Bob Mould started out so starry-eyed, full of hope and wonder.
At an early age, he realized he had an ear for music and a love of performing. But little did anyone know that this kid from rural New York would grow up to discover the Ramones, leave his dysfunctional family behind for the greener pastures of St. Paul, Minnesota, and front one of the best punk rock bands of all time – Hüsker Dü.
“See A Little Light” is Mould’s own recounting of his growth from that kid into a hardcore frontman, with about half the book detailing the rise and crash/burn of Hüsker Dü. The second half finds him as an indie rock darling, a singer/songwriter and sometimes, even a DJ.
There’s sex. There’s addiction. There’s missed opportunities, bad record deals and even professional wrestling.
It’s a rock n roll story, what did you expect?
As songwriter, Mould has few peers. When it comes to prose… the writing can be a bit dry at times, especially in the latter half that lacks the Hüsker Dü drama.
So without his usual musician tricks – a good hook here, an interesting vocal melody there – a lot of the fun in reading this is watching him become the ultimate curmudgeon, offering up frank portrayals of Twin Cities punk band the Replacements, REM frontman Michael Stipe and his various ex-bandmates, among others.
I appreciate the candor he displays when painting one-time friends in a negative light (i.e. Grant Hart). Thankfully, he doesn’t paint himself as a saint either. Though I’m pretty sure he feels he’s better than everyone, but that’s the bravado that’s led to so many great songs over the years.
“We all live and die for the stories and the sounds. Sometimes we find them, other times they just happen upon us. We don’t always get a choice.”
-Emily Matview
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