Song #13 On My MP3 Player - A Good Idea by Sugar

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The thirteenth song on my MP3 player is 'A Good Idea' which is featured on Sugar's 1992 debut album Copper Blue. Sugar was a Bob Mould project that featured Mould on guitar, David Barbe on bass, and Malcolm Travis on drums. The band was together from 1992 to 1995 and they released four albums and one EP.

We have back-to-back songs that are interesting stories. 'A Boy Named Sue' by Johnny Cash is a tale of a boy with a feminine name seeking revenge on his father while 'A Good Idea' is a tale of two lovers who go down to the river and nothing goes as planned. I hope you are not in the mood for a light and lovely tale.

Copper Blue is one of my top five albums of all time. I purchased this album in 1992 and Copper Blue is a timeless album. Husker Du fans can whine all they want about Mould not sounding as punk as he once did, but in my opinion this is one of Mould's best albums. From start to finish Copper Blue is an alternative rock masterpiece. 'A Good Idea' is the second track on the album which features a bass line and lyrics that are unmistakably inspired by the Pixies. Enjoy.




TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll.

Song #3 On My MP3 Player: Old Empire by Nova Mob

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I have a feeling that my less than stellar alphabetizing and organization of my MP3 player is driving my OCD and anal retentive readers nuts. Listed as '01-Old Empire' on my MP3 player, this song was the opening track to Nova Mob's 1994 eponymous release. Nova Mob was formed in 1989 by Grant Hart who was the drummer and co-lead singer of the post-punk band Husker Du until the late 80's when they disbanded.

Grant Hart and Bob Mould shared the lead vocals in Husker Du and there have been many debates regarding who was the better singer-songwriter. After the breakup there were debates regarding who had the better solo career. Mould's solo career has overshadowed Hart's, but Hart had some amazing solo work that has been ignored.

I'm a fan of Husker Du and of Mould and Hart's solo careers. Hart in my opinion has the ability to write some great pop-rock songs and that's why I have 'Old Empire' on my MP3 player. The Nova Mob album is very good, and 'Old Empire' will appeal to fans of alternative rock, especially fans of the Foo Fighters. Enjoy.



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. He is also the author of two webcomics titled The Red Devil and Day 165. Be cool and check them out.

Grant Hart: 2541 - Song of the Day for February 25, 2013

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 Then I put down the money

And I picked up the keys

We had to keep the stove on all night long

So the mice wouldn't freeze

The Song: '2541'

The Artist: Grant Hart

Song Info: '2541' was featured on Grant Hart's 2541 EP which was released in 1988 on SST Records.The song is also featured on Hart's 1989 solo album debut, Intolerance.

Artist History: Grant Hart was the drummer for Hüsker Dü, a Minneapolis trio that started off as a hardcore punk band but blossomed into a fantastic rock band. Hüsker Dü was a college rock darling that did not gain major fame during their nine year career (1979 - 1988), but they did influence many alternative rock bands like Green Day. Hart was the drummer and shared songwriting and singing duties with guitar player Bob Mould. Tensions and drug use broke up the band, so Hart and Mould went their separate ways. Mould went on to a great solo career that included the formation of a new band called Sugar. Hart has been in Mould's shadow since the break up of Hüsker Dü, but Hart has had produced some incredible music as a solo artist.

Why I Picked This Song:There are times when songs pop into my head and they stay there for an entire weekend. '2541' popped into my head on Saturday morning and it was refreshing to have a great song stuck in my head instead of some god awful racket from Barney and Friends. I have kids. I'm a fan of Hart and Mould's solo efforts, and one of my favorite songs by Hart is '2541', a tale of a struggling rock band living in a crummy house. This is a really catchy acoustic rock song that will get you singing "2541, big windows to let in the sun". Enjoy.

Download The Song: Click here to get the song from Amazon.com.



TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

My Heavy Rotation For January 2013: Best Thing by Bob Mould

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I've been a Bob Mould fan since 1992 when I heard Sugar's Copper Blue in a Columbus, Ohio record store. Since then I have been a fan of Bob's work with Husker Du, Sugar, and as a solo artist. My selection for today's post is 'Best Thing' from Bob's 2005 solo album Body of Song.

Mould has produced some great rock music since the 1980s, but there are some fans that believe Bob's career took a major nose dive during the mid to late 1990s. I disagree. Mould fits into a category with Paul Westerberg (The Replacements) and Frank Black/Black Francis (The Pixies) where these singer-songwriters must produce the same material again and again to appease their fans. Any type of deviation causes controversy and god forbid any of the aforementioned artists explore new territory musically.

If anyone doesn't like Mould's solo career then give 'Best Thing' a listen. I think it is a really good rock song that deals with the common theme of falling for someone who has no interest in you whatsoever. And 'Best Thing' is a great reply where Mould tells the person, "Too bad, you missed out on something great". How can you not like a song like that sticks it to the jerks? Take a listen below and enjoy.




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.