sunspots

Workbook: Bob Mould part 2

Ok well I'm guess I'm somewhat breaking my rule of each post title being song lyrics. But how can you quote a line from a tune that's an instrumental? I guess I could looks for guitar tabs for "Sunspots," the opening instrumental to Bob Mould's classic Workbook album, but that would be really dorky. So here's a slight variation on the rule. And I'm the only one that notices.

It's only appropriate that I continue my writing about Workbook around my wedding anniversary. This album marks somewhat of turning point in my life. If I made a timeline of my life the discovery of Workbook would be the dividing line between the Clock Girl era and my meeting Liz. Even though my meeting Liz wouldn't occur for another few weeks it sorts signifies to me this new life. It was the first album purchased post-breakup. Because of this, I wanted this album to part of my wedding day. When listening to music I tend to dwell on the lyrics, which according to some is the sign of not being a true music fan. I have to politely disagree, but I digress. I wanted to make sure any music I personally picked would fit the joyous mood of a wedding. Most of the music I listen to, and particularly my taste circa 2000, wouldn't exactly be appropriate wedding tunes. So I was struggling with a way to include Bob Mould in my wedding soundtrack, particularly this album. The perfect solution...an instrumental.

It took me a bit of time to convince Liz that "Sunspots" should be the song to be played as we are introduced and enter our reception but I was eventually successful. It was really the only piece of "my music" to be included in the wedding soundtrack and I was OK with that. This song, especially due to how much this album means to me, was enough. I knew that aside from Liz the only other people that would recognize this tune were two members of the wedding party, Matt and my Bob-introducer, Lizzz, as well as my friend Jen F. I told them all to pay special attention to our entrance tune since I knew they would appreciate it. The entrance music was appreciated but in a different way than intended. As we were gathering for our introduction in the Riverside Inn's hallway "Sunspots" hadn't started playing yet but there a siren blaring from a local fire house. Lizzz and Matt started laughing, thinking that I had chosen Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" as our entrance song.

If any Sabbath was going to played it would have been "Neon Knights" as Ronnie James Dio is the superior Sabbath singer.

Another somewhat amusing anecdote regarding "Sunspots." I was sitting in a hotel when traveling for work doing paperwork with the tv tuned to HBO playing in the background. I think I was going to watch Chris Rock. I hear a familiar song, and since these guitar chords are so ingrained in my memory I didn't really notice. And then I realized I was playing Workbook, it was coming from the tv. "Sunspots" was being used as the soundtrack for an HBO promo with arty black and white shots of the stars of their original programs. Now I didn't mind the tune that means a lot to me to be used to promote The Sopranos and Oz but it turned my stomach that it was included with shots of those wenches from Sex and the City. I just hope Bob used that paycheck towards recording his new album.