Husker Du - Live on Late Show with Joan Rivers

[@sydbarrett5]

I love that they recreated the album cover.

[@johnlucas2317]

This was actually a pretty good interview! In the pre-Nirvana days, it was actually a really big deal for an underground band to sign with a major label. In some quarters, it meant you had finally "made it", but in other quarters it meant you had "sold out". Whoever prepped Joan's questions knew what they were talking about and why this was a relevant question. (Hey, maybe she prepped her own questions, but I suspect the show had someone on staff whose job that was.) Anyhow, Husker Du and the Replacements were among the first of the American underground bands of the '80s to sign with a major. Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr would follow, and then grunge hit the mainstream and kicked open the floodgates... for better or worse.

[@flagemdown66]

I remember staying up to watch this and tape it on the vcr and it was just so strange... back then being a fan of band's like Husker Du and The Replacements, etc. it was like you were rooting for your team... it was great to see any of "Your Bands" get on t.v. or move up to bigger places. Too bad it usually meant the end of the band's run.

[@carlhart9604]

First time I heard Nirvana I remember thinking "my God , The Replacements finally made it" Even though it's not them.

[@williamwilliams2505]

If you didn't have cable tv, It was like spotting a unicorn in the wild.

[@ATXviIIIe]

Yeah, man. Gear Daddies on Letterman was kind of fun for us St Cloud State stoned students late night. But they don't come close to The Mats and Husker Du!

[@charleybarley914]

@@carlhart9604 and the first time I heard Hole I thought damn Kat has mellowed out and put out a pop record but the Babes will sell alot of records.

[@jonkomatsu8192]

I watched this as a kid! Wow! Years have slipped away. But the song and band are still, and will always be, great. Thanks! 🤙🎶

[@mjoet731]

Bob played "Could You Be the One?" in the 7th St. Entry (Minneapolis) last night and dedicated it to Joan.

[@jenniferreyes7381]

Bob is amazing and I'm glad he dedicated it to her. I have the 7" of them on her show and it's a prized possession.

[@davidhlavac3704]

I was there! What a legendary show.

[@chriscole6545]

Husker Du on Joan Rivers!? This has to be one of the most surreal videos ever.

[@sydbarrett5]

Check out Wire on the Suzanne Somers Show.

[@citizenseventies6738]

Love the way she gives Grant a hug and Bob and Greg just get a handshake - Clearly she thinks he is the cute one, bless him. RIP Grant.

[@tedcantu1]

I like this alternative take on the song compared to the album. Bob Mould is full of surprises. Just by raising it up an octave here and there this becomes a totally different experience. That solo really nails it out. This is still powerful !!

[@JacquesDray]

Minneapolis sure knows how to crank out the tunes, especially with the Replacements and Husker Du. Gotta love this performance.

[@cellojordan]

According to Michael Azerrad's "Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991," Bob, Grant, and Greg were jamming, playing Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer." One of the song's verses is in French, so one of them started yelling all the foreign phrases he could think of. One of the phrases that was yelled was "Husker Du." And the rest is history.

[@nypunkmunk]

This is the greatest moment in rock. Only second to Bowie singing with bing Crosby. The guys handled that weirdnest with greatest class. Now at this age I really appreciate that even with the sharpest divide of cultures, fuck, Joan rivers with husker du. Sometimes the opposite ends which have no meaning to be together work. Nice bow tie Joan.

[@p4horror]

Husker Du was the absolute greatest. The funny thing is I saw this when it aired when I was 17 and I never thought I'd see this taping again. Thanks chokito91 for this gem

[@Sammyzuko]

This reminds me of the scene from Back To The Future where McFly is on stage and plays some rock music that's way ahead of it's time.

[@EricDodsonLectures]

Yeah, it's definitely like that.

[@wide_awake]

💯

[@daverychling2970]

My favorite game as a kid

[@miked6426]

Warehouse has so many good tunes on it..I forgot about this gem

[@hayzeephantayzee]

This surely is bizarre. But legend has it that Warner didn't know what to do with them. Then again, those were the times. There was no blueprint for the mainstream indüstry yet how to deal with this kind of thing.

[@mrgrey361]

hayzeephantayzee Why wouldn't Warner know what to do with them? They were a rock band, and Warner was in the business of managing and promoting rock bands. Probably had more to do with the fact that Bob and Grant couldn't stand the sight of one another at this point.

[@Druffmaul]

I loved Warehouse, but I never saw them live during that era... these live versions are so great. I always assumed the album was slightly over produced, but damn.

[@whiskeyprick]

I did, my once and only time in Denver. Standing in line outside I heard them rehearse this song as were getting drunk. Then Grant walked by in a haze. I didn't realize who it was til later. great show, such a loss

[@greenalishi222]

So great

[@snoeleopard]

This Rocks! these guys are also some of the nicest people in music. Their last show was awesome and they should have been seen by more people.

[@pasthomas]

Whatever gets you to listen to Husker Du is your own personal business.

[@arnonuhm7193]

crazy historic footage (thanks), unbelievable this is from only 1-2 years before Nirvana entered the landscape, it feels like decades older, almost more like the time of Sex pistols in Bill Grundy show... Huesker paved the way for all the Nirvanas and Smashing Pumpkins etc

[@Schenectadont]

As a friend of mine likes to say, "1991 was when the 1950s ended."

[@DaveAnchovies]

signing to Warner Brothers didn't help them and they put out two records as good as the to before it, a bit cleaned up. Not much promo, though they had a big, devoted following. Over all, i like Candy Apple Gray at least as much as Flip Your Whig--i just think its too slick, but the songs are there...even on the 2x lp. They probably had more in them, 2 of them wanted to kill each other and they were just a forgotten indie band stuck on Warner Brothers. Personally, i think the Du had run its course. That was what the band wanted...they had total artistic freedom...your giving us this money to record, we're using it. all of it.

[@alaskatoburningmen4549]

@@Schenectadont Exactly right, well put!

[@bendover9663]

@@Schenectadont nah I'd say it was when the 80s ended, maybe 92, 76 / 77 was when the 60s ended, 50s ended in about 65

[@kakstin]

Made me want to listen to 'Warehouse' again. Been a long time. :-)

[@RisforRockit]

Absolutely. Almost every great band had these dynamics going on, in every genre. It's so unlikely to meet a musical soulmate, this is something to be cherished, but usually, like Strummer/Jones, Morrissey/Marr, or Hart/Mould, it can't go on for a long time. So if you find that someone, burn burn burn!

[@Detroit1967]

Hüsker Dü, Replacements, Dream Syndicate, True West, Band of Outsiders, Rain Parade, Jeff Dahl, Plan 9, Plasticland.............. so many cool bands in the 80s

[@sillyrabbittnj]

Saw this live back in the day and have it on VHS somewhere. Great to see it again - thanks for posting!

[@30Flambeau]

RIP Joan

[@p4horror]

All of my favorite Husker Du songs like Makes No Sense At All, Celebrated Summer; etc. have been with Bob Mould singing. He had a very unique tone.

[@lethrneck4]

this performance, and Dinosaur JR on the jenny jones show...2 of the weirdest fucking things 2 of my fav bands ever did haha

[@ringadong]

warehouse is a treasure trove of amazing songs!

[@Dubmaniac]

Thanks for posting this- it's the first time I've seen it since I saw it on live TV...exactly twenty years ago today.

[@dapernz]

i like how they used the decor form the album cover

[@p4horror]

I have to comment again because this live version is better than the album recording. Bob sings with different notes and with more passion here. Flawless performance.

[@MST3Killa]

gotta love the mic hovering above the heads hahahaha

[@philagar]

these are cutting edge punk rock? these brothers of punk changed the world as we no it. thank god the mighty lords for husker du the descendents and social D

[@717mienbao]

Wow, what a great blast from the past. Thanks for posting.

[@stevenhaas9622]

Greg's mustache looks especially Geraldo Rivera here.

[@p4horror]

Bob & Grant even shared a smile during this performance during the end of the solo. Who would've thought they weren't getting along & that this would be the last Husker album. I guess all good things have to come to an end sometimes.

[@erikbrantly4015]

They play like they actually love doing it.

[@Nummymuffincocobutter]

One of the best bands from the 80's on The Tonight Show when Joan had her first face.Husker Du were way ahead of their time...

[@davidhlavac3704]

Greg is absolutely slaying

[@ThomasGenzardi]

I saw Bob At Irving Plaza NYC it was just him and his guitar.. Last Dog and Pony Show.. Loved It.. Almost wrecked driving back home to upstate NY.. Fun Times...

[@RoyalSouvenir]

Beautifully put.

[@brownjl]

joan rivers introducing husker du... freakin surreal.

[@lowend]

Most definitely! Husker Du was always a little bit more intelligent and insightful than a lot of there contemporaries.

[@chevyvan10]

so far ahead of their time.... it still sounds fresh.

[@BlackHoleSun97]

I Don't Even Know What I'm Fighting For!

[@mattisprettycool]

I'd kill for a reunion.

[@benk9947]

Not joking - pretty sure this is the first video I ever watched on KZbin.

[@harveylegs]

Joan Rivers + Husker Du = Thank you

[@tfronky]

I never saw this before. Love(d) the band, still do and miss them immensely. I have to admit, i was a bigger fan of Sugar however. Thanks for posting this!

[@Pstaines439]

Saw Bob a few years ago solo in Auckland, NZ. Then Grant came out here too.... a lot of bad feeling from Grant towards Bob. Still love them both...

[@eddiegalon3714]

I was disappointed when Warehouse came out. It was way to pop and to "well produced" for what I loved about Husker Du. But now listening to it it's actually really really good. I remember buying Flip Your Wig on cassette and it rocked my world. Their work has only gotten better with age. They really were great.

[@lahgo82]

one of my all time favorite singing drummers UROK grant!

[@scharlesworth93]

R.I.P. Grant

[@maximospark]

Man those were some embarrassing questions... "Who's the calm one?"... If I were interviewing Husker Du I'd have some more interesting questions lined up.

[@AllHailZeppelin]

their hometown is the same as mine, sweet

[@paddlepop77]

R.I.P. Joan

[@wickscassidy]

LIGHT YEARS AHEAD!

[@tbaernthaler]

this is awesome. thx for posting it. what a great band.

[@kaput450]

That was RADICAL!

[@JeffSchmitz]

Such a great band

[@ceevishus4130]

one of the greatest bands ever

[@cypherks]

Thank you so much for putting this up. Slowly but surely educating my daughter that Green Day, Fenix, TX and Yellowcard are good, but 3rd generation punk, if punk at all! Yay!

[@nikkari69]

What a vocal melody. HD=Best band in this f...ig world!

[@mdc848]

that was fantastic. thanks for posting this!

[@billowandbethany]

i also love "Gravity." that rolling bass part just sends me every time. if that's not my favorite tune of theirs, it might be "Standing By Th Sea."

[@pjtaylor7]

great stuff - thanks for posting

[@ThomasGenzardi]

5:03 Joan says will you come back again? .. Did They? I wish Husher Du were still together and touring... ;'(

[@catherinezetareticuli9003]

no.they made enuff.check Hot Wax.by grant

[@TrazomTrakOg]

It's a miracle that musicians who compliment eachother so immensely can actually find eachother in such a big world. :p This is one of the greatest musical combinations there was. Too bad about how it ended..

[@snardlefarb]

bless you for posting this. such an under-appreciated band. they ruckin' focked! s.

[@markwolfe4444]

The refrain in Could You Be the One has a little bit of a Peter Holsapple sound to it--do you hear it? Bob is fantastic!

[@hundhun17]

Bob Mould is one of the greatest guitar players of all time. In London in 1985 everyone stood with their jaws open as he played. It was SO loud.

[@erikbrantly4015]

Green Day is in the HOF but not Husker Du?

[@dj-um7el]

Sadly yeah

[@erikbrantly4015]

@@dj-um7el Seriously, what the fuck?

[@DMCrimson]

Holy shit, they played the same day i was born. That's...epic.

[@ood2112]

The song She's a woman taught me a lot.

[@nancyschleif6295]

RIP Grant Hart

[@sigmund5]

I remember distinctly the day I ripped open this album and put in on. I don't remember a lot of day

[@p4horror]

That's so true. Definitely cleaner than most of their albums. Usually it's the other way around.

[@votejello]

Props to Joan for saying their name right!

[@Redawuk1]

Sooo good.

[@LucasEletricGuitar]

One of my favoutite band

[@hrubygirl]

Oh my gosh, this brings back such happy memories...I actually met Bob Mould in the 80's...was dating someone who knew him before he got so famous...anyhoo...I remember it was April in Minnesota and freezing and we three went to a wrestling match together...I was wearing a white mini-skirt and a top made out of rags and lime green gloves...woo-hoo....we had so much fun and Bob was amazingly laid back and almost shy in a cute kind of way...very very nice guy...it was such an awesome time!!!!!!!!!!

[@veiza]

Most stylish moustache in rock for Greg!!! And Grant, yeah, u are definitely the Wild Boy!!!

[@turtlelefant]

this guys rocks!

[@johnvndonut]

funny.. i remember missing this show because i was out playing basketball and went out for for beers afterwards... now twenty years later ,first time....

[@Shattersmith]

Righteous!! Sweet breath from Jah!!!

[@beelzabubba]

Husker Du is my favorite band of all time. They are the Beatles of underground. Do you remember?

[@gaspanda]

There's a song by sebadoh called gimme indie rock where they talk about husker du breaking down barriers (in relation to hardcore) and that's really what they were doing, rather than selling out.

[@grantwk]

Brilliant.

[@jeligula]

I love the duct tape on Bob's Flying V.

[@GEOpz838]

I would have liked to see Husker Du play this show in 1981 :)

[@liverneck2001]

i had the board game husker du-it was a type of memory game....

[@NEWBOMBTURKS]

When I saw Foo Fighters at 1st Ave in Mpls Dave Grohl invited Grant Hart onstage and they sang "Never talking to you again" That was pretty sweet.

[@colin6603]

Here to sing you could be the one

[@masataka986]

super style!!!!!!!

[@trumpgottagoitmfa9216]

R.I.P. Grant and Thank you

[@gulllars]

Husker du also means do you remember in Norwegian, and swedish also, not just danish. It's written the exact same way in all 3 languages.

[@styxcreek]

I like Joan rivers. She also had a bit part in one of my favourite movies - the swimmer - with burt lancaster.

[@kellymaxxrepinski4480]

Flawless... Wow.. Km

[@talpajam]

the Voice