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Soul Asylum displays mediocrity, perseverance
 Britt Johnsen
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Returning to St. Cloud for their second Red Carpet concert in less than two months, Soul Asylum put on a performance that was anything but erratic. Not only did they play the rock show that fans and may not have wanted, but they played a rock show that could have been predicted.
Embarking on a musical adventure, Soul Asylum first entered the Minneapolis music scene in 1984. Formerly known as Loud Fast Rules, with David Pirner on drums instead of rhythm guitar and vocals, and without drummer Grant Young, the guys of Soul Asylum have come a long way as a band.
They released their first record, "Say What You Will Clarence ... Karl Sold the Truck," and it was immediately surpassed by releases from other Minneapolis indie stars like the Replacements and Husker Du. With such commercial failure from that record and five others to come, Soul Asylum went through enough anguish to almost completely abandon their post-punk indie roots that led them to their most successful album, "Grave Dancers Union."
Released on Columbia Records, the singles from "Grave Dancers Union" were written touring the Midwest, where the band gained a decent-sized following.
"Runaway Train" was the single that received the most recognition, but the guys of Soul Asylum were never a riot-worthy sensation that their local-music denizens were. The most fame that Soul Asylum ever attained came from Pirner's contribution to Golden Smog's 1996 album "On Golden Smog" and his well-publicized relationship with Winona Ryder.
Thus, the overall vibe that the smoky main room of the Red Carpet gave off. Filled with excitement and anticipation that local pop-rock sensations Roger initiated, the cheers and dances were abundant during only the singles. The people chatted away and drank incessantly as Soul Asylum played their radio-unfriendly tunes. But as soon as any song which marked a sign of commercial victory proceeded, the crowd reacted as loudly and boisterously as any stadium-like venue might.
The audience had proved that night that Soul Asylum has not really gone anywhere since the early eighties, and they can easily be deemed as just another local band with a few big hits.
However, Soul Asylum should be credited for their perseverance. In the tradition of musical failures, many bands see that they are not succeeding and change the way they write music and lyrics to gain attention and esteem. But the guys of Soul Asylum refuse to do so.
They may have expired in the music scene, both commercially and independently, but at least the way that they perform hasn't changed.
Pirner's hair may have changed from dirty, tangled dreads to a shiny bob-like coif, but he still sings their songs with the same raspy, drug-ingested tone. The guys still come out in humble, dirty jeans and worn black t-shirts. They still play for crowds who don't recognize what weren't their MTV-blowouts.
They may be a mediocre local band, but at least they stick to their story.
Britt Johnsen can be reached at: [email protected]
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