Grant Hart R.I.P.

Husker Du was far more than a great rock band from Minneapolis.

Part of the stable of SST Records in the early 1980s along with Minutemen, Meat Puppets and Black Flag, Husker Du was part of an incredibly innovative arm of the American punk movement that continues to have an influence decades later. In the beginning, Husker Du veered more toward hardcore than label mates Minutemen or Meat Puppets. The band’s sound refined to such an accessible level, however, the music still sounds fresh today.

Bob Mould was the front man, and Grant Hart, the three-piece band’s drummer, was also a songwriting and creative force of Husker Du. The band broke up in 1988 and never reformed.

Hart died this week after a battle with cancer. He was 56.