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Hüsker Dü

Band formed in 1979 in Minneapolis, MN

Hüsker Dü's Genre:

American Underground, College Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Punk/New Wave, Hardcore Punk, American Punk

Biography

Hüsker Dü and R.E.M. were the two American post-punk bands of the '80s that changed the direction of rock & roll. R.E.M. became a superstar band; Hüsker Dü never was more than a cult favorite. Nevertheless, their albums between 1981 and 1987 have proven remarkably influential; they provided the sonic blueprint for the roaring punk-pop hybrid that crossed over into the mainstream in the early '90s. Not only did they shape the sound of the music, they shaped the way independent bands made the transition to the major labels; they showed other bands that it was possible to record uncompromising music on a major label without losing any integrity or creative control. From the Replacements to Nirvana, the Pixies to Superchunk, nearly every major and minor band that appeared in the alternative underground in the late '80s and '90s owed a major debt to Hüsker Dü, whether they were aware of it or not.

The band's two songwriters, guitarist Bob Mould and drummer Grant Hart, both had a knack for writing songs that essentially followed conventional pop structures, complete with memorable melodies, but were still punk songs. Hüsker Dü took the Buzzcocks' pioneering punk-pop and made it harder, both musically and lyrically. Throughout their career, Hüsker Dü never lost their edge, never turned down their amplifiers, never compromised their music. While Hart and bassist Greg Norton were an unfailingly strong rhythm section, Mould would prove to be one of the most influential guitarists of the decade. With his slashing rhythms, distorted strumming, and blazing leads, he set the stage for the alternative guitar heroes of the late '80s and the '90s.

Hüsker Dü formed in Minneapolis, MN, in 1979. Guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould was studying at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, and working at a record store, which is where he met drummer/vocalist Grant Hart and bassist Greg Norton. The three musicians had diverse tastes, but all shared a love for hardcore punk rock. Naming themselves Hüsker Dü after a '50s Danish board game (the name means "do you remember"), the trio began rehearsing in Norton's basement.

In the early '80s, Hüsker Dü developed a strong local following; nearly every local band, from the Replacements to Soul Asylum, sounded like the Hüskers. Both Mould and Hart wrote songs and sang lead. In 1981, they released their first single, "Statues," on the local label Reflex, which was quickly followed by their debut album, Land Speed Record, which was released on New Alliance Records. Recorded live, Land Speed Record boasted 17 songs that lasted a full 26 minutes. Later that year, they released an equally fast and hard EP, In a Free Land.

In 1982, they moved backed to Reflex, where they released Everything Falls Apart, their first album recorded in a studio. By this time, Hüsker Dü had begun touring the United States relentlessly, traveling across the country in a van and playing small clubs. Along with the Minutemen, R.E.M., Black Flag, the Meat Puppets, and the Replacements, Hüsker Dü formed the core of a group of independent rock & roll bands that carved out a reputation for touring ceaselessly and getting their records played through college radio stations; they formed the core of the American rock underground in the mid-'80s. Hüsker Dü concerts were a nonstop barrage; the band rarely spoke to the audience and each song segued directly into the next, without interruption. In addition to touring constantly, Hüsker Dü was recording quickly, turning out the Metal Circus EP in 1983.

After Metal Circus, Hüsker Dü developed musically at a rapid pace, with Mould and Hart coming into their own as songwriters on 1984's Zen Arcade, their first album for SST Records and their critical breakthrough. Zen Arcade was a double album -- something that was completely unheard of in the underground -- that showed the band stretching out musically, writing sharper pop songs as well as lengthy abrasive instrumentals. Critics embraced the record, as did independent rock fans. At the end of 1984, they released "Eight Miles High," a cover of the Byrds song; it was only available as a single.

Hüsker Dü continued to record and tour at a blindingly fast speed throughout 1984 and 1985. Mould and Hart were beginning to develop an unspoken rivalry as well as a dependency on alcohol and speed. Nevertheless, the group was at its peak in 1985, turning out two albums. The first, New Day Rising, was released in the spring and showed the band moving closer to concise pop songwriting while accentuating their fierce sonic barrage. Flip Your Wig, released late in 1985, featured their cleanest, most accessible production, without making any concessions to mainstream rock. Both albums received excellent reviews, both in fanzines and some mainstream rock publications.

Following the release of Flip Your Wig, Hüsker Dü became the first of the mid-'80s independent post-punk bands to sign a contract with a major label, as they closed a deal with Warner Bros. Candy Apple Grey, the band's first major-label album, appeared in 1986. During that year, tensions between Mould and Hart escalated. Mould began to clean up and Hart continued to sink further into drug and alcohol addiction. Nevertheless, they managed to write and record another double album, Warehouse: Songs and Stories. Although Warner didn't want the band to release another double record, Warehouse was released in the spring of 1987, to uniformly positive reviews.

Hüsker Dü was preparing to launch a series of concerts to support Warehouse when their manager, David Savoy, committed suicide the night before the start of the tour. Hüsker played the tour anyway -- they ran through the new album in order every night, without interruption -- but Savoy's suicide helped the inner-band turmoil reach a peak. Hart showed no signs of sobering -- he was developing a heroin addiction -- while Mould was clean. Following the Warehouse tour, the band played no more concerts for the rest of the year, which caused speculation that the group was breaking up. Those rumors were confirmed during the winter of 1987-1988, when Hart was fired and the band broke up.

Hart released a solo EP, 2541, on SST later that year, followed by a full-length album called Intolerance a year later. After its release, Hart shook loose his addictions and formed a new band, Nova Mob. Nova Mob released their debut album, The Last Days of Pompeii, in 1991; a self-titled second album appeared in 1994. Norton became a chef in Red Wing. Immediately after the breakup of Hüsker Dü, Mould embarked on a solo career. After releasing two solo albums -- Workbook (1989) and Black Sheets of Rain (1990) -- he formed a trio called Sugar in 1992. Between 1992 and 1994, Sugar released two albums: Copper Blue (1992) and File Under: Easy Listening (1994). Mould broke up the band in 1995 and returned to a solo career the following year. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

AOL Radio Stations Hüsker Dü is Featured on (12)

Punk Rock Love Songs

It seems that nobody knows the heartbreak of young love gone wrong better than post-adolescent pop-punkers. Bands like Alkaline Trio and A New Found Glory have made careers out of writing songs about love and love lost. You’ll hear all of the best Punk Rock Love Songs here.

Twin Shadow Showcase

This is the Twin Shadow Artist Showcase station on Slacker Radio. Tune in to hear a station built entirely by the band including music that is hand-picked by George Lewis Jr. as well as commentary by him about the songs that influenced his music and his life.

Classic Punk

In the ‘70s and bands like the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, and the Clash formed in defiance of the bloated excesses of rock and disco. The streets of London, New York, and L.A. had given birth to the bastard child of Rock and Roll: Punk. On Slacker Radio's Classic Punk station, you'll hear Crass, Minor Threat, Fear, The Buzzcocks, Black Flag, The Clash, X, and more.

Indie 500

After much debate and consideration, Your Slacker curators have come up with the top 500 indie songs of all time. Slacker’s Indie 500 is actually a showcase of the greatest songs from many different sub-genres, all unified by a common spirit and ethos. Call it College Rock, Post-Punk, Pre-Emo, Indie Rock, Twee Pop, Indietronica, Riot Grrl; call it whatever you like. Just know that all the songs on this station were created with the same independent spirit. Hear indie hits spanning from the late 70's up until now.

Hedley Showcase

This is the Hedley Showcase station on Slacker Radio. Tune in to hear a station built entirely by Hedley including music hand-picked by Jake and Dave as well as commentary about the songs that influenced their music and their lives.

Indie Sleepover

This station features love songs for hipsters. Awkward glances, relationships founded over a shared love of the same band, and nights spent making out to Neutral Milk Hotel. If you think Valentine’s Day’s earlier records are better- this is the station for you. Featuring tracks from The Magnetic Fields, The Postal Service, Little Dragon, The Smiths, and more.

Dive Bar Jukebox

You walk through the doors and you know. This is it. The perfect dive bar. A cool crowd, great beers on tap and, above all, the perfect jukebox for a true music geek. Classic Rock, Classic Country, a lil' bit of Soul and the most important Indie Rock of all-time make this jukebox your all-time favorite. Welcome to Dive Bar Jukebox on Slacker Radio.

Punk

Slacker Radio's Punk station covers the third wave of Punk Rock, from its sloppy beginnings (NOFX), to its poppy present (Blink-182). Modern Punk features the SoCal sound, the East Coast's metal/HC tendencies, and even some third and fourth wave Ska.

Grunge: 20 Years Later

August and September 2011 mark 20 years since the release of Pearl Jam's Ten and Nirvana’s seminal album Nevermind, two records that forever changed the course of music history. Slacker DJ Marco Collins- who worked at legendary Seattle radio station "107.7 The End" during the Grunge explosion- is your host on this station. You'll hear the bands that influenced the Grunge movement, the artists that were right in the middle of it, and the bands that followed. You''ll also hear exclusive interview content from Marco Collins' archive with artists like Chris Cornell, Courtney Love, and Mike McCready. Grunge: 20 Years later on Slacker Radio is a conclusive look at a local movement that changed rock music forever.

The Current

The Current brings you the best authentic new music alongside the music that inspired it, from unique to universal, indie to influential, new to nostalgic. Broadcasting from the musical hotbed that is Minnesota, listen to The Current and you’ll see why we say, “Great Music Lives Here.” Find playlist, interviews and more at thecurrent.org.

Indie

Indie on Slacker Radio is actually a showcase of many different genres, all unified by a common spirit and ethos. Call it College Rock, Post-Punk, Pre-Emo, Indie Rock, Twee Pop, Riot Grrl; call it whatever you like. Just know that all the music on the Indie station is created with the same independent spirit. Hear indie music spanning from the late 70's up until now.

Hüsker Dü

This station plays the best music from and music from related artists like The Replacements, Pixies, Minutemen, The Clash, Sonic Youth, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, The Ramones, Buzzcocks, Dinosaur Jr. and more.

All Stations

Hüsker Dü's Selected Discography (11)

Artists Related to Hüsker Dü (50)

	The Replacements	The Replacements initially formed in 1979, when Paul Westerberg joined a garage punk band formed by brothers Bob (guitar) and Tommy Stinson (bass) and drummer Chris Mars.
	Pixies	Combining jagged, roaring guitars and stop-start dynamics with melodic pop hooks, intertwining male-female harmonies and evocative, cryptic lyrics, the Pixies were one of the most influential American alternative rock bands of the late '80s.
	Minutemen	More than any other hardcore band, the Minutemen epitomized the free-thinking independent ideals that formed the core of punk/alternative music.
	The Clash	The Sex Pistols may have been the first British punk rock band, but the Clash were the definitive British punk rockers.
	Sonic Youth	Sonic Youth were one of the most unlikely success stories of underground American rock in the '80s. Where contemporaries R.
	Dead Kennedys	The Dead Kennedys merged revolutionary politics with hardcore punk music and, in the process, became one of the defining hardcore bands.
	Black Flag	In many ways, Black Flag was the definitive Los Angeles hardcore punk band. Although their music flirted with heavy metal and experimental noise and jazz more than that of most hardcore bands, they defined the image and the aesthetic.
	The Ramones	The Ramones are the first punk rock band. Other bands, such as the Stooges and the New York Dolls, came before them and set the stage and aesthetic for punk, and bands that immediately followed, such as the Sex Pistols, made the latent violence of the music more explicit, but the Ramones crystallized the musical ideals of the genre.
	Buzzcocks	Formed in Manchester, England, in 1975, the Buzzcocks were one of the most influential bands to emerge in the initial wave of punk rock.
	Dinosaur Jr.	Dinosaur Jr. were largely responsible for returning lead guitar to indie rock and, along with their peers the Pixies, they injected late-'80s alternative rock with monumental levels of pure guitar noise.
	Fugazi	If history is kind to Fugazi, their records won't be overshadowed by their reputation and methods of operation.
	Sex Pistols	The Sex Pistols may have only been together for two years in the late '70s, but they changed the face of popular music.
	Bad Brains	By melding punk with reggae, Bad Brains became one of the definitive American hardcore punk groups of the early '80s.
	Minor Threat	Minor Threat was the definitive Washington, D.C., hardcore punk band, setting the style for the straight-edge punk movement of the early '80s.
	Misfits	Genuinely shocking or tasteless, campy fun? It was sometimes hard to tell which way the Misfits wanted to be taken, and the immense cult following that has grown up in the years after their actual existence (1977-1983) seems divided in its own assessment.
	Circle Jerks	Formed in 1979 by Black Flag vocalist Keith Morris and Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetson, the Circle Jerks combined the rebelliousness of the Sex Pistols and Ramones with the aggressive athletic elements of the surfer/skateboarder crowd from Hermosa Beach.
	Descendents	Fueled by "rejection, food, coffee, girls, fishing and food," the Descendents sprang up during the halcyon days of the Los Angeles punk scene; fusing the blind rage of hardcore with an unexpectedly wry, self-deprecating wit and a strong melodic sensibility which set them distinctly apart from their West Coast brethren, they gradually emerged as one of the most enduring and adored bands of their time.
	X	X were far from the first punk rock band in Los Angeles, and they weren't the first to achieve some level of nationwide recognition, but in a very real way, they were the ones who put the L.
	Social Distortion	The enduring L.A. punk band Social Distortion has overcome numerous personnel shifts, the demise of the Los Angeles hardcore scene that spawned them, and the heroin addiction of singer/guitarist/bandleader Mike Ness to achieve a measure mainstream acceptance for their rootsy, hard-hitting punk without compromise.
	Iggy Pop	There's a reason why many consider Iggy Pop the godfather of punk: every single punk band of the past and present has either knowingly or unknowingly borrowed a thing or two from Pop and his late-'60s/early-'70s band, the Stooges.
	The Jesus and Mary Chain	Like the Velvet Underground, their most obvious influence, the chart success of the Jesus and Mary Chain was virtually nonexistent, but their artistic impact was incalculable; quite simply, the British group made the world safe for white noise, orchestrating a sound dense in squalling feedback which served as an inspiration to everyone from My Bloody Valentine to Dinosaur Jr.
	The Damned	With punk's history having entered a new millennium, the impact of the band initially judged "the least likely to" seems to grow ever more each day.
	Violent Femmes	The textbook American cult band of the 1980s, the Violent Femmes captured the essence of teen angst with remarkable precision; raw and jittery, the trio's music found little commercial success but nonetheless emerged as the soundtrack for the lives of troubled adolescents the world over.
	The Dead Milkmen	During their heyday in the late '80s, the Dead Milkmen led a crop of college-radio jokesters that also included Mojo Nixon, King Missile, and Too Much Joy, among others.
	Joy Division	Formed in the wake of the punk explosion in England, Joy Division became the first band in the post-punk movement by later emphasizing not anger and energy but mood and expression, pointing ahead to the rise of melancholy alternative music in the '80s.
	Meat Puppets	Out of all of the bands that made SST Records a towering force in the American underground during the mid-'80s, Meat Puppets lasted the longest, surviving where other bands fell apart.
	Bob Mould	Guitarist/singer/songwriter Bob Mould was initially a member of Hüsker Dü, one of the most influential American bands of the '80s.
	The Smiths	The Smiths were the definitive British indie rock band of the '80s, marking the end of synth-driven new wave and the beginning of the guitar rock that dominated English rock into the '90s.
	The Germs	Living fast and dying young is one of rock's great clichés, but no phrase better describes the reasons for the demise of L.
	Bad Religion	Out of all of the Southern Californian hardcore punk bands of the early '80s, Bad Religion stayed around the longest.
	The Cramps	Conjuring a fiendish witches' brew of primal rockabilly, grease-stained '60s garage rock, vintage monster movies, perverse and glistening sex, and the detritus and effluvia of 50 years of American pop culture, the Cramps are a truly American creation much in the manner of the Cadillac, the White Castle hamburger, the Fender Stratocaster, and Jayne Mansfield.
	Agent Orange	Punk to the core, yet with audible influences from early heavy metal and surf rock, Agent Orange formed in Fullerton, California at the end of the '70s, with vocalist/guitarist Mike Palm, bassist James Levesque, and drummer Scott Miller.
	New York Dolls	The New York Dolls created punk rock before there was a term for it. Building on the Rolling Stones' dirty rock & roll, Mick Jagger's androgyny, girl group pop, the Stooges' anarchic noise, and the glam rock of David Bowie and T.
	Fear	Along with Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, Fear helped define the sound and style of L.A. hardcore.
	T.S.O.L.	In the early years of Los Angeles punk, one of the premiere hardcore bands was T.S.O.L., which stood for True Sounds of Liberty.
	The Jam	The Jam were the most popular band to emerge from the initial wave of British punk rock in 1977; along with the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and the Buzzcocks, the Jam had the most impact on pop music.
	Stiff Little Fingers	A taut, explosive Belfast-based punk band, Stiff Little Fingers (named after a Vibrators song) had the dubious distinction of being referred to as "The Irish Clash.
	Echo & The Bunnymen	Echo & the Bunnymen's dark, swirling fusion of gloomy post-punk and Doors-inspired psychedelia brought the group a handful of British hits in the early '80s, while attracting a cult following in the United States.
	The Cure	Out of all the bands that emerged in the immediate aftermath of punk rock in the late '70s, few were as enduring and popular as the Cure.
	Suicidal Tendencies	Judging from their name, Suicidal Tendencies were never afraid of a little controversy. Formed in Venice, CA, during the early '80s, the group's leader from the beginning was outspoken vocalist Mike Muir.
	The Adolescents	One of Southern California's best-loved hardcore bands, the Adolescents helped establish the blueprint for Orange County punk, along with Agent Orange and Social Distortion.
	Siouxsie and the Banshees	Siouxsie and the Banshees were among the longest-lived and most successful acts to emerge from the London punk community; over the course of a career that lasted two decades, they evolved from an abrasive, primitive art punk band into a stylish, sophisticated unit that even notched a left-field Top 40 hit.
	Butthole Surfers	Arguably the most infamously named band in the annals of popular music -- for years, radio found their moniker unspeakable, and the press deemed it unprintable -- Butthole Surfers long reigned among the most twisted and depraved acts ever to bubble up from the American underground.
	The Velvet Underground	Few rock groups can claim to have broken so much new territory, and maintain such consistent brilliance on record, as the Velvet Underground during their brief lifespan.
	Elvis Costello	When Elvis Costello's first record was released in 1977, his bristling cynicism and anger linked him with the punk and new wave explosion.
	7 Seconds	Formed in the early '80s, the hardcore punk band 7 Seconds has been among the longest lived of any group from the first wave of Cali punk (forming in Reno, NV, and eventually relocating to Sacramento), though frontman Kevin Seconds has proved to be the only consistent member; changes during the mid-'80s moved guitarist Bobby Adams, drummer Troy Mowat, and bassist Steve Youth (Seconds' brother) into the lineup.
	The Breeders	One of alternative rock's most promising -- and frustrating -- bands, the Breeders were conceived initially as a way for Pixies bassist Kim Deal and Throwing Muses guitarist Tanya Donelly to let out some suppressed creative energy and to take a break from being the second bananas in each of their main bands.
	Talking Heads	At the start of their career, Talking Heads were all nervous energy, detached emotion, and subdued minimalism.
	Dead Boys	The Dead Boys were one of the first punk bands to escalate the level of violence, nihilism, and pure ugliness of punk rock to extreme new levels.
	Agnostic Front	At the dawn of the '80s, New York City was mired in debt and crime, grappling with one of the most trying periods in its history, yet ironically (or perhaps fittingly), its underground music scene was seething with activity like never before.