This post has been a loooong-time coming. Hüsker Dü are one of the most important bands in the history of rock, especially considering their vast influence on many subgenres, including punk, hardcore, pop punk, alternative rock, and indie. The band's short-lived career spawned an incredibly diverse output that extends from underground hardcore to major-label pop. On a personal anecdote, they were one of the major bands in my musical development, and I'm sure many others share in that sentiment. I haven't gotten around to posting them for so long due to their large output, and simply not knowing where to start to explain the sheer genius that is
Zen Arcade, or
Metal Circus, or even
New Day Rising (among many others). However and unfortunately, one-third of Hüsker Dü has died. Drummer/singer Grant Hart recently passed away, and thus why I'm now inclined to share this incredible legacy he and they left behind.
Hüsker Dü were a three-piece punk/alternative rock band from Saint Paul, Minnesota that formed in 1979 and broke up in 1988. The band consisted of Bob Mould (vocals/guitar), Greg Norton (bass), and Grant Hart (vocals/drums). They started out playing blisteringly fast hardcore punk, with their debut album coming out in early 1982. This was
Land Speed Record, a live album (very MC5). Though not their most celebrated release, it does have a few solid songs ("All Tensed Up", "Gilligan's Island"), features some of the fastest punk rock ever, and hints at where the band would later go (with some notable melodic moments, as well as Mould's lead guitar spasms). If anything, it stands as an interesting document in capturing the band's foundation.
Their first studio album came in 1983, titled
Everything Falls Apart. It was released by Reflex Records, which is a label the band founded themselves. They continued to expand on their hardcore origins, though with a stronger emphasis on songwriting, as well as singing (particularly on the title track and their cover of "Sunshine Superman"). This is a solid album from start to finish, and it's incredible to hear how refined their sound already was, considering this is technically their "early" work. It would be reissued 10 years later as
Everything Falls Apart And More, which included early singles such as
In A Free Land and
Statues.
Later on in 1983,
Metal Circus, an EP, was released. This (in my opinion), is the band's first "great" record. The band really falls into their sound, featuring some deep, melodic bass lines, pumping drums, and Bob Mould's classic guitar sound (lots of fuzz, reverb/chorus, open chords and lead shredding). Vocally, Mould's hardcore bark is more impassioned than ever, blending aggression with melody. The songs on this are incredible, with some more fast-paced cuts such as "Deadly Skies" and "First of The Last Calls" retaining the fast-paced punk sound of their early work, but with a new-found emotional direction and melody. In addition, Hart's melodic pop songwriting chops emerge in full-force, with his contributions "It's Not Funny Anymore" and "Diane" being some of the strongest and most haunting songs in all of their catalogue. The last track, "Out On A Limb", hints at the noise rock experimentation that would come out in full-force on their next record. I can't recommend this EP enough, and consider it is easily one of the best things to not only come out of this band, but out of the 80's punk rock underground as a whole.
In 1984, the band released their first album on SST, their magnum opus
Zen Arcade. I don't even know where to begin with this album. Almost every track was recorded in one take, which is almost unbelievable upon listening. It's an hour-plus exploration of sounds taken from hardcore, jazz, noise, psychedelic rock, and folk, even piano interludes. This is nothing short of an ambitious album, which explores every facet of sonic and emotional dynamics imaginable. The album follows a loose narrative involving a young man who runs away from home. I read a comparison somewhere that essentially claimed
Zen Arcade is the punk rock version of "The Catcher In The Rye", and I couldn't agree more. There are so many highlights on this thing, and listening to it in its entirety is a trip. "Something I Learned Today" is classic Dü, "Never Talking To You Again" is all acoustic and catchy as hell, "I'll Never Forget You" rips with anger, "Pink Turns To Blue" has a floating eeriness, "Whatever" has a phenomenal chorus, "Turn On The News" stands the test of time, and closer "Reoccuring Dreams" is a nearly 15-minute noise trip. In my opinion, this is one of the best rock/punk albums ever made, and is definitely a contender for one of my favourite albums of all time. I can't say enough about this record; it floored me when I first heard it, and it still continues to years later. This is a "classic", and nothing comparable has come before or after.
Following the experimental intensity of
Zen Arcade, the band's follow-up opened up sunny skies. The strong, catchy melodies that popped up in some of their early songs came full-force on 1985's
New Day Rising. Appropriately titled, this marks a massive change in the band, who have shed most of their hardcore foundations in favour of pop melodies, incredible songwriting, and anthemic choruses. "The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill" and "Celebrated Summer" both appear on here, and are two of the band's biggest and most well-known songs. They do get a little experimental in the latter half of the album (in a good way), but the first half is a highlight of their alternative rock phase.
Late in 1985 comes
Flip Your Wig, which features clean production and pop songs, which is representative of the latter half of the band's career. This is also the last album they would release on SST before signing to a major label. This album features the band's (perhaps) most well-known anthem, "Makes No Sense At All". Both Mould and Hart's songwriting is on fire here, and the band play with such earnestness that this change in sound comes off as completely natural. The band's sonic trajectory is incredible, considering how many phases they've gone through, and that the same band that recorded
Land Speed Record less than 5 years ago are now recording radio-friendly hits, and are just as good (if not better).
Following the success and accessibility of
Flip Your Wig, it doesn't really come as a surprise that they signed with a major label for their next record.
Candy Apple Grey came out on Warner Brothers Records. Instead of the band getting Dear You'd, it spawned some of the band's most successful singles ("Sorry Somehow", "I Don't Want To Know If You're Lonely"). In addition to their usual fuzzy-guitar pop, they incorporate more acoustic elements on this one. The production is noticeably cleaner, and they're officially more "college rock" than "mosh pit". Something incredible about Husker Du is their consistency, even 6 albums of all varying sounds in. Their last album as band was put out in 1987, a double-album titled
Warehouse: Songs and Stories. Admittedly, 20 tracks of their "new" sound is a little much to take in, and doesn't pack quite the same punch as its two shorter predecessors. However, the songwriting is still no less stellar than anything they've done before, and is a fantastic way for them to go on while still on a positive note.
Following
Warehouse, the band broke up after increasing inner tensions and the suicide of their manager. The three members all went their separate ways. Bob Mould formed Sugar, another band that achieved moderate success in the 90's. He's also been performing as a solo artist for a long time, and has put out tons of fantastic albums throughout the years. He still plays Husker Du songs at shows. Grant Hart also put out solo material, however was much more sporadic in releases than Mould's prolific output. He also formed Nova Mob, who were around in the early 90's. Sadly, as formerly mentioned, he died on September 14, 2017 of cancer. Greg Norton started his own restaurant, though returned to performing about 10 years ago. Though this band hasn't been active for years, their relevance has never wavered, with countless artists coming after them celebrating what this band has done, citing them as crucial influences and heralded as one of the "greats". Enjoy.
1. Picture Of You
2. Can't See You Anymore
3. The Truth Hurts
4. Do You Remember?
5. Sore Eyes
6. Writers Cramp
7. Let's Go Die
1. All Tensed Up
2. Don't Try To Call
3. I'm Not Interested
4. Guns At My School
5. Push The Button
6. Gilligan's Island
7. MTC
8. Don't Have A Life
9. Bricklayer
10. Tired Of Doing Things
11. You're Naive
12. Strange Week
13. Do The Bee
14. Big Sky
15. Ultracore
16. Let's Go Die
17. Data Control
1. In A Free Land
2. What Do I Want?
3. M.I.C.
1. From The Gut
2. Blah, Blah, Blah
3. Punch Drunk
4. Bricklayer
5. Afraid Of Being Wrong
6. Sunshine Superman
7. Signals From Above
8. Everything Falls Apart
9. Wheels
10. Target
11. Obnoxious
12. Gravity
13. In A Free Land
14. What Do I Want?
15. M. I. C.
16. Statues
17. Let's Go Die
18. Amusement
19. Do You Remember?
1. Real World
2. Deadly Skies
3. It's Not Funny Anymore
4. First of The Last Calls
5. Lifeline
6. Diane
7. Out On A Limb
1. Today's The Day
2. You Think I'm Scared
3. Won't Change
1. Something I Learned Today
2 Broken Home, Broken Heart
3. Never Talking To You Again
4. Chartered Trips
5. Dreams Reoccurring
6. Indecision Time
7. Hare Krsna
8. Beyond The Threshold
9. Pride
10. I'll Never Forget You
11. The Biggest Lie
12. What's Going On
13. Masochism World
14. Standing By The Sea
15. Somewhere
16. One Step At A Time
17. Pink Turns To Blue
18. Newest Industry
19. Monday Will Never Be The Same
20. Whatever
21. The Tooth Fairy And The Princess
22. Turn On The News
23. Reoccurring Dreams
1. Eight Miles High (The Byrds cover)
2. Masochism World (Live)
1. New Day Rising
2. The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
3. I Apologize
4. Folklore
5. If I Told You
6. Celebrated Summer
7. Perfect Example
8. Terms of Psychic Warfare
9. 59 Times The Pain
10. Powerline
11. Books About UFO's
12. I Don't Know What You're Talking About
13. How To Skin A Cat
14. Whatcha Drinkin'
15. Plans I Make
1. Interview 1
2. Interview 2
3. Interview 3
4. Interview 4
5. Interview 5
6. Flip Your Wig
7. Every Everything
8. Makes No Sense At All
9. The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
10. I Apologize
11. If I Told You
12. Folklore
13. Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely
14. I Don't Know For Sure
15. Terms Of Psychic Warfare
16. Powerline
17. Books About UFO's
18. Hardly Getting Over It
19. Sorry Somehow
20. You're So Square/The Wit & Wisdom
21. Green Eyes
22. Divide & Conquer
23. Celebrated Summer
24. All Work And No Play
1. Makes No Sense At All
2. Love Is All Around
1. Flip Your Wig
2. Every Everything
3. Makes No Sense At All
4. Hate Paper Doll
5. Green Eyes
6. Divide And Conquer
7. Games
8. Find Me
9. The Baby Song
10. Flexible Flyer
11. Private Plane
12. Keeping Hanging On
13. The Wit And The Wisdom
14. Don't Know Yet
Ticket To Ride (Beatles cover)
Erase Today
1. Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely
2. Helter Skelter (Beatles cover)
3. All Work And No Play
1. Crystal
2. Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely
3. I Don't Know For Sure
4. Sorry Somehow
5. Too Far Down
6. Hardly Getting Over It
7. Dead Set On Destruction
8. Eiffel Tower High
9. No Promise Have I Made
10. All This I've Done For You
1. Sorry Somehow
2. All This I've Done For You
3. Flexible Flyer (Live)
4. Celebrated Summer (Live)
5. Fattie
1. Could You Be The One?
2. Everytime
3. Charity, Chastity, Prudence, And Hope
1. These Important Years
2. Charity, Chastity, Prudence, And Hope
3. Standing In The Rain
4. Back From Somewhere
5. Ice Cold Ice
6. You're A Soldier
7. Could You Be The One?
8. Too Much Spice
9. Friend, You've Got To Fall
10. Visionary
11. She Floated Away
12. Bed Of Nails
13. Tell You Why Tomorrow
14. It's Not Peculiar
15. Actual Condition
16. No Reservations
17. Turn It Around
18. She's A Woman (And Now She's A Man)
19. Up In The Air
20. You Can Live At Home
1. Ice Cold Ice
2. Gotta Lotta
1. Do You Remember?
2. Drug Party
3. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Note: This 7" was never officially released by the band, but includes some fantastic tracks. Two are early songs, and the "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" cover was recorded in 1986
1. The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
2. Every Everything
3. Makes No Sense At All
4. Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely
5. I Don't Know For Sure
6. Terms Of Psychic Warfare
7. Hardly Getting Over It
8. Sorry Somehow
9. You Are So Square
10. Celebrated Summer
11. Green Eyes
12. Divide And Conquer
13. All Work And No Play
14. Powerline
15. Books About UFO's
16. Flip Your Wig
17. I Apologize
18. If I Told You / Folklore
Note: Bootleg, recorded live in Minneapolis, 1985
1. New Day Rising
2. The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
3. Standing In The Rain
4. Back From Somewhere
5. Ice Cold Ice
6. Everytime
7. Friend, You've Got To Fall
8. She Floated Away
9. From The Gut
10. Target
11. It's Not Funny Anymore
12. Hardly Getting Over It
13. Terms of Psychic Warfare
14. Powerline
15. Books About UFO's
16. Divide And Conquer
17. Keeping Hanging On
18. Celebrated Summer
19. Now That You Know Me
20. Ain't No Water In The Well
21. What's Going On
22. Data Control
23. In A Free Land
24. Sheena Is A Punk Rock (Ramones cover)
1. Erase Today
2. Listen
3. Some Kind Of Fun
4. Gotta Lotta
5. Can't See You Anymore
6. Do You Remember?
7. Sore Eyes
8. Dozen Beats Eleven
9. All Work And No Play
10. Misty Modern Days
11. All This I've Ever Done For You
12. Just Be
13. You Can Leave At Home
14. I'll Tell You Why Tomorrow
15. Charity, Chastity, Prudence And Hope
16. She's A Woman (And Now He Is A Man)
17. These Important Years (Live)
18. Charity, Chastity, Prudence And Hope (Live)
19. Could You Be The One? (Live)
20. Chartered Trips (Live)
21. Green Eyes (Live)
22. Never Talking To You Again (Live)
23. Gotta Lotta (Live)
1. Drug Party
2. What's Going On?
3. Drug Party
1. Statues
2. Amusement
3. Writers Cramp
4. Let's Go Die
Note: This is a reissue of their first single, Statues (originally released in 1980), for RSD 2013
Also, on one quick note. Numero Group has a major compilation coming out that includes 3 LP's of early demos and rarities, in addition to a remastered version of
Everything Falls Apart and a new version of
Land Speed Record (same set, different show). It's available for streaming now, and can be purchased
here.
