Robert Pollard

Bob Mould is Sugar and Husker Du.

Is it Bob Pollard? Is it Bob Pollard? What did I say? You said Tom Pollard.

Oh, yes, not, no, it's probably Robert Pollard, maybe.

Let me see here.

Almost immediately upon arriving in Cleveland, Gillard began playing in a series of outfits, including Death of Samantha, before joining Cobra Verde.

Bob Pollard of Guided by Voices was so impressed with Cobra Verde that he enlisted them to become his backing band for the Guided by Voices album, Mag Earwig.

Pollard and Gillard would go on to have a legendary partnership that would result in a slew of incredible albums billed under the Guided by Voices moniker, as well as a series of terrific releases under the names Lightships and one record billed simply as Robert Pollard and Doug Gillard.

In addition to his work and as a collaborator and band member, Gillard has also released a half dozen full-length solo records, including his brand new album, Parallel Stride.

During our conversation, Doug and I covered his early years in the Cleveland music scene and his experiences working with the mercurial legend that is Bob Pollard.

We also hit upon the benefits of limitations in creativity and discussed the effects of a childhood in the Rust Belt.

It is all of that and so much more with me and the great Doug Gillard.

Yeah, there it is.

Just over a year ago, no one outside of a few Ohio hipsters had even heard of this bunch.

Under the guidance of leader Robert Pollard, Guided by Voices released records simply for themselves.

Six of them, in fact.

What I remember about those shows is that we didn't know it at the time, but we were the monoculture.

Yeah, no, it's just an amazing partnership.

I saw it with, you know, Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout, you know, initially too, where it was like, they really elevated each other, you know? Right.

And it wasn't even competition.

It was just kind of like a love in a weird way, being free enough to...

You know, give Robert Pollard a tape and let him sing Hot Freaks on it, even though you've written the music, you know, and I just but I think the film really is an amazing character study overall on Olivia Trimmer control more than any other band that's in it.

That's

interesting.

... couple of years.

Yeah, so, you know, I kind of follow the Guided by Voices, Robert Pollard model-

Right

... uh, where, you know, I'm always writing.

Chicago's Effigies, who have the look and sound and smell of 1977 punk.

Fiddlehead from Boston, led by a high school teacher, Robert Pollard, take note.

Frankie Cosmos with a demo called Fool.

She's otherwise known as Greta Simone Klein.

little place in my heart for this band, The Amps.

And here's a song she co-wrote with Robert Pollard of Guided by Voices.

It's called I Am Decided.

I Am Decided.

They tour as a band, but...

They are giving Bob Pollard and Guided by Voices a run for their money.

They are set to release Twisted Teens, their third album this year.

It will be out on Sub Pop.