Minnesota Hardcore

Hüsker Dü began when Greg Norton met Grant Hart at a record store in West St. Paul. Bob Mould comes to a Ramones show and the power trio is born. The band creates a label, Reflex records, and soon bond with Dead Kennedys front man, Jello Biafra. The Huskers put out the first Minnesota hardcore vinyl, Land Speed Record. The Replacements are their major rivals, comments Tommy Stinson.

This episode shows the hardcore scene sprouting from the excitement of the earlier punk culture. The Blu Hippos, Todlachen, Rifle Sport, Loud Fast Rules (which later became Soul Asylum) and Red Meat were some of the early bands that helped form the Minnesota hardcore scene.

A look at legendary Minneapolis punk rock dive Goofy’s Upper Deck. Hardcore bands that played the club between 1983 and 1984 include Black Flag, The Minutemen, JFA, Big Boys, and Discharge, who had a fierce battle with Hüsker Dü. Saint Paul band Willful Neglect and Minneapolis band Final Conflict both called themselves the house band. The manager, Fred Gartner, describes the final riot.

The people behind the hardcore scene in Minneapolis. Lori Barbero of Babes in Toyland fame lived in a punk rock party house and put on a Minor Threat show with Ian Mackaye. Your Flesh fanzine is profiled along with sound man and record store guy Terry Katzman. Garage Productions and Michelle Strauss describe putting on shows in VFW halls with Corrosion of Conformity and Government Issue.

As hardcore, thrash, and slam dancing becomes routine, the Minnesota punk rock scene splinters off into different musical genres. DKV are art students bent on making uncomfortable noise, while Otto’s Chemical Lounge with Tom Hazlemyer and Dale T. Nelson are inspired by 1960s psychedelia like Blue Cheer and Jimi Hendrix. Dave Pirner and Danny Murphy of Soul Asylum comment on R.E.M.

By 1985, the Twin Cities had a new generation of hardcore kids. Hanging out at the Uptown Minneapolis McDonalds, these Minnesota kids were known as McPunks, and their bands were Outcry and Iron Fist. Spurring The Replacements, these bands wanted to play with The Exploited. Later bands like Misery, Quincy Punx and Kitten Forever who have continued the tradition of hardcore in the Twin Cities.