Hüsker Dü - "Savage Young Dü" 4LP/3CD (2017)

I'm sure folks who are hankering for this set (and on this list we're all on alert!) will have no trouble securing one. Numero's got their reasons for doing more limited runs, and until now I've been able to get past their past titles with no problem and at fair prices.

I think they are firmly committed to doing lavish, physical releases. In fact, I remember something about them discontinuing download cards because they weren't worth the expense or hassle of prepping 'em.

 

This is fantastic news, especially with Numero involved. Their Best Show box is a thing of beauty.

 

I'll wait to see how it goes, but it'd be cool to get remastered reissues of the individual albums, and then sets like this with just the unreleased rare stuff

 

It will be a mad dash to pre-order once it is announced.

 

Which really does take all the fun out of it. Buying music shouldn't be stressful.

 

For anyone who doesn't know, the Everything Falls Apart album and "In A Free Land" ep are up on Spotify . These are from the Numero box and the sound is quite a bit better than the original releases.

 

Two thoughts about this: (1) If I owned a label I'd be skeptical about putting anything out on CD at this point as interest in the format and value for collectors continue to plummet. Hopefully there's still a market, but it's shrinking pretty quickly. (2) The Husker Du albums from SST and WB sounded terrible on CD and only slightly better on reissued vinyl, so for me original vinyl is the way to go. I just added an original Flip Your Wig and it sounds vastly better than the SST reissue, there's actually bass and decent dynamic range, not a given with most of these reissues.

 

I'm hoping there's an effort being made to improve the sound (is that even possible?) for the CD and vinyl boxes. If so, I'll likely pick up the CD box to augment the original vinyl, which I agree at this point is superior to the previous CD releases.

 

Which is a shame, as I was excited to finally pick that up today.

I don't think this change will affect the Husker Du campaign too much. To me, this (kinda disappointing) sale looks like Numero clearing out leftover piles of product. Most of what they reissue is pretty niche, so it makes sense the demand doesn't always match the supply. I'm sure, going forward, the plan is to release smaller, more realistic quantities for most of their reissues. They can probably rely on Husker Du to sell pretty well, though.

 

There are copies for $30 or less on Discogs, which seems pretty fair (and close to the MSRP).

 

My favourite rumour is that this is the first out of FIVE box sets.

 

Don't see how that would be possible. If this box goes up to Metal Circus, that would leave Zen Arcade, New Day Rising and Flip Your Wig plus various non lp tracks and live stuff for a second box. I'm pretty sure the Warners era is not part of the deal, so how five boxes could be achieved is beyond me.
Pre orders for Savage Young Du will supposedly be available some time in September.

 

I know it sounds over the top, but considering the amount of live tapes they've posted pictures of alone, everything is possible. Whether it is profitable is another thing, and whether the band signs off on it is yet another. I choose to remain optimistic that Numero will pull off some surprises.

 

No way would it be profitable to put out a box built around, say, Zen Arcade. There probably aren't that many outtakes, so it would have a lot of live tracks, which would be fine with me as 1983/1984 they were a monster live band, and I would love it if they'd include a DVD of the Love Hall concert from 1983 that's on You Tube. It would also be nice if they rescued the live "Ticket To Ride" that was part of an old NME giveaway 45.
But Numero seems to be slimming down and I'd rather they do two comprehensive sets that include some concerts rather than overloaded sets for the albums. Even though I feel the band deserves it this series has to be bought and if it languishes on the shelves after the faithful purchase it, it defeats the purpose of something like this, which is to satisfy the fans while turning newbies on to the fantastic music they made.

 

Let's not panic too much here. From following Numero on Twitter for a while, it seems like CD releases are still part of their plan (for the immediate future, at least) - but in lower quantities than before, with no re-pressings after the first run sells out.

To add some perspective: for the latest in their Warfaring Strangers series (a much more niche concern than the Dü reissues), which went up for preorder just a few days ago, they're pressing 2,000 CDs.

The Unwound 10CD set from last year was limited to 1,000 copies and is still available on their site.

The Ork set that seems to be just about to slip out of print came out nearly two years ago.

Numero have pretty vocal in the past about their disdain of "manufactured ratites", so I'd expect their future pressing run numbers to reflect what they think they can sell - rather than attempting to artificially jack up the value for collectors.

So, while I'm certainly not advising anyone to sit on their hands here, my guess is (he said, hopefully... ) that the vast majority of people who want to pick up this set will be able to do so.

 

I've read that the second box will be just Zen Arcade, third will be New Day Rising & Flip Your Wig. I'd imagine that the WB albums are included then if that leaves 2 more boxes.

 

I am counting the days even though no dates have been announced

 

I'm wondering what's on this.
I hope not too much with Land Speed Record.
I had all their records including the original first two singles and Land Speed Record all up to The Living End,
but I only saw them on their Land Speed Record tour. They were terrible, and otherwise I love Husker Du. Amusement is a million times better than when they tried to do thrash.
I'd like to hear it whatever it is, regardless.
I don't know why a damn LP with the CDs, I did that with the Ramones for one ******* disc and I'm getting sick of it. I can't afford it anymore.

 

They should have named it "All the Young Dü's"...

 

I have 3 hours of outtakes of Zen Arcade on a 3 disk set.

 

Most of that three-disc set consists of underdubs and alternate mixes of the released takes, not alternate takes. I really doubt they'd release all that stuff, because with a few exceptions (eg the backwards guitar version of "Somewhere") the variations are not that notable.

Speaking of alternate mixes though, one thing I would love to hear: I was reading an old interview with Grant the other day, and he mentioned that he'd overdubbed a slide guitar onto "The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill" and Bob forced him to remove it (telling him that he could either have that or the piano on "Books About UFOs" but not both). I wonder if a mix with that guitar survives, or if there's multi-tracks with it on them?

 

What kind of either/or nonsense is that?

 

Assuming it's true, I would guess it was either a desire to maintain stylistic "purity" without two many varied instruments, paranoia about someone besides him playing guitar on an album, or simply being an ass for its own sake. This is of course the same album where Bob refused to record "2541" because he thought it was too similar to a Dream Syndicate song, which incidentally is the one mistake he acknowledges making in his book (he admits that his refusal significantly damaged his and Grant's relationship going forward).

 

The Heaven Hill/UFO thing is in Andrew Earles's Husker Du book.

 

I know... I want days. Give me days.