I never heard of Grant Hart before seeing your comment, I was vaguely aware that there was a band called Hüsker* Du but don't know if I was ever subjected to their music. I'm sorry he died of liver cancer at the age of 56 but, really, that's as far as that can go. I had a father and a brother who died of liver disease, it's a terrible death. The thing you sent me noted he was a gay man with a heroin habit it says one of his bandmates had a serious alcoholism problem, my guess would be his cancer might have been a result of hepatitis caught from one or another of those frequent causes of that disease, though the obit didn't say that.
I wonder, considering the character of the punk scene, are we supposed to have the kind of reverence for its recently deceased proponents you complain I don't have when I have never said I didn't. It, somehow, doesn't seem to be in keeping, though as I rejected that anti-æsthetic pose from its start I'm very sorry to read about his passing and hope he did't suffer the horrible pain and suffering that disease leads to. I'll give donations to Addiction prevention, Alcoholics Anonymous and or safe sex group today. I'd think the best way to honor someone like that is to try to prevent the disease that killed them in other people by removing its avoidable causes. That's what I have to say to your challenge to address his death. Did Simels put you up to this?
* I just wanted to find out if the wonderful EàsyType French Accents software I just downloaded would work on Blogger. Finally, an easy way to type French accents that doesn't risk hand injury. If you type French a lot it is great. I will be buying it today.
No offense to Mr. Hart, but I know as much about him as the Old Crow Medicine Show album "Blonde on Blonde Fifty Years On." Which they are touring now, and advertising on NPR, or I'd never have heard of that either. So it goes.
ReplyDeleteFifty years after, is that still a sequel?
DeleteI used to have a theory that if they pushed an album on Morning Edition that meant it was about 95% certain the music was bad. But I don't know, I don't listen to them, anymore.
Yeah, I'm about as interested in one as in the other. The band is touring the album in Houston, but I have the original, and no more opinion on their effort than on the death of Hart. Frankly, I'm more concerned about people who died in Harvey.
DeleteI had no idea Grant Hart had died until I read it here. It made me laugh when I thought about it, considering this is the last place I’d expect to see any mention of Husker Du based on the music examples you post.
ReplyDeleteBut, a few things, just to note, about Husker Du. To lump them in with the punk scene is a bit misleading. Being from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, they were too far from New York or Los Angeles and too idiosyncratic to fit into either of those holes. Their early albums are textbook hardcore. ‘Land Speed Record’ was created via copious amounts of amphetamines.
But, ‘Zen Arcade,’ (1984) was something different. It expanded the palette of the genre and essentially created what would become known as “alternative rock” while the following albums (‘New Day Rising,’ ‘Flip Your Wig’ and ‘Candy Apple Grey’) pushed things further. Pretty much any and every band from that era and genre who is a worth a damn, and many who are not were influenced, by the Huskers, and moving beyond the limitations of hardcore was largely via the force of Grant’s contributions. “She Floated Away,” “Books About UFOs,” “Sorry Somehow,” and “Never Talking To You Again” would never be anyone’s idea of punk.
I have not looked further into the cause of his death but your idea of donating to prevention centers sounds like the ideal tribute if you’re unfamiliar with his music, or if you are.
Requiescat in pace, Grant. I will be lighting a candle.
If someone hadn't sent me a taunting message I'd never have heard of him.
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