Soul Asylum

Beloved in Minneapolis’ 1980s post-punk underground music scene, alternative rockers Soul Asylum achieved massive success in the early 1990s. ∙ Soul Asylum’s first two albums, 1984’s Say What You Will, Clarence…Karl Sold the Truck and 1986’s Made to Be Broken, were produced by Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü, Sugar). ∙ Their double-Platinum breakthrough album, 1992’s Grave Dancers Union, featured three hit singles: “Someone to Shove,” “Black Gold,” and the Grammy Award-winning “Runaway Train.” ∙ “Misery,” the lead single from the band’s 1995 Platinum-certified album, Let Your Dim Light Shine, reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. ∙ They performed as part of MTV’s 1993 Inaugural Ball for President Bill Clinton, and eight months later they were the first musicians to play at the White House during his administration. ∙ Vocalist Dave Pirner and guitarist Dan Murphy are members of the indie supergroup Golden Smog, whose lineup has included Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and The Jayhawks’ Gary Louris. ∙ In 2020, Soul Asylum earned their highest Billboard charting album since the 1990s with Hurry Up and Wait.