a while to get back. I only had three new songs in 2022 when I went out on the road for solo electric shows. But, playing those shows did bring the record into focus.”

Mould mostly writes alone, and that works out because the other two members of his current trio play in multiple bands and are often recording or touring for another project. Wurster also plays with the Mountain Goats, and Narducy has been out with Michael Shannon playing classic R.E.M. albums on tour lately. “Jason and Jon get things at 11:00pm when we are starting at midnight, but they exceed expectations every time,” he said.

While occasionally there is a lightning bolt of inspiration, most songs come to Mould through hard work. “Once in a while, I just get lucky with that type of stuff. [Sugar classic] ‘If I Can’t Change Your Mind’ came together in a 15-minute burst of inspiration, but much of the time, it’s me and an instrument, trying to figure it out. Often, I either have the words or the music, and I’m working to find the other part,” he explained.  

“Sometimes the hook just falls out first, like [Here We Go Crazy standout] ‘When Your Heart Is Broken’. A sunny, happy hook with dark lyrics. That’s my blueprint,” Mould laughed. “When it starts to rain, get a bucket and get as much water as you can. You can figure out what you can do with the water later. Don’t edit while you’re writing. Don’t get in the way of yourself,” he noted.

“Once in a while I get a song in a dream. When I wake up it’s all there. I just run for the recorder and start singing. It was like that with [Workbook classic] ‘Brasilia Crossed with Trenton’ and also with [Sugar song] ‘Hoover Dam’. I thought I should avoid making the music too complicated for’ Brasilia’ since the story is so rich. The ‘Hoover Dam’ verses also came to me in the dream. I just had to write bridges to get to different parts of the Hoover Dam,” Mould laughed.

Even with fans being increasingly vocal when they disagree with artists’ views, Mould has mostly been able to avoid those spats. “I always include a lyric sheet in every record. If they don’t know where I stand, they aren’t paying attention. As far as fans turning away, I’d have to go back to 1994, when Sugar was promoting the File Under: Easy Listening album. The Dennis Cooper ‘Bob Comes Out’ article in Spin did cause me to lose a little airplay down south, but Hüsker Dü probably picked up fans with its politics.”

He continued, “I’m under the radar enough that I don’t get the weird stuff. Artists like Drive-By Truckers and Jason Isbell, people who work in Americana and roots, must be tough for them. When I was touring in 2024, it was politics season again, so of course I was mouthing off. I started telling people about my life. I did this exposition about being a young gay man in the 1980s, living through scientists learning about this ‘gay cancer’. Then I’d say, ‘For those of you who say shut up and play, this is for you,’ and I play [Hüsker Dü classic] ‘Too Far Down’. I just want to keep moving. It’s fine if some people decide they don’t want to hear it,” he said.

One of Bob Mould’s solo records is called Body of Song, and at this point, he has a rather unique time capsule of his life. “My albums are my calendar. Without them, I wouldn’t know when I did things. It serves as my personal map and memory,” he said.

“I am not a big nostalgia guy, but I appreciate being remembered. I don’t look back much. The first time I did that was in the book [his autobiography See a Little Light], and that was exhausting. The second time was the box set, which was more about giving the records a cohesive look. Recently, Jon or Jason sent me a link to an article about New Day Rising turning 40, and I figured I better at least post something on socials. Once I read what people are writing, I am very grateful to the people still thinking and writing about the music we made,” he said.

Mould still brings out the classics for fans at shows. “I still love those Hüsker Dü songs and I know they mean a lot to people. I have learned how to focus the energy and play them so it’s not as taxing on me,” he said.

With the current state of things, Bob Mould appreciates his part in providing catharsis and community when he hits the road. “I am finding hope in myself and the people I work with and love. It’s dire right now. The outside world is encroaching on every moment of our lives,” he said.

“After election night, I turned away from television. I was consuming way too much information. All I can do right now is find hope in the people I love. What we are going through right now, other countries have gone through in the past. It pains me because the message that we progressives were showing America didn’t work. For now, I have to work, I have to take care of people. When the time is right and a message takes shape that I can share, I will be more vocal about it.”

Keeping sane is about appreciating the good in life. “When the world is digging into me, I just grab the good stuff in my life. We have a story to tell, and it’s a long story now that goes through all these different phases,” he said.

“People come up to me at shows and tell me their stories. Many of them have listened to things I have said forever. They tell me the first time they saw me or heard one of my songs. ‘You entered my life right here and you never left.’ That’s amazing. I love those stories from people,” he said.

“Being a musician is a crazy ride. It’s maddening, and it’s rewarding. To get out and play and be with people is meaningful to me, too. I don’t have a retirement plan. I’ll probably be in the middle of an album cycle when I check out,” he laughed.