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Hüsker Dü () was an American punk rock band formed in
Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center ...
, in 1979. The band's continual members were
guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themsel ...
/vocalist Bob Mould,
bassist A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), synthbass, keyboard bass or a low b ...
/vocalist Greg Norton, and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart. They first gained notability as a
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...
band, and later crossed over into
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commercial ...
. Mould and Hart were the band's principal songwriters, with Hart's higher-pitched vocals and Mould's baritone taking the lead in alternating songs. The band issued their debut studio album ''
Everything Falls Apart ''Everything Falls Apart'' is the debut studio album by Hüsker Dü released in January 1983 by Reflex Records. Critical reception In a 1983 ''Trouser Press'' review, Jon Young said, "Yeah! Hyperspeed agression!...Buzzsaw guitars! Shouting! A ...
'' on
Reflex Records Reflex Records was an American independent record label formed by the members of hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü and Terry Katzman. It was formed to help promote independent bands, after Twin/Tone Records rejected Hüsker Dü's first single in ...
in 1983 and subsequently released three LPs and an EP on the independent label SST Records, including the critically acclaimed '' Zen Arcade'' in 1984. Hüsker Dü signed to major label Warner Bros. Records in 1986 to release their final two studio albums. They disbanded in January 1988. Mould later released two solo albums before forming
Sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or do ...
in the early 1990s, while Hart released a solo album on SST and later formed Nova Mob. After their respective bands broke up in the mid-1990s, Mould and Hart continued doing solo work, the latter until his death in 2017. Norton was initially less active musically after Hüsker Dü and focused on being a
restaurateur A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspe ...
instead. He returned to the recording industry in 2006.


History


Formation and early years (1979–1980)

The members of Hüsker Dü first performed together when Grant Hart, Bob Mould, Greg Norton, and keyboardist Charlie Pine began playing in 1979 in a band called Buddy and the Returnables. At the time, Mould was a freshman at Macalester College and frequented Cheapo Records, a Saint Paul record store where Hart was a sales clerk. Hart and Norton had originally met while applying for the same job, which Norton eventually got. Hart and Mould bonded over a shared love of the
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United St ...
, and soon after they enlisted Norton and Pine to form a band. They began gigging, playing mostly
cover song In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
s, some
classic rock Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, prim ...
, and frequent Ramones tunes. Unbeknownst to Pine, the remaining band members disliked the sound of the band with Pine's keyboards and began practicing without him, writing a few originals. The new name originated during a rehearsal of the
Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talki ...
's " Psycho Killer." Unable to recall the
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
portions sung in the original (e.g., ''Qu'est-ce que ''), they instead started shouting any foreign-language words they could remember, including the title of the popular 1970s memory board game
Hūsker Dū? Hūsker Dū?In Danish – as in Norwegian – "Husker du?" (written without the macron above the u's) means "Do you remember?". is a memory game that can be played by children and adults, published in the United States in the 1950s. The game is ...
(the phrase without diacritics meaning "do you remember?" in Danish and Norwegian). The name stuck, and they added heavy metal umlauts to it. Mould said that they liked the somewhat mysterious qualities of the name and that it set them apart from other hardcore punk groups with names like "Social Red Youth Dynasty Brigade Distortion." Mould also said that, while Hüsker Dü enjoyed 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 as such. Hart, Mould, and Norton fired Pine during their first official performance on March 30, 1979, and continued as a trio under the new name. Mould has written that he considers the band's first "real gig" to have been May 17, 1980, at the renowned punk club
Jay's Longhorn Bar Jay's Longhorn Bar was a nexus of the punk rock and New Wave scenes in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the late 1970s and early 1980s. History Most frequently referred to by patrons as The Longhorn, Jay's Longhorn Bar was described by music cri ...
. 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 of the Midwest. Through heavy touring, they soon caught the attention of punk trailblazers including Black Flag and
Dead Kennedys Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California, in 1978. The band was one of the defining punk bands during its initial eight-year run. Dead Kennedys' lyrics were usually political in nature, satirizing ...
' Jello Biafra, who helped introduce Hüsker Dü to new fans. Black Flag guitarist/songwriter
Greg Ginn Gregory Regis Ginn (born June 8, 1954) is an American guitarist, bassist, singer and songwriter, best known for being the leader, primary songwriter, and the only continuous member of the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led ...
later signed the band to his label, SST Records.


Early releases (1981–1983)

The band started releasing singles on
Terry Katzman Terry James Katzman (March 8, 1955 – November 8, 2019) was a producer, sound engineer, archivist, and record-store owner in Minneapolis, Minnesota, known for his work with the Twin Cities music scene, particularly during the formative early yea ...
's
Reflex Records Reflex Records was an American independent record label formed by the members of hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü and Terry Katzman. It was formed to help promote independent bands, after Twin/Tone Records rejected Hüsker Dü's first single in ...
in 1981. Their first two albums, ''
Land Speed Record The land speed record (or absolute land speed record) is the highest speed achieved by a person using a vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C ("Special Vehicles") flying start regul ...
'' and ''
Everything Falls Apart ''Everything Falls Apart'' is the debut studio album by Hüsker Dü released in January 1983 by Reflex Records. Critical reception In a 1983 ''Trouser Press'' review, Jon Young said, "Yeah! Hyperspeed agression!...Buzzsaw guitars! Shouting! A ...
'', brought much critical praise. Regular touring brought them to the attention of the
Minutemen Minutemen were members of the organized New England colonial militia companies trained in weaponry, tactics, and military strategies during the American Revolutionary War. They were known for being ready at a minute's notice, hence the name. Mi ...
, who released their debut and the "
In a Free Land "In A Free Land" is a song written by Bob Mould and performed by his band Hüsker Dü and released as a single in 1982. It was the band's second single. The sound is still hardcore punk, but it does have a hint of their future melodic style, part ...
" single on their label,
New Alliance Records New Alliance Records was an independent record label founded by American musicians D. Boon and Mike Watt (of The Minutemen) and longtime friend and associate Martin Tamburovich. They were inspired by the example of their friends in southern Califo ...
. This, in turn, led to the band signing with SST Records. The intense but varied ''
Metal Circus ''Metal Circus'' is an EP by American punk rock band Hüsker Dü, released in 1983. As one of their early records, it was largely rooted in the band's initial hardcore punk style. However, signs of a new, poppier influence emerge on ''Metal Circ ...
'' EP/mini-album was released in 1983. Hüsker Dü's more melodic take on hardcore struck a chord with college students, and various tracks from ''Metal Circus'', particularly Hart's "Diane," were put into rotation by dozens of
campus radio Campus radio (also known as college radio, university radio or student radio) is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively created or produced ...
stations across the U.S. In addition, on ''Metal Circus'' the band showed more invention, skill, and melody than it did over the course of their previous full album, ''Everything Falls Apart''. While the band at this time was still firmly rooted in the loud, fast punk rock style, the trio were beginning to experiment with songs featuring a more melodic, though no less aggressive, sound. "The early Hüsker stuff was all very fast and furious," Mould reflected in 1997, "as a result of being 18 and not really proficient with the instruments. But I was always writing with an ear to melody."


''Zen Arcade'', ''New Day Rising'' and ''Flip Your Wig'' (1983–1985)

By 1983, the members of Hüsker Dü wanted to create music outside of the confines and restrictions of hardcore. In an interview with ''Matter'' in 1983, Mould told interviewer Steve Albini, "We're going to try to do something bigger than anything like rock & roll and the whole puny touring band idea. I don't know what it's going to be, we have to work that out, but it's going to go beyond the whole idea of 'punk rock' or whatever." The following year, Hüsker Dü recorded the double album '' Zen Arcade'' in 45 hours for the cost of $3,200. ''Zen Arcade'' is a
concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Some ...
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 critical praise and significant mainstream music press attention, ending up on several year-end best-of lists. It also helped expand the band's audience beyond the punk community. In his review for ''Rolling Stone,'' David Fricke described ''Zen Arcade'' as "the closest hardcore will ever get to an opera ... a kind of
thrash Thrash may refer to: *Thrashing (computer science), where increasing resources are used to do a decreasing amount of work *Thrash (surname) * Thrash, mascot of the Atlanta Thrashers *'' Thrash Rally'', a top-down perspective rally racing video gam ...
'' Quadrophenia''." In 1989, ''Zen Arcade'' was ranked No. 33 on ''Rolling Stone''s list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s. SST erred on the side of caution and initially pressed between 3,500 and 5,000 copies of the album, but the record sold out a few weeks into the band's tour in support of the record. The album remained out of stock for months afterward, which affected sales and frustrated the band. Hüsker Dü started recording ''Zen Arcade''s follow-up album, '' New Day Rising'', just as ''Zen Arcade'' was released. The band's next album, ''
Flip Your Wig ''Flip Your Wig'' is the fourth album by American band Hüsker Dü, released in September 1985. It was the best-selling album to that point for the band's label SST Records, and the last they made for that label. As the band's first self-produ ...
'', was released nine months after ''New Day Rising''. ''Flip Your Wig'' became the first album released on an independent record label to top the '' CMJ'' album chart. At year's end, both ''New Day Rising'' and ''Flip Your Wig'' ranked in the top ten of the ''
Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...
'' annual Pazz & Jop critics' poll. The swift succession of dynamic albums highlighted the creative evolution of the band.


Signing with Warner Bros.; ''Candy Apple Grey'' (1985–1986)

During the recording sessions for ''Flip Your Wig'', Warner Bros. Records approached Hüsker Dü and offered the group a recording contract. The band felt it had hit a sales ceiling that it could break through only with the help of a larger label. The promise of the band retaining complete creative control over its music convinced the band to sign with the label. Mould also cited distribution problems with SST as a reason for the move, noting that sometimes there were no records to sign at promotional events.Mould, Bob. ''Bob Mould in conversation with Michael Azerrad''. City Arts and Lectures. October 16, 2007, San Francisco California. Hüsker Dü was not expected to sell a large number of records. Rather, Warner Bros. valued the group's grassroots fanbase and "hip" status, and by keeping the overhead low, the label anticipated the band would turn a profit. '' Candy Apple Grey'' was their first major-label album, though Warner Bros. had initially lobbied to release ''Flip Your Wig'' until the band opted for its release on SST. ''Candy Apple Grey'' was the first Hüsker Dü album to chart on the Billboard Top 200, but despite receiving exposure on radio as well as
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, it could get no higher than No. 140.


''Warehouse: Songs and Stories'' and breakup (1987–1988)

Creative and personal tensions between Mould and Hart intensified when Mould began assuming most of the band's managerial duties following the suicide of manager David Savoy on the eve of the band's 1987 tour in support of the double album '' Warehouse: Songs and Stories.'' In September 2006, Hart told Britain's '' Q'' magazine, "I take full responsibility for avoy'ssuicide. It was a direct result of the pressure of working for Bob and me, because he was being forced into a two-faced situation." Mould called Savoy's suicide "the beginning of the end." The promotional tour for ''Warehouse: Songs and Stories'' included some of the highest profile television appearances in the band's career, including performances on '' The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers'' and the NBC morning news program ''
Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * Day of the present, the time that is perceived directly, often called ''now'' * Current era, present * The current calendar date Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Today'' (1930 film), a 1930 ...
''. The band dissolved after a show in
Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region i ...
,
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
, on the band's 1987 tour. Hart was trying to quit heroin using a supply of
methadone Methadone, sold under the brand names Dolophine and Methadose among others, is a synthetic opioid agonist used for chronic pain and also for opioid dependence. It is used to treat chronic pain, and it is also used to treat addiction to heroi ...
, but the bottle had leaked. Hart still played the show, but Mould and Norton were concerned he would be unable to play the remaining shows due to withdrawal. While Hart insisted he could perform, Mould had already canceled the remaining dates. Hart quit the band four days later. Mould has said that the breakup was about "three people going their separate ways," referring to Hart's drug use and new relationship, Norton's recent marriage and new business, and Mould himself having just quit a lifelong drinking habit.Mould, Bob. Book reading at Booksmith Bookstore. June 28, 2011, San Francisco California. Mould decided to officially end the band on January 26, 1988 during a discussion at Hart's parents' home. '' The Living End'', a live collection taken from the band's final tour, was released six years after the band's demise. Mould has been quoted as saying that he has never listened to this album.


Post-breakup (1989–present)

Mould and Hart produced solo albums and formed the bands Sugar and Nova Mob, respectively. Mould also joined Richard Morel in the band Blowoff. In 2005, after several years of eschewing playing shows with an electric band, Mould returned to touring with a band and included Hüsker Dü and Sugar songs in his sets. His album ''Silver Age'', which came soon after the reissue of Sugar's two full-length albums in 2012, was widely acclaimed as a return to form. Mould's backing band features
Jason Narducy Jason V. Narducy is an American musician from Evanston, Illinois, United States. After receiving his first guitar at the age of nine Narducy started his music career, playing guitar and writing songs for his punk rock band, Verboten. Verboten is ...
(
Verbow Verbow was an American alternative rock band formed in Chicago and active between the mid-1990s and early 2000s. The band's sound was distinguished by emotionally direct songwriting and their unconventional use of cello. History Early period: Ja ...
, Split Single) and
Jon Wurster Jonathan Patrick Wurster (born October 31, 1966) is an American drummer and comedy writer. As a musician, he is best known for his work with Superchunk, the Mountain Goats, and Bob Mould. He is also known for appearing on '' The Best Show'' with ...
(
Superchunk Superchunk is an American indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, consisting of singer-guitarist Mac McCaughan, guitarist Jim Wilbur, bassist Laura Ballance, and drummer Jon Wurster. Formed in 1989, they were one of ...
,
The Mountain Goats The Mountain Goats are an American band formed in Claremont, California, by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. The band is currently based in Durham, North Carolina. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle, despite th ...
) on bass and drums, respectively. Norton formed the band Grey Area, played with Shotgun Rationale, and became a
chef A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a ki ...
. He and his ex-wife Sarah owned a restaurant in Red Wing, Minnesota, called The Nortons', until 2010. In addition to his restaurant duties, in 2006 Norton returned to music as the bassist for the Minnesota-based band The Gang Font, featuring Interloper. The group released an eponymous album in 2007. In 2016, Norton also joined the Wisconsin indie rock band Porcupine, actively performing and recording with them. On October 21, 2004, Mould and Hart reunited at a Minneapolis benefit concert for ailing
Soul Asylum Soul Asylum is an American alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their 1993 hit "Runaway Train" won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. The band was originally called Loud Fast Rules, with a lineup consisting of D ...
bassist Karl Mueller, who had been receiving treatment for cancer. At the end of what had been scheduled as a solo set by Mould, Mould brought out Hart to play "Hardly Getting Over It" and "Never Talking to You Again." Mould noted that the performance should not ignite any "false hope" for a reunion.Mould, Bob.
Weekend In Review
. Boblog. Blogspot. Retrieved October 10, 2009.
On October 12, 2015, Hüsker Dü launched an official website, which is an online merchandise store. Norton told the ''
Star Tribune The ''Star Tribune'' is the largest newspaper in Minnesota. It originated as the ''Minneapolis Tribune'' in 1867 and the competing ''Minneapolis Daily Star'' in 1920. During the 1930s and 1940s, Minneapolis's competing newspapers were consolida ...
'' that he, Mould, and Hart had worked out a licensing agreement for their music and that a
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dust ...
page is "likely to go online soon." When asked about a possible Hüsker Dü reunion, Norton replied, "The main thing is, there's ongoing communication between the three of us now." Hart died of liver cancer on September 13, 2017, at the age of 56. In a public statement, Mould remembered his former bandmate as "a gifted visual artist, a wonderful storyteller, and a frighteningly talented musician. Everyone touched by his spirit will always remember." On November 10, 2017,
the Numero Group The Numero Group is an archival record label that creates compilations of previously released music, reissues original albums, and creates album reconstructions from a variety of musical genres. The label, known as Numero, was founded in 2003 b ...
label released the three-CD/four-LP
box set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...
''
Savage Young Dü ''Savage Young Dü'' is a three-CD/four-LP box set by American rock band Hüsker Dü, released by Numero Group in 2017. It spans the band's first four years, from 1979 to 1982, and contains demos, studio and live recordings remastered from origin ...
'', which spans the band's first four years, containing demos, studio, and live recordings. On March 30, 2019, the 40th anniversary of the first Hüsker Dü show in St. Paul, Bob Mould played a concert in St. Paul, in which he was supported by the band Porcupine, featuring Greg Norton. To commemorate the occasion, both former Hüsker Dü members paid tribute to their late bandmate Grant Hart, and included one of his songs in their sets, with Mould performing "Never Talking to You Again" and Porcupine performing their cover of "Standing by the Sea".


Musical style

Hüsker Dü started as a hardcore punk band known for their speed and intensity. While the band included some slower material earlier in its career, Hüsker Dü developed a fast repertoire as a result of having less time to play while billed as an opening act, and to antagonize their audience when it headlined shows. " ere was a point where we were, like, 'Let's see how fast we can play,'" Norton recalled. "I guess we were just trying to blow people away." Hüsker Dü was particularly influenced by punk bands like D.O.A., Dead Kennedys, and
The Fartz The Fartz were a Hardcore Punk band that was founded in 1981 and were one of the first well-known hardcore bands from Seattle, Washington. They were signed to Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles Record label. They were notable not only for pla ...
after seeing them play. ''NME'' journalist Andy Gill contended that Hüsker Dü's characteristic sound crystalized on the ''Metal Circus'' EP, incorporating "thunderbuck, hiccup" drums, a melodic yet solid bass, and "carillions icof distorted guitar, with shouted vocals rasping hoarsely from deep in the mix." He argued that what set them apart from other punk bands was "the way they mix those same structural devices in ways that shouldn't work, combining elements of several genres in one song." As the band's career progressed, Hüsker Dü emphasized melody in their songs. Unlike other hardcore bands, Hüsker Dü did not disavow
classic rock Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, prim ...
. "You know the whole deal with tearing down the old to make room for the new?" Hart posited. "Well, music isn't city planning." The band covered 1960s hits like
Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock and world mus ...
's " Sunshine Superman" and
the Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole con ...
' " Eight Miles High" early in their career. As the band members progressed as musicians, they discovered they were able to play at slower tempos while still maintaining the rhythm, allowing for extended melodies. Hart and Mould were the band's songwriters. Both wrote their songs separately and at a prodigious pace. In later years, Hart accused Mould of making sure his songs comprised no more than 45 percent of the material on an album. They designed their logo to represent their common train of thought—a circle enclosing three parallel horizontal lines with a vertical line connecting them. The circle symbolized the band: the three lines were the individual members, and the intersecting line was the common thread of creativity that connected them.Azerrad, 176. Critically, the band has been labeled as primarily
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...
,
post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has be ...
, punk rock, and
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commercial ...
. They have also been labeled as
noise pop Noise pop is a subgenre of alternative and indie rock that developed in the mid-1980s in the United Kingdom and United States. It is defined by its mixture of dissonant noise or feedback with the songcraft more often found in pop music. Shoega ...
and
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-r ...
.


Legacy

Hüsker Dü is widely regarded as one of the key bands to emerge from the 1980s American indie scene. Music writer
Michael Azerrad Michael Azerrad is an American author, music journalist, editor, and musician. A graduate of Columbia University, he has written for publications such as ''Spin'', ''Rolling Stone'', and ''The New York Times''. Azerrad's 1993 biography '' Come a ...
asserted in his 2001 book '' Our Band Could Be Your Life'' that Hüsker Dü was the key link between hardcore punk and the more melodic, diverse music of
college rock College rock was the alternative rock music played on student-run university and college campus radio stations located in the United States and Canada in the 1980s. The stations' playlists were often created by students who avoided the mainstream ...
that emerged. Azerrad wrote, "Hüsker Dü played a huge role in convincing the underground that melody and punk rock weren't antithetical." The band also set an example by being one of the first bands from the American indie scene to sign to a major record label, which helped establish college rock as "a viable commercial enterprise." Kim Deal joined Pixies in response to a classified ad placed by
Black Francis Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV (born April 6, 1965) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known as the frontman of the alternative rock band Pixies, with whom he performs under the stage name Black Francis. Fo ...
seeking a female bassist who liked both Peter, Paul and Mary and Hüsker Dü.
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
lead guitarist Kirk Hammett said in VH1's ''100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock'' that he owned a Hüsker Dü live tape and was impressed by their talent. During the same documentary,
The Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also referred to as simply Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Ch ...
' frontman,
Billy Corgan William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the lead singer, primary songwriter, guitarist, and only permanent member of the rock band th ...
, also praised them for their energy and punk rock attitude. Nirvana (band), Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic said that Nirvana's musical style was "nothing new; Hüsker Dü did it before us." Hüsker Dü influenced the Northern Irish band Therapy?. Therapy? covered "Diane (Hüsker Dü song), Diane" on their 1995 album, ''Infernal Love''. The song was released as a single. Frontman Andy Cairns listed ''Zen Arcade'' as his seventh-favorite album of all time. In 2013, Minnesota-based cycling company 45NRTH released a fat bike tire named Hüsker Dü in honor of the band. In an interview with Dave Fanning for RTÉ's ''Planet Rock Profiles'' before the Foo Fighters' appearance at the Féile Festival#1996, 1996 Féile Festival, Dave Grohl said of ''Zen Arcade'', "That album was amazing. I mean, Black Flag was early on, and then when I discovered ''Zen Arcade'' I thought, ''God, these people write songs, man''. It's amazing. It's like the Byrds meets Black Flag, and it just blew me away, and the songs just stuck in your head forever and they were just amazing. When that album, ''Zen Arcade'', was recorded...I think it was recorded just straight, and I think they all took Lysergic acid diethylamide, acid and recorded it in 48 hours. They did the whole album. That is what I had heard. And, to me, I was just like, ''God, these people are genius'', you know? ''This is... this is amazing''." Hüsker Dü has been honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue (nightclub), First Avenue; Mould and Hart have also received stars for their solo work, making the band one of the few to be represented multiple times on the mural. The stars recognize performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue. Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh.


Discography

Studio albums * ''
Everything Falls Apart ''Everything Falls Apart'' is the debut studio album by Hüsker Dü released in January 1983 by Reflex Records. Critical reception In a 1983 ''Trouser Press'' review, Jon Young said, "Yeah! Hyperspeed agression!...Buzzsaw guitars! Shouting! A ...
'' (Reflex Records, Reflex) (1983) * '' Zen Arcade'' (SST Records, SST)(1984) * '' New Day Rising'' (SST) (1985) * ''
Flip Your Wig ''Flip Your Wig'' is the fourth album by American band Hüsker Dü, released in September 1985. It was the best-selling album to that point for the band's label SST Records, and the last they made for that label. As the band's first self-produ ...
'' (SST) (1985) * '' Candy Apple Grey'' (Warner Records Inc., Warner Bros.) (1986) * '' Warehouse: Songs and Stories'' (Warner Bros.) (1987)


References


Bibliography

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External links


Hüsker Dü official merchandise storeHüsker Dü official Facebook pageHüsker Dü Database''Hüsker Dü, The Fastest Band in The World, Minnesota Hardcore Episode 2''
- PBS Documentary * {{DEFAULTSORT:Husker Du American punk rock groups Alternative rock groups from Minnesota Alternative Tentacles artists Hardcore punk groups from Minnesota Musical groups established in 1979 Musical groups disestablished in 1987 New Alliance Records artists SST Records artists Warner Records artists American musical trios 1979 establishments in Minnesota Musical groups from Minnesota Musical groups from the Twin Cities