Musical Memories - Soul Asylum

I have decided to start a blog series titled: "Musical Memories." I've realized how with much of my life I can remember different time periods and events based on what music I was listening to. So I am going to try to go through as many bands as I can remember that have become important enough to help me remember different stories in my life. I'm going to try to start from earlier points in my life and bring it forward till now. The first band is...

SOUL ASYLUM

When I was a kid I used to sit in front of my boom box and record songs I liked off of the radio. I always had a blank tape ready to go in case one of my favorite songs came on. When Soul Asylum's album Let You Dim Light Shine came out I was obsessed with the song "Misery." I remember that I would hear the song as it was half-way through a lot and miss my chance to record it. Then one day, I was ready. I knew "Misery" was coming up so I made sure my finger was on the record button. Then it started and I pressed record. I was elated until, half way through the song the record button popped up. The blank tape was at the end of it's reel and I would have to flip it over if I wanted to continue recording. I couldn't believe it, I was so bummed. I had once again missed my chance to have my own complete version of "Misery."

Later that evening, my father came home. I shared with him the tragic events of that afternoon. I remember he said to me, "Why don't you just buy the album?" I didn't know how to do that because I was a kid and didn't really have money.

Soul Asylum also had another single off Let Your Dim Light Shine called "String of Pearls." It was a long story type song. I remember me and my dad hearing this song a few times. At first I didn't really like it, but somehow I didn't know it was Soul Asylum. My father and I both heard the song a few more times and were like, "Who sings that song?" Then one day while doing yard work my dad had the radio on and said, " Hey Nick, guess who sings that song. Soul Asylum." We were both a little put back but, then grew to love the song once we knew it was Dave Pirner speaking to us.

I eventually got the cassette of Let Your Dim Light Shine, I don't remember how, but I got it. I listened to it all the time. I remember it was during summertime and my mom had the mother of some of our hockey buddies watch my brother and me during the day, while my mom worked. We would go over to their house in River Rouge each weekday. I remember having my headphones on and listening to Soul Asylum on the drives there. Gabe, my hockey buddy, would always say, "Let me hear that one song." He was of course talking about "Misery."

A few years ago, I saw the video for "Black Gold" on VH1 Classic, or something like that, and was pumped up about Soul Asylum again. So I went out and bought Grave Dancers Union and was reminded how well Dave could write great songs. While Grave Dancers definitely isn't as good overall as Dim Light, in my opinon, I still think there are some great singles on Grave Dancers. I remember I would basically just play "Black Gold" and the other singles from Grave Dancers a lot during this time. I really liked the line "I don't care 'bout no wheelchair, I got so much left to do with my life." I felt this line because around the time of heavy "Black Gold" rotation I had met this girl at a bar and I was really into her. I would have these unwarranted fairy tale thoughts of us having a great life together and think, "I got so much left to do with my life." Awkward how I ended up relating a song about oil and power, to a girl. She never wanted to hang out with me but was always real nice when I would run into her at the bar. I somehow understood where she was coming from, we barely knew each other, and I let the dream die. However, I still love "Black Gold."

Videos:

Misery

Black Gold

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