Hüsker Dü's Grant Hart: hardcore punk's inspired soul

The musician, whose death at 56 of cancer has been announced, played drums in the band that sparked the grunge explosion, but commercial success always seemed to elude himLuck was barely on speaking terms with Grant Hart. When, in 1986, his group Hüsker Dü became the first from America’s teeming hardcore-punk scene to sign to a major label, Hart could scarcely celebrate – he’d been misdiagnosed HIV-positive, and believed his days were numbered. A year later, Hüsker Dü toured what would be their final album, Warehouse: Songs and Stories – a tour overshadowed by the suicide of the group’s manager, David Savoy, the night before they set off on the road. Hart began taking methadone in an attempt to kick the heroin addiction that was souring his already tempestuous relationship with his bandmates, guitarist/singer Bob Mould and bassist Greg Norton. But as their tour van reached Columbia, Missouri, Hart discovered that his bottle of methadone had broken, and he wouldn’t have enough to see out the rest of the tour. Hart swore that, even despite his withdrawal symptoms, he’d be able to play the rest of the dates; nevertheless, Mould cancelled the rest of the tour, and Hüsker Dü never recorded or played together again. Continue reading…
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