Land Speed Record was the first full-length record by Hüsker Dü, released in 1981. A fast and furious hardcore workout recorded live at a bar in St. Paul, Minnesota, it bears almost no resemblance to the melodic post-punk that the band became known for in the mid 80's. The title has a double meaning, referencing both the band's ability to play as fast as they can (there's 17 songs crammed into 26½ minutes) and their penchant for speed of the amphetamine pill variety. Top: Publicity photo distributed by SST Records, 1985. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The name Saint Paul may refer to one of several possible meanings or references, though it is most commonly used to refer to the Biblical Paul of Tarsus. ... State nickname: North Star State, The Land of 10,000 Lakes, The Gopher State Official languages None Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) Senators Mark Dayton (D) Norm Coleman (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 12th 225,365 km² 8. ...

The album sounds like straightforward hardcore at first glance; with volume and power being emphasized over melody, it's the Hüsker Dü record that least sounds like Hüsker Dü. Yet there are some elements emerging under the wash of noise that foreshadow the band's future direction. "Don't Try To Call" is one of their catchiest early songs, while Hart's "Data Control" slows the tempo to conjure a creepy musical mood to match the paranoia of the lyrics. (The band also inexplicably does a hardcore version of the theme from "Gilligan's Island"). With lo-fi sound quality, Land Speed Record is most useful as a period piece, essential for diehard Hüsker Dü fans and anybody interested in early 80's hardcore punk. Top: Publicity photo distributed by SST Records, 1985. ...

Track Listing

Note: The CD version only has two tracks, combining the two blocks of songs, the band took a small break inbetween. Track 1 is songs 1 to 8 and track 2 is songs 9 to 17.

1. All Tensed Up (2:02)
2. Don't Try To Call (1:30)
3. I'm Not Interested (1:31)
4. Guns At My School (0:55)
5. Push The Button (1:48)
6. Gilligan's Island (1:23)
7. M.T.C. (1:09)
8. Don't Have A Life (2:09)
9. Bricklayer (0:53)
10. Tired Of Doing Things (0:58)
11. You're Naive (0:53)
12. Strange Week (0:57)
13. Do The Bee (1:49)
14. Big Sky (0:57)
15. Ultracore (0:47)
16. Let's Go Die (1:26)
17. Data Control (5:28)

Personnel

• Bob Mould - guitar, vocals
• Greg Norton - bass, vocals
• Grant Hart - drums, vocals

Bob Mould (b. ... Greg Norton (circa 1986). ... Grant Hart (born March 18, 1961) was the drummer and with Bob Mould one of two main singer/songwriters for Hüsker Dü, a pioneering punk rock group from Minneapolis-St. ...

Trivia

• At the end of the album, Bob Mould says "we'll be back for another set". Mould told Rolling Stone in 1986 that he still has the tape "somewhere".

• "Bricklayer" also appeared on the band's first studio album, "Everything Falls Apart" and can now be found on the Rhino reissue, "Everything Falls Apart and More".

• T-shirts with the cover of the album were put out by the label SST in the early to mid 90's, SST being the label which Hüsker Dü were on at the time. These shirts are extremely rare now.