Top Music Events- Early May

1. "Bob Mould, is Bob Mould."
So read the credits of "Bob Mould," the third solo record from, um, the Austin resident and former Sugar/Husker Du frontman (bet you thought I was going to say "Bob Mould"). "This one is for me," the record's dedication reads, and needless to say, it's a highly personal declaration of autonomy and emotion, with Mould playing every instrument on the disc's 11 songs. Rykodisc has also released a CD single of "Egoverride," which features three additional tracks not found on the album.

2. The Instruments
Way back in the mid-'80s a band called Texas Instruments released a 7" single with a very special guest appearance: the answering machine-recorded voice of an attorney for the corporation also known as Texas Instruments, threatening a copyright infringement suit. The band tried to alleviate the confusion by becoming The Texas Instruments, and went on to make a bunch of records without any further interference from the electronics giant. Until now, that is. Recently, TI (as the band is familiarly known) got a call from that very same attorney who'd first contacted them some ten years ago. As a band that values longevity and determination, they were impressed - especially by the fact that the guy still had the same job. But this time he kept calling. Then registered letters began arriving, and an outside law firm threatened to enter the picture. And so we have this item, introducing Austin's newest (and oldest) band: The Instruments. That's still TI, if you're comfortable using the familiar vernacular.

3. Holy Barbarians
The new band from former Cult lead singer Ian Astbury sees the goth-metal prince teaming up with guitarist Patrick Sugg, a Dallas native who previously played in the Four Horsemen. The first fruit of their labor, the Beggars Banquet/Reprise release "Cream," will be out towards the end of May.

4. Update, Part I
Two weeks ago we told you Pork were making their new record with assistance from Paul Leary and Alejandro Escovedo. But as it turns out, both men were too busy to make an appearance, Leary with his Butthole Surfers activity and Escovedo, well, he's got a new record out too, but we also assume that it was his turn to watch the kids while his partner, Pork guitarist Dana Smith, took care of her end of being a rock'n'roll couple. Anyway, the band still got the thing done in a matter of days, with a co-production credit going to Dumptruck mastermind Seth Tiven.

5. The Jesus Lizard
Austin's must famous expats - namely, former Scratch Acid-heads David Yow and David Sims and guitarist Duane Denison - have just released their very first major label recording, Shot (Capitol). They'll headline Liberty Lunch in Austin on May 2, because they can - on all other dates (including May 1 in Houston and May 3 in Dallas) they'll be opening for Ministry, who are probably the Austin area's most famous deportees (both the Jesus Lizard and Ministry hang their hat in Chicago these days). The Jesus Lizard are also featured on a new compilation , "The Lounge Ax Defense and Relocation Compact Disc," put out by the band's former label Touch & Go. It's a benefit record for the Chicago rock club Lounge Ax, which has been beleaguered by complaining neighbors and selective enforcement of city noise ordinances. Bluegrassy bad boys The Bad Livers also appear on the disc, along with such national alt-rock luminaries as Sebadoh, Guided by Voices, Superchunk, the Mekons and Tortoise. Finally, in addition to the usual plain old web site activity The Jesus Lizard has created The Palace, its very own interactive 3-D graphic chat software (http://www.thepalace.com). A free download, it can be used to hook up with other Jesus freaks as well as in conjunction with the site's cyber-stock of old tour posters, soundbites, and up-to-date band information.

6. Update #2
We told you it would be available in France, but did we mention you can buy "Hits For the Misses," the new record by San Antonians the Sons of Hercules, in Texas as well? Unclean Records has just released this 14-track cavalcade of head-imploding garage-rock from veteran frontman Frank Pugliese (he's been playing in bands, including the Morlocks, the Mystery Dates, and the Vamps, since 1974) and his fearsome-backing foursome. Produced by garage-punk veteran Mike Mariconda (the Mummies, New Bomb Turks), the record includes a cover of "Gimme Some" by seminal Austinites The Skunks, while a video has been completed for the leadoff track "Spittin' Fire."

7. Kelly Willis meets "No Depression"
Austin country diva Willis, who looks just as good as Faith Hill or Shania Twain on TV but never could cotton to Nashville's shameless hard sell and restrictive musical mores, hitches her wagon to alternative roots-rock darlings Son Volt on the soundtrack to the movie "Boys," a Winona Ryder vehicle that also stars Austinite Lukas Haas. Singer Jay Farrar and the rest of the Son Volt boys back Willis up on her composition "Fading Fast"; Farrar and Willis previously teamed for a cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Rex's Blues" on the "Red Hot & Bothered" AIDS charity record. Willis is currently signed to A&M records, a label that doesn't even have a Nashville office, and is expected to reemerge with a comeback effort later this year.

8. Daniel Johnston
Some may say that the songs of Daniel Johnston - the disturbed-but-talented manchild and one-time Austin scene darling who currently resides outside of Houston - have always sounded like they were intended for a Saturday morning television audience. But this time, it is truly the case, as Johnston, with the backing of the Rhythm Rats, has covered "Unpack Your Adjectives" for the "Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks" compilation record. Butthole Surfer Gibby Haynes also turns up on the disc in an ad-hoc all-star version of the Lemonheads: Haynes, Evan Dando, and Hole's Melissa Auf der Maur and Patty Schemel doing "My Hero, Zero." You were wondering who tackles "Lolly Lolly Lolly Get Your Adverbs Here?" Buffalo Tom.

9. Robert Earl Keen
The pride of Bandera is making a big splash with his "No. 2 Live Dinner," the record that serves as his swan song for Sugar Hill before moving on to Arista Texas. The disc is currently rising up "Billboard"'s "Heatseekers," a chart that's devoted to new and developing artists. With the help of his Texas following Keen went as high as #6 in the South Central Region, but he's also doing well in other parts of the country.

10. Etc.
Along with the birth of The Instruments comes the news that Little Sister has changed their name to Sister Seven - and, as previously reported, have signed with Arista Records. Sara Hickman, on the other hand, appears to be leaving Discovery, the label that picked her up after an unpleasant ending with Elektra. Another artist who's been around the record company block, former Two Nice Girl Laurie Freelove, is back with a new album, "The Invisible Invisible" on Nine Line Records. The Derailers went over like an unstoppable steam engine in Los Angeles last week, where the band's gigs were supplemented by an in-store appearance at the Rhino Record Store and on-air visit with prestigious Santa Monica radio station KCRW. New York-based indie Caroline is relaunching its British operation by bringing over its #1 band at the moment, Austin's Sincola. Sincola will play with ultra-hip labelmates Ben Folds Five at London's 100 Club, a site best known for hosting the Sex Pistols way back when.