Getting rowdy with the Derelicts

The Derelicts' Duane Bodenheimer (left) with Joe Kilbourne (top) and Neil Rogers (bottom).

Andy, text -- Cat Rose, photos


Someone chucked an empty beer can on stage before the first chord rang out.

Derelicts singer Duane Bodenheimer glanced at the Rainier tall-boy as it skipped by him and rattled against the bass drum.

He smiled, shook his head and stared into the crowd. Apparently it was a fitting beginning for the raucous Seattle punk band that was about to get back into action for the first time in 22 years or so.

On Saturday at the Highline, screamer Bodenheimer, guitarist Neil Rogers, bassist Ian Dunsmore and drummer Donny Paycheck -- subbing for Ric Bilotti (RIP) -- ripped through most of their catalogue of tunes from the late 1980s and early '90s to a wild and appreciative crowd.

It was hot inside the packed club, but the Derelicts were even hotter.

The Lucky Boys, Last Gasp and The Tom Price Desert Classic got things rolling and the Derelicts took it from there -- in grand punk-rock style. TPDC's bassist Joe Kilbourne pulled double duty, supplying the low end on a few Derelicts tunes since he was the band's original bassist.

Boddenheimer and Rogers.


During TPDC's set, Price jokingly wondered aloud if the Derelicts could pull off a stellar reunion set. He also noted with a laugh that he lasted one practice as the Derelicts' drummer, but he was too "shitty" to hang with them.

For me, hearing the Derelicts crank out "Misery Maker" was a highlight since that was the first song of theirs I heard on KFJC radio in the Bay Area in 1990. While delivering court documents for my law-office job as a runner, I gave the gas pedal some extra juice while that song blared from the speakers.

Later that week, I snagged that 45 (backed with "Wash) at Paramount Imports in San Jose along with some other Sub Pop nuggets like 45s from Tad "Jinx/Pig Iron" and the Unsane "Vandal-X/Street Sweeper" and cassettes from Mudhoney and Green River. It was weird -- and cool, of course -- that there was a small music section amid the incense offerings, black-light posters and such at that store. I was also pleased with my selections because I was out to impress Cat (my new girlfriend then, and now wife), who introduced me to those bands.

So, here's some of Cat's Derelicts photos from Saturday's gig matched with quotes from the band and fans:

Dunsmore and screamer.



Dunsmore:

It's pretty fucking weird. It's really fun, it's kinda bizarre, but 22 years go by and we just picked up and started playing again. In some ways it was just like starting right over.

Bodenheimer:

It was surreal, very surreal... awesome, though.
Just being on stage with those guys and we're all fucking still alive, cuz we've all been through a lot of hard stuff -- and we're still alive. I'm real grateful for that.

Kilbourne stares at some jokesters off stage right.



Kilbourne:

Tonight was great, and the first practice was really shitty; I haven't had to play that fast for a long time.

They're just really great longtime friends. It's so great that there's this kind of support for them. I'm just really happy and honored to be able to play a few songs.

At one point, I'd never thought I'd see Duane again. That is just such a huge victory. It's just amazing -- and he still screams like that... always blew my mind.

Bodenheimer:

I actually hate my voice, I just try not to think about it. I'm kind of angry... I never got vocal lessons or anything, I just loved punk rock growing up. One of the first bands I ever saw was GBH, and I was like, 'I wanna be in a fucking band'... just started doing it. (There's) a lot of anger and hate, angst and childhood bullshit coming out. Most of my lyrics are just about real personal things.

Rogers:

It was amazing, especially Donny on drums, he's just bringing it out of us, man. It was good and we wanna do more (laughs). I felt like I'd been waiting my whole life to do that.

Basically, where we come from is real American old-school punk rock. A little bit of faster hardcore, but I like to play a blues-based, punk-rock guitar.

Erik Gidney, fan, first time seeing them because he was too young to get into clubs before:

Blew my mind... I love their bass player, and it was so rad seeing the old bass player up and seeing my man (Donny) Paycheck on the kit. I've always been a huge Zeke fan, and to have one of my favorite bands' drummer playing with a favorite band I never got to see -- was priceless.


Jeb Steel, saw the band about five times back in the day:

Just all the shows meld together at Washington Hall. Man, those were just the best shows I've ever been to... just pure mayhem. I remember toilets getting ripped out of the bathroom. (Bodenheimer had the) full-on punk mentality, but did it with style. It wasn't just run-of-the-mill-type stuff -- it was unique.

(Steel's wife, Angela, recalled seeing the Derelicts with Mudhoney at the St. Joseph's Church cafeteria. A punk meal was clearly served: "There was a pit and I just thought they had a really good sound and everybody was really into them," she said.)

Chris Smith (RIP): Battalion of Saints' original six-string shredder

Chris Smith of the Battalion of Saints in 1983. (Alison Braun photo)

By Andy

Chris Smith's right hand was bloodied as he reached out to shake mine. Before we connected, he wiped off on his jeans and the post-gig greeting was finalized.

Just a few minutes earlier, the lanky, spiky haired guitarist for San Diego's Battalion of Saints had finished absolutely shredding his instrument on stage at the Vex in Los Angeles. This was 1983, and I'd seen the band play several times over the last year --- each time, I'd find myself glued against the stage on Smith's side, just stoked with the way he manhandled his six-string.

He was the Jimi Hendrix of the punk scene. He even riffed some "Foxey Lady" prior to launching into the BATS' own raging tune, "No More Lies."

Whenever Smith strapped on his guitar, his left hand ferociously slid along the fretboard, hitting every note along the way -- emanating punk riffs but matched with a squealing metal style to puncture one's eardrums in just the right way. Bliss.

"I'll admit I have a h.m. (heavy metal) feel, but I don't think I dwell on it. I just use it as a little flavoring mixed in with the music. A lot of things get monotonous, it's nice to have some ear-piercing notes that make your ears bleed stuck in there," Smith said in a 1982 Flipside fanzine interview.

Smith used that style to its fullest on the BATS' arsenal of tunes and blazing cover of Motorhead's "Ace of Spades."

"His guitar playing was kinda crazy and different from what was going on at the time," said Shawn Stern of Youth Brigade/BYO last week. (The BATS contributed the killer "Beefmasters," "No More Lies" and "Cops Are Out" to the essential BYO compilation "Someone Got Their Head Kicked In.")

"Chris sure knew how to use that whammy bar. He was the only punk guitarist to use one in the old days!" added Social Spit, a modern-day You Tube commenter about a live BATS video from 1984.

Smith goes for it in 1983. (Alison Braun photo)

I'd become friends with Smith and the band along the way, so I got the lowdown on what they were up to, what songs were germinating -- and I was always anticipating what Smith was going to gouge me with next with his guitaristry.

If you listen to the BATS, there's tons of mind-bending musicianship in there, but for my money, Smith's no-holds-barred solo on "Right Or Wrong" can't be beat.

The last time I saw Smith was in 1985, when he and BATS vocalist George Anthony flagged me down at a Husker Du, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Saccharine Trust and SWA gig in San Diego. I hadn't seen them in a year or so, and it was nice to catch up with them.

Smith would soon head to New York, taking charge of Kraut's guitar department while Doug Holland went on to deliver the "crunch" for the Cro-Mags.

In April of 1987, I learned that Smith had died. In an online search, articles note that he cracked his head open on a bathtub and drowned. It's also been written that syringes were found on the scene and that he overdosed.

He was either 26 or 27, according to friends, way too early to put his body and guitar to rest. I played my BATS albums and demo, practice and live tapes the day I found out about his passing.

I knew that he would be one of the most talented and enthusiastic guitarists I would ever see in my lifetime.

Smith's influences stretched all across the musical landscape. According to Pallas Athena fanzine in 1982, he called Jeff Beck "God," said he stole everything from Jimmy Page and also fancied the New York Dolls, Hendrix and myriad jazz guitarists.

"One time, me and Chris spent the day driving around town listening to James Brown, and that night at the show he played some James Brown and dedicated it to me," said artist Lee Ellingson last week.

He was a humorous guy, as well, both in conversations and when rolling through the main part of the "Green Acres" theme song before live versions of the BATS' "Intercourse."

He was sharp-eyed in spotting the small Minor Threat sticker on the back of my flannel the first time I saw them and telling me of an upcoming gig the BATS were playing with Ian MacKaye and company in San Diego. (Husker Du was also on that epic bill, which I attended with my friend Mike Paul in the summer of 1982.)

And when my brother informed me that he spotted the BATS on the Loyola Marymount University campus in Los Angeles, Smith was the first one to offer me a handshake -- and a beer -- when I arrived with Paul to sit in on their KXLU radio-station interview.

He was a rough-and-tumble guy, as well, as some friends noted on a San Diego punk website.

Here's what people have to say about Smith today:

* Ellingson:

I think the main thing I wanted to say was Chris was a tormented genius. He had so much potential and it's been thrown away -- it's a real tragedy.

Chris, if you really dug deep, was also a very smart and a caring human being with a big heart, but he was also a master of hiding that fact. I wish he was still around sometimes. But I always say, it's not how long you live, it's what you do with whatever time you have. I know he left his mark in history. He will always be remembered with either hate or love, but his talent can't be denied.

Battalion of Saints comic. (Lee Ellingson)

* Alison Braun, photographer:

I do remember that we hung out when they were recording at Mystic Records. He was always very nice to me and we would have great conversations. Being I was like 17 years old, he was kind of like big brother/ protector. He would never let anyone mess with me when I was taking pictures.

Editor's note: I actually found out about Smith's death through Braun's "Memos from the Mouse Trap" column in an issue of Maximum RocknRoll.


* Don Cowan, Kraut:

He was a great addition to Kraut -- losing Chris was losing a good friend and great guitarist. Kraut was moving into another area of expertise with Chris. 

Chris' reputation preceded him as a bad boy ... causing chaos before he even got there ... All not true. The Chris Smith I knew was a great fun guy who loved his guitar and girlfriend Shannon more than anything.  

Kraut was about to record our third album just weeks before we lost him. I think that after the auditions we had gone through to find a replacement for Doug -- from a midget to refugee girls -- it was all a bit too much for the rest of Kraut (and we broke up).  

My fondest memory of playing with Chris was performing at a '70s night at Danceteria as a band called Motorbutt! We worked all the classic tunes from "Ziggy Stardust," sex Pistols, Motorhead to "Sweet Jane" ... and everyone went crazy at how good it was. Lots of fun -- fanks for the memories!


* Doug Holland, Kraut/Cro-Mags:

He was a great git player who, when I left the reins of Kraut, I thought he would help them. He was a Van Halen type of guy. That wasn't really my taste, but he did complement my writings that I left with them. It was a shame of his sudden death.


Watch Smith shred away in this video from 1984:

Road-trip time: Checking out Oly's C Average, Survival Knife and The Narrows

C Average. (All Cat Rose photos)

So, it was "business trip" time for the There's Something Hard in There staff on Friday.

Olympia, WA was the city of choice --- and the mixture of loud, soft, angular and all-out rip-roaring rock came from the hands and mouths of C Average, Survival Knife and The Narrows at McCoy's Tavern.

Since we hadn't journeyed from Seattle to Olympia for about eight years, we made the most of what this fine city has to offer: drinks at The Brotherhood Lounge and the China Clipper Cafe (or "Crippler" as the locals call it) and food and more beverages at King Solomon's Reef and the McMenamins Spar Cafe.

Here's what Cat caught from behind her camera lens:


SURVIVAL KNIFE

THE NARROWS

MORE C AVERAGE

We're all DEVO: Memories flow in honor of Bob Casale -- 'Bob2'

Bob Casale last summer. (Chris Shary photo)

"Bob2," left,  in 1978. (DEVO Archives)

By Andy

If you like DEVO, you're a weirdo.

That's what people always told us back in the '80s. But that was OK, we were used to getting yelled at wherever we went for being punk rockers -- listening to the forbidden music.

DEVO were strange guys back then, they still are these days. They were going against the grain, they were visionaries, they were funny and they were brilliant.

DEVO lost one of its Bobs on Monday -- Bob Casale or "Bob2," who passed away at age 61 from conditions that led to heart failure, according to his brother and DEVO bandmate, Gerald, in a statement.

Another DEVO member, Alan Myers, their drummer from 1976-1986, died last year from stomach cancer at age 58.

Following are statements and memories from DEVO members (taken from their website) and There's Something Hard in There contributors:


Michael Pilmer, DEVO-OBSESSO! Archiving the Truth About Devolution:

"Bob2" Casale was the person who introduced me to Mark and Jerry of DEVO way back in the 1990s, which eventually led to me officially working for the band starting in the late 90s/early 2Ks. Definitely changed my life. He was a very warm and friendly guy, and every DEVO fan who has ever met him will tell you that.


Gerald Casale, DEVO:

As an original member of DEVO, Bob Casale was there in the trenches with me from the beginning. He was my level-headed brother, a solid performer and talented audio engineer, always giving more than he got. He was excited about the possibility of Mark Mothersbaugh allowing DEVO to play shows again. His sudden death from conditions that lead to heart failure came as a total shock to us all.


Bob "Bob1" Mothersbaugh, DEVO:

I'm heartbroken about Bob Casale's sudden passing. I will always miss him.


Mark Mothersbaugh, DEVO:

We are shocked and saddened by Bob Casale’s passing. He not only was integral in DEVO’s sound, he worked over twenty years at Mutato, collaborating with me on sixty or seventy films and television shows, not to mention countless commercials and many video games. Bob was instrumental in creating the sound of projects as varied as Rugrats and Wes Anderson’s films. He was a great friend. I will miss him greatly.


Keith Morris, OFF! and Flag:

DEVO = GENIUS! Where did these holdouts from "The Revenge Of The  Nerds" come up with so much cool and disjointed rock action? These guys predicted "The dumb down" with their prediction of De-evolution! YEA FOR THE DEVO!

"Bob2" during "Satisfaction" at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., May 11, 2012.
(Michael Pilmer/DEVO-OBSESSO!)

Brandon Cruz, former singer of Dr. Know and Dead Kennedys:

When I was a kid, my mom was hanging out with members of Zappa's band, the Mothers of Invention, and Captain Beefheart. In 1973, they all came back from a tour, and a guy that all of us kids called Uncle Don, handed me a cassette, and said, "If you like trippy music, you'll love this!" It was a tape of DEVO. He had gotten it from one of them in Akron, Ohio at a Zappa gig. Turns out Uncle Don WAS Captain Beefheart. And when I first saw DEVO in L.A., I told them about that moment when I was first turned on to them. "Bob2" told me that he remembered meeting those guys. It's a beautiful world we live in!

Ed Nystrom, fan:

My most vivid memories are listening to DEVO's music and saying how different and cool and weird and awesome this shit was.

I remember drinking Peppermint Schnapps in the Santa Monica Civic parking lot prior to the two shows in 1980 -- and almost not getting to go to the second show because I was drunk or something like that.

I remember listening to "Duty Now for the Future" about 1,000 times in our room playing Atari "Breakout" with Craig and Harry Reitberger and dipping Copenhagen.

I remember wearing yellow DEVO suits with energy domes with Chris Wilson to Bishop Montgomery High School and getting apples thrown at us by Pat Carmody and A.J. Matel.

I remember seeing DEVO at some place in Ventura in the late '80s with Tom Ganley.

And I remember seeing them lastly at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston in 2008 with my wife Suzanne when we first started dating.

More Chris Shary photos.

Matthew Berlyant, journalist:

Although I’m not old enough to have been around for DEVO’s heyday in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, I did become a fan of theirs when I checked out "Freedom of Choice" from the public library when I was 19. A few years later, I bought "Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!," "Duty Now for the Future," "New Traditionalists" and eventually got both "Hardcore Devo: Volume One" and "Hardcore Devo: Volume Two" along with other odds and ends and they became one of my favorite bands.

I didn’t get to see them play until I saw them at Central Park Summerstage with The Yeah Yeah Yeahs opening in the summer of 2004. From what I remember, the weather had been a bit inclement during the YYYs’ set with occasional light rain and drizzle. It was a harbinger of what was to come, though. I don’t remember that much about what DEVO played that night other than that they mostly stuck to their first four (and best) albums and a few from the fifth like “That’s Good.” They encored with “Beautiful World,” as sung by their mascot Booji Boy (i.e. Mark Mothersbaugh in disguise) and then as if on cue, the very second that they ended their set, the rain poured down from the heavens. I took refuge in the VIP tent and stayed there until the huge summer thunderstorm subsided.

Four years later, I saw them again here in Philadelphia at Festival Pier (like Central Park Summerstage, another large outdoor venue) and again, after their set, it started to rain although it wasn’t the torrent of precipitation that had occurred after the first time I saw them. Regardless, it was as if they had the power to control the weather. Sometimes I wonder if they would snicker at those kind of notions, but regardless it is awful that both Myers and now "Bob2" have passed away within seven months of each other. I never met either of them, but this week I am honoring them by listening to their music. I would like to think that they would have wanted it that way.

Brian Walsby art, 2014

Pettibon's still making his mark with intriguing art

Longtime artist Raymond Pettibon's stellar pieces still draw you in -- make you think, cringe and laugh.

Above is his latest work for OFF!'s new album, which is set for an April 8 release.

Below are his contributions to Flipside fanzine's #33, the Comic Relief issue from 1982. We're not sure if these works are widely known. Plus there's an "interview" to boot. Enjoy.

Drop the damn puck -- it's hockey day

The Hanson Brothers from 1977's "Slap Shot." (Courtesy photo)

In less than an hour, Team USA and Canada will get their hockey on in the men's Olympic semifinal matchup in Sochi.

It's gonna be big-time hockey, so let's get fired up for the game with some appropriate tuneage.

But before we let the punk-rock puck drop, Andy will take us back to 1986 for a quick tale of his experience playing the sport with members of SNFU:

Following an epic gig at a roller-skating palace in Oxnard, Calif., with Corrosion of Conformity, SNFU, Bl'ast! and Honor Role, the Canadian guys were up for knocking the puck around afterward. Guitars, amps and drums were shoved into the SNFU van, hockey sticks appeared and we were ready to roll. A couple of us were passing the puck around on the roller-skating floor when one of the SNFU guys decided to rip a shot at another dude playing goalie against the wall. The shooter tore into the puck and put it through a window.... SMASH! Before the dust had cleared, the SNFU guys bailed, hopped in their van and jammed out of there. I can't remember if I took the blame or not, because I was still there, but I'm pretty sure the roller-rink guys knew the SNFU guys were behind it all. But what a shot it was!

A look back and ahead at Bob Mould's 'Workbook'

Marc Norberg photo

By Andy

I kept thinking maybe this wasn't meant to be.

My car was in the shop, so the Subaru clearly wasn't on board for the trip from the San Jose State University dorms to the Fillmore in San Francisco on May 20, 1989.

A buddy of mine in West Hall said he could drive a few of us, but his car was running ragged lately.

So, with a few free passes from KSJS tucked away in my pocket, we excitedly but reluctantly piled into his car and were off on that Saturday evening to see Bob Mould on his "Workbook" Tour with Peter Case and the American Music Club.

I was once friends with Mould and saw him about a dozen times live with Husker Du, but never in a solo setting, so this would be an interesting night. How would he handle playing in front of a crowd without Grant Hart and Greg Norton nearby? What would it be like for me to see Mould giving it a go? I was a bit nervous, myself, I admit. (Mould was backed by Anton Fier on drums, Tony  Maimone on bass and Chris Stamey on guitar.)

The car didn't run smoothly toward SF, but it made the trip. As we saw the buildings in the distance, we silently bowed down to the vehicle and were soon hitting the off ramp into the city.

And then a horrible thing happened: the car gave out and we were zigging and zagging through traffic, trying to get our ride off the road and us into a safe spot. We achieved that, but there was much more to deal with: helping our driver get his car to an auto shop, getting ourselves to the gig and finding a ride back home afterward and possibly a place to stay overnight.

Everything was sorted out, thanks to passenger Brian and his girlfriend, who lived in SF.

So, what about the show?

It was weird and cool and memorable -- and well worth all the car trouble.

Here' the setlist ... and oh yeah, I did get a bit emotional during the last three songs:

Sunspots
Wishing Well
Compositions For The Young And Old
Heartbreak A Stranger
Dreaming, I Am
If You're True
Poison Years
Sinners And Their Repentances
Lonely Afternoon
Brasilia Crossed With Trenton
See A Little Light
Whichever Way The Wind Blows
All Those People Know
Shoot Out The Lights
Hardly Getting Over It
Too Far Down
Makes No Sense At All

25 YEARS LATER ...

Mould's "Workbook" has remained embedded in the alternative music landscape for 25 years and Omnivore Recordings will re-release the album on Feb. 25.

According to a press release, in addition to the original album’s 11 tracks, the first disc of this 2-CD collection adds “All Those People Know,” originally issued as the B-side of the single “See A Little Light.” The second disc is Mould’s complete 1989 performance at Chicago’s Cabaret Metro.

The album will be available on vinyl for the first time since its original release, will be pressed on two LPs for sonic superiority and will also include “All Those People Know.”

Joining Mould on the Workbook 25 tour dates will be his longtime bassist Jason Narducy and cellist Alison Chesley (both of Verbow).

“I’m so thrilled to be able to play these songs with Bob and Jason. 'Workbook' had a huge influence on me as a cellist and musician and totally informs how to play and write. It’s a huge honor," Chesley said in a press release.

The dates:

Feb. 27: San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall -- SOLD OUT
Noise Pop Festival. Individual show tickets are sold out. Festival badge holders can still access the show.

March 1: Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music -- SOLD OUT

March 2: Chicago, IL @ City Winery -- SOLD OUT

March 4: Minneapolis, MN @ The Women’s Club -- SOLD OUT

March 5: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

March 7-8: NYC @ City Winery -- SOLD OUT

"Old Town School of Folk Music sold out in six minutes. Chicago, I am humbled. Thank you," Mould wrote on his Facebook page.

* * * * *

Looking back on "Workbook" in his book "See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody," Mould writes:

"I was very aware that I'd been in a band that made a lot of great records and left a deep impression. I told everyone at the new label, please, no mention of my old band, no sticker on the record, let's downplay it. I was taking away my own ace card, the one thing that could have made it easier. I was starting over."

On creating the songs on "Workbook," Mould offers:

"There would be days when I would write words and days when I would write music. The music days, I would start to strum and a motif or pattern would begin to unfold. As soon as that happened, I had an eight-track reel-to-reel ready to go. I'd find the right tempo, lay down a simple click or a standard beat, and hit record."

Marc Norberg photo

25 YEARS AGO ...

And to finish off this entry, here's my "Workbook" review from 25 years ago in the SJSU Spartan Daily:

MUSICIAN EXPRESSES EMOTIONS OF BITTER PAST ON SOLO ALBUM

For some musicians, writing songs can be a joyful experience.

In Bob Mould's case, a great deal of pain and anger is displayed on his debut solo album, "Workbook."

The 28-year-old singer/songwriter is no amateur when it comes to these emotions, as his former band Husker Du was enveloped in them.

After the trio's break-up in 1987, many stories of hatred within the band spread around the music world.

Mould has since put those Husker days and problems behind him, but some of the songs on "Workbook" reflect that bitter past.

This is hauntingly shown on the tracks "Poison Years," "Heartbreak a Stranger" and "Sinners and Their Repentances."

"Poison Years" contains some lyrics that directly address his old band mates:

"I throw it all away (Don't talk to me no more)/ The more I think, the less I've got to say (I don't remember you no more)/ About these poison years; it's just a memory."

These words are matched perfectly with Mould's bracing vocals and musical arrangements to accentuate the dark feeling in the song.

His voice is also the most dominant force behind the album, and could rank as one of the most original ever submitted to vinyl.

On several songs, it's as if there is no set pattern in placing the vocals alongside the music; only that they will come out in some form -- frequently in shrieks of passion.

Another notable feature of "Workbook" is Mould's diverse guitar playing.

Like his vocals, he can go all out on one song and still bring everything to a whisper on another.

Ranging from the opening acoustic instrumental "Sunspots" to the chaotic finale "Whichever Way the Wind Blows," it's obvious that Mould is making his variety of personal styles known.

And it would seem this is important to him, as he is trying to make a name for himself alone -- not with a band.

On the melodic pop number "See A Little Light," he expresses this feeling of moving on:

"But look how much we've grown/ I guess I should have known/ As the years go by, they take their toll on you/ Think of all the things we wanted to do/ And all the words we said/ yesterday/ That's a long time ago."

While Mould is the centerpiece of "Workbook," there are some other musicians who lend their talent to the 11 songs.

For example, the biting cello work of Jane Scarpantoni and pounding bass lines by Tony Maimone blend in well on the songs "Dreaming, I Am" and "Lonely Afternoon."

Aside from the many highlights of the album, there is one weakness that causes a few of the songs to drag a little.

It seems that Mould tries to fit too many tempo changes into several of the songs like "Wishing Well" and "Brasilia Crossed With Trenton."

This is one minor flaw of Mould's initial solo sketchings in "Workbook," and he has plenty of time to perfect his tremendous musical ability.

And he knows that things will only get tougher as time progresses, as noted on "Whichever Way the Wind Blows":

"If ever you travel that road/ You better keep over your side/ And keepin' your hands on the wheel/ That be a long road to ride."