Spinner

Kami Thompson's 'Love Lies': Richard Thompson's Daughter Releases Debut LP

David Chiu — 2012-02-03T17:00:00 00:00

Jana Chillieno

Kami Thompson's path to a music career seems like a natural one given where she comes from: Her parents are the British folk rock performers Richard and Linda Thompson, and her brother Teddy is also a musical artist. Yet for Kami, joining the family profession started out with hesitation.

"I didn't think I'd be any good," she tells Spinner. "Yet to be disproved, but you either have to get stuck in at some point or stop harping on about it, consequences be damned."

Thompson released her debut album, 'Love Lies,' in the U.K. last October, and it's now out in the States. "I've been doing a little bit more singing," she says. "I've done a couple of tours and written enough songs. I figured I should record them. It was the right time because I had the songs and it was time to go."

Prince's Relationships With His Dad, Michael Jackson and Record Label Examined in New Unauthorized Biography

David Chiu — 2011-12-20T12:45:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive, Book Club

Jordan Strauss, WireImage

Thirty-three years since his debut album 'For You,' Prince continues to fascinate both in his music and his personal life. There is no question that he is a true original whose superstardom was cemented with the success of 'Purple Rain.' The key word that could best describe Prince's long career is "control," from producing, writing and recording his own material; to his participation in the careers of such acts as the Time, the Family (now known as fDeluxe) and Vanity 6; and to calling the shots in his creative and business decisions.

Prince's life and and career are what author Ronin Ro has documented in his recently-published unauthorized biography, 'Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks.' "I wanted to basically tell his story chronologically," Ro, who has written the books 'Dr. Dre' and 'Have Gun Will Travel,' tells Spinner. "I also wanted to try to get into not just the fun of [Prince] making music, but to show the fun that he had in maintaining his career no matter what was going on. I wanted to get into his ups and downs [and] how he never gave up."

One aspect that the book touches on is Prince's relationship with his father, jazz musician John Nelson (aka Prince Rogers), which is in real life was different from the dramatized version in the film 'Purple Rain.' "We all know the stories of how his pop left [after his divorce from Prince's mother]," says Ro. "[Prince] actually seemed to feel bad when the father left and he wanted to continue playing music on his father's instruments [that were left behind in the house]. But it seemed, according to his own testimony, that the mother and the stepfather didn't want him doing that. That was one critical factor."

MTV's Ballsy Beginning, Race Issues + Rise to Power Examined in New Oral History

David Chiu — 2011-12-08T16:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Book Club

Courtesy of Adam Curry

Beginning with the Buggles' 'Video Killed the Radio Star,' MTV kicked off its music-video programming on Aug. 1, 1981. Back then, the network started as an up-and-coming all-music channel; by the mid-'80s, MTV became a crucial promotional vehicle for artists and the record labels. In its first 10 years, it was a springboard for then-new acts like Duran Duran and Madonna, and it showcased the musical styles of those times such as New Wave, hair metal, hip-hop, dance and grunge.

In 'I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution,' their recently published oral history of the channel, authors Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum focus on the period from 1981 to 1992, which they describe as the "Golden Age of MTV." Featuring numerous interviews with musicians, actors, directors and former MTV executives and VJs, 'I Want My MTV' offers insightful perspective and outrageous stories about the network and the era. The book also reveals the behind-the-scenes stories of videos such as Michael Jackson's
'Thriller' and Madonna's 'Like a Virgin.'

Spinner recently spoke with Marks about MTV's early years and how things changed at the network when original shows like 'The Real World' and 'Beavis and Butt-Head' emerged in the '90s.

Why did you and Rob decide to write the book? Did it have to do with the 30^th anniversary of the network?

That was one of the hooks. We were both the same age of viewers who grew up with MTV. We felt there wasn't a book that looked at MTV at a couple of different angles, one from the music-video angle and examined the genesis of the music video as we know it today. We also looked at the company, which was then a brash start-up, and how it grew into the behemoth that it is now. We also found there were a lot of people who feel very warmly toward that era when MTV stood for when all their programming was music video-related. They felt somewhat betrayed, I think, by MTV's current direction or no direction in the last five or so years. So we thought there was an audience that wanted to relive this golden era.

Chris Cornell Explores Suicide on 'Songbook,' New Soundgarden Due in the Spring

David Chiu — 2011-11-23T15:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News, New Music, Exclusive, Q + A

Deena Cavallo

Most people will always associate singer Chris Cornell with the hard rock sound he made with his band Soundgarden. But over the years, Cornell has incorporated different styles in his own solo work -- such as pop and hip-hop elements -- while still maintaining his distinctive gritty and stirring vocals.

Now the artist is adding another new wrinkle to his career: Acoustic music. This past spring, Cornell did an unplugged tour, performing music from his solo career as well as his work with Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of the Dog. A collection of those live songs make up his new record, 'Songbook,' which includes the haunting and melancholy 'Cleaning My Gun,' a track that has never been appeared on any of his albums.

Cornell recently embarked on the second leg of his 'Songbook' tour that runs through Dec. 17. Following the completion of his solo dates, Cornell and the other members of Soundgarden -- who are finishing their first new studio album in about 16 years -- will tour Australia starting Jan. 20. In an exclusive interview with Spinner, Cornell talks about the motivation behind going acoustic, the new material on 'Songbook' and the latest news on Soundgarden.

Where did the idea of 'Songbook' come from?

After I had written and recorded the song 'Seasons' that ended up on the 'Singles' movie soundtrack. Surprisingly it did well and got a lot of airplay. People played it and liked it. It wasn't really even written for any particular purpose -- ['Singles' director] Cameron Crowe just heard it and wanted it in his film. That led to some other things. I did an acoustic version of a Soundgarden song, 'Like Suicide,' for a film because they asked for something like that. When I was first started thinking about doing solo work and started [my first solo album] 'Euphoria Morning,' I've definitely heard from fans and a lot people have asked me, "So you're gonna make an acoustic record, right?" I didn't do that, but I always felt like someday I've got to make good on that promise.

John Fogerty Performs Creedence's Full 'Cosmo's Factory' and Hits in New York

David Chiu — 2011-11-18T13:30:00 00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News

Larry Marano, Getty Images

Over the years, John Fogerty has played the Creedence Clearwater Revival hits in his shows as a solo performer. But on Thursday night in New York, the singer revisited his storied past in a more in-depth way as he and his band performed CCR's 1970 classic album 'Cosmo's Factory' in its entirety as part of a two-night stand at the Beacon Theatre. (Fogerty will play CCR's 'Green River' there tonight, Nov. 18).

To the fans, the live performance of 'Cosmo's Factory' was an opportunity to revisit Creedence for the full-album experience and not just for the memorable songs, which that record had a string of: 'Travelin' Band,' Marvin Gaye's classic 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine,' 'Up Around the Bend,' 'Lookin' Out My Back Door,' 'Run Through the Jungle' and 'Who'll Stop the Rain.' Fogerty did all those last night, but he also explored the other tracks from the record such as the hard-charging 'Ramble Tamble' that kicked off the evening and the rockabilly feel of 'Ooby Dooby,' previously recorded by Roy Orbison.

Cat Martino and Sufjan Stevens Act Like 'Geeky Kids' on 'Yr Not Alone'

David Chiu — 2011-11-09T16:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News, New Music, Exclusive

Andre Costantini

A couple of years ago, New York singer-songwriter Cat Martino had back injuries that were compounded by a lack of health insurance. As she now says of that time, it was hard for her to figure out what was going on or how to get better. While at home, Martino came across her boyfriend's pedal board and out curiosity stuck a microphone in it.

"It was really cool," she tells Spinner, "because all of a sudden, there was just this choir sound around me. I could make my voice sound like a bass, and I could make rhythms. It was really just a fun thing to do."

That discovery marked an evolution in her sound, pushing her beyond her previous folk-influenced style. Having recently sung backup on albums and tours by Sufjan Stevens and Sharon Van Etten, Martino steps out on her own with her record 'Yr Not Alone.'

Nile Rodgers on His Battles With Cancer and Cocaine, Chic's Rock Hall Snub and Producing Bowie and Madonna

David Chiu — 2011-10-25T16:00:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive, Spinner Interview, Book Club

Roy Cox

Guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers' impressive and astounding musical credits reads like a history of popular music. In the mid '70s, with the late Bernard Edwards, Rodgers founded Chic, the great R&B/funk band who had a string of smash hits during the disco era, such as 'Le Freak,' 'I Want Your Love' and 'Good Times'; both he and Edwards also wrote and produced the hits 'We are Family' for Sister Sledge and 'I'm Coming Out' and 'Upside Down' for Diana Ross. After Chic's career wound down in the early '80s, Rodgers became a superstar producer and has worked with numerous acts including David Bowie, Madonna, Duran Duran, the B-52s, the Thompson Twins, the Vaughan Brothers and Mick Jagger.

Rodgers' recently published memoir, 'Le Freak,' talks about his musical achievements, but it only tells a part of his life story. Like his biological father, Rodgers success as a producer was accompanied by a serious drug addiction. When it got out of control in the early '90s, Rodgers went into rehab and has since become clean and sober for almost 20 years. But then, in October 2010, he revealed he was battling another obstacle: An "aggressive" form of prostate cancer.

In this interview with Spinner, Rodgers talks about the origins of Chic. working with Bowie, Madonna and Duran Duran, the cocaine-fueled moment that turned him around and his cancer treatment.

How are you feeling since your cancer surgery?

It's up and down, in and out. It's really weird for me. There's no straight line to recovery and healing. Especially for the first five years, it's sort of an up and down rollercoaster. Right now, you caught me in the middle of a cycle where I had a test a week or a two ago and I haven't gotten the results yet. It's a weird period.

Peter Frampton Reflects on 'Comes Alive!' Turning 35 and Coping With Its Success

David Chiu — 2011-10-14T13:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News, Exclusive

Gregg Roth

After releasing his first four studio solo albums, former Humble Pie guitarist Peter Frampton decided to make his next release a live record. Frampton originally planned this upcoming release as a single album to save costs, but A&M Records co-founder Jerry Moss had other ideas when heard it.

"I remember his face coming up over the control console," Frampton tells Spinner. "He was sitting in front of it and listening and he said, 'Where's the rest?' That's when we realized we had something. He said, 'I'm missing this, I'm missing that,' 'It's so good,' 'If you need to record some more, go on and record some more.' That's when we knew it was going to be a double album. We never really planned on that."

The single live album that became a double was 'Frampton Comes Alive!' Released in 1976, it was the record the made Peter Frampton a superstar, spending 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart and selling eight million copies in the U.S. to date. This year, on the 35th anniversary of its release, Frampton is on tour performing 'Frampton Comes Alive!' in its entirety for the first part of the set, with the other songs from his career making up the second set.

William Shatner Shrugs Off Musical 'Ridicule,' Returns With Space-Themed LP

David Chiu — 2011-10-12T15:00:00 00:00

Filed under: News, New Music, Exclusive, Movies, Television

Neilson Barnard, Getty Images

With his 1968 debut album, 'The Transformed Man,' the legendary William Shatner began a singing career that has found him covering everything from Elton John's 'Rocket Man,' which he famously performed at the 1978 Science-Fiction Awards, to Cee Lo Green's 'F--- You.' Alongside Ben Folds, Shatner also recorded the 2004 album 'Has Been,' which featured a cover of Pulp's 'Common People.'

On his latest 19-song concept album, 'Seeking Major Tom,' the former 'Star Trek' leading man tackles a subject that he is familiar with -- space. The record focuses on astronaut Major Tom, who is famously mentioned in the songs 'Space Oddity' by David Bowie and 'Major Tom (Coming Home)' by Peter Schilling, and also offers up covers of Pink Floyd's 'Learning to Fly,' Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and Black Sabbath's 'Iron Man.' Guest players on the album include Lyle Lovett, Peter Frampton, Yes' Steve Howe, Toots and the Maytals, Steve Miller, Brad Paisley and Sheryl Crow.

In this interview with Spinner, Shatner explains how the record came about, why he chose to covering 'Iron Man' and 'Rocket Man' and how his singing career has evolved since 'The Transformed Man.'

According to your liner notes on 'Seeking Major Tom,' the project began when Brian Perera of Cleopatra Records left you a bunch of song lyrics with the idea of making a record. You didn't seem keen on it at the time.

Well, even less than keen -- I wasn't going to do it. But as I looked through the lyrics, I began to see that there are a half a dozen songs with the character Major Tom in them and that there was a song called 'Mrs. Major Tom,' things that I hadn't known. It occurred to me that it would be an interesting dramatic venture to see if I can draw an arc of progression of as to what happened to Major Tom after he stepped out of the capsule.

The Mekons Look to Edwardian-Era Britain on Latest Album 'Ancient and Modern'

David Chiu — 2011-10-04T14:00:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive

Francesca Allen

In British history, the Edwardian era (1901-1919) was characterized by imperialism, wealth and contrasts between the affluent and the impoverished. For the Mekons, the era serves a reference point for their 26th and latest album, 'Ancient and Modern.' While a lot has changed since 1911, history repeats itself as far as politics and society are concerned.

"The idea behind it was that, in a lot of way, things aren't that different if you look at a hundred years ago and now," longtime singer Sally Timms tells Spinner, describing the new album. "There are plenty of similarities in what was going on then -- the Edwardian period was definitely similar to what was happening."

As founding Mekons singer and guitarist Jon Langford puts it, there was a shallowness and complacency in English society leading up to World War I.

"I think the shadow of the First World War seems huge to me now because there's no one left who fought in that war," he says. "Family members of mine fought and died in that war. When you got the current crop of political leaders -- who seem to have no connection to reality at all [and] people's lives whatsoever -- running the world, it's really important to remember these terrible events."

Daryl Hall on Future With John Oates: 'We're Pretty Much on to Our Own Thing'

David Chiu — 2011-09-29T14:00:00 00:00

Filed under: News, New Music, Exclusive

Press Here Publicity

Daryl Hall certainly took his time recording a follow-up to his last solo record, 1996's 'Can't Stop Dreaming.' The singer is back with 'Laughing Down Crying,' an album that was 10 years in the making. During that time, he's also worked with musical partner John Oates, hosted his Web series, 'Live From Daryl's House' and become a husband and a stepfather.

"I haven't had time really to do it," Hall tells Spinner about the long hiatus between solo records. "The opportunity presented itself. Over the past 10 years was when I came up with the ideas for these songs. I'd say a decade of changes that caused this album to happen.

"This has been a transition that had been going on for a long, long time. It has its ups and downs, and I think it shows in the lyrics. The ups and downs were certainly a part of the lyrical experience."

Ben Folds Five Plot New Material, Recall Friends' Hatred of 'Brick' -- Exclusive Video

David Chiu — 2011-09-19T13:00:00 00:00

Filed under: News, New Music, Exclusive

Sony

As Ben Folds was working on a best-of compilation of his music from the last 20 years, his label, Sony, suggested that he record some new music with his former band, Ben Folds Five, to bookend the set. Prior to this, Folds, drummer Darren Jessee and bassist Robert Sledge hadn't recorded new music together as Ben Folds Five in over a decade.

"We tend to do things when we're asked," Folds tells Spinner. "It's really funny. We hadn't had any offers to do anything. I guess it's all self-motivation. We didn't know if we were going to get together or not for anything. I called Robert and Darren up -- they were free for a week, so we got the studio for the week."

The result was three new Ben Folds Five songs that are on Folds' compilation 'The Best Imitation of Myself,' due out Oct. 11. The three-disc set features Folds' solo material and his work in Ben Folds Five, including studio cuts, rarities and live performances, that date from his 1992 demo, 'Best Imitation of Myself,' through his recent collaboration with novelist Nick Hornby.

Blondie Stick Together in Spite of 'Acrimonies' to Release 'Panic of Girls'

David Chiu — 2011-09-13T15:15:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive, Spinner Interview

F. Scott Schafer

Thirty-five years ago, Blondie released their self-titled debut album. It would inaugurate a memorable recording career of a band whose music has always embraced eclectic and different styles -- whether it's disco ('Heart of Glass'), reggae ('The Tide Is High) and hip hop (Rapture') -- while maintaining its New York roots.

On the band's new studio album, 'Panic of Girls' (out now exclusively on Amazon), Blondie still continues to explore diverse sounds such as Latin dance and French pop. The record also features the driving rockers that Blondie have been known for, particularly 'Love Doesn't Frighten Me' and 'What I Heard.'

As the band embarks on a US tour, Spinner sat down with singer Deborah Harry to talk about the new record, Blondie's first since 2003, the band's collaboration with Beirut's Zach Condon and their legacy.

'Panic of Girls' encompasses the familiar elements of Blondie's past and yet sounds contemporary as well. When did you start working on the record?

I've been hearing that actually, so I'm very happy about that. We were dying to make a new record for quite a few years and finally we sort of put it all together, because we did it independently. It's an independent release, basically. We started [the new album] in 2009 and finished up in 2010, with all the editing and mixing and then finally got it out.

Lindsey Buckingham Avoids the 'Politics' of Fleetwood Mac on New Solo LP -- Free MP3

David Chiu — 2011-09-08T13:30:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive, Q + A

Jeremy Cowart

When it comes to solo work, Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham's output has been somewhat sporadic. Before 2006, Buckingham had only released three albums: 'Law and Order' (1981), 'Go Insane' (1984) and 'Out of the Cradle (1992).' Midway through this period, in 1987, Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac, and despite a one-off reunion show at Bill Clinton's 1993 inauguration, he remained out of the fold until the band's 1997 reunion.

So it may seem like a godsend to his fans that Buckingham has put out three additional albums in the last five years, including recently released 'Seeds We Sow.' Buckingham not only produced and engineered the album -- a diverse collection he's said might be the best work he's ever done -- but he also performed all of the music by himself. And for the first time, he's an independent artist, having left Warner Bros., the label that had issued his Fleetwood Mac and solo recordings since 1975.

Shortly before embarking on a solo tour that starts on Sept. 9 in Sparks, Nevada, the legendary guitarist talked with Spinner.

'Seeds We Sow' is your third solo album in five years. This is probably the most prolific you've ever been as far as making records.

Well, I'm making up for lost time. During the time when the Fleetwood Mac situation was pulling me -- it had a little more gravity than it does now -- towards the center, there were certainly a few times when I went out with the intention to make a solo album, and probably two or three times, that got folded. I got pulled into the ranks, and that material got turned into part of a Fleetwood Mac album. There was kind of a running punchline that had to do with that, and maybe the amount of time between solo albums. It's kind of like a Terrence Malick thing. Now there's a little bit less frequency to the call of Fleetwood Mac. It seems to open up the time for doing solo work.

Olivia Newton-John Almost Didn't Release 'Physical' Because of Its Sexy Tone

David Chiu — 2011-08-26T16:00:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive

Quinn Rooney, Getty Images

If Olivia Newton-John had her way 30 years ago, her song 'Physical' may have not been heard on the radio. At the time she recorded it, Newton-John was worried about putting that suggestive and risqué single out there.

"I had a bit of a panic session," she tells Spinner. "I went, 'Oh my God! I can't put this out. It's way too radical! What are people going to think of me?' I said to my manager, 'You've got to pull it. It's too cheeky.' And he said, 'It's too late, it's gone to radio.' Of course, it went to No. 1 in like four weeks. I've learned to live with it."

'Physical' became Newton-John's biggest hit single in the U.S., where it topped the Billboard charts on Nov. 21, 1981, and stayed there for a total of 10 weeks. The song was accompanied by a music video featuring a headband-wearing Newton-John and a group of muscular and overweight men exercising in a gym.

June and Jean Millington of Fanny, the First All-Female Group Signed to Major Label, Return With 'Play Like a Girl'

David Chiu — 2011-08-25T15:30:00 00:00

Filed under: News, New Music, Exclusive

Marita Madeloni

These days, June Millington devotes her attention to the Massachusetts-based Institute for the Musical Arts (IMA), a non-profit organization she co-founded in 1986 that helps girls and women in music and the music business. It is an area that Millington knows from experience as the former lead guitarist of Fanny, one of the first all-female rock bands. From 1970-75, Fanny had recorded five albums, scored a hit with 'Charity Ball' in 1971 and performed on the same stages with Dr. John, the Staples Singers and Chicago.

One famous admirer, David Bowie, raved about the group in a 1999 issue of Rolling Stone: "They were one of the finest f---ing rock bands of their time, in about 1973. They were extraordinary: They wrote everything, they played like motherf---ers, they were just colossal and wonderful, and nobody's ever mentioned them. They're as important as anybody else who's ever been, ever; it just wasn't their time."

David Bowie 'Likely' Retired From Music, Biographer Says

David Chiu — 2011-08-05T15:00:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive, Book Club

Steve Wood/Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Before 1971, David Bowie's career hadn't really taken off. Other than scoring a hit with 1969's 'Space Oddity,' Bowie had recorded three albums that weren't very popular. But 40 years ago, he recorded two unique albums that would set the stage for his superstardom: 'Hunky Dory' and 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars.'

Author Paul Trynka, a former editor-in-chief at Mojo magazine, touches on that period and many other aspects of Bowie's life and career in a newly published biography, 'David Bowie: Starman.' In recounting 1971, Trynka mentions the singer's visit to America, where Bowie heard the Stooges for the first time and met the Velvet Underground's Doug Yule, whom he mistakenly thought was Lou Reed. More importantly, Bowie reinvented himself as a musician when he came back to the UK.

"His head was full of ideas," says Trynka. "He just sat in a room and learned how to play piano from scratch. To me I think that year represents the foundation of the David Bowie we know. He turned into a really talented songwriter [through] hard work, working the piano with a kind of obsessiveness. And when he did that, he learned how to write songs in a completely different way. Here is a guy who in 1971 turned himself from an average or catchy songwriter into a brilliant one."

Bob Mould Looks Back on His Closeted, 'Self-Hating' Days and Husker Du's Legacy

David Chiu — 2011-07-06T16:00:00 00:00

Filed under: News, Exclusive, Spinner Interview, Book Club

Noah Kalina

In his 30-plus-year career, Bob Mould has always been known for his driving emotional music, whether its the highly-charged punk rock of Hüsker Dü or his solo career. The angst that was present in his music is similar to aspects of his personal life, as documented in his latest memoir, 'See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody.' With author Michael Azerrad, Mould writes about the uneasy experiences of his life: Living in a dysfunctional home in Malone, N.Y.; a drinking habit that began at age 13 and lasted until he was 25 and coming to grips with his homosexuality.

Mould, 50, would later describe the actual writing of 'See a Little Light,' which took two and a half years, as grueling in terms of the mechanical and emotional aspects of the project. "In looking back at the first 50 years of my life," he writes in the book's preface, "I was sometimes appalled by my faults. Be it my uncanny ability to cut off friendships and relationships without explanation, my inability to properly process criticism or my love/hate relationship with blind rage -- in writing this book, my flaws became all to clear."

He also tells the stories behind the music he made with Hüsker Dü and Sugar, as well as his solo works from 'Workbook' (1989) to 'Life and Times' (2009). "As a child," he writes, "music was my escape. It was my fantasy world. Once I understood the value of and meaning of music, I began composing ... The infinite loops of history and harmony blend seamlessly into each other and wash my pain away."

In this interview with Spinner, Mould discusses his personal journey, his feelings about Hüsker Dü's legacy and his attitude towards life today.

What did you wanted to tell people through this book?

I had the stories that I thought were interesting. I wanted to sort of clear up any gaps in my private life: My sexuality, my relationships, how I felt personally about my own work -- a lot of things I hadn't shared before. I wanted to get those stories out there. Truth be told, when we got into this, when Azerrad and I started seeing the importance of family of origin and how much that affected my work and how much that affected my person, that became the focal point. From that, we were able to construct a number of threads that weaved throughout the book, whether it's my personal intimate relationships, my professional work, my sexuality, how religion affected the work at times. There's a lot of key threads that reappear through the book. That became the story, that became clearly what needed to be dealt with and that was when the hard work started.

Bob Mould Reveals the Truth About Hüsker Dü's Split in New Memoir

David Chiu — 2011-06-21T17:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Book Club

Noah Kalina

Bob Mould is one of those rare musical artists who has achieved musical success not just once but three times. From the late '70s through the '80s, he fronted the legendary punk group Hüsker Dü. Then in the early to mid '90s, Mould enjoyed popularity with his group Sugar. Since then, he has maintained a very active solo career, most recently with his last album, 2009's 'Life and Times.'

But it hasn't been an easy path for Mould, 50, as evidenced in his new and thoughtful memoir, 'See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody,' co-written with Michael Azerrad and published by Little Brown. Throughout his autobiography, Mould traces the personal obstacles and challenges that have marked his life, such as his childhood in a dysfunctional home in Malone, N.Y., and his homosexuality that led him to come out in the '90s. Along the way, Mould talks about the stories behind his albums, such as Hüsker Dü's 'Zen Arcade' and his 2002 solo record 'Modulate,' as well as his stint in the business of professional wrestling.

"I'd had all this anger and inner conflict when I was younger," he writes. "I used music to express it, but the irony was that touring the world in a rock band, cooped up with three other guys in a van, was also keeping me from both growing up and coming out. Now ... music was helping me heal the wounds and grow as a person."

In this excerpt from 'See a Little Light,' which is out now, Mould talks for the first time about an episode that led to the breakup of Hüsker Dü. The split was preceded by the suicide of Hüsker Dü manager David Savoy and the drug problems of band drummer Grant Hart.

January 26, 1988. [Bassist] Greg [Norton] and I decide that we need to sit down with Grant and talk, to figure out our collective future. This is the story that has never been told. This is the story of the last time the three members of Hüsker Dü sat together in a room.

Bono and the Edge Praise Julie Taymor, Injured Actor at 'Spider-Man' Discussion

David Chiu — 2011-06-14T12:30:00 00:00

Filed under: News

Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images

With a track record like that of U2's Bono and the Edge, one would expect that anything they did would be effortless -- even composing the score for the much-publicized Broadway musical 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.' But in an interview in front of a New York City audience on Monday night, the Edge admitted that work on the production was touch and go at times. Still, he made a point to say, "We believed in the project. If we could get it right, it'll be an amazing thing."

Both the Edge and Bono spoke at a 92nd Street Y event on the eve of the official Broadway opening of 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.' (The accompanying cast album is also being released on Tuesday, June 14). Talking to interviewer and Jujamcyn Theaters president Jordan Roth, the two U2 members spoke of their involvement in the production, which has been in the news in the last couple of months because of its delayed opening, injuries to cast memberso9 and the departure of director Julie Taymor.