Live Ledge #372: Midwest 1979

March 30, 1979 is an important date in indie rock history, as it was on that evening that Bob Mould, Grant Hart, and Greg Norton shared the stage for the first time. They were not yet known as Husker Du when Cheapo Records manager Charlie Pine, who also played keyboards with the fledgling band, got them the gig at a St. Paul bar named Ron's. The rest, of course, is Minneapolis rock and roll history.

Husker Du was the newest band to hit the growing Twin Cities rock and roll scene. The Hysptrz, The Suicide Commandos, The Suburbs, and Curtiss A had already released records, mainly on Twin/Tone Records. That fledgling label's 1979 compilation album, Big Hits From Mid-America Vol. 3, is the perfect showcase of what was happening in what many like to claim is an unlikely city.

Other Midwest cities obviously had their own little scenes, and tonight's show dedicated to the Midwest in 1979 travels to Nebraska, Chicago, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Detroit, and Louisville. As always, I hope everybody discovers a band or two they've never heard before! You can find this show at almost any podcast site, including iTunes and Stitcher...or

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE SHOW!

1. Cheap Trick, Dream Police

2. Husker Du, Do You Remember?

3. Husker Du, Truth Hurts

4. Husker Du, All I've Got To Lose Is You

5. The Hypstrz, Action Woman

6. The Hypstrz, 6654321

7. The Hypstrz, All Or Nothing

8. The Suicide Commandos, Weekend Warrior

9. The Suicide Commandos, Complicated Fun

10. The Suicide Commandos, Attacking the Beat

11. The Suicide Commandos, Wild In the Streets

12. The Suburbs, World War III

13. The Suburbs, Change Agent

14. The Suburbs, Urban Guerilla

15. The Suburbs, Ailerons O.K.

16. Curtiss A, I Don't Wanna Be President

17. Curtiss A, Land Of The Free

18. Curtiss A, Bad News from Phoenix

19. NNB, Listen

20. The Pistons, She Got Sex

21. Fingerprints, Where the Beat Goes On

22. Swingers, Losin' My Grip

23. Crap Detectors, Police State

24. Skuddur, Strike Force

25. Turnbuckles, Super Destroyer Mark II

26. Swan Lake Six, Swan Lake MN

27. Cheetah Chrome, Still Wanna Die

28. Stiv Bator, The Last Year

29. Pagans, Dead End America

30. Devo, Mongoloid

31. Meaty Buys, New Freedumb

32. Special Affects, I Know Uh Girl

33. Tutu & the Pirates, I Wanna Be a Janitor

34. Exit, Out in the Street

35. Epicycle, Underground

36. Max Load, Magazine Sex

37. Beluga & the Human Ashtrays, Mars Needs Women

38. Latex Novelties, Just Meat

39. Brain Police, I Let Jenny Ride

40. Coldcock, I Wanna Be Rich

41. Matt Gimmick, Rag

42. Blinders, This Isn't My Mother's Car

43. Shoes, Tomorrow Night