GRANT HART @ La Sala Rosa

By Omar Goodness - Hooked On Sonics - 06/06/2008

If you’ve ever tuned into my show, you’re probably well aware of my love for Sugar, Husker Du, and all things Bob Mould related (loud guitars? Check.  Huge power pop hooks? Check…moving on…) While Mould got the bulk of adulation for Husker Du and for his successful post-Du career as a solo artist and as a “modern rock” chart topper with the noisy power pop guitar maelstrom that was Sugar (arguably my all time fave band and one of the, if not the, band that took me down this “indie rock” path…yay, wasting time with music…sigh), Grant Hart was always regarded as the “other guy”.  Sadly too, since Hart, who penned nearly half of Husker Du’s output (while doing the admirable task of keepin’ that zippy popcore beat behind the drumkit and singing), was just as good a songwriter during the Husker Du days – his Zen Arcade song “Turn on the News” was picked as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

So what happened to Hart along the way? Coping with serious drug addictions, a misdiagnosis of HIV, some one off records, a short lived power pop band called Nova Mob, and general burn-out-edness, he just fell off the map. With Mould generally together, the focus continued to shift away from Hart.

Then Hart made a small comeback a couple years ago.  Playing small intimate shows with just him and a guitar, Hart was wowing audiences again with his charm and stripped down versions of his classics as well as new songs he was working on.  Hart’s last visit to Montreal a couple years back, where he played to a group of devoted fans at Casa Del Popolo, was extremely well received.  Unfortunately, I had to miss that show and was extremely excited to hear the Suoni Per Il Popolo organizers had secured him for a return appearance in Montreal for the yearly festival.

The real question comes down to - was it as amazing as everyone said the last show was?  Sadly that didn’t seem the case.  For some reason, things didn’t seem to click this time.  Hart seemed confused at times, shaky, and at one point seemed to be rambling a bit on stage, sorta teasing/berating an enthusiastic fan.  For some reason I just didn’t think the solo performer with electric guitar thing was working for him, wishing he had opted for an acoustic instead.  All of that was having an effect on the crowd, who by the midway point of the set was either casually paying attention, or just zoned out, with only a few diehard exceptions still rooting for their hero right at the front of the stage, waiting for what were a few, thankfully, spirited renditions of Hart’s Husker Du classics, like “Never Talking to You Again”.

Hart has been visiting Montreal a lot as of late, putting the finishing touches on a new solo record he’s been recording at Hotel 2 Tango studios with Howard Billerman along with members of Godspeed! You Black Emperor, and has been telling everyone of the dedication and sincere professionalism of everyone involved.  Here’s hoping a new, rejuvenated Hart will come out of all of this, and finally get the recognition he rightly deserves. 

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