Hüsker Dü

Hüsker Dü was an American hardcore punk band from Minnesota, later becoming an alternative rock band. They were active from 1979 to 1988, breaking up due to separate paths. The band released 6 albums, and rose to fame with Zen Arcade, their most famous album. The band helped to pioneer hardcore punk and post-hardcore.
== History ==
=== Early Carrer, and Buddy and the Returnables ===
Grant Hart and Greg Norton met applying for the same job, which Norton gained. Hart remained a sales clerk at a St. Paul store known as Cheapo Records. Bob Mould often went to that record store, and he and Hart found a common love of Ramones. Eventually, they got together with Norton and a man named Charlie Pine to play keyboards in their band, which would be known as Buddy and the Returnables in 1979. The band began playing gigs and recording cover songs. While rehearsing a Talking Heads song, the group could not pronounce the French parts of the song, and they began shouting words from other languages, including the term Hüsker Dü, which was taken from a memory board game of the same name. The group renamed themselves Hüsker Dü. Gould, Hart, and Norton practiced a few songs without Pine's knowing because they didn't like the sound of his keyboards in the song. On March 30, 1979 at Jay's Longhorn Bar, considered to be their first official performance, the group then fired Pine afterward.
=== Hardcore Punk Sound and Early Releases ===
By 1980, Hüsker Dü's sound began into a faster and edgier sound, and they became one of the first hardcore punk bands. Through Reflex Records, they released multiple singles, their first live album Land Speed Record, and their first studio album Everything Falls Apart in 1983. Through SST Records, they released Metal Circus, their first EP. Some of their songs were deep and personal, and helped to differentiate the group from others. They were also known with experimenting with different themes from the generic punk bands, as per their desire to experiment with different ideas. This is reflected in the 1984 double-album/concept album, Zen Arcade, which met with massive acclaim. The album is considered on of the greatest punk albums ever written, partially due to its exposure to music fans outside of the punk fanhood.
=== Transition to Alternative Rock ===
The band found transitioning to alternative rock to be a slow process, since some of their later albums kept their hardcore punk roots. Hüsker Dü began recording their third album immediately after the release of Zen Arcade, and six months later, New Day Rising was released. In the same year, they were recording Flip Your Wing. During this time, Warner Bros. offered Hüsker Dü a contract, promising complete creative control. Hüsker Dü gladly accepted. Although SST kept the rights for Flip Your Wing, Warner released the band's next albums, Candy Apple Red. which made its way to 140 on the Billboard 2oo, and had videos for MTV.
=== Break-Up ===
Tensions between Mould and Hart were heating quickly after the suicide of their former manager, David Savoy. Mould took over his responsibilities. Hart claims the tension between the two was a reason for the suicide. At The Blue Note in Missouri, Hart was able to play despite suffering from withdrawal symptoms from his heroin addiction. The band was to play three more shows, but they were cancelled due to worry for Hart's condition. The band broke up after performing at the Blue Note.
== Discography ==
=== Studio Albums ===
* Everything Falls Apart (1983)
* Zen Arcade (1984)
* New Day Rising (1985)
* Flip Your Wig (1985)
* Candy Apple Grey (1986)
* Warehouse: Songs and Stories (1987)
=== EP's ===
* Metal Circus (1983)
* Sorry Somehow (1986)
=== Live Albums ===
* Land Speed Record (1982)
* The Living End (1994)
* Do You Remember Radio? (2015)
Category:Bands
Category:Hardcore Punk Bands
Category:Bands from the 70's
Category:Post-Hardcore Bands