Six years ago, Robert Pollard decided that the time had finally come to hang his Guided By Voices jersey in the rafters but, of course, not because he was in a retiring frame of mind. The Dayton Pop mastermind merely felt that the GBV brand had run its course and that it was time for him to pursue his solo path by mothballing the band concept after the release of and tour for 2004’s melancholy Half Smiles of the Decomposed and concentrate on releasing his music under his own name.
At the time, Pollard seemed to feel that it was the more mature direction, saying then, “I’m going to be 47 … you can’t keep doing things because you’re having a good time. Matter of fact, that’s why you might want to stop, because you’re having too good a time.”
Perhaps it was little surprise at all that Pollard continued to release records under the Circus Devils band umbrella even as he released a steady stream of Robert Pollard albums. And perhaps it was even less of a surprise that he assembled a new band, Boston Spaceships, to frame his more raucous musical output that seemed, to him, more suited to a freewheeling gang atmosphere.
Guided By Voices play an already sold out show at Southgate House Friday. Go here to read Brian Baker's full Sound Advice.
