HUSKER DU

Husker Du, a name couched in self-determined ambiguity. Translated it means "do you remember". Indeed "do you remember" seems a fitting way to describe the band's countless musical changes, phases and transformations,

From their inception in '79, the threesome has broken down musical barriers, charted their own paths and sometimes made their own mistakes. All this while maintaining a firm grip on artistic and commercial destiny.

The group's first single, "Statues/Amusement" showed the promise of things to come. The "A" side focused on the harder more abrasive side of the band's personality, with throbbing bass and drums coupled with walls of shimmering harmonized guitars. In contrast the "B" side presented a softer, more contemplative aspect of the Huskers musical arsenal.

With their initiation into the vinyl market ("Statues" christened the newly formed Reflex label), the band embarked on the first of many regional mid-west excursions that would eventually blossom into full-scale national tours. An invitation to L.A. brought them to the attention of Mike Watt's recently formed New Alliance Records. New Alliance would release the now legendary "Land Speed Record", a rip-roaring adrenalin blast documenting the Huskers' '81 summer tour.

In the winter of '82 the band went into the Minneapolis-based Blackberry Way studios to record a new EP for the Alliance. The result was the popular anthem, "In A Free Land", still one of their most requested stage numbers. With the melodic "Free Land" on one side and the near thrash velocity of "What Do I Want" and "M.I.C." on the other side, the Huskers once again excited and confused.

Later that winter the band returned to L.A. to tour and record the pivotal "Everything Falls Apart" with producer Spot manning the knobs. The band played numerous shows with the notorious Dead Kennedys and were featured on the prestigious Eastern Front festival. After a short rest back home the band hit the east coast where they played a series of dates culminating in an uproarious show at New York's Folk City.