[Nickels in the Arcade] -- I'm showcasing two albums this week, Zen Arcade by Hüsker Dü and Double Nickels on the Dime by Minutemen. Both are double albums, which is kind of unusual for the punk genre. But that means you're getting a heap of musical content: a total run time of 2 hours, 31 minutes, and 10 seconds. And, no, sharing two albums isn't simply a case of me not being able to choose one over the other. The fact is that these two releases are forever paired in my mind. There are several reasons for that.
First, both bands were power trios in the American punk and hardcore scene.
Second, both records were released on July 3, 1984, 40 years ago this week.
Third, both records were released by the independent label, SST Records. In fact, they were sequential releases (Zen Arcade is SST 027 while Double Nickels on the Dime is SST 028).
And, finally, both records appear on lists of great, or even greatest, rock albums, particularly from the 1980s (for example: Zen Arcade is #33 on Rolling Stone's Best Albums of the 1980s and Double Nickels is #413 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time).
So, if punk is your thing, and you like clever lyrics on a variety of topics, give these classics a proverbial spin. Particularly if you're a fan of blistering guitar and rapid-fire rhythms!
Flashback #1: Zen Arcade (July 3, 1984)
Zen Arcade, Hüsker Dü's second studio album, is rooted in hardcore punk. But it also showcases Hüsker Dü as a band that is growing and expanding. It's a concept album that tells the story of a young runaway who finds that the outside world is much worse than his unfulfilling home life (Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991 by Michael Azerrad, p.181). There were no singles, or music videos, from this album. But standouts among the 23 tracks include: "Dreams Recovering," "Indecision Time," "Newest Industry," "Broken Home, Broken Heart," "Turn on the News," "Somewhere," and "I’m Never Talking to You Again."
Flashback #2: Double Nickels on the Dime (July 3, 1984)
Minutemen had originally recorded a single album's worth of material for their third studio release. But upon hearing Zen Arcade from their labelmates Hüsker Dü, recorded a month earlier, they decided to write more material. In the liner notes for Double Nickels, "Take that Hüskers!" is meant to give the Hüskers credit for the idea to make a double album (Double Nickels on the Dime 33⅓ by Michael T. Fournier, p.9-10). Not that Minutemen actually had a unifying concept for the double album, expect maybe (loosely) their cars. Similar to Zen Arcade, Double Nickels on the Dime boasts neither singles nor music videos (unless you count their super-brief cover of Van Halen's "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love"). And with their much shorter songs, this collection clocks in with 45 individual tracks (though only the original vinyl release has the full set of songs). It wasn't commercially successful, but it has had a lasting legacy: It was included in the book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, and (as I mentioned earlier) it appears on multiple "best of" lists. Not bad for a band with only five years of total activity.
And that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.
I'll see you in seven!
