Bob Mould is rocking out again with his latest solo album, “Beauty & Ruin.” Inspired, in part, by the death of his father two years ago, the former front man for the seminal hardcore band Hüsker Dü (and later, Sugar) found himself drawn back to noisy, bleeding heart rock. Now living in San Francisco, Mould, 53, recently released a memoir, was honored with an all-star tribute concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and became an acclaimed dance music DJ. We spoke to him during a tour stop in New York. He performs Friday at the Fillmore.

Q: Did writing the book put you in a nostalgic mood when it was time to make “Beauty & Ruin”?

A: I think there’s a stretch of the record where I’m really taking a personal look back — not that it sounds like Hüsker Dü, but there are a lot of sprightly numbers in there. There's been a fair amount of reflection over the last three years, with the book and Disney Hall tribute and Sugar reissues.

Q: Is it weird to be celebrated while you’re still active?

A: For me, I still hear the mistakes. Those are the lasting memories. I guess that's what keeps me making records.

Q: A lot of the record was inspired by the death of your father, with whom you didn’t have the best relationship. Did the music help you work through it?

A: Well, I think all of us have interesting relationships with our parents. Beyond being a difficult person, he was also the person who brought music to my life. Who knows where I would be without that? With his passing I had to take a different look at things. I got a lot of insight. Ten years from now I may have a completely different insight on it.

Q: You seem to be spending more time with a guitar in your hands these days. Have you lost interest in dance music?

A: We had 11 years of our gay dance party Blowoff, which is like 150 years of anything else in the world. My interest in dance music has lessened as the lifestyle got more important than the community. I moved a little bit away from it, and it left more time for my core work, my guitar work. I don’t see it because I just get up and do music. I just follow what I think is right.

Aidin Vaziri is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: avaziri@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MusicSF

Bob Mould: 9 p.m. Friday. $35. The Fillmore, 1805 Geary Blvd., S.F. (415) 346-6000. www.livenation.com.