Album Essentials: Husker Du "Zen Arcade" (1984)
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
The underground music world of the early 1980s was a treasure trove of styles, ideas, poses, and sonic assaults, each with a tale to tell.
From the urgent pop of bands like the dB's and the Bongos to the garage party vibe of the Fleshtones and the Last, to the roots-meets-punk energy of X and the hardcore adrenaline of Minor Threat, it was a broad landscape filled with intriguing alternatives to the mainstream pit of processed pop and corporate rock churned out by the assembly line. Not only were all these upstarts recording and releasing their own records, but they were also hitting the road to spread their own gospel.
Straight out of Minneapolis, Husker Du formed as the new decade was dawning. They channeled their aggression and adrenaline into their own version of punk, which often had a more dissonant tone than the average ‘Ramones at 78 speed' approach so many had opted for. The band released their debut single, 'Statues,' in January 1981, and it was instantly recognized as not your average punk outing. The band took cues from the post-punk scene as well as the originals.
From that point forward, it was a free-for-all as to what the band was up to with each release. Their first two releases were chaos on vinyl via the intense live debut of 'Land Speed Record' followed by the first studio offering, 'Everything Falls Apart,' a blast of urgent speed-fueled bursts of what could barely be called songs, the longest clocking in at just over 2 minutes and the entire 12 song LP registering a whopping 19 minutes.
The band gained a reputation as an intense live band. Another thing they were becoming known for was always looking one step ahead. When touring for their new album, they often played mostly new material that would comprise the next release.
With each release, they seemed to expand their idea of who Husker Du was. In rapid order releasing the EP 'Metal Circus,' which featured the band's most melodic material to that point, courtesy of drummer Grant Hart, 'It's Not That Funny Anymore' and 'Diane' were a long way from the speed-driven frenzy they were initially known for and would set the stage for their path forward.
The band's growth from the live debut through the first studio effort and follow-up EP was impressive, but no one would have guessed where they would land next. As usual, the band was on the road, playing long sets of material not yet released. In the fall of 1983, they entered the studio to record what would become not only an underground classic but also the album that still most often defines the band: Zen Arcade.
Both Bob Mould and Grant Hart had hit the studio armed with new songs that sidestepped the clichés of hardcore, while channeling the energy of punk into waters filled with everything from pop and folk to hints of psychedelia and hard rock all while maintaining the band’s signature. The album opens with the urgent 'Something I Learned Today,' one of Mould's finest tunes, which set the stage for what was to follow over four vinyl sides. 'Never Talking to You Again,' and 'Pink Turns to Blue' are forgotten pop classics from Grant Hart. The album's release was preceded by a single that featured the non-LP track 'Eight Miles High,' a cover of the 1966 Byrds classic. While Husker Du kept much of the song intact, they most definitely put their own stamp on it, transforming it from a dream-like state into a tension-filled bout of anxiety. It was a very crucial companion to the album and helped make people take notice.
Almost instantly, college radio was all over the album, along with respected press like the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and the NME over in the UK, all of which cited the adventurous spirit of the band and the transformation into a truly unique underground force. Coincidentally, SST label mate the Minutemen also released their own double LP, 'Double Nickels on The Dime,' right around the same time, creating a similar situation for them. If that weren't enough, fellow Minnesotans the Replacements were a couple of months away from releasing their much heralded 'Let It Be' album, another that suddenly put them in a different spotlight than people had them pegged before.
Things were happening in the US underground in a massive way, which is why when people reflect back on the 80s music, it depends who you talk to and where they are coming from. For every 'Thriller,' 'Kissing to Be Clever,' or 'Too Fast For Love,' there was a 'Let It Be,' 'Double Nickels on the Dime' or 'Zen Arcade' to balance things out.
Forty-plus years on, and ‘Zen Arcade’ still sounds like nothing else in the record shop. Their shows were always full of energy, never phoning it in, and the ground covered by the Huskers and many others set the stage for the ‘alternative’ boom in the 90s.
One other trivial side note, Husker Du had no image whatsoever. Be that a bad or good thing, it was the truth. They looked like three guys who walked off the street and hopped on stage. There are, in fact, many photos of them wearing–wait for it–flannel shirts and ratty jeans. Mixed with the buzz saw guitar, one could be swayed to claim they were ‘proto-grunge’ and you wouldn’t be off base.
It shows that it’s all about timing and presentation. I understand Nirvana's impact, importance, and significance, but Husker Du was there first and, to my ears, did it all much better.