A band that originated in the American underground rock scene of the 1980s, Soul Asylum reached its peak at the beginning of the following decade, more precisely with the release of the album Grave Dancers Union, from which the hit "Runaway Train" was released.
From Minneapolis, Minnesota, the group was formed in 1981 by Dan Murphy (guitar), Karl Mueller (bass) and Dave Pirner (drums), but under the name Loud Fast Rules. Murphy and Pirner alternated on vocals. The following year, two of the band's songs were included on a compilation entitled Barefoot & Pregnant, released on cassette by the local label Reflex Records, managed by Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü.
In 1983, the band changed its name to Soul Asylum, and Pirner left the drums to become the lead vocalist and also guitarist. Pat Morley took over on drums. The band signed with Twin/Tone Records in 1984 and released the EP Say What You Will, produced by Bob Mould. This EP was expanded and released the same year as a full-length album, entitled Say What You Will, Clarence... Karl Sold the Truck. The following year, the group toured with Hüsker Dü and their lineup was changed with the addition of drummer Grant Young, who replaced Pat Morley.
Bob Mould also produced the band's second album, Made to Be Broken (1986), which received rave reviews, leading Soul Asylum to gain a loyal following on the alternative circuit. Also in 1986, the group released While You Were Out, their third album.
As one of the successful artists on the Twin/Tone Records label, Soul Asylum moved to a major label, A&M Records, for which they released the albums Hang Time (1988) and And the Horse They Rode In On (1990). Hang Time even gained airplay on American college radio. However, And the Horse They Rode In On was not well received by critics and its sales failed. Consequently, A&M dropped the band.
With no record label and Dave Pirner having hearing problems, the band members considered breaking up. However, they began working on new material and secured a contract with Columbia. In 1992, Grave Dancers Union was released. At the height of the alternative rock boom of the early 1990s, the album became the group's biggest hit. Helped by melodic songs such as "Somebody to Shove", "Black Gold" and the aforementioned "Runaway Train", Grave Dancers Union led the band on an extensive tour and sold around two million copies. "Runaway Train" won the Grammy for best rock song in 1994.
After the Grave Dancers Union tour, Grant Young was fired from the band and replaced by Sterling Campbell. In the 1990s, Soul Asylum released two more studio albums — Let Your Dim Light Shine (1995) and Candy from a Stranger (1998). However, they did not achieve the success of their 1992 album.
In 2004, the band returned to work on a new album, with a new drummer, Michael Bland. However, the recording sessions were interrupted when bassist Karl Mueller was diagnosed with throat cancer. Despite treatment, Mueller did not survive and died on June 17, 2005. This new album was completed with collaborations from other musicians and released in 2006 under the title The Silver Lining.
With Tommy Stinson of The Replacements as bassist, Soul Asylum returned in 2012 with their tenth studio album, Delayed Reaction. The band continued to be active, releasing Change of Fortune (2016), Hurry Up and Wait (2020) and Slowly but Shirley (2024).
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