History
The group was an outgrowth of a previous band, Loud Fast Rules, formed in 1981 by drummer Dave Pirner, guitarist and backing vocalist Dan Murphy, and bassist Karl Mueller. Pirner was moved to lead vocalist and guitarist Pat Morley took his place. As Loud Fast Rules, two of their songs were released on the 1982 Reflex Records cassette compilation Barefoot and Pregnant. On the following Reflex compilation, Kitten (recorded live at Goofy's Upper Deck) they were billed as Proud Crass Fools. Soul Asylum began performing around the Minneapolis-St. Paul area (including First Avenue) and quickly developed a core following while becoming known for their powerful, dynamic stage shows.
Their 1984 debut album, Say What You Will... Everything Can Happen was originally released on LP and cassette by local record label Twin/Tone as a nine song EP. This is since out-of-print, but was re-released on CD as Say What You Will, Clarence...Karl Sold the Truck, which included five additional tracks that were cut from the original album. Between the release of Say What You Will and their second album, Grant Young joined the group, taking over the drums from Morley. In 1986, Soul Asylum released three albums, Made To Be Broken followed by the cassette only release of Time's Incinerator and While You Were Out.
The band toured relentlessly in its early years opening up for a variety of other American touring bands and, later, often as a headliner act after gaining exposure on fellow Minneapolis band Hüsker Dü's Flip Your Wig tour in early 1986. Contrasted with some of the popular underground and alternative styles at the time, new audiences were struck by the band's onstage swagger, scruffy Midwestern appearance and extremely loud, frenetic sound - mixing tuneful but unrestrained punk, hardcore, 1970s rock, country and self-effacing kitsch. One early review described their sound as "an unholy mix of Kiss and Hank Williams tossed under a runaway train." All elements contributed to the band being credited with a 'grunge precursor' title, a claim often recited in comparisons between pre-Nirvana Minneapolis and Seattle bands. Despite critical acclaim locally and internationally, they remained unknown to a larger U.S. audience and radio market.
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