Photo by Michael Pflughoeft
Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum
In ‘80s Minneapolis Soul Asylum shared bills with Hüsker Du and learned from their example. Challenging the dogma of hardcore, both bands showed that melody was not anathema in punk rock. Soul Asylum debuted on the indie Twin Tone Records and were scouted soon enough by major labels. Loud and scruffy, they shared many affinities with the grunge bands fermenting in Seattle at that same time and didn’t click nationwide until grunge became ascendent. Soul Asylum’s 1992 album Grave Dancers Union went triple platinum and included a Top-5 Billboard single, the Grammy-winning “Runaway Train.” In the ’90s, Soul Asylum contributed music to three of Kevin Smith’s films, including Clerks and Chasing Amy, but underwent deaths and personnel changes throughout the current century. Their most recent album, Hurry Up and Wait, was released in 2020.
