• Tag Archives husker du
  • The Ledge #727: Even More From the Hudson Compound

    One of my favorite occasional theme for this show is the “Hudson Compound” series, where I play nothing but tracks from records I’ve been listening to in my humble abode. It’s been awhile, so I figured it was the perfect time to do this again.

    The core of this week’s tracks comes from a little personal theme I’ve been following for the past week, where I have been playing almost nothing but great Minneapolis rock and roll that I’ve otherwise ignored in the last couple of years. There are great bands that should be much more recognized (Crash Street Kids, Loose Rails). There are original Twin/Tone Records legends (Suburbs, Magnolias, The Phones, Curtiss A, Soul Asylum). And there’s a few artists that rarely are far from my turntable (Paul Westerberg, Husker Du, The Hypstrz). 

    Besides those two sets, there are sections devoted to 60s legends, garage rock bands whose albums I’ve acquired in recent months, and a few odds and ends. It’s the perfect weekend listen!

    What’s your favorite Minneapolis band or album?

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #725: 1986

    I wish I could say I have vivid memories of 1986, but I really don’t. Look, it was the year after I graduated from college, and life was a party. I was working in a record store during the day at night I was a club DJ. Quite often the club followed me to the home I shared with a couple of friends with similar lifestyles.

    I do remember the music, though, and tonight’s show celebrates the soundtrack of that glorious year. What surprised me as I was preparing this show, though, is that this was a year where roots rock dominated my life. Sure, there was plenty of traditional punk and alternative music, too, and that will probably be the focus of a sequel, but jangly guitars seemed to the be the sound of the times for me.

    What was your favorite record of 1986?

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #721: More Big Ten Inch Records

    A little over two years ago, I put together a show based only on songs released on the ten inch EP format. I’m still wondering why there aren’t more ten inchers released these days. It’s the perfect format for the EP’s that waste way too much space on most twelve inch releases. 

    Anyway, since that previous show, I’ve not only acquired a few more of these type of records, but I’ve expanded my knowledge of the format. For new titles, there’s the live Replacements EP that accompanied preorders of the box set reissue of Let It Be. There’s also a couple of Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs EPs, and a reissue by The Delmonas. 

    For older titles, I must give a bit of praise to my record collecting geek friend Phil. Over the years, he’s handed me a few titles that he knew that I’d enjoy. One of those was a record by a 90s band called Speedway. As I was looking at it the other day, I was pleasantly shocked to see that this was an early band by Miss Georgia Peach! I definitely needed to air a couple of tracks off that.

    Phil also alerted me to a various artists ten inch that featured legendary South Dakota punkers Dissent, who went into our state’s Rock and Rollers Hall of Fame two years ago! Along with those tracks are a ton of records put out by Sympathy For The Record Industry, SST, and Estrus Records.

    What’s your favorite 10″?

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #701: Covers

    I always love when tracks show up just hours before the show, and that’s what happened with this all-covers episode. As I’ve said many times before, I have a folder on my laptop where I toss in new cover tunes whenever I come across them. When the folder is full, that’s when it’s time for a show.

    That’s exactly what happened, this time around. With this week’s release of the new album by The Damned where they remake tracks that the recently deceased Brian James loved, I saw the following post on Instagram:

    “Fret Rattles are excited to announce the release of our third full-length studio LP, titled “As the World Falls Apart.” It features thirteen tracks and comes in at the furious pace of 36 minutes. The LP was recorded in 2024 and 2025 at Flowers Studio (Minneapolis, MN) and Ecstattic Studio (St. Paul, MN) by our long-time producer Ali Jaafar.”

    A tracklist accompanied the post that indicated the new album was going to include two cover tunes, so I immediately sent a DM to requst their inclusion in tonight’s broadcast. They agreed, and in the early afternoon I received an email that included their explosive cover of “What Love Is” by The Dead Boys, where the band is accompanied by Minneapolis legend Rob Tossava.

    This tune really set the stage for two hours of fabulous revved up reamkes, including contributions from a number of Rum Bar Records acts, double shots from Eater and Pink Fairies, and a set dedicated to the recent box sets by The Replacements and Husker Du!

    What track did you dig the most?

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #700: Lucky Number Seven

    700 episodes of The Ledge? Who would have ever believed that to be possible? I certainly didn’t when I started this show way back in 2010. Podcasts were relatively new at this point, and I just assumed it would be a fun lark that would fizzle out within a few months. Even the format of the show was different back then. For the most part, I invited friends to pick out a dozen or so of their favorite songs, and we’d talk about them in between playing them.

    Everything changed when I linked up with RealPunkRadio. Suddenly this was a real radio show. Suddenly I had some labels and artists sending me music. These shows were primarily centered around elaborate themes, as that’s the way my mind thinks. There just HAS to be a reason to air a song.

    The themes still exist all these years later, but the concepts are much looser. Every month there’s a new release episode or two. I may celebrate certain years, or have all-covers broadcasts. But rarely do I go much deeper than that.

    Even tonight’s celebration isn’t exactly a deep thought concept. I figured pulling together over two hours of “track 7’s” would be perfect for the 700th show. Not necessarily the best track 7’s of all time, but the ones that caught my eye (and ear) when I spent hours going through my master library. 

    I hope you like what I’ve put together…not just tonight but for the previous 699 episodes and for whatever comes in the next 700. What’s your favorite track of the night?

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #689: 1985

    As a rule I generally don’t go to class reunions. They’re just too weird for me, and I’m not great at the “what are you doing these days” types of conversations. But a few weeks ago was my 40th year college reunion, and a handful of great old friends convinced me to attend some of the festivities.

    Truthfully, I have to thank those old pals, as I ended up having a great time. Sure, my old man memory caused me to not remember some of these folks but I did my best. It also caused me to reminsce on the music of that era. I was the music director of KAUR my senior year, and it was such a great period in my life. Some of my favorite bands were putting out their greatest music, and almost every week there seemed to be potnetial new faves.

    The combo of this sort of reminiscing and the upcoming release of a live Husker Du box set, 1985: The Miracle Year, made the decision to honor that year on a Ledge episode an easy one. Here are quite a few of the great songs from that year. Yes, at times it does get a bit more commercial than a typical Ledge episode, but most of us welcomed the idea of “our” bands making mainstream inroads. Why wouldn’t we want to hear these songs on formats that weren’t “left of the dial”? Honestly, all of my music-oriented projects, whether it’s via podcast, print, or record stores, have been attempts to turn people on to music they may have zero exposure to otherwise. 

    What were your favorite records of 1985?

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #686: Dave Scarbrough Tribute Plus New Releases (Pt. 1)

    I had just finalized the tracks for the first part of the October new release series when I received some tragic news. South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame member (and good pal) Dave Scarbrough had passed away. Obviously, that changed tonight’s broadcast as I needed to share some of the great music Dave produced over the past 40 years or so.

    Dave’s music story began when he first heard punk rock on KAUR in the late 70s, was expanded by the cool records found at Soux Falls record stores Iron Creek and Ernie November, and culminated in fabulous bands such as Ill Bill and the Spinal Chills, State Birds, The Habitual Groove Of It, and The Harvesters. He also engineered and/or produced a number of local projects, and put out quite a few solo records, including 2022’s Happy Ever After. You will be missed, Dave.

    We move from there to a show devoted heavily with friends of the show. Vista Blue and Rob Moss & Skin-Tight Skin/Eytan Mirsky’s double-sided singles are aired, along with new tracks by The Pozers, Ricky Rochelle, wht.rbbt.obj, and Numb Surprise. Tav Falco returns with a record that looks back at his storied career, and Teenage Bottlerocket, The Prize, Sloan and The Bacarrudas showcase new tracks. There’s sneak prviews of Big Stir Records’ new Halloween record, along with the upcoming box sets by Husker Du and The Replacements.

    What tracks did you dig the most?

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #681: More From The Hudson Compound

    Last week’s look at what’s been spinning on the Hudson turntable was so fun that I thought we’d do it again. This week’s version, though, differs in that it also includes some digital treats. The announcement from the Numero Group of the upcoming Husker Du box, 1985 The Miracle Year was a no-brainer when it was accompanied by four more new sneak peaks. And I couldn’t stop myself from playing soem of the previously-released rarities that will again feature on the upcoming box set version of The Replacements’ Let It Be.

    But there are also a couple of great compilation albums that deserved some notice. First off, there’s the latest free release from our friends at Rum Bar Records. The Summer School Sampler features 34 tracks of brand new or recently-released material, and like I said it’s free!  And the 15th volume of Bored Teenagers compiles rare British punk singles from 1976-83!

    Along with these fun tunes I also aired quite a few more faves that have recently hit my turntable. What’s your favorite from this week’s show?

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #679: Leftovers and Reissues

    This week’s broadcast is sort of two different episodes combined together. The first 45 minutes or so consists of songs left over from the previous two week’s new reelease episodes. They’re not leftovers in terms of quality, though. They were just the last couple of sets of material that would have caused last week’s show to be well over 2 1/2 hours. And sure, having those dozen or so spare tracks allowed me to throw in yet another tune from both The Dogmatics and The Peppermint Kicks albums.

    The second part of the broadcast, which actualy kicks off with one of last week’s leftovers (The Kowalski’s “Depression Overdrive”) showcases a number of tunes from reissues, compilations, and live albums. There’s the long forgotten original version of Marianne Faithfull’s “Sister Morphine”, outtakes from  Talking Heads, and live tunes from Husker Du, Guided By Voices and The Fall. There’s also two full sets from Cherry Red Records’ fabulous new I Wanna Be a Teen Again compilation, including a trio of old tunes from current Big Stir Records artists.

    Also, please give some thoughts to the ideas on an interview spinoff show and a possible Patreon site that I discuss in the first two breaks in the show. I’d love to hear some ideas from you guys!

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


  • The Ledge #677: New Releases Pt. 1

    It’s a new month so obviously it’s time for another two part new release series. Like usual, tonight’s part one is full of “friends of the show” that includes artists on Big Stir Records, along with tracks submitted by the likes of The New Brutarians, Jim Basnight, and many others. There’s also a sneak peak at the upcoming Superchunk album, and a handful of tunes from yet another recently announced live Husker Du album! 

    For more info, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here