Rock and Roll Cage Match 5: Replacements vs. Husker Du

[RevMatt]

We haven't had one from the eighties yet. These two are closely matched. Products of the same scene. Their careers paralleled each other. Laid the foundation for the 90's alt. rock scene.

[Razorback]

Let me say, of all the 80's alt bands, I prefer Dinosaur Jr.

I'm not a huge fan of either of these two bands. I'd choose the Replacements, though.

[Tequila Cowboy]

Of course, for me, it's The Replacements, They're my favorite band of all time, but Husker Du isn't far behind. Like the Mats the evolution of the band from hardcore to something very melodic with a hard edge. Both Bob Mould and Grant Hart became excellent songwriters in the course of their too short career. I don't go very long without listening to Flip Your Wig or Warehouse Songs & Stories (much maligned album with some great cuts).

I think ultimately what puts the Replacements several notches above Husker Du is that Westerberg was/is one of the great songwriters of our time. Hard to top that.

[RolanK]

Tough one. I love both bands. I came to Hüsker Dü years before The Replacements. I don't have all albums by any of the two in my collection. But I think I side with TC on this. The Mats get my vote for the songs. Songwriters who write "campfire" songs that work on an acoustic always impress me. Hüsker Dü is more about sound, wall of guitars and uncompromising hard-core attitude.

[tinnitus photography]

husker du, hands down. both were plagued from shitty production values (hello, digital 80s! puke). both wrote great songs. but the Mats was mainly a westerberg deal, whereas Du was equal parts Hart and Mould, and they were a great combo. husker du were also better when i saw them live.

[Zip City]

Music Blasphemy: I couldn't name a song by either band

I just missed out on this era (the 90's were my "indie rock" intro), and never got into either later

[dee dee]

20 years ago I would of said Husker Du, but these days I go to the Replacements much more often.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

[OkieinTexas]

I can't be objective about this one. 'Mats win by a landslide.

[RMD]

Husker Du hands down for me. Not even close.

[Iowan]

Mats in a landslide.

I've really tried with Husker Du and they've just never grabbed me. I respect them, but don't have much connection with their music.

[Steve French]

We haven't had one from the eighties yet. These two are closely matched. Products of the same scene. Their careers paralleled each other. Laid the foundation for the 90's alt. rock scene.

I was a huge fan of Husker Du in the day. In fact still am. I even bought a t shirt this year with the "warehouse" album cover on it.

My favourite is (oddly) their most "commercial" record: Candy Apple Grey. But I like all their stuff. In fact gave Land Speed Record a spin over the weekend.

I had heard of the Replacements but never checked them out. And because some of the people here are big fans and have decent taste in music, I resolved to check them out. Easier said than done but we're getting there.

[Steve French]

I don't go very long without listening to Flip Your Wig or Warehouse Songs & Stories (much maligned album with some great cuts).

My favourite Husker Du song, (rather than album) is "Something I learned today" off Warehouse. something about the bassline maybe?

[sactochris]

The Replacements by a country mile.

[Duke Silver]

This:

I just missed out on this era (the 90's were my "indie rock" intro)

plus:

both were plagued from shitty production values

has made it hard for me to get into either band. I like a handful of Replacements songs, so I guess I lean that way. Plus I always get Husker Du confused with the Minutemen for some reason.

[John A Arkansawyer]

Plus I always get Husker Du confused with the Minutemen for some reason.

My best friend loaned me a cassette of really good Husker Du, Minutemen, and Replacements around 1985. It was made by my ex-girlfriend, had her handwriting all over the case, and I couldn't bring myself to like any of it for a long time. The Replacements were the first to break through, the Minutemen were the last, but the far away best is Husker Du. I still listen to them a lot, carry them around in my CD case. Good songs all around, but it's their sound that makes it for me, that and that they took their life and art a hell of a lot more seriously than the Replacements.

[tinnitus photography]

This:

I just missed out on this era (the 90's were my "indie rock" intro)

plus:

both were plagued from shitty production values

has made it hard for me to get into either band. I like a handful of Replacements songs, so I guess I lean that way. Plus I always get Husker Du confused with the Minutemen for some reason.

if i ever get a working computer, i will upload a concise (~10 songs) of both Husker Du and Minutemen...far different beasts. both worth getting to know.

[lotusamerica]

Husker Du was great. The Replacements were a force of nature.

[Iowan]

that and that they took their life and art a hell of a lot more seriously than the Replacements.

I think this is part of why I like the Replacements more.

[4sooner]

Let me say, of all the 80's alt bands, I prefer Dinosaur Jr.

Next cage match Dino jr vs Pixies?

[Flying Rabbit]

This is a tough one for me. Love both.

*sigh* ever so slight edge to Hüsker Dü. New Day Rising is a top 10 OAT for me.

[JimmerDette]

Replacements.........not even close.

[Smitty]

Replacements.

[Bill in CT]

This is really close for me. I saw The Replacements and wish I had seen Husker Du. I think The Replacements fell off a lot with their last 2 albums whereas Warehouse: Songs and Stories is a terrific album. I may well choose one band on one day and the other the next...so I'll call it a draw.
No offense to anyone who has said they vastly prefer one to the other, but I honestly can't relate to that view. It's not like with The Beatles and The Stones where people often have chosen one or the other down through the years.

[RevMatt]

I am going to have to break this one down. Both bands started recording and playing shows roughly the same time. The 'Mats were signed to local label Twin Tone while Husker Du scrambled a bit before becoming one of the first non-California bands on SST.

First I will compare their very early efforts.

Husker Du's first two pre-SST albums were Land Speed Record and Everything Falls Apart. They were good efforts but the reason why people still talk about these records is because of what came after.

The Replacements first two indie releases were Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out The Trash and the ep Stink.

I prefer The 'Mats first two releases to Husker Du's, even though I owned liked the first two Husker Du releases. The first Replacements album is a punk rock classic. I love that album. And who can forget the immortal opening lines of Stink? "This is the Minneapolis Police, the party is over. If you all just pick up your stuff and leave nobody goes to jail."

[RevMatt]

Now comes the difficult period; both bands' latter indie efforts.

The Replacements' next two Twin Tone releases propelled them to the top of the indie rock heap. With Hootenanny and Let it Be Paul Westerberg became the leading pop songwriter of his generation. Every rock fan needs these two albums in their collection.

The Minutemen's D. Boon was able to get Husker Du signed to SST Records. The Huskers first release with the label, the ep Metal Circus, expanded the genre of hardcore. Grant Hart's "Diane" became a staple of college radio. But Husker Du was only just beginning. Their next three SST releases were the trifecta Zen Arcade, New Day Rising and Flip Your Wig.

This is a really tough call. However, I have to go with Husker Du here. Their SST releases are, IMO, the single best representatives of 80's American Hardcore music. What they did melodically is astounding. Those records still hold up today. In fact, they sound even better 30 years later.

The amazing thing is that when both bands released these records they were still playing very small venues. Rock history was being made in the tiny dives across America and witnessed by 150 to 200 people per night. If I could go back in a time machine one of the first stops I would make is to Maxwells in 1984 where you could have caught either band for around six dollars.

[tinnitus photography]

I am going to have to break this one down. Both bands started recording and playing shows roughly the same time. The 'Mats were signed to local label Twin Tone while Husker Du scrambled a bit before becoming one of the first non-California bands on SST.

First I will compare their very early efforts.

Husker Du's first two pre-SST albums were Land Speed Record and Everything Falls Apart. They were good efforts but the reason why people still talk about these records is because of what came after.

The Replacements first two indie releases were Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out The Trash and the ep Stink.

I prefer The 'Mats first two releases to Husker Du's, even though I owned liked the first two Husker Du releases. The first Replacements album is a punk rock classic. I love that album. And who can forget the immortal opening lines of Stink? "This is the Minneapolis Police, the party is over. If you all just pick up your stuff and leave nobody goes to jail."

husker's first two 7"s are fucking great, though.

runout groove info from In A Free Land:
Matrix / Runout (Side 1): NAR-010-A "KIDS DON'T FOLLOW (REPLACEMENTS STINK)" L-9387
Matrix / Runout (Side 2): NAR-010-B "MECHT MENSCH-DIE KREUSEN-MAN-SIZED ACTION-OK!" L-9387-X

[Gang Green]

Husker Du and the Replacements were in the forfront of my musical tastes in the 80's, so I feel an obligation to respond here. Husker had a mysterious quality particular since Bob Mould was sort of an enigma at the time. I loved the trifecta of New Day Rising, Zen Arcade, and Flip your Wig, but didn't care for Candy Apple Gray or Warehouse. Got to see Husker Du at Lisner Auditorium in DC and I was extremely disappointed. It was way too loud and the only did songs from Warehouse. Got to see the Replacements also at Lisner following the release of Please to Meet Me and they were awsome. There was nothing mysterious about the Replacement. I had tickets to see the Replacements following the release of Tim at the old 930 Club. But when I got to the venue, I found out the show was cancelled because Paul Westerburg broke his arm. I was crushed. But, I'm giving the nod to the Replacements and Let it Be is one of my all time favorites.

[John A Arkansawyer]

The thing is, every Husker Du album is at least awfully damned good, and at least half of them are just fucking great. With the Replacements, I'd say Let It Be is a masterpiece and so is about half of Hootenanny, and the rest is take it or leave it for me.

Plus the Replacements didn't have a cut like Reoccurring Dreams in them, whereas Husker Du could just as easily have done Answering Machine.

I'm sounding very negative about the Replacements and I don't mean to. I love Let It Be dearly. I just think this comparison does them no favors.

[Tequila Cowboy]

The thing is, every Husker Du album is at least awfully damned good, and at least half of them are just fucking great. With the Replacements, I'd say Let It Be is a masterpiece and so is about half of Hootenanny, and the rest is take it or leave it for me.

Plus the Replacements didn't have a cut like Reoccurring Dreams in them, whereas Husker Du could just as easily have done Answering Machine.

I'm sounding very negative about the Replacements and I don't mean to. I love Let It Be dearly. I just think this comparison does them no favors.

Let it Be, Tim and Pleased to Meet Me are as good a trifecta (royalties coming your way Cortez) of records I've ever heard. Not a bad song on any of them. Zen Arcade, New Day Rising and Flip Your Wig are close, but not quite to that level.