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Fun Stuff => BAND => Topic started by: mat_mantra on 25 Jun 2008, 09:12

Title: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: mat_mantra on 25 Jun 2008, 09:12
So, looks like iTunes finally got it's act together and released the Warner studios material.  I am seriously considering stalking Steve Jobs till i get some Zen Arcade.  anyone with me?
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: tania on 25 Jun 2008, 09:39
Hüsker Dü were very special to me at a certain point during the development of my musical taste. I'm glad people can access their music in any form. They made some truly inspiring rock music which is ultimately timeless. Their output between 1984-85 is almost unparalleled. In the space of a few months they moved from metalliac socio-political hardcore to blistering, conceptual punk rock to pristine power pop. Metal Circus to Flip Your Wig is basically essential listening for anyone interested in independent music. Not as keen on the Warner albums but there's still some good stuff. The end of this band was absolutely surreal. They signed to a major and Bob Mould quit drugs and booze, whereas Grant Hart moved further into addiction. They began to argue relentlessly about the ratio of songs per record and eventually with their label to the extent that negotiations became openly hostile. The stress was so enormous, their manager literally jumped off a bridge. Still, the split was well timed and both songwriters penned an incredible record following the schism. Mould's Workbook and Hart's Intolerance are both superior records to the final two Hüsker Dü albums.

What absolutely mind fuckingly awesome songs these assholes wrote in their day. Side Three of Zen Arcade is one of the best sides of vinyl I can think of off the top of my head. 'Newest Industry' is probably their best song overall. Some of Hart's songs on New Day Rising are the most perfect pop songs and I will betray my younger self by saying that I am kind of sick of Spot's production on that record. Very occasionally I wish I could hear a cleaner version of 'Terms of Psychic Warfare' or 'Books About UFOs'. Comparatively, Flip Your Wig used to be too clean for my tastes but now it goes down just right. A few folks I know cite this record as the beginning of the decline but personally, I think it's the most consistent record they ever made. There can't be many songs as good as 'Divide & Conquer' out there. The one-two punch of 'Flexible Flyer' and 'Private Plane' is probably the best sequencing decision they ever made. There's some terrific material before and after the 1984-85 period but that was the creative peak, no question.

Man did I ever love this band. What a band! Even with their myriad of faults, they wrote such good songs that it was essentially inconsequential.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: mat_mantra on 25 Jun 2008, 10:01
Unfortunately, i'm still technically a young'un, so i was still crawling around during their best years.  Still, my brother got me into them in the late 90's, and now i snatch up anything of theirs i can get my hands on
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: Christophe on 25 Jun 2008, 15:22
Most of the bands I listen to have broken up within the last 10 to 20 years, Husker Du included.

I don't really listen to/enjoy their later work/Sugar-type stuff, but Zen Arcade is a motherfucker of an album.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: Kai on 25 Jun 2008, 15:28
a few people on this board don't like that Our Band Could Be Your Life book, but one thing it has going for it is it made me buy New Day Rising, which to this day is one of my favorite records. Exceptional band.


Everything Falls Apart... AND MORE is probably the worst album title ever, though.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: michaelicious on 25 Jun 2008, 16:44
That was actually me logged in as Tania.

My bad.

I think everyone knew that already.

"What's Going On" is probably in my top 5 favourite songs to sing along with really loudly while air guitaring.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: Oli on 25 Jun 2008, 17:27
Everything Falls Apart... and more is everything falls apart plus 7 unreleased tracks including a variety of demo tracks, b sides and outtakes.

Husker Du are ace; because of this thread I packed some of my holiday stuff up while listening to them today.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: Mister Arkadin on 25 Jun 2008, 19:08
Oh fuck yes.
My parents have awesome taste in music so i grew up listening to them.
Zen Arcade is great in that the themes of the tracks all kind of fit together; like they kind of tell a story I guess.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: Johnny C on 25 Jun 2008, 19:41
NEW DAY RI-SIN'
NEW DAY RI-SIN'
NEW DAY RI-SIN'
NEW DAY RI-SIN'
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: Johnny C on 25 Jun 2008, 20:17
...new day ri-sin'
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: mat_mantra on 26 Jun 2008, 03:56
Oh man, to whoever posted Zen Arcade in the mediafire thread back in January,  I <3 you very much
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: David_Dovey on 26 Jun 2008, 06:53
Absolutely agreed.

It always bemuses me a great deal that the world-conquering ubiquitous media behemoth Foo Fighters are essentially a Hüsker Dü cover band with better production.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: imapiratearg on 26 Jun 2008, 06:55
Husker Du are ace.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: the Goat on 26 Jun 2008, 06:55
Husker Du are mighty.

I may be the only one, but I genuinely believe that Warehouse:Songs and Stories is as good as anything they ever put out and was one hell of a way to end your career. There may be one or two duds, depending on my mood, but "Ice Cold Ice" "Friend, You've got to Fall", "She's a Woman (and now He is a Man)". So many great songs.

And c'mon!! Land Speed Record! What a fucking great band.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: MusicScribbles on 26 Jun 2008, 08:03
This thread needs some Husker Du!
Everything Falls Apart...and More (http://www.mediaf!re.com/?1pjien4jwpd)
Zen Arcade (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?jziyjwwtgyx)
New Day Rising (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NV8CL1GQ)
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: Thrillho on 26 Jun 2008, 10:46
I read up on these guys on wikipedia, and I think it's about time I got some of their stuff.

Starting points anyone?
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: imapiratearg on 26 Jun 2008, 10:49
I started with Zen Arcade myself.  I think it's a pretty solid record.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: BlahBlah on 26 Jun 2008, 11:33
moar liek new GAY rising amirite??!?

I am joking here, I think they're an awesome band.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: MusicScribbles on 26 Jun 2008, 11:53
I like them too!
Hurray for pointless comments!
Start with Zen Arcade.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: amok on 26 Jun 2008, 13:50
Hürray för pöintless ümlauts!

(still a good band though)
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: the Goat on 26 Jun 2008, 14:50
While Zen Arcade is a great album, I don't know if it's the best to start off with. It was the first album I got and, while I liked a lot of the songs, it left me kind of puzzled in some other places. I would personally reccommend New Day Rising or maybe Warehouse: Songs and Stories to start out, they're more album-as-collection-of-songs as opposed to the album-as-grand-narrative that ZA is.

But that's just me, I'm averse to concept albums. They just reek of prog rock.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: michaelicious on 26 Jun 2008, 15:19
Hey little girl, do you need a ride?
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: SleeperCylon on 26 Jun 2008, 15:35
I refuse to pay for any download that has DRM, and I don't feel right downloading stuff for free, so for now I'm still a CD buyer.

Zen Arcade:  Rocks
Everything else:  Above average, I guess
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: himynameisjulien on 26 Jun 2008, 19:13
Im with you, Hüsked Dü helped start it all; before there was Green Day and NOFX, there was Hüsker Dü. And I mean the band, but also the board game. Do you remember?
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: Johnny C on 26 Jun 2008, 21:38
moar liek new GAY rising amirite??!?

Actually, yeah. Grant and Bob are both gay.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: David_Dovey on 26 Jun 2008, 21:55
Hürray för pöintless ümlauts!
(still a good band though)

Actually Hüsker Dü is one of the few band names where the umlauts are appropriate.

Thanks for the album uploads Scribbles, I didn't have New Day Rising yet.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: E. Spaceman on 26 Jun 2008, 22:44
not really. It would be correctly rendered as Hūsker Dū
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: Thrillho on 30 Jun 2008, 09:39
I've decided to make a foray into Fugazi first (I'd be lying if I said the major reason was anything other than they were cheaper), rather than Husker Du. I've got Repeater on as I speak.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: MusicScribbles on 30 Jun 2008, 13:11
Now! Let us hope that Zerodrone doesn't read this thread.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: David_Dovey on 30 Jun 2008, 21:52
No, let's hope he does. His flailings never fail to amuse, and always fail to convince.

 :-D
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: MusicScribbles on 01 Jul 2008, 11:29
So, about those Husker Du guys! I'm listening to New Day Rising right now.
Title: Re: Husker Du? Anyone?
Post by: mat_mantra on 03 Jul 2008, 11:26
My co-workers are so sick of hearing me sing along to New Day Rising in the mornings that they've threatened to smash my iPod.  Hmph.  Some people just aren't morning people