Hüsker Dü

Publicity photo distributed by SST Records, 1985. Left to right: Greg Norton, Grant Hart, Bob Mould
Background information
Origin	Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Genre(s)	Hardcore punk Alternative rock
Years active	1979 – 1987
Label(s)	New Alliance SST Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Nova Mob Sugar
Members
Grant Hart (vocals, drums) Bob Mould (vocals, guitar) Greg Norton (bass guitar)

Hüsker Dü was a rock band formed in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1979. The band's continual members were Bob Mould, Greg Norton, and Grant Hart. Mould and Hart split the songwriting and singing duties, with each singing only the songs he had written, though they occasionally harmonized vocally. Mould's lyrics were known for being more soul-searching and intense than the often whimsical and cryptic ones of Hart. Hüsker Dü first gained notice as a hardcore punk band with thrashing tempos and screamed vocals, but also with a melodic, soulful edge that became more pronounced in the band's mid-career as they drifted away from their early sound, becoming one of the most influential bands in American alternative rock in the process. Hüsker Dü never achieved mainstream success, but attained an impact far larger than their modest sales figures would indicate.^[1] They are notable as one of the first 1980s American underground rock bands to sign with a major record label, a move which blazed the trail for the breakthrough of alternative rock a few years later.

History

Formation

The group that became Hüsker Dü formed when Bob Mould, Grant Hart, Greg Norton and keyboardist Charlie Pine began playing together in 1978.^[2] At the time, Mould was a freshman at Macalester College, and frequented a record store where Hart was a sales clerk. Hart and Norton had originally met while applying for the same job.^[1] Hart and Mould bonded over a shared love of the Ramones, and soon after enlisted Norton and Pine to form a band. They were soon gigging, playing mostly cover songs, some classic rock, and frequent Ramones tunes. Unbeknownst to Pine, the remaining bandmembers disliked their sound and began practicing without him, writing a few originals. They owed their new name to a rather sloppy rehearsal of the Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer". Unable to recall the French portions sung in the original ("qu'est-ce que c'est"), they began shouting any foreign-language terms they could remember, when someone said "Hūsker Dū?", a board game that had been popular in the 1970s. (The name is a Norwegian and Danish phrase that means "do you remember?"). Although, in Norwegian and Danish the letters are are not accented; it is written "Husker du". The group added Heavy metal umlauts and had their new name. Mould reports that they liked "Hüsker Dü"'s somewhat mysterious qualities, which set them apart from other hardcore punk groups with names like "Social Red Youth Dynasty Brigade Distortion".^[3] Mould also reported that while Hüsker Dü enjoyed much hardcore punk in general, they never thought of themselves as exclusively a hardcore group, and that their name was an attempt to avoid being pigeonholed. Hart, Mould and Norton fired Pine during their first official performance, on March 30, 1979, and continued as a trio. By 1980 the band was performing regularly in Minneapolis, and their music evolved into a fast, ferocious, primal sound, making them one of the original hardcore punk bands. Through heavy touring they soon caught the attention of punk trailblazers like Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys' Jello Biafra, which helped introduce Hüsker Dü to new fans. Black Flag guitarist/songwriter Greg Ginn later signed the band to his label, SST Records.

Signed

The band started releasing singles on Terry Katzman's Reflex Records in 1981. Their first two albums, Land Speed Record (a live recording) and Everything Falls Apart, brought much critical praise. Determined touring brought them to the attention of The Minutemen, who released their debut and the "In A Free Land" single on their label, New Alliance Records. This, in turn, led to the band signing with SST. The intense, but varied, Metal Circus EP/mini-album was released in 1983. The next year saw the release of Zen Arcade, a double album recorded and mixed in 3.5 days, regarded by most critics as their crowning achievement. Zen Arcade is a concept album following a boy who leaves home to face a harsh and unforgiving world. Its artistic and conceptual ambitions were a great stretch, given the purist sentiment then prevalent in U.S. punk rock. Zen Arcade received significant mainstream attention (including a glowing Rolling Stone review by Mikal Gilmore, who compared the record to landmark albums like London Calling and Exile on Main Street), and, according to music writer Michael Azerrad, appeared on many magazines' year-end best-of lists. In fact, the album was so well-received that SST, whose most popular records usually sold only a few thousand copies, had problems pressing enough copies to keep stocks in stores. Follow-ups New Day Rising and Flip Your Wig continued musical exploration, while tempering the speed and volume. Opinions among the band's early fans differ widely as to their comparative importance and quality. Although by this time the band had an international appeal, they continued to play in and support the local Twin Cities music scene. In a nod to the band's Minneapolis roots, 1985's Makes No Sense At All EP featured "Love Is All Around", the theme song to the Mary Tyler Moore Show, which had been set in Minneapolis.

Major label era

In 1986 the band signed to Warner Bros. Records. Many of Hüsker Dü's peers saw the band's deal with Warner Bros. as a sell out, but the band pointed to a contract that gave them complete artistic control over their recordings, and insisted that Warner Bros. could expand the band's audience to areas that SST's relatively modest distribution couldn't reach. (The contract, in fact, became a model for future alternative bands that made the jump to the majors: Thurston Moore sought Mould's advice when his own group, Sonic Youth, was being courted by major labels.) Mould also cites the distribution problems with SST as a reason for the move, mentioning that there would sometimes be no records to sign when the band would show up for promotional events.^[4] The young Warners executives who forged the deal saw Hüsker Dü as a "prestige signing", never expecting to make much money on the band but backing them as a statement against the mainstream rock climate of the time, in which uncompromising new artists were typically denied large-scale distribution, MTV visibility, and major press coverage. Their goal was to make a statement that Warner Bros. was willing to put its money where its mouth was, supporting a band that many industry professionals admired but were reluctant to sign to a contract. Azerrad reports, however, that the group's Warners albums were profitable, due in large measure to the group's low overhead costs: for example, they were used to touring with one van and one roadie and didn't expect or even want a great deal of marketing expense from the label. Their two albums on Warner Bros., Candy Apple Grey and Warehouse: Songs and Stories (a double album), show the band as more mature psychologically and musically, though, again, opinions among fans differ as to whether these advances were worthwhile. Both albums scored a few modest hits (primarily on college radio) and appeared briefly on the low end of the Billboard charts.

Breakup

Creative and personal tensions between Mould and Hart had become irresolvable by the release of Warehouse, and they intensified when Mould began overseeing most of the band's managerial duties following the suicide of manager David Savoy on the eve of the tour in support of the album. In September 2006, Hart told Britain's Q magazine, "I take full responsibility for [David's] suicide. It was a direct result of the pressure of working for Bob and me, because he was being forced into a two-faced situation."^[5] Mould also calls the suicide "the beginning of the end".^[6] To make matters worse, drug problems (mainly Hart's heroin use) were hurting the band, while Mould was trying to overcome his own alcoholism and amphetamine use. By January 1988 they were no longer able to work together. Recollections differ as to exactly how the group disbanded. Mould and Hart both claim that they quit. Some versions say that Hart was ejected from the band, which promptly collapsed. The Living End, a live collection taken from the band's final tour, was released after the band's demise. Mould and Hart have continued making music, albeit separately. They've produced solo albums and formed successful alternative bands, Sugar and Nova Mob, respectively. Mould has also joined Richard Morel in the band Blowoff. Mould has returned to touring regularly with his current solo album Body of Song and is playing Hüsker Dü (as well as Sugar) songs live again. His backup band features several notable musicians, including Brendan Canty. Norton formed the short-lived band Grey Area, played with Shotgun Rationale, and became a chef; he and his wife Sarah own a restaurant in Bay City, Wisconsin called The Nortons'. In addition to his restaurant duties, in 2006 Norton returned to music as bassist for the Minnesota based band The Gang Font, feat. Interloper. The group released an eponymous album in 2007.

Surprise reunion

Mould and Hart did a brief, unannounced reunion in 2004 at a benefit concert for ailing Soul Asylum bassist Karl Mueller (who had been receiving treatment for cancer, and has since died). At the end of what had been scheduled as a Bob Mould solo set, he brought Hart out and the duo played two Hüsker Dü songs, "Hardly Getting Over It" and "Never Talking To You Again". Mould wrote on his blog that the performance was an impromptu, last-minute suggestion by Hart and shouldn't kindle any "false hope" for a reunion.^[7]

Future

In June 2005, Mould told Billboard magazine in an interview that SST had not given the band an accounting of their record and CD sales in several years, and that plans to regain the master tapes from SST and reissue them elsewhere were being held up by business disputes between the former band members.

Musical style

A particular strength of the group was the two powerhouse singer/songwriters, Mould and Hart. The tension between their musical styles (Mould was generally the bombastic songwriter, Hart the more whimsical one) and their willingness to collaborate made the whole of their contributions greater than the sum of its parts. They were also fiercely competitive men; each continually trying to upstage the other in song writing.^[8] This competition led to a steady growth musically, and with two powerful songwriters the band benefitted greatly, particularly in the early days when the songs were more collaborative. By the time Warehouse was released the albums were more evidently Mould and Hart each showing up with their respective material.

Influences

Their music shows the influence of folk, 1960s pop music^[9][10], psychedelic guitar solos, often combined with speed, guitar distortion and aggression.

Songwriting and vocals

The lyrics made astute, sharp personal and social commentary, showing a great deal of vulnerability and sympathy for their subjects.

Instrumentation

Another strength was Mould's unique, resonant guitar sound, described by a critic at the time as "molten metal pouring from the speakers". Mid-period Hüsker Dü songs are immediately recognizable via Mould's incandescent guitar tone, achieved by splitting the signal in the studio between amplified and direct tones and adding a light stereo chorus effect. Mould's technique involved playing resonant drone notes on the high strings, as well as copious usage of the MXR Distortion+ guitar pedal. The result is a piercing, high end tinny sound.

Legacy

Hüsker Dü are widely regarded as one of the most important and influential bands in the 80's. Their most lasting legacy was in bridging the gap between hardcore and alternative rock. The group's career is thoroughly chronicled in the book, Our Band Could Be Your Life, a study of several important American underground rock groups of the 1980s. Green Day, Lifetime, Gravenhurst, Million Dead, Entombed, Deacon Blue, Therapy?, Mega City Four, 59 Times The Pain and Anthrax, are among those who have recorded versions of Hüsker Dü songs. The Replacements, Sebadoh, Foo Fighters, Buffalo Tom, Trip Shakespeare, The Posies, Sonic Youth, Norton, Jason Anderson, The Ataris, The Wildhearts, The Promise Ring, The Choir, The Blow, Splitsville, Fifteen and The Dead Milkmen have made reference to the band and its members in their own songs. Pixies, Ryan Adams, Jeff Tweedy, Jay Farrar, Uncle Tupelo and Nirvana, (Hamell on Trial) have also called Hüsker Dü a major influence. (In fact, the newspaper advertisement placed by Black Francis of the Pixies, which was answered by Kim Deal, described the band he wished to form as a Hüsker Dü/Peter, Paul, and Mary-type band.) VH1 has said that Hüsker Dü are one of the two most important American post-punk bands (along with R.E.M.).^[11] Additionally, on VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Artists they ranked 68, just below the Rolling Stones.

In popular culture

• Towards the end of the film Krush Groove, Rick Rubin can be seen DJing in a Husker Du shirt.
• Dennis Cooper's novel Try contains many references to, and lines from, New Day Rising.
• The inside cover of the Minutemen's double album Double Nickels On The Dime says "Take That Hüskers!" in the lower right corner. This was placed there to tease Hüsker Dü, who were about to release their own double album, Zen Arcade, around the same time.
• Firehose's 1987 album If'n features a photo of bassist Mike Watt's apartment wall, on which an enlarged photograph of Hüsker Dü can be clearly seen. The Hüskers are credited on the back cover as "cover models".
• The Replacements, who had a friendly rivalry with the Hüskers, had a 1981 song called "Somethin' To Dü" from their album Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash. Liner notes stated, "A song for the Huskers, who have never taken drugs."
• The Foo Fighters song "Times Like These" contains the line "I'm a new day rising," a reference to the Hüsker Dü album New Day Rising.
• The Buffalo Tom song "Baby" includes the couplet "I'm hidin' your lies in/I'm diggin' 'New Day Rising.'"
• In Wayne's World, Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) uses the term Husker Du to describe the scent of urine (as a double-entendre, "Husker Dew").
• The Dead Milkmen song "The Thing That Only Eats Hippies" makes reference to Hüsker Dü by telling "Bob and Greg and Grant you should beware" because the hippie eating thing now has a "sweet tooth for long hair."
• In the movie Oxygen, Adrien Brody wears a T-shirt with "Hüsker Dü" written on it.
• In Joe Dirt, Joe calls a firecracker a "husker du" and a "husker don't."
• Microcosm Publishing's 2007 Zine Yearbook poster references the song 59 Times the Pain with the line "59 Times the Zine"
• The Posies included a song titled "Grant Hart" on their Amazing Disgrace album.
• Matt Dillon wears a Hüsker Dü t-shirt in the film Beautiful Girls
• Andrew McCarthy has a poster for "Land Speed Record" in his bedroom in the movie Less Than Zero
• The Blow song "Jet Ski Accidents" from their 2002 Bonus Album release on K Records contains the lyrics "Have you ever sung along to 'New Day Rising?'" as well as "Do you like Bob Mould's songs?" and "Do you like Grant Hart's songs?"
• In the TV series Taken, as a teenager, Lisa Clarke wears a Metal Circus t-shirt and becomes best friends with Nina Toth over a love of Hüsker Dü and appreciation of Bob Mould's intensity in live performance.
• In the Fifteen song "Middle," the narrator indicts Hüsker Dü for selling out: "I heard a song once it was by Hüsker Dü/They tried to sell their songs for a million dollars/They probably never knew that they kept one scared kid alive/They traded gold for what they had inside."

Discography

Studio albums

• Everything Falls Apart, 1983
• Zen Arcade, 1984 (double LP, single CD)
• New Day Rising, 1985
• Flip Your Wig, 1985
• Candy Apple Grey, 1986
• Warehouse: Songs and Stories, 1987 (double LP, single CD)

Live albums

• Land Speed Record, 1982
• The Living End, 1994

EPs

• Metal Circus, 1983
• Sorry Somehow, 1986
• Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely, 1986
• Could You Be The One?, 1987
• Ice Cold Ice, 1987

Singles

• "Statues", 1981
• "In A Free Land", 1982
• "Eight Miles High", 1984
• "Celebrated Summer", 1984
• "Makes No Sense At All", 1985
• "Sorry Somehow", 1986
• "Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely", 1986
• "Could You Be The One?", 1987
• "She's A Woman (And Now He Is A Man)", 1987
• "Ice Cold Ice", 1987
• "Eight Miles High"/ "Makes No Sense At All", 1990

Compilations

• Barefoot and Pregnant (1982)
• Kitten Cassette (1982)
• The Blasting Concept (1983)
• Code Blue (1984)
• The Blasting Concept vol. 2 (1990)
• Duck and Cover (1990)
• Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the '80s Underground (2004)

Music videos

• "Makes No Sense At All"/ "Love Is All Around", 1985
• "Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely", 1986
• "Could You Be The One?", 1987

DVDs

• Live From The Camden Palace (Live from London UK TV show on 14 May 1985, released on DVD on 5 February 2007)

Bootleg live albums

• Pogo Of the Halfdead (1988)
• Supernova (Kiss The Stone, 1994)

Tribute albums

• Dü Hüskers: The Twin Cities Replay Zen Arcade (1993, Synapse) (Minn.-St. Paul bands cover all the songs of Zen Arcade in order) (CD version has bonus cover of "Eight Miles High")
• There's A Boy Who Lives On Heaven Hill EP (all Scandinavian hardcore/post-hardcore bands)
• Case Closed? (Snoop Records, Germany, 1994) (International tribute compilation, which includes tracks by Sick Of It All, Motorpsycho, and others)

Notes and references

External links

• Hüsker Dü Video Archive
• Hüsker Dü on the Music Map
• All Music Guide: Hüsker Dü