It's Indecision Time: yes, it's the Husker Du "Zen Arcade" POLL

no ümlauts, no credibility

Easily, easily either "Something I Learned Today" or "Newest Industry." Not sure which yet. When I was studying film in university 25 years ago, a friend and I shot some super-8 footage of an anti-abortion/anti-Morgentaler march in Toronto; we cut it all together and scored it with "Something I Learned Today."

One of the all-time best records, my droogs.

^^^^ Umlauts make it unsearchable unless you add umlauts when you search. I sacrificed authenticity for ease and utility. No court in the land would convict me.

I tell you, until I'd typed that track list out, I had no idea how dominant Mould had been on that record. I always kind of think of Husker Du albums as being more evenly split than that; if not 50:50 then 60:40 to Bob. But this is massively his.

I've always been massively conflicted about this record - even though I understand that it had a massive impact on the hardcore scene when it was first released, it's failed to really endear itself to me despite many many relistenings.

For the longest time I always thought it was a case of emperor's new clothes but these days I things it may be more or a "you had to have been there" kind of thing...coming to this album after the fact, especially after listening to and learning to love the less sprawling albums that came after it, it seemed a bit...well, bloated.

I've warmed to it since my initial listening, and now there are a few songs that are stuck in my memory. Thinking maybe "Never Talking to You Again" might win my vote but I think another relistening is in order.

"Recurring Dreams" without a doubt.

There aren't that many epic psychedelic hardcore double lps.
Record is kind of in a class by itself.
I can't listen to it too often, though.

Guys, we all know Chartered Trips will win this.

I voted for it!

my guess
chartered trips
pink turns to blue
turn on the news
what's going on
something i learned today

Going for the oddball pick 'Whatever' - fondly remember playing drums in a band that covered it well. So - I love this record - but if I had to pick songwriter faves for Husker Du, I'm gonna pick Hart. That said, this, in my mind, is Mould's shining moment. The great Mould songs on this record slay. Some discussion board I was on in the last year made mention of how the production on this record, though still quite shitty (oof - never liked Spot's SST productions and I think there's a special place in hell for him for all his bad production jobs on great records), sounds a bit better on vinyl. Finally picked up the vinyl this year and I have to agree - my tape and cd copies will officially gather dust or be passed on to someone for enlightment.

My relationship with Zen Arcade is an odd one. I've owned it since the late 80s; Warehouse was my first, then I think I worked back to Land Speed Record and then this and Metal Circus (I didn't get the middle albums until after The Living End came out). I always liked odd tracks but never understood the level of worship it got. I've only recently "got" Zen Arcade, and there were two things that did it. The first thing was listening to side three and half-way through Somewhere, this WALL of backwards guitars comes in, and i'd never noticed it before, but by being both a production flourish, and a nod to the sixties, it helped me to approach the album in a new light. The fact that Somewhere then segues into the little piano interlude One Step At A Time and then into the astonishing power-pop of Pink Turns To Blue was the key to the album for me. I suddenly saw it as this wild-eyed amphetamine-fuelled pelt through experimental psychedelic punk-pop - the kind of freedom that having a double album allows; piano interludes, acoustic pop, backwards tracks, extended free-rock improvisations, sound effects, rocking-the-fuck-out.

And then I thought again about them recording all of that in 45 hours and wondered was it all one prolonged session, or several shorter ones; consecutive days or spread out. I don't know.

Newest Industry, close second is Indecision Time. that song is unhinged. Never got the love for Chartered Trips, sorry Herm.

"Chartered Trips"
"Turn On the News"
"What's Going On"
"Something I Learned Today"
"Pink Turns to Blue"
"Never Talking to You Again"

I didn't say it was my fave, its just a LOT of peoples fave HD song. Esp on ILM.

I'm torn between turn on the news, whats going on and pink turns to blue.

"Recurring Dreams" without a doubt.

― EZ Snappin, Friday, 7 May 2010 20:20 (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^^

I'll tell what is kind of sobering (he posted as he spent Friday night in drinking on his own), is the fact that looking at that tracklisting, an album which I have casually had in my nominal 'top 10 of all time' list since my teens has about 1/3 tracks that I cannot remember how they go at all

I mean I'll <3 this for all time regardless but...

Despite living with this record for 25 years it's only recently that I found out that it's (meant to be) a concept album. For those ILMers a little older than me, was this talked about at the time, or did it spring up in later years?

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I'll tell what is kind of sobering (he posted as he spent Friday night in drinking on his own), is the fact that looking at that tracklisting, an album which I have casually had in my nominal 'top 10 of all time' list since my teens has about 1/3 tracks that I cannot remember how they go at all

This is a big part of the problem of this album for me too, I'll admit.

It was the first full album I ever heard by them. I loved it for a while but I did find it pretty inconsistent and draggy last time I checked TBH. I actually didn't know so many other people love "Chartered Trips" but I'm glad. It's between that and "Recurring Dreams" - the two extremes of the album? Maybe that's the thing: I like melodic anthemic pop Husker Du and I like psychedelic postpunk exploration. Too much of what seems to fill the 'space in between' just seemed like empty shouting over simple rock chords. (That's probably the point but I still don't have to like it.) Also, I never liked "Hare Krsna". Since I also barely remember many of the songs, though, I could be completely wrong. Maybe I should relisten?

I am biased. And other sordid things.

The answer is Chartered Trips without a fucking doubt.Plus;

Newest Industry
I Will never Forget you
Whatever

Voted "Newest Industry", then changed my mind and wished I'd voted "Whatever".

Me in the 80's would have said "What's Going On." Great example of why being in tune isn't always the best idea. I'll have to relisten to see how I feel now.

Me in the 80s would have been Turn On The News. I think I'm leaning towards Pink Turns To Blue, cranked up loud, it sounds immense.

Bump! Let's talk more about Zen Arcade!

There aren't that many epic psychedelic hardcore double lps.
Record is kind of in a class by itself.

― Trip Maker

Turn On The News was the very first song I ever played on college radio.

WHATEVER YOU WANT WHATEVER YOU DO WHEREVER YOU GO WHATEVER YOU SAY

This album shaped me into the depressed idiot that I am. Which came first? The depressed idiot possibly
Thanks Huskers.

It was this or the fucking Exploited.

I still love this album today. As an 83 year old bee keeper who only gives a fuck about Coronation Street

It's all downhill from the opening track.

monday will never be the same, as a cop out vote because there are so many great songs on this record.

indecision time? somewhere? whatever? something i learned today? masochism world? pink turns to blue?

It's all downhill from the opening track.

Sorry, but that's just a warm up track.

has about 1/3 tracks that I cannot remember how they go at all

Yup. I look at the sleeve and think, "How does THAT one go again?"

Every single one of these songs has been scorched into my brain forever.

I'm tempted to vote for "Dreams Reocurring." Was just having a little debate with myself today: "Songs Played Backwards: Classic or FUCKING TOTALLY CLASSIC?" I'm gonna ding it, though, because it's a radio edit.

These polls are totally fucking up my listening schedule. I gotta squeeze this one in between listening to all of Tom Waits' 70s albums... and my wife HATES both TW and the Dü. Headphones time.

Totally blown away from the day I heard it in '85, two months after special-ordering it, well worth the wait & hassle. (Record stores in my town weren't much - I was honestly surprised that Melody Lane managed to track it down.) That "Indecision Time" and "Reoccurring Dreams" and "Never Talking To You Again" and "The Tooth Fairy and the Princess" could all coexist on the same album (same universe) was pretty much a revelation.

"Reoccurring Dreams" for me

It's all downhill from the opening track.

― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Friday, 14 May 2010 19:43 (Yesterday)

you've been wrong a lot lately but this is even wronger than that bullshit about NWA.

also, Hare Krsna or Standing By The Sea are my faves. immense record.

Is it really a concept album?

I can't say there is an obvious story like something like Tommy, but I think it does have a bit of a theme. It does all hold together well as a collected work of tunes.

Does the notoriously awful Husker Du production apply here?

It is really raw, live and very direct, but like I said on another SST/Husker's thread before, I think this record sounds great for how it it done as it isn't drenched in reverb like their next couple of albums. I think this one sounds pretty good. It's not Steely Dan, but that wouldn't have worked on this stuff anyway.

What side is best?

Side 3 is all killer and no filler, even with the instrumental at the end. Criminy you need something to come down a bit after that run of tunes.

Should the two outtakes have been included?

Never heard 'em and it is already a double LP...how much do you need.

Did this rock your world off its axis when you first heard it, or did it leave you feeling a bit meh?

This was one of those 'tapes' that pretty much blew my mind.

Was it influential? And if so how?

The Minutemen stated that they needed to take it up a notch and answered with 'Double Nickels on the Dime', so I'd say definitely yeah in the short run, although I think the Husker's more poppy side is the stuff that you started hearing on the radio just a few years later after they were gone. Now? I don't know, the Huskers seem to have a bit lower profile as a band than they did at one point. I have no idea if 20 year olds are getting into them now.

And also of course, what's the best track?

I could go six different ways on six different days.

highways fill with uh refugees now
doctors finding out about disease
with all this uptight a-pushing & shoving
keeps us away from who we're loving
and keeps us away from who we should be loving

SO TURN ON TURN ON TURN ON TURN ON TURN ON THE NEWS

Is it really a concept album?

never took it for one

Does the notoriously awful Husker Du production apply here?

it sounds like it should. course i'd say the same for new day rising, so maybe i'm not the right person to ask

What side is best?

probably side 1, includes a bunch of my favorite tracks that aren't called TURN ON THE NEWS (hare krsna!) 3 a close second

Should the two outtakes have been included?

habba?

Did this rock your world off its axis when you first heard it, or did it leave you feeling a bit meh?

"This was one of those 'tapes' that pretty much blew my mind" x a fucking 1000

Was it influential? And if so how?

fuck yeah, helped lay the groundwork for not-quite-punk indie rock in america. husker du deserve as much credit in this regard as sonic youth. without husker du, you don't get stuff like pixies and nirvana. well, or at least they would have gone down differently in a vastly different rock culture...

I voted for "Whatever," but that's probably just another way of voting for the whole album (which is also scorched in my brain to a track), because that's the climax. I remember hearing them asked on the radio at the time about the "theme," and they chuckled ironically about that.

The two outtakes:

Some Kind Of Fun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdXC3XSAqt8

Dozen Beats Eleven:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyu9z5mGVXw

That Dozen Beats Eleven is odd... That link is to a totally different track to the one on the "Up In The Air" bootleg cd. that YouTube clip is a full-on psych-punk instrumental, the cd has one of those rinky-dink piano interludes.

The dude that posted thse clips seems like an uber-fan so I'll bow to him on this that ^^^^^ is Dozen Beats Eleven. it was funny hearing it for the first time just now.

Outtakes don't do anything for me--good choices for exclusion.

It's gray, rainy, and unseasonably cool (still) for May in Missouri.
Doing laundry, taking bat hits, and listening to ZA.

Newest Industry is a v cool song

It was only on typing out the tracklist that I finally, after 20+ years, got the gag in the title "Monday Will Never Be The Same". A tip of the hat, of course, to the Spanky and Our Gang sixties psych-pop classic "Sunday Will Never Be The Same."

I wish they'd covered that, and that an excellent quality boot of it existed :(

I love the way that track ^ 'Monday....' gives into the wall of resigantion that is 'Whatever'

resignation even...you knew thaT. sTILL SOUNDS GREAT.

Dug this album out for the first time in, like, 15 years? thanks to this thread.

Ok, a slight white lie. I have played Trips, Whatever, Newest Industry et al on dodgy mixes that appear in the darkest corners of my house/car/exes now and again

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Surprise! I'd have thought "News" would have been challopsed to a lower rung.

I've been a major Husker Du fan since the release of Metal Circus, and have always considered "Turn on the News" overwrought bombast. So I'm not sure what you mean.

Since their approach to punk was in many ways soul minus blues, I'll give it to "Turn On" for making this connection obvious, and for the "Barracuda"-like guitars near the end, but yeah, not what I was expecting to see on top. Though maybe its gut-level, engage-the-world-rather-than-reject-it simplicity makes more sense to me now than it did then.

I'm not sure what you mean.

It's kind of the 'hit' from this record, but it's really kind of ordinary and plodding. So I'd have thought ILMers would have turned against it at this remove. I know I have. So yeah, surprised to see it on top is all.

I'm surprised too, although as I said upthread, me in the 80s would have chosen it. I still like it, but yeah, I thought the ILM consensus would have been different. I don't quite see why it should have been one of the Hall Of Fame's 500 tracks that shaped Rock and Roll (although that is a weird list when you look at it).

At the minute I'm loving the end of What's Going On where Bob's part stops and starts; alternating stuttering guitar scree with that trademark jet engine roar. Listening to it suggests his sound wasn't to do with tons of overdubs either, because on that part at least, it sounds like just the one guitar track.

ILMs Hart stanning continues to perplex me

totally missed this poll, woulda voted for 'pink turns to blue', but most everything on this is great (tho i've always hated 'turn on the news'). Side 2 is like their best 'hardcore' stuff - not as fast as Land Speed Record, but dammit if they don't distill vicious angst into some brilliant wall-punching hurtle. some of their best songy songs, too: chartered trips, whatever, never talking to you again...

never liked Spot's SST productions and I think there's a special place in hell for him for all his bad production jobs on great records

i think Spot did amazing work with meagre tools and non-existent budget. i also think this album (along with damaged) just sounds amazing, regardless of circumstances or time they had to play with.

It's all downhill from the opening track.

― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Friday, 14 May 2010 19:43 (Yesterday)

this is so rong it deserves its own thread.

Staggerlee: Got it--I misunderstood.

The bog standard 'metal' effort won it. Shocker.