The Most Underrated Group of the '80s

Husker Du is the most underrated group of the '80s. When listening to them, I honestly think all alternative music of the '90s came from them. If you were to pick up Zen Arcade, maybe you wouldn't agree with me. I know when I first heard it I really didn't like it. It was, for a time, the toughest album I had ever listened to (until I got into Metal Machine Music - and one star is bullshit). Seriously, Zen Arcade is full of terribly produced hardcore noise. In fact, the album's producer, the legendary Spot, is one of the worst producers ever. But Zen Arcade really grows on you. I would suggest starting with something more mainstream sounding though, like Flip Your Wig, Candy Apple Grey, or Warehouse. To me, Husker Du represents everything necessary for an alternative rock group. Their early stuff is incredibly punk and experimental, their lyrics were never anything more than catchy, they contain a lot of angst (although allmusic calls it emo - which I think is a bit of a mistake), and their later recordings are incredibly catchy (not just the choruses, but the bridges and verses too). They're kind of like a punk version of R.E.M.. As for their influence, Frank Black, Dinosaur Jr., Nirvana, the Replacements and many others cite them as direct influeces. Husker Du is also from the Twin Cities (and were the leaders of the local hardcore punk movement in the late '70s, early '80s), which helps support my claim that much of the better aspects of the '80s came out of the Twin Cities (Prince is the best pop to come out of the '80s, while Husker Du and the Replacements were the best alternative to come from the decade). Husker Du is also often cited as an example of the transition of punk to alternative. If you listen through their catalog chronologically, you too will find this out.

They never hit the mainstream, but were one of the first alternative groups who got a contract with a major label. The great thing was, they never sold out in their major label recordings like so many other similar groups did. However, Bob Mould, one of the groups lead singers and frontman, achieved maintsream success in the '90s with Sugar. I remember their song "Helpless" was a staple on the Edge back in the day. If any of you grew up in the '90s, it would probably ring a bell. Bob Mould has also had a pretty important solo career. In 1989 he realeased the folky Workbook, which has been said to be the precurser to many gloomy '90s albums (such as Automatic For the People).

To Matt - since I did all these damn links, you should download more Dinosaur Jr. albums. It would be appreciated.