Because I am a dork, I do think about these things

[janradder]

As pretty much anyone who knows me in real life or who's read this blog can attest, I am a huge Hüsker Dü geek. Anyway, being a huge Hüsker Dü geek, I was talking with a friend about their last record, Warehouse: Songs and Stories. My friend was of the opinion that it was kind of a bad record. I agreed that it was the weakest of their output, but I've always thought that it suffered primarily from the fact that it should have been a single rather than a double LP (and the only reason it was a double, was because the Hüskers had a contract that said they could put out whatever they wanted and it was just a way to thumb their noses at the record label) and because of that there was a lot of chaff. So here I am separating the wheat from the chaff and imparting my opinion of what would have made a great record. Here it goes -- the ideal Warehouse track listing (and yes, I do know that this is one of the dorkiest entries I've ever made, but please bear with me, or at least just quietly ignore me while I embarrass myself -- thanks):

1. These Important Years
2. Back From Somewhere
3. Could You Be The One
4. Too Much Spice
5. Friend You've Got To Fall
6. She Floated Away
7. No Reservations
8. She's a Woman (And Now He Is A Man)
9. Up In The Air
10. You Can Live At Home

Comments

[joelarnold.livejournal.com]

Great list! I remember that this was the last album I bought on vinyl. (It came out when CD's were starting to gain popularity. At least I think so...ah heck, I can't remember shit.)

[janradder.livejournal.com]

Haha! You're comment cracked me up.

I think you're right that it was when CDs finally started taking over the market. I actually never switched over to CDs. I have a few, but other than those twenty or so that I own, I've remained steadfastly loyal to vinyl. It actually makes a huge difference in sound quality with the SST catalog. The vinyl sounds about a thousand times better than the CD versions, mostly because the CD versions were all mastered wrong (and Greg Ginn has no plans to remaster any of it).

[dans-la-reine.livejournal.com]

(and yes, I do know that this is one of the dorkiest entries I've ever made, but please bear with me, or at least just quietly ignore me while I embarrass myself <--SO CUTE

it is just fine to channel your teenage music obsessive into your 40s in fact it is ~cool~... albeit among dorks.

my own melodious punk pathway was a little ramones, a little husker du, a little dinosaur jr, a little sonic youth, a little pixies, a little nirvana OMG 111

[janradder.livejournal.com]

~blush~

Thank you!

For me, Dinosaur jr was my replacement for Hüsker Dü after the Hüskers broke up. I loved that grungy distortion J Mascis could get on his guitar, and the fact that he was using a wah-wah pedal when those were the ultimate in un-coolness in indie rock was just awesome. I also really dug Sonic Youth's Bad Moon Rising, especially the last track, "Death Valley '69" (with Lydia Lunch). I still love the Ramones and most of the Pixies for that matter, though I have to say I've soured on Nirvana over the years. I don't think I've ever heard 111, though, but I've heard the name before.

By the way, being a Canadian, did you ever hear of a Montreal band called the Nils? They only put out a few records in the 80's but they're one of my favorites and were regularly named by their peers as one of the best unheralded bands around. I was wondering if they got any more attention in Canada than they did in the States.

[dans-la-reine.livejournal.com]

awwwwww, there prob is a band called 111 but I was just expressing my nirvana love. I havent soured on nirvana, I really like the enigmatic/nonsensical/meaningful lyrics snarled, crooned, mumbled over the pop, punk, thrashy, unplugged sound they brought. That Kurt cared about feminist issues was lovely to me awww I know, I even have a super soft spot for Courtney.

:( The Nils, what a heartbreaking tragedy. I first got into The nils because my boyfriend played bass and they had a funky thing going on and then Alex being a genius. Thier story, is one of the saddest. I know people say if they'd only got a break Alex would be alive but Kurt got a break and he didnt survive.

anyway :(

[janradder.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I do like Courtney Love, or at least Live Through This era Courtney Love. And there's definitely Nirvana songs I do like, but I think I'm just bitter about what happened to punk after them. At the time, though, I really liked them a lot.

Yeah, Alex's story is horribly sad. I found out about it only a few years ago when I googled the Nils just to see if I could find out anything about them. Who knows what would have happened if the Nils had had more success. It is true that success doesn't necessarily lead to happiness. I do wish more people knew about the band, though. Have you ever heard any of the solo acoustic songs that Alex recorded not long before his death? They're worth seeking out if you haven't.