Version 1.1 (working) 27 Feb 1996 Introduction ============ This is the list of frequently-asked questions (FAQ) about the band Sugar and the Internet mailing list to which fans can subscribe to exchange information about the band. Although the mailing list charter encourages discussion of related bands, the principal focus of the questions and answers herein is Sugar, with occasional and usually arbitrary extensions to Husker Du and Bob Mould. Note to Macintosh and Windows users (or anyone who wishes to print this document): the FAQ looks best when viewed with a non-proportional screen font (e.g., Courier) that preserves ASCII spacing; some of the information is presented in the form of tables, and without proper column alignment the tables won't make sense. The information presented is accurate to the best of my knowledge. If anyone sees errors I'm always grateful for corrections. Suggestions for improvements or additional topics are also welcome. Author: Paul Hilcoff paul@thirdav.com Acknowledgments: Thanks for help, review and information to: David Barbe Robert McNamara Bob Mould Lars Murray Oivind Wikstol screwball Stacey Taylor Malcolm Travis Sue Trowbridge Weirdo Table of Contents ================= 1. Background and Basics 1.1 How do I subscribe to the Sugar mailing list? 1.2 Who are the members of Sugar? 1.3 When was the band formed? 1.4 Where can I find Sugar records, tapes and CDs? 1.5 What if I still can't find the title or format I want? 1.6 In what other bands have Sugar personnel played? 1.7 Where can I find Sugar merchandise? 1.8 When and where has Sugar toured? 2. Discographical Questions 2.1 What albums, singles, etc have Sugar released? 2.2 Is any Sugar material available on vinyl? 2.3 What non-album tracks are available and where can I find them? 2.4 What is the best bootleg to get? 2.5 Where can I find Sugar bootlegs? 2.6 What's the best version of the 22 Jul 1992 Cabaret Metro show? 2.7 Who did the original versions of the cover songs performed by Sugar? 2.8 Which Sugar songs has David Barbe written? 2.9 What's the difference between the two _If I Can't Change Your Mind_ CDs? 2.10 Has the song "After All The Roads Have Led To Nowhere" ever been officially released? 2.11 Has Sugar ever appeared on television? Can I expect to see them appear on television? Has the band made videos? 3. Personal Data 3.1 How old are the band members? Where were they born? 3.2 Where does Bob live? Where is he from? Where did he go to college? Where else has he lived? 3.3 What are the band members' sexual orientations? 4. Miscellaneous 4.1 What kind of guitar(s) does Bob use? How does he get his trademark sounds? What auxiliary equipment does he employ? 4.2 Why don't I get an answer when I write to Granary Music at Box 966, NY NY 10009? 4.3 What's Bob's view on bootlegging? 4.4 Will there be a Husker Du reunion? 4.5 I'd like Sugar to play at my college, or at a nearby club; whom do I contact to inquire about that? 4.6 What's "Hoover Dam" about? Why do the lyrics mention the Mississippi instead of the Colorado? 4.7 How was the name "Sugar" chosen? Does it mean anything? 4.8 Who designed the typefont used in the Sugar logo? 4.9 What about the font used for the _FU:EL_ text? 4.10 What does "Husker Du" mean? 4.11 I've heard that Sugar is REALLY loud; should I wear earplugs if I see them live? 4.12 Will I get hurt if I go to a Sugar show? Is moshing common? 4.13 I've heard that "Clownmaster" and "Come Around" have on at least one occasion been performed with lyrics. Can I find the lyric versions anywhere? 5. Additional Resources 5.1 Are the messages posted to the Sugar mailing list archived anywhere? 5.2 Where can I find the lyrics to Sugar songs? 5.3 Where can I find tablatures for Sugar songs? 5.4 Where can I find loadable images related to Sugar? 5.5 Where can I find the Sugar screensaver program? 5.6 What else is available at the Berkeley ftp site? 5.7 The liner notes to _File Under: Easy Listening_ give an email address, SUGARNET@aol.com. What is this? 6. Bibliography 1. Background and Basics ========================= 1.1 How do I subscribe to the Sugar mailing list? To subscribe to Sugar, send the following in the body (not the subject line) of an email message to Majordomo@csua.berkeley.edu: subscribe sugar This will subscribe the account from which you send the message to the sugar list. If you wish to subscribe another address instead (such as a local redistribution list), you can use a command of the form: subscribe sugar other-address@your_site.your_net If you only want to receive one message per day, you can subscribe to the digest version (all the day's postings rolled up into one big message, which saves money for some people) by sending the message: subscribe sugar-digest To unsubscribe from the list, send one of the following messages, as appropriate: unsubscribe sugar unsubscribe sugar other-address@your_site.your_net unsubscribe sugar-digest For more detailed information about Majordomo (automatic mailing list server) commands and capabilities, send a message consisting of the word: help 1.2 Who are the members of Sugar? Sugar is Bob Mould (guitar, vocals, and occasionally keyboards and percussion), David Barbe (bass, vocals) and Malcolm Travis (drums, other percussion). 1.3 When was the band formed? Sugar was formed by Bob Mould in February, 1992 after sending David and Malcolm home-demo versions of his songs so they could familiarize themselves with the material. The first public performance was at the 40 Watt Club, Athens GA on 20 Feb 1992. An incomplete and mediocre-sounding recording of this performance can be found on the bootleg CD _Whatever Makes You Happy_ (Hawk 005). 1.4 Where can I find Sugar records, tapes and CDs? The commercial albums released in the US (Rykodisc) and Europe (Creation) are still in print and can be found in (or ordered by) any major record store. CD singles and EPs are routinely deleted by record companies after about six months, so these may take a little more effort to find. Stores specializing in non-mainstream rock music are more likely to have a decent selection in stock at any given time. The Australian distributor, White Records, has deleted some (all?) titles from its catalog. Distribution of _File Under: Easy Listening_ is planned for Singapore, China and Brazil but no details are available yet. 1.5 What if I still can't find the title or format I want? In the US, Rykodisc will fill mail orders, although their policy is to encourage customers to buy their products in record stores. The mail order arm is called Earful and can be reached at 530 North 3rd St, Minneapolis MN 55401 (800-232-7385). For serious collectors of rare, promotional and out-of-print material, two publications are essential resources: _Goldmine_ is a large-format newsprint magazine published biweekly in the US. It consists principally of dealer advertising, of which there is a prodigious amount. It takes effort to find things (more like panning for gold than mining it) but the rewards can make it worthwhile. Subscriptions are $35/year (26 issues) in the US, $182.75/year for airmail to Europe. Goldmine 700 E. State St Iola WI 54990 USA Phone: 715-445-2214 Fax: 715-445-4087 _Record Collector_ magazine is published monthly in the UK. It's slicker than _Goldmine_ and has a much higher article-to-advertising ratio. It's an excellent source for tracking down rare UK releases and, to a lesser extent, US items, although prices for the latter tend to be prohibitively high in Britain. Subscriptions are #38/year (12 issues) in the UK and #68.50/year for airmail to North America. Record Collector 43/45 St. Mary's Road Ealing, London W5 5RQ UK 1.6 In what other bands have Sugar personnel played? Bob Mould first gained prominence as the guitarist and a songwriter in Husker Du, a highly influential band to which so many current bands are compared that it's commonplace to see mentions of Husker Du in music magazines some seven years after the band's breakup. Husker Du's albums from the 1980s are still in print and are commonly available in CD format. In April 1994 Warner Bros Records released an excellent live album, _The Living End_, which was recorded on Husker Du's final tour in late 1987. Between the Husker Du breakup in Jan 1988 and the formation of Sugar, Bob recorded and toured with the "Bob Mould Band" and also did two solo acoustic tours. David Barbe has been a fixture on the Athens music scene for years, both as a studio rat--he engineered and produced numerous local bands, including Jack-O-Nuts, Little Debbie and Skinpops among others--and as the bassist of the now-defunct Mercyland. He has a current side band, Buzz Hungry. Boston-based Malcolm Travis has had a long music career that began in 1979 with Human Sexual Response ("Jackie Onassis") and continued with the Zulus (whose album was produced by Bob Mould) and Concussion Ensemble (still alive and kicking, but without Malcolm, who withdrew because of the time demands of Sugar). Malcolm's current side projects are the country-music Wheelers and Dealers, and the Flower Tamers, a descendant of Laughing Academy. Husker Du: Grant Hart--drums, vocals, occasional keyboards Bob Mould--guitar, vocals Greg Norton--bass, vocals Bob Mould Band: Bob Mould--guitar, vocals Anton Fier--drums Steve Haigler--percussion [_Workbook_ only] Jim Hery--guitar [fall 1989 tour only] Tony Maimone--bass Jane Scarpantoni--cello [_Workbook_ only] Chris Stamey--guitar, backing vocals [spring 1989 tour only] Mercyland: David Barbe--bass, vocals Andrew Donaldson--guitar, vocals Joel Suttles--drums Mark Craig--guitar [original member, left band] Harry Joiner--drums [original member, left band] Buzz Hungry: David Barbe--guitar, vocals Brooks Carter--drums Doug Morris--bass [no longer with band] Eric Sales--bass Marc Tissenbaum--guitar [no longer with band] Human Sexual Response: Larry Bangor--vocals Casey Cameron--vocals Windle Davis--vocals Rich Gilbert--guitars Dini Lamot--vocals, tambourine Chris Maclachlan--bass Malcolm Travis--drums Zulus: Larry Bangor--vocals, harmonica Rich Cortese--bass, backing vocals Rich Gilbert--guitars, backing vocals Malcolm Travis--drums, percussion Concussion Ensemble: Mike Brown--guitar Rich Cortese--bass Larry Dersch--drums [Malcolm's replacement] Terry Donahue--drums Rich Gilbert--guitar Brian Gillespie--drums Malcolm Travis--drums [left band for Sugar] Ken Winokur--percussion Wheelers & Dealers: Brother Cleve--keyboards Kit Dennis--bass [ex-Infliktors] Fritz Erickson--pedal steel guitar [ex-Gang Green] Greased Lightning Lou--lead guitar Pat McGrath--acoustic guitar, general raconteur Todd Nelson--lead guitar Malcolm Travis--drums [sometime member] Flower Tamers: James Apt--guitar Paul Austin--bass Robert Fisher--vocals George Hall--guitar [no longer with band] Dana Hollowell--guitar Malcolm Travis--drums 1.7 Where can I find Sugar merchandise? Sugar t-shirts have become elusive in the US and may all be out of print at this time. This is not to say that they cannot be found at all. Many retail stores still have supplies on hand and specialist dealers sometimes offer them for sale via mail-order. Ryko does not handle any Sugar merchandise. Bob controls all the merchandising. Sugar tour shirts were sold at venues during the FU:EL tour but are not available any longer. SST has at least one Husker tee still in print. Style Description ----- ----------- 1 Sugar--Copper Blue front artwork on white 2 Sugar--Copper Blue back artwork on ash 3 Sugar--Beaster artwork 4 Sugar--FU:EL artwork (promo?) 5 Sugar--FU:EL art on black (long-slv, UK 94 dates on back--unlicensed) 6 Sugar--FU:EL UK tour 7 Sugar--Small FU:EL/Sugar logo on front, NA/east tour dates on back 8 Sugar--Small FU:EL/Sugar logo on front, NA/west tour dates on back 9 Bob Mould--Workbook tour 10 Bob Mould--Black Sheets tour 11 Husker Du--Warehouse artwork on white 12 Husker Du--Candy Apple Grey (red/black on beige--probably unlicensed) 13 Husker Du--Flip Your Wig 14 Husker Du--New Day Rising (blue lettering, album artwork on tan) 15 Husker Du--Metal Circus (Husker "circle" logo, white/silver on navy) 16 Husker Du--Metal Circus tour (black on white) 17 Husker Du--Land Speed Record (white on black--possibly unlicensed) 18 Husker Du--Land Speed Record (red/blue on white--unlicensed) The suppliers below are all mail-order houses. Supplier Styles Price Postage ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SST 15, 14*, 17* $7.25 Free in US PO Box 1 $3.50 overseas air Lawndale CA 90260 USA Phone: 310-590-8703 Fax: * Not listed in current catalog ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kung Fu 11 $12 $3 UPS PO Box 28736 $2.75 1st Class Raleigh NC 27611 $1.75 4th Class USA Phone: 919-834-0230 Fax: 919-834-2090 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Insomnia Records 1, 2, 15 $14.50 $3.50 flat (US) PO Box 86308 Los Angeles CA 90086-308 USA Phone: 213-622-0008 Fax: 213-622-6598 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rhythm 1, 12* , 15 #11.50-14.50 #1 UK 12 Gwydir Street #2.50 Europe Cambridge CB1 2LL Cost+50p overseas England Phone: (0223) 60981 Fax: (0223) 322557 * Not listed in current catalog ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.8 When and where has Sugar toured? Sugar has performed in the US, Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Japan. Australian tour plans have twice failed to come to fruition. Full North American tour routes follow a long-established pattern. Tours typically begin in the US Midwest, trace a rough clockwise loop around the continent, and terminate in the Pacific Northwest. Sugar tours to date can be broken down as follows: 20 Feb 92: Debut gig--40 Watt Club, Athens GA Jul 92: Shakedown tour, US East, Midwest Aug 92: European warmup mini-tour Sep-Oct 92: European Copper Blue tour Oct-Nov 92: North American Copper Blue tour Dec 92: European pre-Beaster mini-tour Jan 93: Japan mini-tour Apr-May 93: North American Beaster tour Jun-Jul 93: European festival tour Sep-Oct 94: European FU:EL tour Oct-Dec 94: North American FU:EL tour Jan 95: Japan FU:EL tour 2. Discographical Questions ============================ 2.1 What albums, singles, etc have Sugar released? There is an annotated Sugar discography in the archives (see section 5.1) that is updated once or twice a year. It has sufficient detail about Sugar's musical output to answer most questions. Below is a brief listing of the official releases. Foreign pressings are noted only if format or content differs from the US version. COMMERCIAL ALBUMS Copper Blue 04 Sep 92 Rykodisc RCD 10239 (cas, CD, MD) Copper Blue Sep 92 Creation CRELP 129 (UK 12") Copper Blue [extra track] Sep 92 Columbia COCY 75115 (Japan CD) Beaster 05 Apr 93 Creation (CD, 12") Beaster 06 Apr 93 Ryko VRCD 0260 (CD, cas) File Under: Easy Listening 06 Sep 94 Ryko RCD/RAC/RALP 10300 (CD/cas/12") File Under: Easy Listening 06 Sep 94 Ryko 90300 (ltd edition CD) SINGLES, EPs Changes Aug 92 Creation 126 (UK 12", CD) Helpless 07 Aug 92 Ryko 1024 (cas, CD) Helpless/Changes Sep 92 SOL 230-7 (7") A Good Idea 09 Oct 92 Ryko 1030 (cas, CD) A Good Idea Oct 92 Creation CRE 143 (UK 12", CD) A Good Idea Oct 92 Creation CRE 143 (UK 7") If I Can't Change Yr Mind Jan 93 Creation CRE 149 (UK 7", 12", CD) If I Can't Change Yr Mind Jan 93 Ryko 1031 (CD) If I Can't Change Yr Mind Jan 93 Ryko 1032 (CD) Tilted/JC Auto Aug 93 Creation CRE 156A ltd ed (UK 7") Your Favorite Thing 16 Aug 94 Ryko RCD5 1038 (CD) Believe What You're Saying 18 Oct 94 Ryko RCD5 1039 (CD) Gee Angel 24 Jan 95 Ryko RCD5 1040 (CD) VA COMPILATIONS Running Out of Time Oct 92 Reflex Magazine 29 (flexi #28) Singles of the Week 1992 Jan 93 NME/BMG 74321 132282 (UK CD) Sub Rock: Best of Ind/Grnge 93? (FRG 2xCD) Independent 20 Jan 93 Beechwood TT016CD (UK CD) Collision Feb 93 White Records TVD 93373 (Australia CD) Vox Elite Mar 93 Vox magazine GIVIT 6 (UK cas) Loaded 93 Box 07777 89333 28 (UK CD) Born to Choose 26 Oct 93 Ryko RCD 10256 Greetings from Uncle Sam Dec 93 Columbia 474120 (UK CD) Indie Top 20 Vol 18 93 (UK CD, cas, 2x12") Singles of the Week 1993 Jan 94 NME/BMG 74321 187012 (UK CD) Patron Saints of Teenage Early 94 Creation CRENME 001 (UK CD) The Mutha of Creation Feb 94 Creation NME CRE 10 (UK cas) CMJ New Music October Sep 94 CMJ-NMM014 (CD5) Indie Top 20 Vol 20 Oct 94 (UK CD) [Hollies tribute] 95? [strictly rumor] PROMO/DJ/MISC Expand-o CD Tuneup 27 03 Aug 92 Album Network 27 (VA CD sampler) Album Network Tuneup 88 21 Sep 92 Album Network 88 (VA CD sampler) Life Before Sugar Sep 92 Ryko VRCD 10238/VRCD 0239 (2xCD) Changes Sep 92 Creation (UK 12") A Good Idea Nov 92 Ryko VRCD 0239/2 (CD) A Good Idea Nov 92 Creation 143TP (UK 12") If I Can't Change Your Mind Jan 93 Creation 149TP (UK 12") If I Can't Change Your Mind Jan 93 Ryko VRCD 0239/3 1-track (CD) Beaster Apr 93 Ryko (special promo package CD) Beaster Apr 93 Creation CRECD 153P (UK promo pkg CD) JC Auto Apr 93 Creation CTP 153 (UK 1-sided 12") JC Auto Apr 93 Ryko VRCD 0260/2 (CD) Medium Rare Aug 93 Ryko VRCD 0001 (VA CD sampler) Your Favorite Thing Aug 94 Creation CRESCD 186P (UK CD) Your Favorite Thing Aug 94 Ryko VRCD 0300 (advance CD) Ryko/Hannibal Fall 94 Sampler Aug 94 Ryko VRCD 9402 (VA CD sampler) File Under: Easy Listening Sep 94 Creation CRECD 172P (UK CD) Believe What You're Saying Oct 94 Creation CRE 193P (UK CD) Believe What You're Saying Oct 94 Creation 193TP (UK 12") 2.2 Is any Sugar material available on vinyl? There are only two legitimate US vinyl releases. All the Creation releases were issued on vinyl in the UK (the 12" EPs were issued in generic-sleeve promo versions as well as commercial, picture-sleeve versions; there's also a Creation one-sided promo 12" issue of the studio "JC Auto"). There is no Australian or Japanese vinyl. US vinyl: SOL 230-7 Helpless/Changes 7" Ryko RALP 10300 File Under: Easy Listening 12" UK vinyl: Creation CRE 126T Changes (+3) 12" Creation CRELP 129 Copper Blue 12" Creation CRE 143T A Good Idea (+3) 12" Creation CRE 143 A Good Idea/Slick 7" Creation CRE 149T If I Can't Change Your Mind (+3) 12" Creation CRELP 153 Beaster 12" Creation CRE 156A Tilted/JC Auto 7" Creation CRE 186T Your Favorite Thing (+3) 12" Creation CRE 186 Your Favorite Thing/Mind Is An Island 7" Creation CRELP 172 File Under: Easy Listening 12" Creation CRE 193 Believe What You're Saying/Going Home 7" 2.3 What non-album tracks are available and where can I find them? There's no simple answer to this question. All the CD singles contain non-album tracks, as do a few of the compilations (and, of course, the bootlegs). The Husker Du summary discography in the Sugar archives (see section 5.1) has been augmented to provide pointers to items featuring non-LP material, but unfortunately does not identify redundancies. 2.4 What is the best bootleg to get? Obligatory lecture: the selling and *owning* of bootleg recordings is illegal in the US and most other parts of the world. Not only do you place yourself at risk by buying bootlegs, but the money you spend on these outrageously-priced items serves to enrich not your favorite artists but unscrupulous profiteers who cheerfully misrepresent their products and couldn't care less about the music they sell. There's a lot of overlap among the bootleg releases, and the only material that sounds halfway decent is that taken from the WXRT broadcast of the 22 Jul 1992 Cabaret Metro (Chicago) show. Below is a quick comparison of what's out there (quality ratings are purely subjective): Title Format Tracks Source Recorded Rate ----- ------ ------ ------ -------- ---- UK Radio Session 1992 7" 4 BBC Goodier Aug 92 A On The Edge 12" 13 Pavilion, Brighton 02 Oct 92 B Bleeding CD 13 Cab Metro, Chicago 22 Jul 92 A- Whatever Makes You Happy CD 16 40 Watt, Athens GA 20 Feb 92 B+ Bob's Full House CD 19 Cab Metro + misc 22 Jul 92+ A/B Sweetheart 7" 2 40 Watt, Athens GA 20 Feb 92 B 2.5 Where can I find Sugar bootlegs? Most major cities and university towns are home to at least one record store that specializes in "rare" and "import" recordings. These are the first places to check. Any store that sells used recordings is also worth investigating. Mail-order sources can be determined by careful scrutiny of the advertisements in _Goldmine_. Occasionally dealers who specialize in these products pop up on the Internet. 2.6 What's the best version of the 22 Jul 1992 Cabaret Metro show? This show was recorded and later aired as part of Chicago FM station WXRT's Sunday concert series. Both the _Bleeding_ and _Bob's Full House_ boot CDs include most of the songs with very good sound quality, but neither contains the complete show. The _Bleeding_ version is an exact dub of the WXRT broadcast. The _BFH_ version sounds as if it was made from the unedited master tape since it includes a few unaired tracks, but it's missing some of the aired tracks. The matrix below summarizes all the known releases, legitimate and otherwise, containing material from this show. Complete set .Ble.BFH.AGI.YM1.TJC.BTC.MOC.flx.pGI.pMR.pJC.pRL. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Act We Act............... X . X . . . . . . . . . . . A Good Idea.................. X . X . . . . . . . . . . . Changes...................... X . X . . . . . . . . . . . Running Out Of Time.......... X . X . . . . X . . X . . . . . Helpless..................... X . X . * . . . . . . X . . . . If I Can't Change Your Mind.. X . X . . . . . . . . . . . Where Diamonds Are Halos..... X . X . * . . . . . . . . . . Hoover Dam................... X . X . . X . . . . . . . . X . The Beer Commercial.......... . X . . . . . . . . . . . Slick........................ X . X . X . . . . . . . . . . Anyone....................... . X . . X . . . . . . . . . Clownmaster.................. X . X . . . . . . . . . . . Tilted....................... X . . . . . . . . . . . . Armenia City In The Sky...... X . X . X . . . . . . . . . . JC Auto...................... X . . . . X . . X . . . X . X . . The Slim..................... X . X . . . . . . . . . . . Dum Dum Boys................. . X . . . . . . . . . . . Man On The Moon.............. X . X . . . . . . . . . . . Key: Ble--Bleeding (Kiss the Stone KTS193) BFH--Bob's Full House (Pseudo Indie Label PIL02CD) AGI--A Good Idea CD (Ryko RCD5 1030, White D11330) YM1--If I Can't Change Your Mind #1 (Ryko RCD5 1031, Creation CRE 149, White D11391) TJC--Tilted/JC Auto 7" (Creation CRE 156A) BTC--Born To Choose comp (Ryko RCD 10256) MOC--The Mutha Of Creation comp (Creation NME CRE 10) flx--Flexidisc contained in subscriber edition of _Reflex_ magazine #29 pGI--A Good Idea promo CD (Ryko VRCD 0239/2) pMR--Medium Rare promo comp CD (Ryko VRCD 0001) pJC--JC Auto promo CD (Ryko VRCD 0260/2) pRL--Rock Over London syndicated radio CD (Radio Ventures 93/08) * "Helpless" omitted from Creation CD5/12"; both songs omitted from 7". 2.7 Who did the original versions of the cover songs performed by Sugar? Armenia City In The Sky The Who [John Keene] The Door Into Summer Monkees [Mike Nesmith] Dum Dum Boys Stooges [Iggy Pop] Helter Skelter Beatles [Lennon/McCartney] Ramblin' Rose MC5 [Wayne Kramer] That's When I Reach For My Revolver Mission of Burma [Clint Conley] You Really Got Me Kinks [Ray Davies] 2.8 Which Sugar songs has David Barbe written? Annabelle Unreleased, occasionally performed live Anyone If I Can't Change Your Mind #1 CD The Beer Commercial Unreleased by Sugar; Buzz Hungry version on SOL 7" Company Book File Under: Easy Listening Frustration Your Favorite Thing CD single In The Eyes Of My Friends Believe What You're Saying CD/12" Sapphire Unreleased, occasionally performed live Where Diamonds Are Halos A Good Idea CD; If I Can't Change Your Mind #2 CD Buzz Hungry recordings of "Anyone," "The Beer Commercial" and "Where Diamonds Are Halos" are among the tracks on the _Fried Like A Man_ EP, reissued on CD in 1994 by Engine Records (VROOM 10). Essential for Sugar fans. 2.9 What's the difference between the two _If I Can't Change Your Mind_ CDs? The two versions contain different tracks and one of them is marketed as a limited-edition release. _If I Can't Change Your Mind_ #1 (the numerical designation is informal) includes in addition to the title track (from _Copper Blue_) a studio version of "Clownmaster" and live versions of "Anyone" and "Hoover Dam" from the 22 Jul 1992 Cabaret Metro show. _If I Can't Change Your Mind_ #2, the limited edition, has the same title track, but its additional tracks are "The Slim," "Where Diamonds Are Halos" and "If I Can't Change Your Mind," all taken from the BBC Goodier Sessions radio program. Note that in addition there are Ryko promo CD versions that look similar to #1 except that they are marked "promo" and contain only the title track. Version Label/matrix Format Distinguishing features --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #1 Ryko 1031 CD5 yellow inlay; jewel case Creation CRESCD 149 CD5 yellow inlay; jewel case Creation CRE 149T 12" yellow sleeve White Records D11391 CD5 yellow inlay; jewel case Ryko (Japan) CD5 yellow inlay; Japanese insert --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #2 Ryko 1032 CD5 red inlay; jewel case Creation CRESCD 149L CD5 yellow digipak marked "limited" 2.10 Has the song "After All The Roads Have Led To Nowhere" ever been officially released? As of 24 Jan 1995, the answer to this question is finally "yes." A live recording of this song from 02 Nov 1994 at 1st Ave in Minneapolis is one of the B-sides on the _Gee Angel_ CD single. Bob has played "Roads" solo and with Sugar since Sep 1992. It was previously available only on live tapes and on the _On The Edge_ boot LP. No studio version has ever been released. 2.11 Has Sugar ever appeared on television? Can I expect to see them appear on television? Has the band made videos? Sugar has appeared on television in Europe. Programs aired in England (Late Show, The Beat) and Germany (Arte Megamix Special) have included studio interviews and taped performance footage featuring complete songs. In the US, short performance fragments have aired on MTV in conjunction with music news coverage. Bob has appeared as a guest on MTV 120 Minutes and hosted the program in Sep 1994, at which time two acoustic songs with Lou Barlow were taped; one aired 04 Sep 1994 with the original program, the other 18 Dec 1994 as part of a 120 Minutes compilation program of live-on-tape outtakes. David Letterman and Jon Stewart have invited Sugar to perform on their television programs, but Bob has indicated that he prefers to avoid the late-night talk-show circuit. The reason he cites is that it would reduce Sugar to being just another face in the crowd. Promotional music videos were shot for "Helpless," "Changes," "If I Can't Change Your Mind," "Tilted," "Your Favorite Thing," "Believe What You're Saying," and "Gee Angel." All of these have aired on MTV, usually as part of that network's "alternative" programming, but occasionally as part of the regular rotation. None of these videos is available commercially. 3. Personal Data ================= 3.1 How old are the band members? Where were they born? Bob was born 17 Oct 1960 in Malone NY. David was born 30 Sep 1963 in Atlanta. Malcolm was born 15 Feb 1953 in Niskayuna NY. 3.2 Where does Bob live? Where is he from? Where did he go to college? Where else has he lived? Bob currently resides in Austin TX. He was born in upstate New York and left his hometown to attend Macalester College in St Paul MN. After the disintegration of Husker Du, Bob retreated to a farm in the wilds of Minnesota for a year where he worked on the songs for his first solo album, _Workbook_. In 1989 he moved back east and spent the next four years living in and around New York City, primarily in Hoboken NJ and in Brooklyn (Greenpoint). 3.3 What are the band members' sexual orientations? For some reason there is enduring fascination with this topic. Since no one in the band considers it to be the least bit relevant, why should we bother to speculate about it? 4. Miscellaneous ================= 4.1 What kind of guitar(s) does Bob use? How does he get his trademark sounds? What auxiliary equipment does he employ? The following description of Sugar band members' equipment appeared in the October 1994 _Musician_: "Sugar Consumption" [Sidebar to article entitled "Bob Mould Shaken, Stirred and FUELED"] by Chris Morris BOB MOULD uses late-'80s Fender Strats with Fender-Lace sensor pickups. He feeds them into an MXR Distortion Plus pedal and a Roland SDE-3000 digital delay. That unit's wet output is fed to one side of an Eventide H3000 UltraHarmonizer's input, the dry output to the other. Each side of the H3000's stereo output is compressed using a DBX 166 compressor and routed to two pairs of amplifiers--two Roland JC-120 standalone heads powering Marshall 4x12s and two mid-'80s Fender Concert tube amps with 12" speakers. "What I'm trying to do," Mould explains, "is create a stereo image using a solid- state amp on the bottom end to create a clean, tight bottom end, and using the Fenders to create stereo distortion. That's the main sound." And a loud one--126 dB onstage. He also kicks in a t.c. electronics Booster Linedriver Distortion (now out of production) pedal for more bottom end on solos. From Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine he acquired one of Jimi Hendrix's old Octavia pedals, custom-made by Roger Meyer. At home and for solo shows, Mould uses a Yamaha APX12 12-string acoustic. He also owns a late-'50s Kay acoustic (which he likes to play through distortion pedals). He composes with the aid of a Roland R-8 drum machine. And for a change of pace, he plays a Japan-made Fender Jazz Bass. ("I've never changed the strings in six years, because the intonation is really perfect.") DAVID BARBE plays '70s-vintage Fender Precision Basses. He formerly used a Gallien Krueger 300-watt head, but Mould says Barbe may switch to an Ampeg SVT rig after blowing up the G-K recently. His cabinets are a Trace Elliot 4x10 and an Ampeg 2x15. MALCOLM TRAVIS's main kit is a Yamaha [n.b.: Malcolm contradicts this statement; he says his kit is a Tama], which Mould says "is really meant for volume on the road." He uses Zildjian cymbals exclusively. Steve Collinsforwarded the following message posted by George Todd Pardy : Concerning Bob's equipment here's a segment of an article that appeared in _Guitar Player_, October 1992. "Bob Mould and Sugar" by Kevin Ransom Bob credits his trademark compressed distortion sound to his trusty MXR Distortion+ which he pumps through a Roland Stereo delay. "I send the delay output to separate channels of a DBX 166 compressor before it goes to the amps," he details. "That way, I don't get a lot of weird spikes going into the amps, and I have a lot more headroom." Everything runs through a stereo amp stack: two Fender Concerts and a hotrodded Roland JC-120 that drives two 4x12 cabinets. "With the JC-120, the bottom end stays tight and clean. I use the Fenders to get the grunge--you know, that ugly midrange and piercing top end that everybody hates." Mould owns four Strats. The blue '87 is his primary guitar; two others are dedicated to alternate tunings. "One," he explains, "is tuned dulcimer-style: E A E A A E, low to high. The other is tuned in fifths, like a cello: E B F# C# B (whole step lower), E." He prefers stock Fender pickups in the neck and middle positions, but his bridge pickups are Fender Lace Sensors..."Lace Sensors give me a real hard high-mid boost that I like. It's a real screamer." An earlier _Musician_ piece (1987) discussed the Husker Du equipment: "Du-Dads" [Sidebar to article entitled "Down the Highway with Husker Du"] by Ed Ward Bob Mould: "I have a number of mid-70s Ibanez Flying Vs; actually the Rocket Roll Flying V is what it's called. I use GHS Boomer Extra-Light strings and Jim Dunlop light picks. I also use a Washburn acoustic electric, and I've got a Yamaha 12-string acoustic. As for amps, Yamaha G-100 heads running 4x12s, a Marshall and a Sonic, both with Celestion speakers, and I slave those into Fender Concerts with stock JBLs. For effects I have a Distortion Plus and a Roland SDE-1000 digital delay. That's just live. The studio is, uh, other things." Greg Norton: "I play an Ibanez Roadstar Series II RB 940 bass guitar with a full-scale three-octave neck, and use GHS Boomer medium-gauge strings. I've got a Peavey Megabass digital bass head which is used with the Urei L-2 (DLA 48) and those both go into an SVT cabinet that's got eight 10s in it and a custom- built Batson cabinet that's got two 15s." Grant Hart: I have Joe Calato Regal Tip 7A sticks, a variety of Chinese and Turkish cymbals, Yamaha cymbal stands, a Ludwig Speed King foot pedal, a 7x14 solid rock maple bentwood snare, a 9x13 rack-mounted tom, using a Galou rim and a 16x16 floor tom, and a 24x14 bass drum, and a Yamaha throne and that's about it." Keith Lee contributed the following from a more personal perspective: I have seen [Bob Mould] since his Workbook Tour, and this is what I can tell from personal testimony and interviews. Guitars: His main electric is an '87 Fender American Std Stratocaster, Gun Metal Blue (very close to Johnny Marr's favorite guitar). Bob once said that his tremolo on his Gun Metal Blue strat broke, which actually allows him to get some of those wicked bends (e.g. "Man On the Moon," "Whichever Way The Wind Blows"). I have also seen other strats on tour (I think he's had a black one since Workbook). Acoustic guitars: He's been a Yamaha loyalist on his trademark 12-string work. He currently plays on what looks like an APX series (APX 12?). It's similar to an Ovation, but doesn't have the same bowl shape. It has the same plastic back, which many touring musicians love because they're indestructible (and many purists think his acoustic sound live sucks-- too brittle, although Yamaha pickups are well-liked). The cutaway and smaller neck has got to be a bonus for him as well, especially with his recurring battle with tendonitis. Bob has said that Lowden guitars had approached him once, but said that he would still have to shuck out $1400 for it (although he said, he liked the cedar wood smell). In case you've never heard of Lowden, it is considered one of the finest acoustic guitars made, and the favored acoustic guitar of Richard Thompson (who Bob worships and covered "Shoot Out the Lights") and new age god Alex DeGrassi. He also has borrowed various Schecter Teles. Strings? D'Addario lights. "I still have tons left over from when I had a deal with him." Electric setup: His favorite stomp box is an MXR Distortion Plus from days of yore "They don't make them like they used to...", and the signal is split into two dbx compressor/limiters. For those who don't know about effects, that distortion-compression chain is Bob's trademark electric sound, which is half of his trademark sound (other half is his drone style, using tonics and fifths, with 4ths, 6ths and 9ths). From the dbx rack, he drives them through other effects racks, which changes a lot (with Sugar, I didn't notice anything, but he used Roland signal processors during Black Sheets tour). And *then*, he sends them to four separate amps: two Fender Concert amps (mid 70s?) and two Roland JC120 heads, which go to 2 4x12 cabinets (no make, but probably Marshalls with the logo ripped off). Bob is not known as a tube head (according to a friend of mine who works in a guitar store in St Paul), but he did explore using a Groove Tube preamp/speaker emulator in recording and performing Black Sheets Of Rain. 4.2 Why don't I get an answer when I write to Granary Music at Box 966, NY NY 10009? This mailbox has now been superseded by the Austin address: PO Box 4947 Austin TX 78765-4947 Bob Mould apparently does see at least some of the mail sent by fans, but his plans for a newsletter never materialized. People who filled out the postcards handed out at gigs and returned them to the NY address did have their names entered on a mailing list and received two mailings of tour information, the latter in summer 1992. See also section 5.7. Note that the New York PO box remains the address of choice for SOL (Bob's Singles Only Label project, currently on indefinite hiatus). 4.3 What's Bob's view on bootlegging? Bob makes a distinction between tapes exchanged among fans and bootleg products sold for profit. He doesn't mind tape-trading but, like most artists, objects vigorously to professional bootlegging. This is not a difficult position to understand: theft and resale of intellectual property is no different from theft and resale of your VCR or car stereo. And make no mistake about it--there's serious money involved when the big European bootleg houses market a CD. As for the argument that this is the only route by which serious fans can gain access to rare material, consider that serious fans already have this material on tape and usually with superior sound quality. 4.4 Will there be a Husker Du reunion? Not in the immediate future. There remains tension between Bob and Grant. Grant has his own band these days, Nova Mob, and Greg Norton, Husker Du's bassist, was away from music for a while (happily working as a chef at the trendy Table of Contents restaurant in St Paul), and now is reported to be involved in a new band project called Acoustic Tragedies. 4.5 I'd like Sugar to play at my college, or at a nearby club; whom do I contact to inquire about that? Contact Frank Riley at Monterey Peninsula Artists (for North America), or Paul Boswell at Free Trade Agency (rest of world). Frank is in Carmel CA; Paul is in London. 4.6 What's "Hoover Dam" about? Why do the lyrics mention the Mississippi instead of the Colorado? Martin Brice provided the definitive answer to this one: I think that Bob has probably been around the states enough times to have the geography sorted out. In _Record Collector_ Oct 1992, he said that the song was like a travelogue to a number of places including the Hoover Dam, New Orleans and Hell. He also described the sound at the end as the sound of the dam busting apart while you're on it. 4.7 How was the name "Sugar" chosen? Does it mean anything? Screwball provided the following explanation: The band decided to call themselves "Sugar" because "it seemed dumb." Honest. This happened a couple weeks into rehearsals when they had just formed (Athens, GA, February 1992). The owner of the 40 Watt Club asked them to play a gig, they said "Sure," and then got asked what they were going to call themselves. Dan Boorstein added: Last year on 99.7 WNNX Atlanta, that same question was asked by a caller to Bob Mould who was guest hosting. He stated that while hanging out at one of the Athens, GA Wafflehouses with his band mates they realized that they were all "...coffee-achievers." They looked around the table and saw a plain package of sugar and felt it to be as fitting a name as any other. 4.8 Who designed the typefont used in the Sugar logo? The logo was designed by Bob. The font is Helvetica Bold Compressed. Bob notes that it's "very similar to the HD font, but not the same." 4.9 What about the font used for the _FU:EL_ text? This is Parade. 4.10 What does "Husker Du" mean? It's Norwegian and Danish for "Do you remember." Husker Du was the name of a board game popular in the US in the 60s (and which is apparently available again, judging from recent reported sightings in toy departments around the US). You can catch a glimpse of the game box in the video for "Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely." A few notes on the Great Husker Du Umlaut Controversy: Luiz Otavio Carvalhal pointed out that in Danish the umlauts would be omitted. Sue Trowbridge suggested that there should be no umlauts in the Norwegian "husker du" either. A living, breathing Norwegian was queried and was gracious enough to furnish what must be considered the ultimate answer to this burning question: As for the umlauts, I don't know where it comes from. The letter "u" with umlauts over it doesn't exist in any of the Nordic languages. I remember back in the 80s it was common belief in Norway that the Husker Du umlauts was a "hardrock" thing (as with Motorhead and Motley Crue, without further comparisons!). Oivind also notes that he "always thought some of the Huskers for some reason had seen a terrible Norwegian television show called 'Husker Du' which was on from the late 70s up to mid 80s. It was a weekly program where a bunch of old people (70-80 years old) got together in a studio to sing old hits from the 1920s and 30s." 4.11 I've heard that Sugar is REALLY loud; should I wear earplugs if I see them live? Sugar *is* quite loud. The volume was turned down slightly for the FU:EL tour, but earplugs are still a good idea. David and Malcolm both wear them onstage. Bob refuses because he feels they distort his perception of the sound, but he's paid a price for his purism with hearing damage. 4.12 Will I get hurt if I go to a Sugar show? Is moshing common? Moshing and crowd-surfing occur more often than not at Sugar shows. Stage-diving occurs less frequently, due to preventive security measures. These activities are typically confined to the area in front of the stage, so the best way to avoid being an unwilling participant is to stay back. Many people accept this state of affairs as a fact of life at contemporary live rock shows. Others resent having to yield prime viewing spots--often gained by arriving well before the opening band--in order to watch the show without fear of injury. Bob's view is that a certain amount of physical expression by the crowd is a good thing for both band and audience, but he draws the line at violent or malicious behavior, and he has absolutely no tolerance for objects being thrown at the band. 4.13 I've heard that "Clownmaster" and "Come Around" have on at least one occasion been performed with lyrics. Can I find the lyric versions anywhere? Both of these songs were performed with lyrics at the debut gig. The "Clownmaster" from this show appears on the _Whatever Makes You Happy_ boot CD. "Come Around" is not on the CD, but is on the audience tape from which the CD was made. The subject of "Clownmaster" is the late John Wayne Gacy. Bob Mould occasionally sang lyrics to one other song normally performed as an instrumental, "The Wit And The Wisdom." 5. Additional Resources ======================== 5.1 Are the messages posted to the Sugar mailing list archived anywhere? Messages posted since 22 Aug 1993 are available at ftp.csua.berkeley.edu in directory /pub/sugar. For those without ftp access, Screwball has a personal archive of messages (with headers stripped) that can be emailed to anyone who needs them. 5.2 Where can I find the lyrics to Sugar songs? The lyrics for _Copper Blue_, _Beaster_, _File Under: Easy Listening_ and all the Husker Du albums except _Land Speed Record_ are in the Berkeley archives. [Screwball intends to upload the lyrics to Sugar B-side tracks in the near future.] 5.3 Where can I find tablatures for Sugar songs? Some are available at ftp.nevada.edu in directory /pub/guitar. Those posted to the Sugar list are saved in the archives. There is also a Beaster guitar tab book available from CPP/Belwyn (15800 NW 48th Avenue, Miami FL 33014) that could be ordered at music stores which carry tablature books. There will be more volumes forthcoming. 5.4 Where can I find loadable images related to Sugar? Several ftp sites house small collections of images: Site name Directory --------- --------- ulysses.atmos.colostate.edu /pub/matt/mould ftp.uwp.edu /pub/music/pictures/s/sugar ftp.csua.berkeley.edu /pub/sugar/images 5.5 Where can I find the Sugar screensaver program? Mac and Windows versions are available at the Berkeley ftp site (ftp.csua.berkeley.edu) in directory /pub/sugar/screensavers. 5.6 What else is available at the Berkeley ftp site? A recent file listing of the /pub/sugar directory yielded the following, most of which (apologies to non-Unixheads) is self-explanatory: -rw------- 1 1341 392 Sep 19 04:30 .message -rw-r--r-- 1 1341 8015 Feb 26 1994 Beaster.notes.complete -rw-r--r-- 1 1341 1774 Sep 11 1993 Bobs.Projects -rw-r--r-- 1 1341 1853 Aug 19 1993 Bobs.Radio.Show -rw-r--r-- 1 1341 6689 Aug 19 1993 Husker.Du.Songs.All -rw-r--r-- 1 1341 4622 Aug 19 1993 Husker.Du.Songs.Covers -rw------- 1 1341 392 Sep 19 04:38 README drwx------ 2 1341 512 Dec 6 00:02 archives drwxrwxrwx 2 1341 3072 Dec 30 06:32 digest-archive drwxr-xr-x 2 1341 512 Oct 28 01:34 discographies drwxr-xr-x 2 1341 1024 Dec 1 11:14 images lrwx------ 1 1341 17 Sep 14 01:40 incoming -> ../incoming/sugar drwxr-xr-x 2 1341 512 Nov 11 02:27 lyrics drwxr-xr-x 2 1341 512 Sep 13 05:08 reviews drwxr-xr-x 4 1341 512 Nov 12 22:51 screensavers 5.7 The liner notes to _File Under: Easy Listening_ give an email address, SUGARNET@aol.com. What is this? Right now it's just a mailbox. Queries sent to this address elicit a canned response. In the first newsletter Bob sent out to correspondents, he states that SUGARNET "is not a discussion group, mirroring site, or anything like that. It's meant to be similar to the P.O. Box listed in the new SUGAR releases; merely a place to send messages/requests." Bob and his management are still trying to determine the best use for this. Establishment of SUGARNET as a full-up Internet site is a possibility under consideration for the future. 6. Bibliography ================ Many, many magazine and newspaper articles have been written about Husker Du, Bob Mould and Sugar since the early '80s. Below is a selected bibliography of magazine articles that seem--on a strictly subjective basis--to be important or interesting in some way. Listings are chronological. [1] _Maximum Rocknroll_ #2 (Aug? 1982) "Husker Du/Do You Remember?" [Anonymous] One of the earliest nationally-distributed interviews. Emphasis on politics and the punk scene of the day. Interesting to note in retrospect that the now-familiar _MRR_ attitude was already well formed by the second issue. Guest appearance by Jello Biafra. [2] _F.L.A. Decay_ (1982) "Husker Du" [Anonymous] Interview in which Greg takes a rare spokesman's role, giving a different perspective from the usual Bob/Grant interviews. Good stuff on the origins of the band and the Minneapolis club scene in the early days. [3] _Brand New Age_ #2 (Spring 1983) "Husker Du" Mike Ross Mostly pedestrian interview spiced with a few odd turns and some vintage Grant-isms. [4] _Matter_ (Jul/Aug 1984) "Will These Guys Be the Year's Top Pop Wimps?" Dave Riley One of the better entries in the "What is Husker Du and what makes them tick?" series. Good quotes, interesting photos. [5] _Flipside_ #50 (Jul 1986) "Husker Du" Jon Matsumoto _Candy_Apple Grey_ era interview covering the Warner Bros signing and the "sellout" issue. [6] _Musician_ (1987) "Down the Highway with Husker Du" Ed Ward Ward traveled with the band during the Warehouse tour and produced this excellent, anecdote-rich road piece documenting the experience. [7] _Rolling Stone_ (15 Jun 1989) "New Day Rising" David Fricke Interview with Bob about _Workbook_ and the breakup of Husker Du. [8] _Select_ (Nov 1990) "Husker Du/Goodbye to the Metal Circus" Nick Griffiths Nice historical retrospective with coverage extending to Bob's and Grant's post-Husker activities. Lush photo spread. [9] _Option_ #39 (Jul/Aug 1991) "Two Faces of Punk" Mark Kemp Twin profiles/interviews of Bob Mould and Jello Biafra. Bob vents his opinions of the music biz. [10] _Record Collector_ #158 (Oct 1992) "Bob Mould/Husker Du to Sugar" Peter Doggett Survey of Bob Mould's career with emphasis on his musical output. Includes a reasonably complete and mostly accurate discography. [11] _Reflex_ #29 (10 Nov 1992) "Sugar/Bob Mould Knew What to Du: Get a Band!" Lesley Gaspar Decent interview that addresses, among other topics, the big Nirvana breakthrough and how _Copper Blue_ fits into the new musical order. Subscription issues (but not newsstand issues) include a flexidisc with a live version of "Running Out Of Time." [12] _The Big Takeover_ #32/33 (1992/1993) "Bob Mould/Ain't Sugar Sweet" Howie Petruziello *Long* and penetrating interview spread over two successive issues of Jack Rabid's fine (if irregularly-published) zine. [13] _SPIN_ (Oct 1994) "Real Personal" Dennis Cooper Cooper's left-field take on his friend Bob Mould. A little weird, but nothing compared to Cooper's novels. [14] _Rolling Stone_ 694 (03 Nov 1994) "Sugar/Turning Bitter into Sweet" Chris Mundy _FU:EL_ review, Sugar interview, background on Bob Mould and Husker Du for the uninitiated. Well written. [15] _Pulse!_ (Oct 1994) "Sweeter Than Petrol" Brett Milano An insightful if uncritical Sugar overview by a long-time admirer. Lots of Husker Du references. Sidebar on Grant Hart and Nova Mob. [16] _Musician_ (Oct 1994) "Bob Mould Shaken, Stirred and FUELED" Chris Morris The equipment-description sidebar was quoted at length above, but the main article is a fine one in its own right. Covered are Bob's post-Husker career, the Atlanta _FU:EL_ recording fiasco, a review of the album, Bob's childhood musical interests and Bob's ambitions. [17] _New York Times_ (23 Oct 1994) "A Punk Patriarch Comes of Age" Milo Miles As the title suggests, this _FU:EL_ review (with sub-reviews of _The Living End_ and _Poison Years_) focuses on Bob and his contributions to contemporary pop music. Not the most perceptive piece ever written, but when the "newspaper of record" in the US takes notice, the article automatically merits attention.