Husker Du- Warehouse Reheasals

I know there are a lot of Husker Du fans that wouldn't consider Warehouse: Songs and Stories their best album, but you gotta admire a band that has enough good (great!) material to release two double albums in 3 years with 3 full-length albums squeezed between them. Many fans felt the band was moving further away from their punk sound, while others would say their growth as a band enabled them to play more than one speed, as Husker Du was a key link of bridging hardcore punk with melodic diverse music of college rock.

The first Husker Du album I bought was Metal Circus at a record store in Moorhead, MN and I have to admit at the time it kind of scared me, but when I later bought New Day Rising (as an import album) at my University bookstore (circa 1985), I was sold. This was soon followed by (in order of purchases), Flip Your Wig, Zen Arcade, Everything Falls Apart, Land Speed Record (on cassette), Candy Apple Grey (taped a friend's LP) and finally Warehouse. I remember when I bought the double vinyl (at Record Baron?), I bolted home and played the two discs back to back in it's entirety. It is extra special listening to an album by a band when you have the complete back catalog of their material without any gaps in the trail leading up to the most recent sampling. I remember thinking at the time, this was their best and definitely most accessible record to date, but thinking about it later when I was ranking the Husker Du discography, I came to the conclusion it was a good double album, but could have been a great single record. There was a lot of really good songs on it, but much like Zen Arcade, there was some filler on it. I'd have to say New Day Rising is my favourite Husker Du album followed by Candy Apple, then Zen. They're all solid, but I must admit I don't particularly care for the hardcore, Land Speed Record, a little too abrasive for my tastes. I don't know if I've actually listened to the whole thing in one listening, since the first time.

The title, Warehouse: Songs And Stories comes from the fact the band rented a warehouse to write and rehearse before going into the studio to record. This rehearsal was recorded by the band before entering the studio as they worked on new songs. The rehearsal was cut short when the police show up due to an excessive noise complaint as the police say a couple of times, "You can't believe how loud it is outside". Bob ends the tape saying, "We better leave that on the tape"...classic!

HUSKER DU
Warehouse Rehearsals
Minneapolis, MN
August 5, 1986 (?)

01 These Important Years
02 Charity, Chastity, Prudence And Hope
03 Standing In The Rain
04 Tell You Why Tomorrow
05 Ice Cold Ice
06 You're A Soldier
07 Could You Be The One?
08 Actual Condition
09 It's Not Peculiar
10 Too Much Spice
11 Visionary
12 She Floated Away
13 Friend, You've Got To Fall
14 Back From Somewhere
15 Bed Of Nails
16 You Can Live At Home
17 Turn It Around
18 "Police pull the plug due to excessive noise"

HUSKER DU- Warehouse Rehearsals. rar