Hüsker Dü was an influential hardcore punk, and later alternative rock trio from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, comprising guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton , and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart . Mould and Hart were both principal songwriters. Hüsker Dü was never widely popular, but had an impact much larger then their modest sales figures would indicate.

Hüsker Dü first gained notice as a hardcore 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. They were also a striking trio on stage — far different from the typical hardcore band of the time — with Mould's hulking, doughy presence shouting angrily at stage left, offset by the generally unkempt, long-haired Hart flailing on the drums, and by a reedy, goofily good-natured Norton, who sported a waxed handlebar mustache for most of the band's career.

Hüsker Dü broke with the anti-traditionalist ethos of most early hardcore bands. The songwriting shows the influence of folk, '60s pop, blues, and other forms (although often subterraneanly, buried under a thick layer of angst and aggro), and has a strong melodic sense. The lyrics made astute, sharp personal and social commentary, showing a great deal of vulnerability and sympathy for their subjects and the characters they created. Hüsker Dü's songwriting was widely admired, and their live shows were often a venue for brilliant improvisational playing.

The group is also notable as the first genuine 1980s underground rock band to contract with a major record label in America, a move that blazed the trail for the rise of so-called alternative rock a few years later. Many of Hüsker Dü's peers saw the band's deal with Warner Brothers as a sellout, while the young Warners execs who forged the deal saw Hüsker Dü as a 'prestige signing,' expecting never to make money on the band, but backing them as a statement against the mainstream rock climate of the time, in which exciting new artists were excluded from major distribution, MTV visibility, and major press coverage. Their goal was to make a statement that Warners was willing to put its money where its mouth was, signing a band that many industry professionals admired, but none were willing to take a risk on. The 'alternative,' or 'college-rock' bands offered by the majors at the time, in what can be seen as the 'post-REM, pre-Nirvana era,' were almost exclusively British imports or relaxed, clean-cut acts such as The Swimming Pool Q's or The Connells.

Another key Minneapolis band who served as an alternative-rock icebreaker was The Replacements.

History

In a 1984 interview, Hart reports that Hüsker Dü had their origins in a group called Thee Guys WIth Skinny Ties (presuably a new wave ensemble, given that music's fondness for slender neckties). Hart and Norton's tone throughout the interview seems tongue in cheek; they offer slightly absurd, gently anagonistic replies, perhaps calling into question the honesty of their statements. [1] — According to Michael Azzerad's exhaustive Our Band Could Be Your Life, the group that became Hüsker Dü formed when Mould, Hart, Norton and keyboardist Charlie Pine began playing together in 1978. 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 sloppy rehersal of Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer". Unable to recall the French portions sung in the original, they began shouting any foreign terms they sould remember, and someone said "Husker Du", a board game from Denmark that had been popular in the 1960's (the phrase means "do you remember?") The trio 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 harcore punk groups with names "like Social Red Youth Dynasty Brigade Distortion".

The newly-monikered group had their first official performace in early 1979. In an unexpected action at that gig, one of Hart's friends unplugged Pine's keyboards and gave him the finger. The remaining musicians made no objection, and Hüsker Dü formally became a trio.

By 1980 they were writing lots of origianl songs, and their music evolved into a fast, ferocious, primal sound, making them one of the original hardcore punk bands.

A particular strength of the group was the two powerhouse singer/songwriters, Mould and Hart. The tension between their musical styles (generally, Mould was the angrier songwriter, Hart the more melodic one), and their willingness to collaborate, made the sum of their contributions greater than their parts. 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. Although a trio, Hüsker Dü generally sounded extremely large on record and live.

The band started releasing singles on Terry Katzman 's Reflex Records in 1981. Their first two albums, Land Speed Record and Everything Falls Apart (the latter being their first studio album), attracted much critical praise. Their 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 lead to the band signing to Greg Ginn's SST Records.

The Metal Circus mini-album was released in 1983. The next year saw the release of, Zen Arcade, a double album, generally regarded as the group's 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 basis were anathema to punk ideals, and was in this respect perhaps more in-line with progressive rock. This abitious approach, however, was arguably the album's strongest point.

Zen Arcade recieved signifigant mainstream attenion (including a glowing a Rolling Stone review by Mikal Gilmore and appearances on many year-end best-of lists). In fact, the album was so well-recieved that SST--a small, nearly shoestring operation--had problems pressing enough copies to keep in stock for stores.

Followups New Day Rising and Flip Your Wig continued musical exploration, while tempering the speed and volume.

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 Minnesota roots, 1985's Makes No Sense At All EP featured the theme song to the Mary Tyler Moore Show, which was set in Minneapolis.

In 1986 the band signed to Warner Brothers Records. Their two albums on Warner Brothers, Candy Apple Grey and Warehouse: Songs and Stories (a double album), show the band as more mature psychologically and musically. Both albums scored a few modest hits, and appeared briefly on the low end of the Billboard charts.

By this point, however, the tension between Mould and Hart, whose sexual relationship was an open secret among scene insiders, while unknown to fans, had become irresoluble, and drug problems were hurting the band. By 1988 they were no longer able to work together; Hart either quit or was ejected from the band (recollections differ), which promptly collapsed.

Mould and Hart have continued making music, albeit separately; this work has included solo albums and forming the successful alternative bands, Sugar and Nova Mob , respectively. Norton became a chef.

Influence

Hüsker Dü's most lasting legacy was perhaps in bridging the gap between hardcore and alternative rock. Many later musicians cite Hüsker Dü as an influence on their own work (Pixies being one notable example).

Therapy? scored a British hit with their haunting cover of Hart's "Diane", first released on Metal Circus.

The group's career is chronicled in Our Band Could Be Your Life, a study of several important American underground rock groups.

Dennis Cooper's novel 'Try ' contains many references to and lines from the 'New Day Rising' album.

Name

The group's name is a modified version of "Husker Du?", which means "Do You Remember?" in Danish and Norwegian, and is also the name of a board game which was first distributed in the 1950s by Pressman[2]. The game has macrons instead of umlauts ("Hūsker Dū?"). See also: Heavy metal umlaut

"Husker Du" is also the name of an old TV show in Norway. The show is about old (musical) hits and it's on air for more than 30 years.

Personnel

• Bob Mould (lead vocals, guitar)
• Grant Hart (lead vocals, drums)
• Greg Norton (bass)

Discography

• Statues/Amusement 7" (Reflex)
• Land Speed Record LP (New Alliance) (live)
• In a Free Land 7" (New Alliance)
• Everything Falls Apart 12" (Reflex)
• Metal Circus 12"ep (SST)
• 8 Miles High/Masochism World 7" (SST)
• Zen Arcade 2xLP (SST)
• New Day Rising LP (SST)
• Makes No Sense at All/Love Is All Around 7" (SST)
• Flip Your Wig LP (SST)
• Candy Apple Grey LP (Warner Brothers)
• Sorry Somehow 12"ep (Warner UK)
• Don't Wanna Know if You Are Lonely 12"ep (Warner UK)
• Warehouse: Songs and Stories 2xLP (Warner Brothers)
• Could You Be the One? 12"ep(Warner UK)
• Ice Cold Ice 12"ep (Warner UK)
• The Living End LP (Warner Brothers)

External links

• Band biography on Granary Music Web site
• Fan Web site
• Another Fan Web site