Representative Songs: "If I Can't Change Your Mind," "Changes," "Helpless"
Biography
After two solo albums, ex-Hüsker Dü guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould formed Sugar in 1992, with bassist David Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis; the band signed with Rykodisc in the U.S., Creation in the U.K. Sugar's first album, Copper Blue, was released in the fall of 1992 to enthusiastic reviews and it became Mould's most successful project to date. Copper Blue nearly went gold and spawned several alternative radio and MTV hits, including "Helpless" and "If I Can't Change Your Mind." In the spring of 1993, Sugar released the mini-LP Beaster, a more abrasive collection than Copper Blue that was recorded at the same sessions. Around the time of the release of Beaster, Mould was forced out of the closet by various gay publications, with hopes that he would embrace their political cause; he rejected their requests. Mould wrote the material for the second Sugar album during 1993. The band began recording in the spring of 1994, but the sessions ground to a halt and the tapes were erased. Mould decided to give the album one more try and it was recorded quickly late that spring. The album, File Under: Easy Listening, appeared in the fall of 1994. Although it received good reviews and was moderately successful commercially, it didn't match the performance of Copper Blue. In the spring of 1995, it was announced that Sugar was on hiatus. Besides, a collection of rarities and B-sides, was released that summer. By the fall, Mould had broken up the band and begun to work on a third album entirely by himself. Mould played all of the instruments on his self-titled third album, which was released in the spring of 1995. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Mould envisioned Sugar as a similar musical venture to Hüsker Dü except with him writing all the songs and calling all the shots. Their sound was more radio-friendly than that of Hüsker Dü, though with similarly dark and introspective undertones.
Their first live show was February 20, 1992, at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA, after a few weeks warming up in R.E.M.'s downtown practice space. It was a "secret" show, not advertised in the local media, bumping Athens band Roosevelt from headliner to opener. Word got out and the club was packed.
Later in 1992, the band released the album Copper Blue, which was named Album Of The Year 1992 by the NME. The following year they released Beaster, an EP of darker material recorded during the Copper Blue sessions. The single "If I Can't Change Your Mind" was a moderate UK hit.
After a first abortive attempt to record a second full-length album, the band regrouped and recorded File Under: Easy Listening quickly in the spring of 1994 and released it that fall.This album reached number 7 in the U.K. album charts.
A B-side collection, Besides, followed in 1995. Mould broke the band up later that year because Barbe wished to spend more time with his growing family and expand his solo career. Travis then took over the drumming slot in the band Kustomized.
