Huesker Due – The Story of the Noise-Pop Pioneers Who Launched Modern Rock, Andrew Earles

Voyageur Press/Mbi 400 First Ave. North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401, Usa
Isbn 978 0 7603 3504 8

Here is a book written by a fan for fans. Fortunally Earles did speak to Grant Hart and Greg Norton while – unfortunally – Bob Mould declined. You will not find many „dirty stories“ about their drug use or sexuality, which is good, even thou it is part of their history and therefore kinda missing. The author portraits the band as one of the pioneers of the DIY-Hardcore-Movement in the Usa in the early eighties, that was new to me, since by the time the band came to Europe, there was not much left of hardcore, neither musically nor in their business appearance. Anyway, the author is convinced of the importance of the artists work and documents it well while trying to tell a good story. That works in parts, in others not and I wish some more focus was on critisism.

Here and there the book could have used some better editing, since certain parts seem to be in twice…. Andrew Earles talks alot about the albums, the single songs, about the music of the band. Something every fan loves to read, not me. In the end I have mixed feelings about this book. Every fan will love it, it does a ok job in documenting and informing but it would have helped if the author had a little distance, and I dont mean the distance to the time and scene the band started out.

Hüsker Dü was a great band that went from hyperfast hardcoresongs to great modern Indy-Rock and beyond (not to their benefit, in my eyes). Of course you get all the album listings and collector info one expects. On top of that some pics and Hüsker artwork. 280 pages hardcover, 24.- $ (dolf)

[Trust # 148 June 2011]