I'm On The Centreline, Right Between Two States Of Mind

The other half of Husker Du's songwriters was Bob Mould, who had the more successful solo career. Sugar hit the big time with Copper Blue (on Creation in the early 90s), Workbook and a string of solo abums sold well and were highly rated, he took time out to write WWF scripts for TV (wrestling not wildife), and he did some housey electronic stuff (which bamboozled some of his fans). Recent interviews suggest he's mellowed a bit from the slightly dour figure he was. I like Bob Mould even if some of his solo albums can be hard work.

This is Hoover Dam, from Copper Blue- full of crunching guitar, melodrama and some strangely cheesy 80s keyboards. Turn it up.

Hoover Dam

I'm Sending All Of My Regrets To You

Grant Hart, ex-drummer, co-singer and songwriter in 80s indie-punk heroes Husker Du, has had a fits-and-starts solo career. His debut solo album, Intolerance, was a cracker, a mix of 60s garage and 80s punk. His 90s band Nova Mob produced a couple of albums of serviceable indie rock, one being released on the day Rough Trade folded, pretty much scuppering the lp's chance of success. More recently he put out Hot Wax, which led with a blistering single- You're the Reflection Of The Moon On The Water- which I posted over a year ago. He's got a new one out, Oeuvrerevue, a collection of oddities and odds and sods, which I haven't heard yet. Grant lost all his possessions and equipment in a housefire in March, which must be grim.

This is My Regrets, the closing song from Hot Wax, an end of the night kind of song, with scuzzy guitars, organ, clattering drums and massed backing vocals. In the wrong hands this would become a huge chestbeating, stadium/festival anthem. In Grant's hands it's a fuzzy, outsider, underdog anthem. Very good indeed.

My Regrets

Signs In The Street That Say Where You're Going

The punk cover (as opposed to it's second cousin the ironic cover) is one of the pleasures of post '77 punk rock. Husker Du's cover of The Byrds psychedelic masterpiece Eight Miles High may well be the high point of both all punk covers and Husker Du's back catalogue. It's absolutely blistering and well worth a few minutes of your weekend.

01 Eight Miles High.wma