Grant Hart, The Rock Singer-Drummer Of Hüsker Dü

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Grant Hart is American Drummer from the seminal alternative rock band Hüsker Dü.

He’s one of the phenomenal drummers who sing and have many other musical skills, including guitar and songwriting. Hart had a difficult childhood, but the drums saved him and made him one of the best drummers in the industry. He got up and kept growing since then.

Even though he’s already gone from this world, his personality and crafts will remain remembered by everyone who knows him.

Grant Hart’s Early Life

Grant Hart With His Bandmates
Grant Hart with his bandmates

Grant Hart was born in South St. Paul, Minnesota, on March 18, 1961. Hart grew up as the youngest child in a family that he called a “typical American dysfunctional family.” Their parents kept fighting, and even his father did abusive things.

His childhood became more clamp when his brother was killed by a drunk driver when Hart was still 10. After the death of his brother, Hart inherited his brother’s drum set and records and played drums like crazy. His brother was the one who introduced him to this musical instrument.

Grant Hart joined the band at this school. His teen life was spent practicing drums every week as it was a requirement. Hart kept growing with music and finally formed a band to release creative expressions.

Hüsker Dü’s Drummer

Grant Hart formed a band named Hüsker Dü with Bob Mould and his friend Greg Norton in 1979. It was a band with semi alternative rock genre. They had pretty hard days in the early days.

Their parents even helped them to take care of some tools and financial things, like how Hart’s mother let him use the copier machine at the credit union where she worked to make show flyers. Thanks to her, the band could release their first single, Statues, on their label Reflex Records in 1981. Unfortunately, they didn’t get success immediately. 

As time passed, Hüsker Dü’s music became more acceptable and felt melodic to the public. The band played faster, tighter, more harmonious, and even more of a hippie style than their early albums. Hart started to do songwriting in late 1982. Some of the early songs he wrote are 1983’s Metal Circus EP and Diane.

His career with the band kept blooming as Rolling Stone listed their album as Number 33 on the 100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s and Number 13 on the Greatest Punk Albums of All Time. Hart wrote or produced some classic songs, such as Standing by the Sea, Pink Turns to Blue, and Turn on the News. However, The band members separated after performing on a show in Columbia, Missouri, in 1987. 

Solo Career

Grant Hart Is Drumming And Singing
Grant Hart is drumming and singing

Grant Hart released his first solo EP, 2541, in 1988. It was released on Hüsker Dü’s former label SST. Hart kept recording and releasing albums to share his creativity, like Intolerance and the associated EP All of My Senses in 1989 and 1990. 

Hüsker Dü wasn’t his last band. After his solo career, Hart formed a band again, Nova Mob, in 1989. However, at this time, he was positioned as a singer and guitarist, while his members Michael Crego on drums and Tom Merkl on bass. The band’s name was inspired by the novel Nova Express written by William Burroughs.

Nova Mob released some EPs and had a lineup change. They disbanded in 1994 after doing supporting tours and released their second album.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Hüsker Dü mean?

Hüsker Dü name was inspired by the Scandinavian board game which in English means “Do you remember?

Who is the lead singer of Hüsker Dü?

All of the members are vocalists, but the lead singer is Grant Hart.

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Andrea

Andrea is a music lover and an experienced drummer with more than 15 years of drumming with different bands and music projects, such as Seditius and Hermano & the Marines.