On His Own

Darlings of the college-alternative post-punk rock circuit, the Minneapolis power trio Husker Du had established such a strong sales base in its nine-year history that many observers predicted it would be the next R.E.M., graduating to commercial blockbuster status.

Then in January, 1988, a few days before recording of the would-be breakthrough album was to begin, guitarist Bob Mould--one of two lead singers--walked away.

With his first solo album, “Workbook,” just released to much acclaim (including a four-star lead review in Rolling Stone), Mould is relieved to finally be on his own. A tour with an all-star backup band brings him to the Roxy on Wednesday, the Whisky on Thursday and McCabe’s on Friday.

“I think you can go and ask anybody who was in a band for 10 years why their band really broke up and it’s the same thing,” says Mould. “People always want to say it’s girlfriends or drug problems or because somebody was a (jerk); usually the bottom line was because they all grew apart as people. The only reason we talked to each other toward the end was because we had this band. I was watching nine years of work fall apart in front of my eyes and it wasn’t very pleasing. It was up to somebody to stand up and say, ‘I quit,’ which unfortunately I had to do.”

With “Workbook,” Mould has introduced subtler textures and more deep-felt emotions than he felt Husker Du allowed for. “When you’re dealing in a democracy, sometimes you feel uncomfortable baring your soul, lest you be shunned or ignored or slandered.”

Making this LP, “It got real personal all of a sudden. The whole presentation is a lot more naked. It’s not so much hiding behind a big wall of sound and a lot of screaming and hysterics anymore. That’s all well and good, but when you know you have a good story, you think it’s important that people should be able to hear it. A lot of the crutches and safety nets are now gone. I’m sort of on display, and it’s a little unnerving, but I feel better about it than being in a cage.”