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From: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Long and Varied Pieces (Alienation dutu, SST Tour)
Message-ID: <124@spar.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 9-Mar-85 00:54:59 EST
Article-I.D.: spar.124
Posted: Sat Mar  9 00:54:59 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 11-Mar-85 04:48:30 EST
References: <67@tekadg.UUCP>
Reply-To: ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Organization: Schlumberger Palo Alto Research, CA
Lines: 64

From Davidl:

>I heard Husker Dufus up here a couple of nights ago...  always thought the
>guitar player had an electric 12-string.  What I discovered was, he was
>playing a Gibson Flying-V or some clone thereof, and using two very beat-up
>effects boxes - an Electro-Harmonix "Small Clone" chorus, and an MXR
>distortion box.  I liked his sound.
>
>Sean, you may as well give up on anyone talking about music in net.music..

   Those who have missed the changes in music over the past ten years would
   do well to catch the SST tour -- it played here last week, and I believe
   it will continue nationwide for a while. 

   The bands on this tour (Husker Du, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Saccharine
   Trust and others) rank among the most creative in current American rock
   and roll.

   The worst part about the tour is that they're ALL wonderful. Who has
   time to catch five bands? Admission was, incidentally $7.50.

   The Meat Puppets performed music from their upcoming 3rd Album. These
   guys are constantly unpredictable, this time merging jazz harmonies and
   astonishing psychedelic effects into their already peculiar country-
   thrash sound. 

   My guess is that their creativity derives from a dislike of playing the
   same music for very long.  Consequently, they sound just awful at their
   old music, and open stargates with their new. The Pups do not play
   existing styles -- they only invent new ones.

   The Minutemen's style has complex rhythms, weird harmonies, an eerie
   low-key angst, punctuated by surprising starts and twists. Originally,
   they were known for fast-and-furious 60-second songs, and I lost touch
   with their style when they were in transition. Their restless style
   was engaging, their techique precise. 

   Husker Du has received its share of attention in the past few months.
   They played hard, fast, l o n g, and with great exhuberance.  Six sides
   of new material (Zen Arcade, New Day Rising), and so little time!

-michael

-ps Found in a recent net.music article:

>Here is the Village Voice 1984 PAZZ & JOP CRITICS' POLL
>as published in the issue dated February 19, 1985.
>
>Albums
...
> 8. Husker Du: "Zen Arcade"
...
>14. Minutemen: "Double Nickels on the Dime"
...
>20. Meat Puppets: "Meat Puppets II"
...
>Singles
> 4. Husker Du: "Eight Miles High"

   Two and a half years ago Husker Du and the Meat Puppets seemed to be
   secure in their obscurity, the epitome of `publically unacceptable'.

   Funny how fast times change.