Grant Hart (Husker Du, Nova Mob, solo): RIP*

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Judge Judy, Jul 24, 2017.

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  1. overdrivethree

    overdrivethree Forum Resident

    Bob is a talented writer and performer. I've seen him several times. Shook his hand, too. And you know, he actually struck me as a little testy, but I put that down to him being the guy who wrote all those classic buzzsaw punk pop anthems.

    But his book? I feel that he really stacked himself up high against Grant and Greg, to what I interpret as an exaggerated degree. There is one story about him leaving Greg in the middle of the pit with his mouth hanging open at a Sugar show. There was some web blog where Greg told his side of that one, and it was a far less dramatic (or even interesting) event by his telling.
     
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  2. DrBeatle

    DrBeatle The Rock and Roll Chemist

    Location:
    Midwest via Boston
    Fair enough. They were definitely all to blame in their own ways for Husker's demise. It's just that after reading his memoir and some of the things he's said in interviews, he still seems bitter and angry and a bit full of himself. Glad to know he's good to his fans, though.
     
  3. DrBeatle

    DrBeatle The Rock and Roll Chemist

    Location:
    Midwest via Boston
    I reviewed his book a few years ago and mentioned how Greg has called it "historical fiction," which is probably apt --> The Rock and Roll Chemist: BOOK REVIEW: See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody

    Anyway, back to Grant...
     
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  4. kevimetal

    kevimetal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Exeter, UK
    Wait, what? I've met Bob once and he was a really nice guy. When it became obvious I was nervous talking to him he carried the conversation for me- telling me all about his upcoming album at the time (Blacks Sheets). In fact I've never heard anyone say anything bad about Bob as a person, he's a dude!
     
  5. DrBeatle

    DrBeatle The Rock and Roll Chemist

    Location:
    Midwest via Boston
    I get that. But I read his book and came away liking him considerably less. :shrug: People can be different toward different people, and/or in public or private.
     
  6. Urban Spaceman

    Urban Spaceman Forum Eulipion

    Having read Bob's book and various articles, plus the Grant Hart DVD documentary - it would be safe to say that their personalities are strong enough to have made for a tough situation to be in a band together from a business point of view. The creative edge, of course would thrive on the same tension. I kinda figure the chemistry that made the music as profound as it is, unfortunately made it nearly impossible for the two to work together for any stretch of time. We're lucky they toughed it out as long as they did. I never had the chance to interact personally with any of the Huskers, but Bob seems to be a genuinely good guy to his fans. Greg equally so - he recently approved my friend request on facebook (seems like he's got a great family life now!). Yet, when it comes to Husker - Grant's contribution was way more than I'd originally realized. Just the fact that he designed all the album covers and took no direct credit for it says something about his character. Yet, Grant may also not be the easiest person to get along with either.........

    That said - I hope the new Husker reissue series recognizes Grant's talent as it ought to be. I'd sure like to hear a better live album than The Living End, which - even though I'm glad to have it - always struck me as being a thrown-together, careless affair. The Huskers deserve better.
    --------- Chris
     
  7. bleachershane

    bleachershane Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glasgow, Scotland
    I think they were a complex and sometimes volatile unit, but I'd often heard that Bob wanted to cut the other two to a minimum of royalties and input on the back catalogue and that's why it's taken so long to get to this stage with news of the reissues now being in the works. How public figures are viewed by their fans and how they interact with their associates are sometimes very different.
     
  8. Jeff Kent

    Jeff Kent Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mt. Kisco, NY
    As I recall he also told people not to buy the Poison Years comp.
     
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  9. bRETT

    bRETT Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    Yes, he hated that. As opposed to Living End, which he authorized as long as he didn't have to put it together.
     
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  10. sunspot

    sunspot Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I've met Grant several times down the years. His last time in London I did notice that he looked quite different, gaunt etc....but nothing like these recent pictures. He was on great form and is such a lovely guy. Always takes time out to talk and sign records, have a beer etc. I do hope he is alright. Such a great song-writer and personally speaking, his songs in Husker Du are probably my favourites. His melodies, wonderful lyrics and drumming, just won me over from the first time I ever listened to those records. As for his solo career, there are so many great records. 'Intolerance' just floors me every time I hear it. I need to get 'The Argument' out again as I remember it didn't really catch me, but my expectations were probably too much. I remember liking it but I need to go back. Some fantastic Nova Mob records too.
     
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  11. Bjorn Kjetil Johansen

    Bjorn Kjetil Johansen Vortex Surfer

    Location:
    Oslo, Norway
    Speaking of Poison Years. Whose idea was it to put a picture of Gene Simmons hidden behind the tray? Funny.

    [​IMG]
     
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  12. Judge Judy

    Judge Judy Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    A major reason why the back catalog hasn't been reissued comes down to SST, the label that put out four of their classic albums. Sonic Youth and the Meat Puppets were also on that label, and they both had to sue to get the rights back to the catalog. That whole situation is giant mess.
     
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  13. Judge Judy

    Judge Judy Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    I've met him too. Perfectly nice guy in my experience.
     
  14. Jeff Kent

    Jeff Kent Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mt. Kisco, NY
    I had no idea, will have to look when I get home.
     
  15. dave9199

    dave9199 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, NC
    If he's ill that's probably why we're getting Husker reissues now. The Argument no longer mattered.
     
  16. wildstar

    wildstar Senior Member

    Location:
    ontario, canada
    I don't know the specifics but I'd imagine that Sonic Youth and the Meat Puppets probably got their catalogs back without even needing to enter a courtroom, if what's been said about SST not paying royalties is true. I'd imagine the standard legal settlement would be the reversion of rights/ownership of the masters to the artist in lieu of unpaid royalties.

    The problem with Husker Du would be since the band members can't (or couldn't for a very long time) come to an agreement of what to do if/when they got their rights back, then why would they bother spending the time, effort and especially the legal costs to fight to re-acquire their masters if they're just going to end up sitting on a shelf somewhere because the band members can't come to an agreement on what to do with them.
     
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  17. Judge Judy

    Judge Judy Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    That was my take. The problems they have between each other are only compounded by the SST situation.
     
  18. czeskleba

    czeskleba Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    Yes indeed, he certainly comes across as quite unlikable in his book... a person who blames others incessantly and is unable to acknowledge his own mistakes. IIRC, he admits to making exactly one mistake during his time in Hüsker Dü. And he expresses contempt for the vast majority of his former associates, be they ex-bandmates or ex-boyfriends.
     
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  19. Judge Judy

    Judge Judy Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    The whole book just had a very victimized tone that really didn't do him any favors.
     
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  20. overdrivethree

    overdrivethree Forum Resident

    Victimized, but also "look at me, I'm a peer of William Burroughs, part of the same lineage."

    Zen Arcade is awesome. It's no Naked Lunch.
     
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  21. Judge Judy

    Judge Judy Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    Yeah, not helpful.
     
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  22. Waymore Lonesome

    Waymore Lonesome Forum Resident

    The Bob Mould / Grant Hart story is one we could speculate on forever, but we don't know anything. I know I heard Grant say that he thinks Bob was unhappy about Grant more or less rejecting his advances back in the day, add to that the fact that you're the frontman guitarist singer songwriter and your drummers a much more talented singer and songwriter than you are and responsible for a large part of your success. Bob's solo career outshone Grants though, can't deny that, Grant just hasn't kept up the pace he had back then when he was writing dozens of great songs. The Argument is a sensational masterpiece though.
     
  23. ralphb

    ralphb "First they came for..."

    Location:
    Brooklyn, New York
    One of the big blow ups they had was when Grant got a false positive HIV diagnosis. Mould was not happy about Hart's heroin use, and when Hart's Methadone supply leaked into a sink, Mould cancelled a bunch of shows thinking Hart couldn't perform, including an AIDS benefit. Hart was not happy about that.
     
  24. Judge Judy

    Judge Judy Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    Honestly, this is where I tend to side more with Bob than Grant. I've never partaken, but I've dealt with enough people who have to know that once they start using that stuff, there will be problems, and they will eventually become your problems.
     
  25. DJ LX

    DJ LX Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison WI
    There was also the issue of Mould and Norton cancelling the tour out of concern for Hart's health. Suppose they hadn't cancelled, thus forcing a desperate Hart to score some heroin off the street in order to function, resulting in his death due to an OD (not an implausible scenario given a user's tolerance is lower after attempting to quit). Then everyone would be blaming them for not looking out for Hart when he was in a vulnerable position.
     
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2017
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