Soul Asylum Unplugged: 1988-91

 

Soul Asylum‘s historical reputation is deservedly based upon their 1986-90 peak, a 4-year hot streak of strong songwriting, good to very good albums (though a bit betrayed by period production values), and hundreds of high energy performances that including a smattering of great, occasionally oddball covers.

What’s not as well known about Soul Asylum during this era was their equally compelling acoustic side. That’s where this collection comes into play. It’s a combo platter of radio gigs and Dave Pirner/Dan Murphy acoustic performances that highlights the other element of the SA peak years.

Download 13-song playlist [71 MB, all MP3s]

1. Soul Asylum – Oh, Lonesome Me [Don Gibson/Neil Young]
KFAI, Minneapolis
1986

 

2. Soul Asylum – Chevy Van [Sammy Johns]
KFAI, Minneapolis
1986

 

1986 was the year Soul Asylum made the leap, going from formidable opening act to staunch headliner. They released 2 albums, Made To Be Broken and While You Were Out, as well as a compilation of 1981-85 ephemera, Time’s Incinerator. That latter album came out on the visionary XLII 90 format. In addition to the officially-released treasures, we have this 1986 Minneapolis radio gig (KFAI), where the band is that dangerous combination of confident and relaxed. “Chevy Van” actually features a rare vocal appearance by bassist, Karl Mueller (RIP).

 

3. Soul Asylum – Cartoon
Siberia, NYC
January 13, 1988

 

4. Soul Asylum – Closer To The Stars
Siberia, NYC
January 13, 1988

 

Soul Asylum’s two best songs??? “Cartoon” certainly is. “Stars” has to be way up there. How many bands were better than SA in 1988? Let’s get a list going. I’ll start with I don’t know.

5. Soul Asylum – Never Really Been
KJJO, Minneapolis
October 10, 1990

 

 

6. Soul Asylum – Gullible’s Travels
KJJO, Minneapolis
October 10, 1990

 

7. Soul Asylum – Let The Good Times Roll [The Cars]
KJJO, Minneapolis
October 10, 1990

 

8. Soul Asylum – Drive [The Cars]
KJJO, Minneapolis
October 10, 1990

 

“Yeah, we’re just gonna drop by the studio and play the best acoustic versions of ‘Never Really Been’ and ‘Gullible’s’ you’ve ever heard, plus throw in a couple of hilarious Cars covers, k?” Saw these guys for the first time a little over a month later at the Country Club in Reseda, California, with Thelonious Monster opening. Probably Top 10 show ever. And I should know. I got like 50 Top 10 shows now.

 

9. Soul Asylum – Nice Guys Don’t Get Paid
Top Note, Chicago
April 1991

 

10. Soul Asylum – Twiddly Dee
Top Note, Chicago
April 1991

 

11. Soul Asylum – P-9
Top Note, Chicago
April 1991

 

 

12. Soul Asylum – Sonic Reducer [Dead Boys]
Top Note, Chicago
April 1991

 

It’s hard to believe this gig took place when the future of Soul Asylum was very much in doubt. And The Horse They Rode In On is probably the band’s best album, but it was roundly ignored upon its release in 1990, and A&M dropped them to focus on Soundgarden (“It’s louder than love, but I don’t think they know what it means”).

Pirner and Murphy played as an acoustic duo throughout 1991-92 in an effort to drum up label interest, eventually getting Columbia to take a chance. Say what you will about Clarence selling out to the milk carton, Soul Asylum brought the noise for a decade before making it, with 4 of those years being years other bands would kill for. Dig it.

 

13. Soul Asylum – Hoot Medley
Siberia, NYC
January 13, 1988

 

Basically, it’s “James At 16” done acoustically and god bless ’em for it. Here’s the songs medleyized:

American Pie [Don McLean]
Delta Dawn [Tanya Tucker]
Wildfire [Michael Murphey]
Black Water [Doobies]
Afternoon Delight [Starland Vocal Band]
One Toke Over The Line [Brewer & Shipley]
Amazing Grace [Traditional]
The Gambler [Kenny Rogers]
Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song [BJ Thomas]
The One I Love [REM]
Renegade [Styx]
Rock And Roll All Night [Kiss]
Luka [Suzanne Vega]
Dueling Banjos [Deliverance]
P-9
….
Forever Young [Dylan]