Husker Du : Classic or Dud, Search and Destroy.

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Yup, they are so far "Classic" they're off the scale. Too much to search, too few to destroy.

bg, Friday, 8 April 2005 15:29 (nineteen years ago) link

Hmm. Divide & Conquer...I remember that one being really good too. *scratches head, pondering* Maybe I'm due for a Husker re-listen of some kind. It would be fun to make my own comp of them.

The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Friday, 8 April 2005 15:38 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm totally wearing a big eye-piercing orange New Day Rising shirt today

Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Friday, 8 April 2005 15:46 (nineteen years ago) link

Man, I need to get Flip Your Wig again. I had it on tape, and now it's lost. With songs like "Hate Paper Doll", they're the only hardcore punk band that could have a Broadway musical based around their songs.

(Did I just say that?)

Also, Greg Norton, being the most underrated member of the band, is such a great bassist. I walk around most days with a loop of "Statues" running on repeat in my brain.

Any coincidence that this thread has been revived just after that special sometime in April when we add another hour?

Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Friday, 8 April 2005 15:55 (nineteen years ago) link

Much of Bob Mould's post-Du career has left me cold; and much of the reason is his reluctance to SHRED! Maybe he's just a contrary bastard who refuses to play guitar solos to piss off a receptive audience for them, same as 20 years ago when his willingness/ability to play 'em no doubt offended punk-purist morons. If so, that's amusing & admirable in a way, but musically unfortunate, since we're talking about one of the most thrilling Flying V-specialists of all time. Just one all-out shred-fest per album is all I ask, save it for the very last song, just like in the old days, with his old band. The old days, when you could buy a Husker Du rec and be assured of getting, in addition to a Mould ax-travaganza, (1) a beautiful cover; (2) a weird instrumental or near-instrumental, and (3) any number of unforgettable songs, in a roughly 60-40 split between Mould and Hart songs, with Grant Hart making up for the imbalance by always contributing my own personal LP-highlight, each time, each album out. (Said band being an unquestioned CLASSIC, in case you need to ask.)

Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 8 April 2005 17:23 (nineteen years ago) link

Up through Flip Your Wig, pretty much flawless (incl. the early hardcore stuff IMO)...after that, spotty, although I'm enough of a sap to be really moved by "These Important Years"...

Sugar's Copper Blue is better than the last Husker records, though, whoever said that was OTM.

M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 8 April 2005 17:42 (nineteen years ago) link

it has to be classic b/c the world would not be the same w/o Bob Mould and his guitar and his voice. he's a singularly special gay man, so any album is a classic b/c it contributes to the future. but i can't/don't listen to any husker du album b/c the lyrics are so dumb and the sounds now are too obvious dramatic angst - its like hetal metal ballads at times. classic dud?

Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Friday, 8 April 2005 23:08 (nineteen years ago) link

Some nice tunes, though, no?

Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 8 April 2005 23:41 (nineteen years ago) link

husker du's lyrics were plainspoken, direct and often simple and child-like, and sometimes just kinda clunky and prosaic, but they weren't dumb, not most of the time anyway. at their best, whether on hart's "never talking to you again" or mould's "something i learned today," they expressed deep emotion through simple language, which is to say they were making great pop music. and, hell yeah, there some nice tunes too.

fact checking cuz (fcc), Friday, 8 April 2005 23:51 (nineteen years ago) link

that's a different perspective FCC. I'll have to take a fresh listen.

Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Friday, 8 April 2005 23:53 (nineteen years ago) link

Yes!!! I've finally *got* Husker Du. New Day Rising simply for the title track and Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill. As for Sugar, Beaster is amazing, see Titled for the definition of relentless, but Copper Blue and FUEL leave me a bit cold.

Ben Dot (1977), Saturday, 9 April 2005 17:11 (nineteen years ago) link

one month passes...
Classic.

Search: side one of New Day Rising, played in the sequence it was released

Destroy: "Reoccurring dreams", "The Baby Song", about half of Warehouse: Songs & Stories.

Snnap Dragon (snnap dragon), Saturday, 21 May 2005 18:02 (eighteen years ago) link

Utmost classicness. New Day Rising, Zen Arcade, and Candy Apple Grey are my favorites, so definitely search. Warehouse is probably my least favorite, but certainly nowhere near 'destroy' status. In fact, its better than a lot of bands' best works. And, yes, The Living End is a corker.

John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Saturday, 21 May 2005 23:02 (eighteen years ago) link

Damn, no mention yet of the greatest Husker Du song of all? I'm talking about "Up in the Air." Oh yes. Sweet, sweet soaring psychedelia that gives me kaleidoscope eyes and makes me bliss the fuck out. And what about the cascading, hectic euphoria of "You're a Soldier"? No love for that? Jesus, what's the matter with you people?

Blightersrock (Da ve Segal), Sunday, 22 May 2005 08:14 (eighteen years ago) link

one month passes...
Husker Du were awesome, and Grant is a great songrwriter, but nothing compares to "Copper Blue!" Full of great songs, and I love Bob's twangy voice when it's overdubbed 50 times. I think the Warner Bros. Du albums are the best, Warehouse has to be the greatest double album of all time. She Floated Away, Ice Cold Ice, Actual Condition, It's not Peculiar, too many great tunes to mention. Anyone who hasn't heard these should download them IMMEDIATELY! I'm looking forward to Bob's new one, Body of Song. Has anyone else pre ordered a copy? Husker rules! And Paul Westerberg was nothing but a pair of pretty cheekbones :P

Rena Navarro, Sunday, 17 July 2005 20:26 (eighteen years ago) link

two years pass...

So here's a question that I've had for twenty years:

Why is it that on the inside of Zen Arcade it says "All songs written by whoever sings it except for "Someday" that Grant wrote"?

Didn't Grant also sing it, so it would still fall under "song written by singer" rule?

Pleasant Plains, Wednesday, 31 October 2007 16:27 (sixteen years ago) link

Ah, I see it's the only song with lyrics on the album that has two songwriters. Still, Grant Hart sang a song that he wrote.

Pleasant Plains, Wednesday, 31 October 2007 16:31 (sixteen years ago) link

ahem, Bob Mould was a writer for WCW, not WWF.

and, classic - new day rising (the song). fucking great.

shanissey, Thursday, 1 November 2007 08:07 (sixteen years ago) link

Classic. Nothing beats the first side/half of New Day Rising.

Jazzbo, Thursday, 1 November 2007 12:25 (sixteen years ago) link

Classic. Those SST records are timeless

steampig67, Thursday, 1 November 2007 17:32 (sixteen years ago) link

They could at least have given Greg one of these weird credits like "Yoko: Wind" to beef up his instruments line.

James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 1 November 2007 17:42 (sixteen years ago) link

Oops, wrong thread.

James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 1 November 2007 17:42 (sixteen years ago) link

four years pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdFryHOAmlQ

Fiendish Doctor Wu! (kingfish), Friday, 29 June 2012 05:58 (eleven years ago) link

Would love to see a copy of the insert from Land Speed record. It had a list of bands that people should check out. It has always stuck in my head that there was a band listed called the Maggot Brains listed which had me wondering about the array of influences on original US punk bands, though it could have just sounded like a good name and only have distant connection to the Funkadelic lp.

I love the band just as they're heading into the psychedelic stuff so Zen Arcade & New Day Rising and the live in London dvd which has me as a skinny 17 year old thrashing about. Probably also Metal Circus though I haven't heard it in ages. & definitely live sets from late 83- around 86.

Stevolende, Friday, 29 June 2012 10:13 (eleven years ago) link

I also love the Bob Mould '89 tour stuff that was recorded with Tony Maimone and Anton Fier as a rhythm section. Think there may have been a 2nd guitarist for some of that too.
Not sure what exactly is in circulation but do really like it.

The one time I saw Sugar I was so bored I started reading the book that was in my pocket.

Stevolende, Friday, 29 June 2012 10:34 (eleven years ago) link

There's a how to buy the Huskers in the new Brian Jones cover Mojo as I discovered minutes after my last posting. Thought there must be an edition due so looked it up and lo and behold.

Stevolende, Friday, 29 June 2012 10:40 (eleven years ago) link

with money?

contenderizer, Friday, 29 June 2012 15:35 (eleven years ago) link

one year passes...

New day rising

Ned Raggett, Friday, 2 August 2013 14:42 (ten years ago) link

That was way back when it was merely a rumour though

trippin' on brostep beats (NickB), Friday, 2 August 2013 14:53 (ten years ago) link

Re: "I Will never forget you" - talk about feeling something intensely!

More Than a Century With the Polaris Emblem (calstars), Friday, 2 August 2013 14:53 (ten years ago) link

Ah, thank you Nick, hold on here...

Ned Raggett, Friday, 2 August 2013 14:56 (ten years ago) link

one year passes...

On Amtrak train now stopping in Redwing, MN. Wondering if maybe Greg Norton will be visible out the window.

before you die you see the rink (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 26 August 2014 14:35 (nine years ago) link

No such luck. Some Mennonites got on in La Crosse though! Not sure if they are the carriage or black bumper brand.

before you die you see the rink (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 26 August 2014 18:38 (nine years ago) link

one month passes...

http://factmag-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/plectrumrecords2-500x350.jpg

^ rfi: what huskers vinyl is that on the wall of this record store?

john wahey (NickB), Friday, 24 October 2014 11:51 (nine years ago) link

that is the bootleg of their 1985 show at first avenue, just as they were working on Candy Apple Grey, and it's pretty amazing tbh. my favourite version of Green Eyes, for sure.
http://www.discogs.com/H%C3%BCsker-D%C3%BC-Live-At-The-First-Avenue-Club/release/2168534

thanks stevie - nice set!

You're So Square

ha, is grant singing that one?

john wahey (NickB), Friday, 24 October 2014 12:43 (nine years ago) link

He is! Actually, Bob and Grant share vocals but Grant's dominant on here, and it turns into a terrifying Wit & Wisdom in the middle.

I've got one of these bootlegs where they've got "Celebrated Summer" on the track listing as "Sons of Bitches".

pplains, Friday, 24 October 2014 13:34 (nine years ago) link

hahahahaha what?

"let's go die" is still one of the best song titles ever

Pentenema Karten, Friday, 24 October 2014 18:55 (nine years ago) link

the whole track list on Land Speed Record is too fucking good. "Push the Button," "Guns at My School," "Let's Go Die," "Tired of Doing Things."

Pentenema Karten, Friday, 24 October 2014 18:56 (nine years ago) link

Track 10:

http://i.imgur.com/AXHCLei.jpg

pplains, Saturday, 25 October 2014 01:14 (nine years ago) link

I think this is the same show as what's on the bootleg vinyl. More songs on the CD though.

pplains, Saturday, 25 October 2014 01:15 (nine years ago) link

it definitely is. Sadly, this performance is very over-used. Shame there aren't more Huskers shows in circulation. I guess there are a couple tapes on YouTube.

Pentenema Karten, Saturday, 25 October 2014 01:16 (nine years ago) link

five months pass...

weird questions: how seriously am I supposed to take the views expressed in "Real World" & who is the imagined interlocutor ("You wanna change the world by breaking rules and laws")?

I don't really know anything about the Huskers or their politics, but the song's speaker seems to toe the line between common-sense/can't-we-all-get-along thinking & a sort of reactionary conservatism ("I'm afraid of things like that & I lock my doors at night" obviously; but sometimes I even hear the line "I don't rape, & I don't pillage!" in a whiny besieged MRA tone)

so, my question is: do you think the band were satirizing contemporary American attitudes (yuppies! NIMBY!! broken windows policing!!!) or offering a genuine critique of a violent, destructive element within their own scene?

bernard snowy, Friday, 10 April 2015 14:41 (nine years ago) link

the second one, I think they meant it

sleeve, Friday, 10 April 2015 15:08 (nine years ago) link

(I don't have any support for this, maybe there's an old interview somewhere)

sleeve, Friday, 10 April 2015 15:08 (nine years ago) link

I love talking about this era. What I remember of it anyway...

Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 25 April 2023 18:04 (eleven months ago) link

six months pass...

First: It's been eons since I listened to "New Day Rising," just because there's too much music and too few hours. While I never got to see Husker Du live (though got to see Hart and have seen Mould a bunch), weirdly enough I don't regret it, since the advantage of Spot's production is that I feel it captures the energy and aaaargh of group live, at least based on the bootlegs I've heard. This is kinda true about a lot of SST stuff, too. The Minutemen, for example, I feel most of their albums do a pretty good job offering a snapshot of what the group must have been like live, based on what I've heard.

Second: My memory was primed for "Books About UFOs," but I somehow totally forgot about "Terms of Psychic Warfare." What a great tune. Why don't people cover Husker Du?

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 10 November 2023 22:31 (five months ago) link

When I first heard "Terms of Psychic Warfare," I honestly thought it could've come from the mid-'90s, and that it would've been a massive hit that sounded great on the radio ten years after it was actually released.

birdistheword, Friday, 10 November 2023 23:01 (five months ago) link

I saw them on the New Day Rising tour after hearing the album (plus Zen Arcade) and my recollection is that they were somewhat louder and more saturated-sounding than expected. It was a fairly small room though.

Josefa, Saturday, 11 November 2023 00:24 (five months ago) link

two months pass...

https://i.imgur.com/MxLfp4j.jpg

"Nord-strom riii-sing ... "

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 24 January 2024 14:20 (two months ago) link


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