The Battle of Minneapolis: Husker Du / The Replacements / Soul Asylum [OPO]

I am not voting until the system bumps it as I want to see what others say because I am torn between the Replacements and Husker Du and can be swayed either way.

I think Soul Asylum will get the short end here (I am not even considering them), but I think that has at least as much to do with how gracelessly the band fell as it does their relative merits when they were at a creative peak with the other bands, and I don't know if that's fair (but maybe it is).

― NYCNative, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 07:42 (2 years ago) Permalink

I think Soul Asylum will get the short end here

understatement of the year

― VAN HALEN WOLFGANG KILL MICHAEL ANTHONY (some dude), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 13:26 (2 years ago) Permalink

voting 'Mats but the unofficial rule of all ILM polls is that if Husker Du is an option Husker Du will win

― VAN HALEN WOLFGANG KILL MICHAEL ANTHONY (some dude), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 13:26 (2 years ago) Permalink

I probably like the Replacements more now, but Husker Du on college radio in the mid-eighties inspired me & gave me energy whereas the 'Mats on college radio in the mid-eighties made me feel like "why are you people in such a hurry to get old"

― five gone cats from Boston (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 13:34 (2 years ago) Permalink

The Replacements for me were like a first real girlfriend, one who would get drunk with you and give you sloppy kisses and awkward backseat fumbling and groping. Husker Du was like a talented kid in art class who seemed smarter than everyone else but still got detention a lot. Soul Asylum was like the stoners out behind the school, who would occasionally give you a toke of mediocre weed.

So, 'Mats.

― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 13:55 (2 years ago) Permalink

The early Soul Asylum LP Made To Be Broken kicks ass. Husker will and should win this but SA did start out strong, at least.

― I'll take u down 2 the dark grosse chap L (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 20:02 (2 years ago) Permalink

pretty damn sure replacements will win this as they definitely get written about more here

― Algerian Goalkeeper, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 20:07 (2 years ago) Permalink

I'm voting Mats, but I know to never underestimate the pedestal on which people around here place Husker Du.

― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 20:09 (2 years ago) Permalink

This ones a piece of cake for me, because I only like one of these bands. Husker Du it is.

― Thraft of Cleveland (Bill Magill), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 20:15 (2 years ago) Permalink

Prince

― sonnyboy, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 20:16 (2 years ago) Permalink

Overall: I'd go with Hüsker Dü.

Best Minneapolis Band: The Replacements.

I don't know if I can put in words why this is the case, but it just is.

― Pleasant Plains, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 20:16 (2 years ago) Permalink

(For starters, HD was from St. Paul, but I digress.)

― Pleasant Plains, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 20:17 (2 years ago) Permalink

Voting 'Mats, but my real answer is The Time.

― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 20:19 (2 years ago) Permalink

Ha ha, was just thinking they were overlooked.

― styrofoam for pancger management (Michael White), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 23:24 (2 years ago) Permalink

husker du are st. paul as a mother IMO, they feel like st. paul and the replacements feel like mpls.

my friend went to macalester college and there was a student lounge where ppl said bob mould tried to kill himself, but i think it was an urban legend.

― gr8080 sings the blues (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 23:26 (2 years ago) Permalink

voting Suicide Commandos

― gr8080 sings the blues (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 23:26 (2 years ago) Permalink

I have never liked Soul Asylum or The Replacements so this is a super easy poll for me.

― goth barbershop quartet (DJP), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 23:27 (2 years ago) Permalink

I kind of never need to hear Husker Du ever again their stuff is recorded so harshly/shittily whereas I have more of a sentimental attachment to the 'Mats and their catalog is just funnier

― You hurt me deeply. You hurt me deeply in my heart. (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 23:30 (2 years ago) Permalink

My very first instinct is the 'Mats, just because I've been listening to them for SO long, whereas I came to HD really, really late. I briefly dated a girl in high school who tried to get me into them and it didn't really take at the time. (This would have been around 1986, so . . . yeah.) If I were judging them on what they spawned and what came after, no contest -- Husker Du in a walk. But as it is, it's really kinda hard to decide. I think I have to go with the band that first meant more to me and go with the 'Mats.

― Ian Curtis danced like a tortured chicken DO U SEE (Phil D.), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 23:31 (2 years ago) Permalink

I have never liked Soul Asylum or The Replacements so this is a super easy poll for me.

― goth barbershop quartet (DJP), Tuesday, March 8, 2011 5:27 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^Another write-in for Curtiss A

― gr8080 sings the blues (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 23:31 (2 years ago) Permalink

Boiled In Lead / TVBC / Trip Shakespeare OPO

― I'll take u down 2 the dark grosse chap L (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 23:36 (2 years ago) Permalink

Husker Du, but I'd probably end up voting for the Replacements in 9 out of 10 polls. Just speaking personally here, but seeing Soul Asylum appended to those two is akin to a Beatles/Rolling Stones/Freddie & the Dreamers poll.

― clemenza, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 23:56 (2 years ago) Permalink

husker du are st. paul as a mother IMO, they feel like st. paul and the replacements feel like mpls.

seems weird tho since HD are the modernists and the replacements are the classicists?

― goole, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 00:18 (2 years ago) Permalink

or maybe it's seriousness vs sentimentality

― goole, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 00:19 (2 years ago) Permalink

Voting Husker, but my real vote is probably Walt Mink.

― dlp9001, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 00:48 (2 years ago) Permalink

or maybe it's seriousness vs sentimentality

I'd chime in here but who the fuck knows anything about st paul

― ullr saves (gbx), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 00:59 (2 years ago) Permalink

feel obligated to say "voting mats but my real allegiance is to balloon guy" or something

― five gone cats from Boston (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 01:25 (2 years ago) Permalink

Voted suburbs

― O_o-O_0-o_O (jjjusten), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 01:36 (2 years ago) Permalink

Also a+ on balloon guy

― O_o-O_0-o_O (jjjusten), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 01:37 (2 years ago) Permalink

Husker Du = Spot
Replacements = no Spot

Replacements

― Master of Treacle, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 01:39 (2 years ago) Permalink

Loud Fast Rules 4 eva, though. Who the fuck thought 'Soul Asylum' was a good idea?

― Master of Treacle, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 01:40 (2 years ago) Permalink

husker du are st. paul as a mother IMO, they feel like st. paul and the replacements feel like mpls.

seems weird tho since HD are the modernists and the replacements are the classicists?

i think of st paul as cramped, industrial - more east coast than minneapolis.

― just woke up (lukas), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 01:40 (2 years ago) Permalink

I'm not the guy to do it, but I'm sure plenty here can defend pre-breakout Soul Asylum. My understanding was they were a heck of a band, back in the day.

Anyway: Husker Du for the catalog, 'Mats for the songs. Alternatively, Husker Du for energy, 'Mats for ... empathy? Actually, between the two of them, that's a pretty tough choice. Both mean a lot to me, but for totally different reasons. Hmmm ...

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 01:49 (2 years ago) Permalink

Jon Lewis otm about Made to Be Broken: from what I've heard, that album is sweet. Feel bad for Soul Asylum, almost as if they deserve their own poll, against the Goo Goo Dolls and the Christ Punchers or something...

― hapshash jar tempo (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 01:52 (2 years ago) Permalink

St. Paul was great in The Family.

― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 01:53 (2 years ago) Permalink

Feel bad for Soul Asylum, almost as if they deserve their own poll, against the Goo Goo Dolls and the Christ Punchers or something...

That's exactly right. It's not a knock to say that Made to Be Broken was a pretty good album. There were hundreds of pretty good Amerindie (or whatever you want to call it) albums in the mid-'80s. But Soul Asylum was qualitatively different than Husker Du or the Replacements.

My best memory of Soul Asylum is suppyly-teaching ("substitute-teaching" if you're American...an American friend once thought supply teaching meant you went in and looked after supplies) for a grade 5 or 6 class when "Runaway Train" was huge, and having most of the class quietly sing along as it played on the radio while they worked. For better or worse, I don't think you'd encounter the same thing today.

― clemenza, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 02:37 (2 years ago) Permalink

"supply"...

― clemenza, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 02:38 (2 years ago) Permalink

Cue aero coming in all like "I'd rather have monkeys hurl snappers & feces at my ears every day for the rest of my life than have to listen to one more second of Gravedancers' Union!" lol...

― hapshash jar tempo (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 03:56 (2 years ago) Permalink

i saw soul asylum open for husker du circa flip your wig, they were definitely energetic but their music didn't seem anything special

― diebro (buzza), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 04:00 (2 years ago) Permalink

Replacements were my first boyfriend, but I can barely listen to them now because it's a little too emotional. Somewhere in my piles of nostalgic junk I have a Poloroid of myself with Paul Westerberg and I cherished it so much I hid it. Now I can't find it.

Meanwhile, Husker Du has been with me through SO MANY LIFE EVENTS, and there's a HD song for every mood I have. Have made friends with Husker Du, grown up to Husker Du, and enjoy annual Husker Du binges.

I don't care about Soul Asylum at all, and avoiding bands with Soul _____ is always a good idea imo.

So...let's see. Huskers are probably better, and more multipurpose, but I will always be in love with the Replacements. Voted emotion. Don't care if it's wrong because it feels right. Both are bands that I can't imagine anyone taking lightly because I have loved them so much.

― Ralpharina (La Lechera), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 04:23 (2 years ago) Permalink

fwiw: HUSKER DU V. Replacements

― Pleasant Plains, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 04:36 (2 years ago) Permalink

wow somehow i managed to control myself and not carry on emotionally last time
and look what happened

― Ralpharina (La Lechera), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 04:44 (2 years ago) Permalink

Thanks for that link PP - I almost posted the EXACT SAME THING (nearly) as I did back in '07!

Anyway, I'm gonna change my mind and vote Replacements this time, just 'cause it's my right to do so. Plus they were funnier.

― honorary mayor of Malibu, California (Myonga Vön Bontee), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 05:00 (2 years ago) Permalink

So...let's see. Huskers are probably better, and more multipurpose, but I will always be in love with the Replacements. Voted emotion. Don't care if it's wrong because it feels right. Both are bands that I can't imagine anyone taking lightly because I have loved them so much.

― Ralpharina (La Lechera), Tuesday, March 8, 2011 11:23 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark

^^^ Voted Replacements but feel very similar to LL about both them and HD.

I will also say that I have big soft spot for early Soul Asylum but not enough to consider voting for them against these two.

― ENBB, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 14:55 (2 years ago) Permalink

actually I change my vote to Savage Aural Hotbed

― goth barbershop quartet (DJP), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 14:59 (2 years ago) Permalink

I cherished it so much I hid it. Now I can't find it.

Ha.

― skip, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 15:00 (2 years ago) Permalink

but yeah, Soul Asylum is a strange addition to this poll.

― skip, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 15:00 (2 years ago) Permalink

Someone should print this thread out when the poll closes, mail it to Dave Pirner and be all like IN YOUR FACE.

― Ian Curtis danced like a tortured chicken DO U SEE (Phil D.), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 15:03 (2 years ago) Permalink

HOW'S THAT FOR SOME "MISERY," DAVE????

― Ian Curtis danced like a tortured chicken DO U SEE (Phil D.), Wednesday, 9 March 2011 15:03 (2 years ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Monday, 21 March 2011 00:01 (2 years ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:01 (2 years ago) Permalink

Wound up voting for Husker Du.

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Friday, March 18, 2011 5:23 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark

divide and conquer

― Ralpharina (La Lechera), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:09 (2 years ago) Permalink

woah!

― ENBB, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:12 (2 years ago) Permalink

hurrah

― Algerian Goalkeeper, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:13 (2 years ago) Permalink

Copper Blue won out over Singles OST

― just woke up (lukas), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:31 (2 years ago) Permalink

it was almost Indecision Time

― buzza, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:39 (2 years ago) Permalink

Picking up on one thread theme, hilarious to me that the pretty MOR Buffalo Tom were once ragged and noisy enough to be nicknamed Dinosaur Jr. and that the Goo Goo Dolls were once considered the upstate New York answer to the Minnesota sound. And lest one forget, Paul Westerberg wrote the GGD's semi-breakthrough hit "We Are the Normal." The Goo Goo Dolls put in enough years and miles humping it out that when they went huge, for all the wrong reasons, I more or less figured they deserved it.

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:51 (2 years ago) Permalink

I love polls where the results are predicted within the first couple of posts

― dayo, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:52 (2 years ago) Permalink

the first couple goo goo dolls records on metal blade are pretty good and mat-sy

― Bleeqwot the Chef (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:53 (2 years ago) Permalink

SA channeling the Mats here:

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:53 (2 years ago) Permalink

Goo Goo Dolls channeling MN:

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:54 (2 years ago) Permalink

the goo goo dolls adult contempo hits aren't exactly a world away from wussier later 'mats imo

― some dude, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:55 (2 years ago) Permalink

"This one's for Paul:"

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:58 (2 years ago) Permalink

the junk monkeys were even more mats

― Bleeqwot the Chef (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 00:58 (2 years ago) Permalink

Who voted Soul Asylum?

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 01:04 (2 years ago) Permalink

I like how Soul Asylum was the Ralph Nader in this vote. Kinda fitting...

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 01:07 (2 years ago) Permalink

recount!

― B1ll C4ll4h4n (symsymsym), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 01:09 (2 years ago) Permalink

It seems reasonably to me that the 3 Soul Asylum votes would have gone to the Replacements.

― Mark, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 01:35 (2 years ago) Permalink

but they were known as husker du lite!

― Algerian Goalkeeper, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 01:37 (2 years ago) Permalink

We should call this poll "Frustrated Incorporated"

― Mark, Tuesday, 22 March 2011 01:38 (2 years ago) Permalink

side note:

it's really weird how big the gear daddies are in MN and how unknown they are outside of MN...

― Bleeqwot the Chef (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 01:43 (2 years ago) Permalink

GGD opened for Mats on the final tour, no? At least they did in Cleveland.

― Ralpharina (La Lechera), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 01:55 (2 years ago) Permalink

this is a really nice soul asylum song - "P-9" about the hormel/p9 labor union strike of the mid 80s...like it even more in light of recent events in wisconsin

― Bleeqwot the Chef (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 02:10 (2 years ago) Permalink

To be fair in a recount, I would switch my Replacements vote here for Hüsker Dü, even though I still feel the Mats are more MPLS.

― http://tinyurl.com/vroooo0ooooom (Pleasant Plains), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 04:54 (2 years ago) Permalink

runaway train is better than every husker du and replacements song combined

― ℳℴℯ　❤＼(◕‿◕✿ (Princess TamTam), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 05:10 (2 years ago) Permalink

"runaway train" isn't even better than tom petty's "runaway trains"

― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 06:08 (2 years ago) Permalink

i had a gf once who was like... she was a freakin runaway train man... i always get real sad and tragic feelin when i hear that song, because of her... good video too...

― ℳℴℯ　❤＼(◕‿◕✿ (Princess TamTam), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 06:15 (2 years ago) Permalink

so sad @ all those freakin kids

― ℳℴℯ　❤＼(◕‿◕✿ (Princess TamTam), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 06:21 (2 years ago) Permalink

― taco al pastorius (Steve Shasta), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 06:23 (2 years ago) Permalink

Wish I could find the version of the Runaway Train video where instead of kids, they show bicycles.

― http://tinyurl.com/vroooo0ooooom (Pleasant Plains), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 13:35 (2 years ago) Permalink

PP, let me know when you find a new optemetrist.

― taco al pastorius (Steve Shasta), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 20:05 (2 years ago) Permalink

yikes, pardon the spelling. think i need to find a new one of my own.

― taco al pastorius (Steve Shasta), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 20:06 (2 years ago) Permalink

hi dads

― I'm totally kidding. Congrats strangers. (Matt P), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 20:11 (2 years ago) Permalink

Ha, sorry Shasta. I didn't click Play.

― http://tinyurl.com/vroooo0ooooom (Pleasant Plains), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 20:17 (2 years ago) Permalink

Hard to believe now, I realize, but had this poll been conducted in, say, 1990, this would have been a three way tie.

I spent yesterday listening to Soul Asylum -- from Made to Be Broken through Let Your Dim Light Shine. Gawd, those early albums are incredible -- up to Hangtime and the Clam Dip EP. YouTube has a ton of evidence of how mind blowing they were live around that time. I feel fortunate to have seen them a couple times then.

It's sad to hear how neutered they became, but even then, the singles really suffer mainly due to overexposure. The rest of the those albums aren't particularly good and the lack of energy -- especially compared to just a few years earlier -- is such a shame.

― john. a resident of chicago., Friday, 31 August 2012 16:14 (9 months ago) Permalink

No youtube video will ever convince anyone of anything, but, man they were good:

Lots of Goo Goo Dolls comments upthread, too. I caught them on the Jed tour in 1989 and it was the same sort of thing -- impossible to beleive now, but they were great. Like 20 people in the audience who'd never heard them before, completely rocking out by the end. Couldn't believe how bland they became.

― john. a resident of chicago., Friday, 31 August 2012 18:22 (9 months ago) Permalink

I spent yesterday listening to Soul Asylum -- from Made to Be Broken through Let Your Dim Light Shine. Gawd, those early albums are incredible -- up to Hangtime and the Clam Dip EP.

dunno about no goo goo dolls, but otm re: the early soul asylum. lost interest w hang time, but dug say what you will..., while you were out and especially made to be broken. damn good midwestern beer punk w/ a sadrock chaser. debt to husker du and the replacements was massive, but they had the songs to back it up.

― i know your nuts hurt! who's laughing? (contenderizer), Friday, 31 August 2012 19:02 (9 months ago) Permalink

runaway train is better than every husker du and replacements song combined

― ℳℴℯ　❤＼(◕‿◕✿ (Princess TamTam), Tuesday, March 22, 2011 1:10 AM (1 year ago) Bookmark

clicked on the thread to say exactly this

― Hungry4Ass, Friday, 31 August 2012 19:07 (9 months ago) Permalink

that song is a long drink of hot barf

― i know your nuts hurt! who's laughing? (contenderizer), Friday, 31 August 2012 19:08 (9 months ago) Permalink

lol

― Hungry4Ass, Friday, 31 August 2012 19:11 (9 months ago) Permalink

I spent yesterday listening to Soul Asylum -- from Made to Be Broken through Let Your Dim Light Shine. Gawd, those early albums are incredible -- up to Hangtime and the Clam Dip EP. YouTube has a ton of evidence of how mind blowing they were live around that time. I feel fortunate to have seen them a couple times then.

Totally otm. I mentioned my soft spot upthread but I may have understated it a bit. At one point SA were one of my top fave bands. As a young teenager I was, er, in their fan club and i distinctly remember taping the Christmas card they sent out inside my binder. I had such crush on Dan Murphy. I still love those early albums and even GDU a lot.

― (✿◠‿◠) (ENBB), Saturday, 1 September 2012 00:47 (9 months ago) Permalink

Runaway Train = if Jon Bon Jovi sang Unsatisfied

Though maybe that's a good thing

― Master of Treacle, Saturday, 1 September 2012 01:31 (9 months ago) Permalink

Whatever, SA and GGD, whatever their merits, allowed themselves to become bland anonymous guitar rock, free of annoying things like identity and character. So fuck em.

― Master of Treacle, Saturday, 1 September 2012 01:32 (9 months ago) Permalink

Even before Sandusky, I thought this dude looked like Joe Paterno.

― pplains, Saturday, 1 September 2012 01:39 (9 months ago) Permalink

ONE VOTE?!

fückin Hüskers....

Soul Asylum can't compete here, but this revive made me realize I once played "Cartoon" like seven times in a row while drunk. Fuckin great track.

― theStalePrince, Saturday, 1 September 2012 01:58 (9 months ago) Permalink

Babes in Toyland

― Nate Carson, Saturday, 1 September 2012 12:58 (9 months ago) Permalink

Bob Mould's new one, "Silver Age," is awesome. It's like a third Sugar album, and much better than the second.

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 4 September 2012 16:08 (9 months ago) Permalink

wish i were more fond of babes in toyland overall. loved the "dusk cake boy" 45, but lost interest not long after.

― i know your nuts hurt! who's laughing? (contenderizer), Tuesday, 4 September 2012 16:23 (9 months ago) Permalink

xp just saw a recent photo of Bob and now I get where the album title came from

― hot slag (lukas), Tuesday, 11 September 2012 20:09 (9 months ago) Permalink