While I can't deny I'm a huge BOB MOULD fan (God, "Copper Blue" - what a record!) I get pretty sick of finding drummer/ co-songwriter GRANT HART painted as the lesser talent in Minneapolis' HUSKER DU, whose legacy still casts a long shadow over the US hardcore undergound.
No doubt that's all water under the bridge to Grant thses days, but although considerably less trumpeted, the Hart solo journey since Husker Du's demise at the dawn of 1988 has been eventful and rarely less than rivetting.
Once both the Huskers acrimony and Grant's drug problems had faded away, Hart returned with (still) the finest of all post-Husker 45s early in 1989. A semi-acoustic beauty of considerable poignancy, "2541" pretty much related the HUSKER DU story in painful retrospect and while it presaged a rather knockabout first solo LP in 1989's "Intolerance", songs like "All Of My Senses," "Now That You Know Me," and "The Main" reminded us that Hart's sharp ear for melody hadn't deserted him.
Having switched to guitar, Hart had been struggling to get a live outfit together, briefly forming THE SWALLOWS, before settling on THE NOVA MOB (after a William Burroughs novel), with bassist TOM MERKL and drummer MICHAEL CREGO. Hooking up with the Rough Trade label, this trio began working on the finest (and completely overlooked) gem in Hart's post Huskers career...to date.
Recorded upstate in Hart's Minnestota homeland, "The Last Days In Pompeii" was released (semi-jokingly) as a lofty "concept" album, with songs relating to the tragic Italian town devastated by Mount Vesuvius' cataclysmic eruption circa AD79.
A few eyebrows may have been raised at that, but the LP's trailer single, "Admiral Of The Sea" was another fizzing, shag-grenade of a 45, given single of the week by your correspondent in "SOUNDS" amongst a spate of good reviews. It's still a fantastic, dark and funky song and while Hart may be no Mould in terms of fretboard prowess, his nagging wah-wah work here is just perfect.
Approaching the album cold now, you're best off ditching the 'concept' aspect, as - aside from the excellent, filmic title track (apparantly relating to Pliny the Younger and his Uncle, Pliny the...er, Elder,...the latter lost in the Volcanic eruption), "Admiral Of The Sea" and its' acoustic overture - it's difficult to establish threads, especially as the tracks veer off into Nordic legend ("Woton"), Nazi Rocket Science ("Wernher Von Braun") and the over-ambitious, mystifying "Space Jazz."
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Nevertheless, "The Last Days Of Pompeii" displays Hart's intuitive pop wares for all to see and drool over. The home strait, especially, is littered with memorable hooks; "Over My Head" and "Lavender And Grey" registering amongst the pinnacle of Hart's songwriting achievements. The backdrop, too, is spot on, NOVA MOB coming on strong like a leaner, less flashy HUSKERS, encapsulating a rootsier feel that serves Grant's none-more plaintive voice extremely well.
Victims of a similar murky hex to the one striking BADFINGER down, NOVA MOB then saw "The Last Days Of Pompeii" sink without trace as Rough Trade's UK operation (Temorarily) went under, leaving the LP (CD? what CD?) difficult to locate 'cept second hand today. Things then went from bad to worse when the trio were badly injured following a horrific car crash on tour in the States.
Eventually a self-titled NOVA MOB LP appeared in 1994, which was shockingly ignored, as was Hart's fine 1995 live acoustic effort, "Ecce Homo," an extensive trawl through Grant's back catalogue, culminating in a wonderful, if bleak take on the heroin song, "The Main."
Happily, he's re-emerged of late, touting the cool "Good News For Modern Man" album, one of the more credible returns of recent times. Although mired in the seemingly inevitable swamp of cultdom these days, Grant Hart's muse continues to harbour flickers of genius. Don't write him off just yet.
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