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Thursday 18 August 2016

Celebrated Summer


The action and success at the velodrome in Rio over the last few days has been unmissable, edge of the seat stuff. Laura Trott, Becky James, Katy Marchant, Jason Kenny, Bradley Wiggins, Owain Doull, Ed Clancy, Steven Burke, Katie Archibald, Joanna Rowsell Shand, Elinor Barker, Callum Skinner, Mark Cavendish- all truly something else.

Husker Du's Celebrated Summer, fifth track on 1985's New Day Rising, is a peak by a band with many, many peaks. The opening burst of guitar followed by thumping drums and bass raise the hairs on the back of the neck and the 12 string acoustic guitar breakdown in the middle and at the end show Bob Mould wasn't going to be hemmed in by hardcore's rules. Breaking out and breaking through. Melody combined with their ferocious energy. The lyrics, as so often with the Huskers, suggest something gone, something lost, the summers of youth- was that your celebrated summer?

A Level results today for my students. More tension and hopefully more celebrations.

Celebrated Summer

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

No love for Cav?

Anonymous said...

Argh! Knew I'd forget someone. I'll edit him in.
Swiss Adam

Echorich said...

Thank goodness for my Apple TV and extended Olympics coverage on the US network NBC's Sports Network App...otherwise I would have missed some of this Olympics truly amazing moments on the road and in the velodrome.

davyh said...

Hasn't it been brill?

I love this song - and also wrote about it, and the lovely cover by Mark Kozelek (thanks again to Colin) once.

davyh said...

PS: Here's the Kozelek x

Swiss Adam said...

Ha! I'd forgotten your post and that I'd commented on it. Husker Du are suddenly in my frame again and very much hitting the spot. I'm recommending Keep Hanging On off Flip Your Wig also.