A couple days back, when I asked for get-me-up-to-speed-on-Duluth book recommendations, I was regaled with the collected consciousness of PDDers — I’ve bought a couple to read pre-arrival and will buy more when I arrive (Book Store at Fitger’s, right?).
Next question — music by artists from Duluth. What should I listen to as I prepare? Any/all genres. Contemporary, classic, anything in between. Also, if there are lists/resources that collect this information already, please point me in those directions too. Thanks!
25 thoughts on “Homemade Duluth Music”
Although Duluth is best known for Bob Dylan, Low, Trampled by Turtles and Charlie Parr — and there are many other very talented musicians who live here or have lived here — I still think Giljunko is the quintessential Duluth band. Maybe not the best, but the Duluthiest.
Giljunko has a lot of albums, but a compilation of the essential tracks came out in 2002 titled 1996-2002.
The PDD Gift Guide 2011 notes several new releases from local musicians.
Contact Walt Dizzo: walt … at … duluthhomegrown.com.
Buy all of the Duluth Homegrown CDs. They are a great sample of the tremendous variety (if I am not mistaken, there are three of these discs.)
You might also try contacting the Electric Fetus in Duluth for the same CDs.
What Paul said. + I think Dirty Horse is awesome. Same with anything that involves Rich Mattson.
There are two super-official Homegrown compilations and two slightly unofficial Homegrown compilations.
The super-official ones are Homegrown Rawk and/or Roll: Starfire’s Mix and Homegrown Rawk and/or Roll: Lindquist’s Mix.
The slightly unofficial ones are The ARMC presents … The Twin Ports and Mayor’s Mix: Duluth Homegrown Music.
The mayor’s mix is the unofficial mix? That seems wrong.
“Slightly unofficial.” The official ones are part of a “Homegrown Rawk and/or Roll” series coordinated and funded by the festival. The mayor and Glenn Maloney at ARMC bankrolled and organized their own mixes with Homegrown’s encouragement and approval … so those discs are affiliated while being slightly unofficial. Of course, there is really no purpose in making these distinctions other than to be a geek.
Also, every Wednesday 5pm KUMD plays (and streams) “The Local,” an hour of just local and regional music.
http://www.kumd.org for the stream.
There is also a bunch of stuff you can preview and/or purchase over at bandcamp with the Duluth tag:
https://bandcamp.com/tag/duluth
The Alrights, Cloud Cult, and Black-eyed Snakes are my top 3 Duluth bands.
For something completely different, listen to some of what Tim Kaiser has done. Better yet, find a video or two and watch.
The above is all great. And if you like great folk/alt music, think Sarah Krueger and Lisa Kane!
Kids these days!!! Let’s not forget the Accordionaires.
If Thousands!
2012’s Homegrown compilation will be: Homegrown Rawk and/or Roll: Sparhawk’s Mix. It will be available for download sometime in January on the Homegrown website for FREE (or donation).
Father Hennepin was always a great show, and they have some music on Spotify.
Former mayor Herb Bergson’s favorite local band is Chicago.
*coff* Wilco *coff*
There is a wdse show called The Playlist sponsored by this very website.
https://www.wdse.org/shows/playlist
Also, Cloud Cult is from Minnesota, but not Duluth as far as I know. Maybe one of the members is?
Craig and Connie Minowa of Cloud Cult lived in Duluth during the Who Killed Puck? years.
I would also check out Retribution Gospel Choir and Cars & Trucks.
I agree- the Mayor’s Mix is great. Also: Nordic Angst, “Big Brother, Little Brother.”
I second Giljunko. No band is Duluthier.
There is one song by a non-Duluth band you need to hear: “Come to Duluth” by Vinnie & the Stardusters.
While it is not the most popular here I must add that you can read Andrew Olson’s stuff in the Reader or online at http://www.thefountainheads.com. He has written about music up here for like 10 years. Not saying I agree with his opinions, just that he covers a lot of stuff consistently.
Manheat, Batteries, the Low Forms, the Accelerati, Sarah Krueger, Jerree Small, Charlie Parr, anything with Tony Bennett, anything with Cougar Conley, anything with Zac Bentz, anything with Ben Marsen, Sparhawk et al, and several bands neither of us have heard yet.
Oops … and the Fontanelles.
Did no one mention Tangier 57, Duluth’s own 60’s-style lounge band? As someone somewhere put it, “They play yesterday’s music of tomorrow, today.” They just posted their newest video on PDD today.