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Soul Asylum is an alternative rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1983, best known for their double-platinum album Grave Dancers Union, and their Grammy Award winning single "Runaway Train."

History

The group was an outgrowth of a previous band, Loud Fast Rules, formed in 1981 by guitarist Dan Murphy, bassist Karl Mueller, and drummer Dave Pirner. Grant Young joined the group in 1983, taking over the drums from Pirner, who switched to rhythm guitar. The first Soul Asylum record was released in 1984 under the local Twin/Tone label, and they quickly became a mainstay of the local Twin Cities music scene.

The group signed with A&M Records in 1988 where they released Hang Time and And The Horse They Rode In On. Due to poor sales and Dave's hearing problems, the group considered disbanding. After playing a series of acoustic shows in the early 1990s they were picked up by Columbia Records. In 1992 they released Grave Dancers Union, which became their most popular album. On January 20, 1993, the group performed at the first inauguration of United States President Bill Clinton. The next year, Pirner received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for "Runaway Train."

The video for "Runaway Train" featured photographs and names of missing children in a public service video style. At the end of the video, Pirner appears and says "If you see one these children, or you are one, please call this number," before a missing children telephone helpline number appeared. For use outside the USA, the video was edited to include photos and names of missing children from the area the video would be used. The video was instrumental in reuniting several children with their families.

Grant Young was fired, replaced by Sterling Campbell, who had been listed as providing "percussion" on Grave Dancers Union (although it turned out he had actually done at least half of the drumming on that album *). The next release, Let Your Dim Light Shine saw the track "Misery" reach the Top 20, but the album was not as successful as the band's previous one. The group returned in 1998 to release Candy from a Stranger and also recorded a live benefit concert for victims of the Red River Flood of 1997. It was released in 2004.

Dave Pirner has become good friends with Kevin Smith, a longtime Soul Asylum fan. Soul Asylum have had music in two Kevin Smith films, "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy," even filming a video (directed by Smith) for "Can't Even Tell" featured on the "Clerks" soundtrack. Pirner also wrote the score for Smith's 1997 effort "Chasing Amy". In 2002 he released his first and only solo album to date entitled Faces And Names on Ultimatum records.

Bassist Karl Mueller was diagnosed with throat cancer in May 2004 and underwent treatment. In October 2004, a benefit concert was held for him in Minneapolis's Quest nightclub, and featured many popular local groups and musicians from the 1980s and 1990s such as the Gear Daddies, Paul Westerberg, and Bob Mould who reunited with Hüsker Dü bandmate Grant Hart for the occasion. At the time, Mueller's cancer was in remission, and he played with his bandmates during the show. Mueller recorded his last Soul Asylum album that year (2004). However, the cancer later returned, and he died at his home on June 17, 2005.

Soul Asylum plans on releasing their new album in July of 2006 and it will be entitled The Silver Lining. This will be their first album of new material in 8 years since Candy from a Stranger. Soul Asylum was joined by Minneapolis all-star drummer Michael Bland for the album, and the new album has been referred to as consererably more "old school" than Candy From a Stranger.

For many years, guitarist Dan Murphy has been a core member of the local "supergroup" Golden Smog.

In the Fall of 2005, Tommy Stinson (formerly of The Replacements) and Michael Bland joined Soul Asylum for a few shows in tribute to the late Karl Mueller. There has been much talk of a tour in support of the new album in 2006.

Discography

Singles

  • "Sometime to Return" (1988)
  • "Beggars and Choosers" (1988)
  • "Cartoon" (1989)
  • "We 3" (1990)
  • "All The King's Friends" (1991)
  • "Somebody to Shove" (1993)
  • "Runaway Train" (1993)
  • "Can't Even Tell" (1994)
  • "Misery" (1995)
  • "String of Pearls" (1995)
  • "Promises Broken" (1996)
  • "I Will Still Be Laughing" (1998)
  • "Close" (1999)
  • "Stand Up And Be Strong" (2006)

Year Title Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock UK
1990 "Spinnin'" - #15 #24 - And the Horse They Rode in On
1990 "Easy Street" - #26 - - And the Horse They Rode in On
1992 "Somebody To Shove" - #1 #9 #32 Grave Dancers Union
1993 "Black Gold" - #6 #4 #26 Grave Dancers Union
1993 "Runaway Train" #5 #13 #3 #7 Grave Dancers Union
1993 "Sexual Healing" - #10 - - Grave Dancers Union
1993 "Without A Trace" - #27 #6 - Grave Dancers Union
1993 "Summer Of Drugs" - #20 - - Sweet Relief: A Benefit For Victoria Williams
1994 "Can't Even Tell" - #16 - - Clerks soundtrack
1995 "Just Like Anyone" - #19 #11 - Let Your Dim Light Shine
1995 "Misery" #20 #1 #2 #30 Let Your Dim Light Shine
1996 "Promises Broken" #63 - #29 - Let Your Dim Light Shine
1998 "I Will Still Be Laughing" - #24 #23 - Candy From A Stranger

External links

References

Alternative musical groups | Rock music groups | Minnesota musical groups

Soul Asylum | Soul Asylum

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Soul Asylum".

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