Even 40 years later, I feel enormously protective of Husker Du. The music of this trio meant so much to me at such a crucial time in my life as a young man that I almost can't listen to some of this stuff anymore. And that's an odd thing given that I grew up mere minutes outside the nation's capital. You'd think I'd have been listening to Dischord bands back then. But Husker Du got to me first. And that mix of pop and punk, with everyday lyrical concerns was life-altering. That something could be so loud, and so catchy and oddly affirming was a revolutionary concept for me as a music fan and listener.
Now, on an extraordinary compilation of live sets from 1985, Husker Du live again. 1985: The Miracle Year collects a series of concert recordings of fairly good quality of Husker Du in their prime, before the leap to a major label in early 1986. The songs here cover their prime material, and the entire collection is the best kind of sonic riot. The first 23 songs come from a January 30, 1985 concert in Minneapolis. Having just released New Day Rising, the band leans heavily on that one. The title cut and "The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill" get ferocious workouts, while "Folklore" and "I Apologize" practically burn through the speakers. Maybe not surprisingly, Husker Du were trying out at this gig some of the songs that would end up on Flip Your Wig later in the same year. "Makes No Sense At All" is here, a bit more punk than pop, while "Divide and Conquer" is gloriously sharp and corrosive in its attack. Grant Hart's "Green Eyes" is, of course, an absolute standout. Has there ever been any other song so heartfelt and still so hardcore in its sound?
The rest of 1985: The Miracle Year is given over to 20 live tracks recorded at various venues in 1985. The quality ranges from a you are there-clear "Celebrated Summer" from Boulder to a muddy run at "Flexible Flyer" from Flip Your Wig from D.C.'s own 9:30 Club (the old one). So while there's a wealth of material here, there's also a lot of variance in sound quality. I'm not complaining, mind you, because it's a miracle that this compilation even exists. I prefer the first half of this set simply because it's a complete concert and not a series of 1985 live cuts. Still, this is glorious. I mean, there's even a live run at "Eiffel Tower High" from 1986's Candy Apple Grey, a personal favorite, and an obliterating dash through "In a Free Land", one of the threesome's earliest, best singles. A fun thrashing of Donovan's "Sunshine Superman" is another highlight here, as is obscure outttake "Misty Modern Days", a bit of chaos barely held together through Grant's yearning vocals.
The music, combined with a photo-filled, and detailed liner notes booklet by Bob Mehr makes 1985: The Miracle Year an essential release for any fan of this band. For those of us who saw them in the era, the live material here is a little reminder of the power we saw unleashed. How could three regular guys make so much noise and still keep things centered around hooks and melodies? Bob Mould and Grant Hart were not exactly Lennon and McCartney, but they were damn close for those of us looking for something louder than R.E.M. in those college rock years. Remarkably tight, energetic, and intuitive, these three musicians -- Grant Hart, Bob Mould, and Greg Norton -- did so much in such a short span of time that it's astounding still. I almost envy anyone coming to this music as a new fan. 1985: The Mircale Year is going to knock you on your ass.
1985: The Miracle Year by Husker Du is out on November 7 via Numero.
[Photo: Daniel Corrigan]