grant-hart-wiki

This has been a terrible week so far… After Josh Schwartz and Jessi Zazu another loss occurred today to empty us more… Yes, the news are devastating, since co-founder and drummer of iconic Hüsker Dü, (we recently shared a Bob Mould special playlist, featuring a lot of Hüsker Dü’s tracks) Grant Hart, has died today, at the age of 56, after losing the battle with cancer.

It was the Fall of 1978. I was attending Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. One block from my dormitory was a tiny store called Cheapo Records. There was a PA system set up near the front door blaring punk rock. I went inside and ended up hanging out with the only person in the shop. His name was Grant Hart.

The next nine years of my life was spent side-by-side with Grant. We made amazing music together. We (almost) always agreed on how to present our collective work to the world. When we fought about the details, it was because we both cared. The band was our life. It was an amazing decade.

We stopped working together in January 1988. We went on to solo careers, fronting our own bands, finding different ways to tell our individual stories. We stayed in contact over the next 29 years — sometimes peaceful, sometimes difficult, sometimes through go-betweens. For better or worse, that’s how it was, and occasionally that’s what it is when two people care deeply about everything they built together.

The tragic news of Grant’s passing was not unexpected to me. My deepest condolences and thoughts to Grant’s family, friends, and fans around the world.

Grant Hart was a gifted visual artist, a wonderful story teller, and a frighteningly talented musician. Everyone touched by his spirit will always remember.

Godspeed, Grant. I miss you. Be with the angels..”  Bob Mould wrote on his Facebook account.

Born in Minnesota, in 1961, Hart met Mould at a record store, forming Hüsker Dü, (3rd member was Greg Norton) and then recorded trademark guitar-rock albums, such as ‘Zen Arcade‘. ‘New Day Rising‘ & ‘Flip Your Wig‘. Apart from his crazed drumming, Hart was also responsible for the songwriting of some tracks, along with singing.

After Hüsker Dü broke up, Grant Hart released his debut solo album ‘Intolerance‘ (1989) on SST Records, and then formed alternative rock trio Nova Mob (with Chris Hesler and Tom Merkl). releasing two full-length albums (‘The Last Days Of Pompeii‘ in 1991 & ‘Nova Mob‘ in 1994).

Hart’s solo career shouldn’t be neglected, since he recorded five studio albums (the four of them after the dissolution of Nova Mob in 1997), along with singles and EP’s.

Today is a very sad day indeed. Songwriter, musician, singer & drummer Grant Hart isn’t among us anymore. Rock has lost a legendary member of the guitar rock sound.

Diane (Edwards) will eventually hug you….

Christos Doukakis