That “Zen Arcade” and “Double Nickels on the Dime” (by the Minutemen) were produced within weeks of one another for the same label is really incredible to me. Two of my all-time favorite records to be sure.
“Zen” is great because of the production, IMO. Tells a great story.
I think “Beaster” is my favorite Sugar release too.
I dance around Husker Du a lot, but don’t find myself digging deep, like I have with the 'Mats or other alt / indie groups from the day.
I will, however, use this post to plug Michael Azerrad’s Our Band Could Be Your Life, which features chapters on a bunch of great indie bands from that era, include HD and the Replacements. Well written and a great look at some great bands - it will make you run out and update your collection.
I’ll second that book recommendation. Lots of interesting stuff in there.
So … Husker Du is some kind of rock music combo, is it?
A swinging beat combo, no less.
I saw them a couple of times live. First time in Sacramento at some crappy small place downstairs when Husker Du was pretty unknown and DOA headlined (maybe 1982?). Code of Honor was on the bill too. Husker Du was pretty good then. I spent about an hour talking with them. They had dropped out of university or taken time off, Bob Mould talked about how they were living “One the Road” Kerouac. They certainly weren’t known at that point. Joey Shithead made a big effort to inform them of a party after hours somewhere because they we’re invited. (Joey is a prince, and I really mean that, and he made sure that no name small opening acts were brother musicians)
I saw the SST record release party in SF for Zen Arcade. It was Husker Du, Minutemen and the Meat Puppets. Man oh man, talk about a fucking incredible show. All the bands were great. That ranked up as one of the all time best hardcore shows I ever saw, and I’ve seen a couple hundred shows.
The thing about Husker Du live, especially the earlier days, was that they played blisteringly fast short loud songs. Hell, almost all the bands did. But what made Husker Du different was that they didn’t pause more than 5 seconds between songs for about an hour straight. There were tons of bands that would play a really fast 90 second song, take five minutes before they did their next song. Nuh-uh for Husker Du…it was just a non stop blitzkreig. The drummer used to play guitar (and bob mould drums) on the closing song because his knees would kind of be blown out by the end of the night.
I second that Husker Du needs to be remastered. Spot was a one trick pony that never improved on his recording skills.
Interviewed them in 1984 for radio station KDVS. Not sure what ever happened to that interview tape.
I had a Husker Du t-shirt in China around 1985 and the Swedish backpackers I’d hang out with thought it was hilarious in a WTF kinda way. Husker Du means “do you remember” and it was an old folks nostalgia TV documentary type show. Along the lines of “do you remember swing music, do you remember when beer came in buckets, do your remember some other pop thing from 50 years ago”
Yes, and this was one of my favorites. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYxFD9YyknI&feature=related
UW -Madison, 1985. I saw Husker Du many times.
Yeah, “Do You Remember?” was on "Everything Falls Apart: “Do you remember -when you were our age?”.
I used to like Husker Du’s cover versions, as well: “Sunshine Superman” could have been a buncha smug hipsters being archly ironic {yes, Urge Overkill, I am looking at you} with a daft old hippy tune, but they played it straight and it fucking rocked.
Husker Du was named after a children’s game
“Take that, Huskers!” 
and I was at the SST record release prty in SF with huker, minutemn & meat puppets.
oddly enough i saw a local shanghaiese woman a few weeks ago sprting a purse with the gig details. unfortunately she didn’t remember where she got it.
Tammerlane - were you at that show? i forget the name of the place. on broadway street but not the On Broadway or fab mab.
I saw HD live. They were awe-inspiring. Loud, raucous, beautiful, angry, thoughtful, sweaty rock and roll- just how it’s supposed to be. Zen Arcade in particular spent a lot of time in my ears, and I still find those songs exciting and meaningful today.
The Minutemen were, and remain, one of my all-time favorite bands. Absolutely nothing I have ever heard rivals these 3 guys from San Pedro. D.'s death is one of the saddest moment in rock history. I’ve worn out a few copies of DNOTD. I’ve even been fortunate enough to meet Mike Watt and George Hurley a couple of times when they were out with Ed as fIREHOSE. Amazing guys; very very cool people.
The 80s were an odd decade, and a lot of it sukt, but I’m glad I got to experience the good parts when they happened.
After D Boon’s demise, I was holding out hope for years that he was my generations’ Jim Morrison - an icon to be rediscovered 10-15 years later. Never quite happened.
I am a huge Husker fan and probably strange in that I always preferred Grant’s songs. As far as post-Husker albums go…“Wishing Well” is a perfect gorgeous song…and that’s about it for Bob’s solo stuff. I liked a few Sugar songs…but that’s it.
On the other hand, although they are impossible to find, Grant’s 2 solo albums and the first album he did with Nova Mob are pretty great all the way through. If you liked his Husker songs you will probably enjoy these three albums…and he is supposed to be releasing a new one…for the last several years. Surely it will happen soon. I am sure it’s a monetary issue (argh).
I saw Bob live at a festival a few years ago and it was better than I thought it would be. His going into a techno phase had really scared me off but luckily this was a solo electric show. I have seen Grant a few times and really enjoyed it. He sticks to the same few songs and there is the inevitable awkward moment where he goes off on someone in the crowd, but other than that he has a great voice and is quite hilarious. He needs a band, though.
Ah, looky what I found…
Grant’s first solo album- well worth the 8 bucks.
At first I found this one to have a bit too much going on, but I grew to like it a lot. Well, Jesus fracking Christ I have no idea why this is going so cheap…$2.92 new??? You have no choice!
First Nova Mob album I generally hate concept albums…but this one is quite good. I especially enjoy “Where You Gonna Land (Next Time You Fall Off Of Your Mountain)?” and “Over My Head”
The thing about the Minutemen live was that every time you saw them, the reaction was “Man what an incredible show, there’s *no *freaking way they could top that show.”
And of course you’d see them a few months later and the reaction was “Man what an incredible show, there’s *no *freaking way they could top that show.”
And it was like that every time for the 4 or 5 times I saw the Minutemen.
Sadly, no. Sounds awesome though. As to the club…
I drew a blank ( was thinking maybe you meant the Warfield, but that’s not on Broadway ), so I looked it up. 'twas The Stone, currently defunct. Check it out: Puncture #9, Spring 1985
I am fan of the Huskers.
I first heard them after reading an interview around the time that Sugar’s Copper Blue came out which described Bob Mould’s guitar sound as being like someone ‘dropping a tray of glasses in a church’.
I always thought that summed them up perfectly.