In one word: disarming. Having read and liked a two-star review by "Jason" before reading the book, I expected to be turned off by Mould's dickishness. Mould does have a consistently high opinion of his abilities. He does examine his many lapses in interpersonal skill. His relative financial privilege does detract slightly from one's admiration of the personal fulfillment that only wealth could facilitate. But it is very hard to feel antagonistic toward someone who is disarmingly frank about regrets and motivations, and relates the story of finding happiness with a giddy sort of wonder that it happened at all.The inside story of his bands is interesting to anyone into punk and underground music. He settles scores - almost always by implicit apology (one notable exception is calling out Bad Brains for anti-gay assholery). The stories of his relationships are also interesting, and the lessons he learned the very hard way are applicable regardless of the reader's sexuality.Highly recommended to punk fans and anyone interested in cultural sexuality issues. Well there were times I thought that I wouldn't finish this book. It certainly isn't the book that tells the Hüsker Dü story and is very repetitive but then it would seem that Mould has been repeating the same mistakes throughout his life to date.I'd have liked to have read more of Mould's ideas about why he has been so self destructive in both his career and his personal life but he either genuinely doesn't know or its perhaps unwilling to be that candid.I'm pleased for him that he seems to have found some genuine happiness in life and long may that continue. The major positive for me in this book is that it lead me to relisten to his work and give some of his later albums more time
Very enjoyable. Great to see the timeline of his path in music and the artists he influenced.
—Annam
Tried to like this book...narcissistic, delusions of grandeur...Bob Mould loves Bob mould.
—sequlla
This was pretty interesting but I mainly read it for the chapter about pro-wrestling.
—anisa
The writing is really clunky. It reads like he's still taking speed.
—Jenny
Come for the punk rock stories. Stay for the big hairy gay dudes.
—coni
