Hüsker Dü – Zen Arcade

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Label:	SST Records – SST 027
Format:	2 x Vinyl, LP, Album
Country:	US
Released:	Jul 1984
Genre:	Rock
Style:	Hardcore, Punk

Tracklist

A1	Something I Learned Today Written-By – B. Mould*	1:58
A2	Broken Home, Broken Heart Written-By – B. Mould*	2:01
A3	Never Talking To You Again Written-By – Grant Hart	1:39
A4	Chartered Trips Piano – Bob, Grant Written-By – B. Mould*	3:33
A5	Dreams Reoccurring Written-By – B. Mould, G. Hart, G. Norton*	1:40
A6	Indecision Time Written-By – B. Mould*	2:07
A7	Hare Krsna Performer [Did All The Stuff] – Grant* Written-By – B. Mould, G. Hart, G. Norton*	3:33
B1	Beyond The Threshold Written-By – B. Mould*	1:35
B2	Pride Written-By – B. Mould*	1:45
B3	I'll Never Forget You Written-By – B. Mould*	2:06
B4	The Biggest Lie Written-By – B. Mould*	1:58
B5	What's Going On Piano – Grant* Written-By – G. Hart*	4:23
B6	Masochism World Written-By – B. Mould, G. Hart	2:43
B7	Standing By The Sea Piano – Grant* Voice [Yell] – Spot Written-By – G. Hart*	3:12
C1	Somewhere Lyrics By [Words] – Grant* Written-By – B. Mould, G. Hart	2:30
C2	One Step At A Time Piano – Bob* Written-By – B. Mould, G. Hart	0:45
C3	Pink Turns To Blue Written-By – G. Hart*	2:39
C4	Newest Industry Piano – Bob* Written-By – B. Mould*	3:02
C5	Monday Will Never Be The Same Piano – Bob, Grant Written-By – B. Mould*	1:10
C6	Whatever Written-By – B. Mould*	3:50
C7	The Tooth Fairy And The Princess Performer [Did All The Stuff] – Bob* Written-By – B. Mould*	2:43
D1	Turn On The News Bass – Bob* Written-By – G. Hart*	4:21
D2	Reoccurring Dreams Written-By – B. Mould, G. Hart, G. Norton*	13:47

Companies, etc.

Copyright © – Cesstone Music
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Cesstone Music
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – SST Records
Recorded At – Total Access Recording Studios
Mixed At – Total Access Recording Studios
Mastered At – Greg Lee Processing – L-17380
Mastered At – K Disc Mastering

Credits

Artwork – Fake Name Graphx*
Bass, Backing Vocals – Greg Norton
Drums, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Percussion, Piano – Grant Hart
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Percussion, Piano – Bob Mould
Photography By [Cover Photos] – Mark Peterson (5)
Producer, Engineer – Hüsker Dü, Spot

Notes

A5 is titled "Dreams Reoccurring" on back cover and "Dreams Recurring" on label
D2 is titled "Reoccurring Dreams" on back cover and "Recurring Dreams" on label

This pressing can best be identified by the large pressing ring on labels.
Early pressings were issued in a heavy pasteboard/tip-on gatefold sleeve (inside cardboard brown, not white). May include an SST catalog insert listing releases up to SST 028.

©1984 Cesstone Music (BMI)
℗1984 SST Records
Recorded & mixed at Total Access, Redondo Beach, CA, October 1983
All songs ℗© Cesstone Music (BMI)
Whoever wrote the songs sings it, except for track C1
Track D2 is live-done track, no overdubs or funny stuff
Everything on the record is first-take, except for A1 & C4, which started too fast
We all throw chairs during track B2
There were only two out-takes from these sessions, "Dozen Beats Eleven" and "Some Kind Of Fun"
The whole thing took about 85 hours, the last 40 hours straight for mixing
Carducci wants another album already, but not another double LP

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Matrix / Runout (Side A runout - etched; variant 1): SST-2-027-A, L-17380, K disc, FALLING, SHIRLEY - EVERYTIME I SQUARE OFF AGAINST SOMEONE'S GOD
Matrix / Runout (Side B runout - etched; variant 1): SST-2-027-B, L-17380, I SPEND THE REST OF THE NIGHT (OR DAY) HALLUCINATING
Matrix / Runout (Side C runout - etched; variant 1): SST-2-027-C, L-17380, AND NOW IT IS THE VISIONS OF A JOYOUS HELL...
Matrix / Runout (Side D runout - etched; variant 1): SST-2-027-D, L-17380, ...WITHIN THE CIRCUITS THAT MAKE PAC-MEN DIE AND VESSELS DISINTEGRATE
Matrix / Runout (Side A runout - etched; variant 2): SST-2-027-A L-17380 Kdisc [stamped] FALLING, SHIRLEY - EVERYTIME I SQUARE OFF AGAINST SOMEONE'S GOD
Matrix / Runout (Side B runout - etched; variant 2): SST-2-027-B I SPEND THE REST OF THE NIGHT (OR DAY) HALLUCINATING. L-17380
Matrix / Runout (Side C runout - etched; variant 2): SST-2-027-C AND NOW IT IS THE VISIONS OF A JOYOUS HELL... L-17380
Matrix / Runout (Side D runout - etched; variant 2): SST-2-027-D ....WITHIN THE CIRCUITS THAT MAKE PAC-MEN DIE AND VESSELS DISINTEGRATE... ☉ L-17380
Rights Society: BMI

Other Versions (5 of 24)

View All

	Title (Format)	Label	Cat#	Country	Year
Recently Edited	Zen Arcade (2×LP, Album, Gatefold)	Aggressive Rockproduktionen, Aggressive Rockproduktionen	AG 0036, 80-1639	Germany	1984
	Zen Arcade (2×LP, Album, Gatefold)	SST Records	SST 027	UK	1984
Recently Edited	Zen Arcade (Cassette, Album, White Shell)	SST Records	SSTC 027	US	1984
New Submission	Zen Arcade (Cassette, Album, Clear Shell)	SST Records	SSTC 027	US	1984
Recently Edited	Zen Arcade (CD, Album, Reissue)	SST Records	SST CD 027	US	1987

Reviews

modulok1984 Jan 25, 2023
Edited 3 months ago
A LOT of people are selling the second pressing as first pressing here. It’s quite easy to distinguish them as the labels are different, or rather the pressing ring(s) on the labels.

First pressing = one big pressing ring (as in the pics)
Second pressing = one big and one smaller pressing ring
Later pressings = one small pressing ring

It’s really not that complicated

If you wanna be 100% you’re getting a first press; ask for pics, or just get the UK pressing instead.
SartoriTangier Mar 7, 2022
Edited 8 months ago
I noticed that you can still buy this album on vinyl directly off of SST’s store - question is are the copies being sold from there new (old) stock original pressings or modern repressings that used the same stampers?

EDIT 9/22: Thanks everyone for your input, I lucked out and scored an original 1st press and I can confirm that it looks like the original wasn’t pressed at Rainbo, but all subsequent repressings were based on the matrix info
heavenlycreatues Aug 30, 2020
"Early pressings were issued in a heavy pasteboard/tip-on gatefold sleeve (inside cardboard brown, not white)."

So a brown inside cardboard indicates a first press?
iansvintage May 12, 2019
I have a couple of copies of this that doesn't seem to match any of the listed releases.

Mine has the following:

SST-020 on the spine, but the catalog number is not on the vinyl labels or the back cover.
Side A: Real World, Deadly Skies, It's Not Funny Anymore, First Of The Last Calls.
Side B (45 RPM): Lifeline, Diane, Out On A Limb
Side A Etchings: SST-020-A THAT OLD STAINLESS CHARITY. IF YOU COULD SEE ME NOW, SHIRLEY. L-15122, kdisc (stamp)
Side B Etchings: SST-2-027-D ...WITHIN THE CIRCUITS THAT MAKE PAC-MEN DIE AND VESSELS DISINTEGRATE L-17380
Held up to the light, it's translucent brown, but black without light. Indicating this seems to be Quiex II vinyl.

Seems to be very similar to this release: https://www.discogs.com/H%C3%BCsker-D%C3%BC-Metal-Circus/release/6548039
But with different B-side tracks.
J_DAVE May 15, 2017
Not all of them. I bought my copy first week out in Minneapolis. Matrix numbers match above exactly as well. Definitely not Quiex II vinyl. Yes, it does have $12.98 on the spine. Regarding purple / blue: I think they are the same, just a printing variation.
warsperfume Apr 30, 2017
Want an easy way to check for pre-90s pressings? Put the record up to a bright light, it should look translucent brown and opaque black when taken away from the light. Most copies pressed in the 80s were on this Quiex II type vinyl.
jeffn66 Apr 20, 2017
This, and the rest of their catalog produced by Spot, (especially New Day Rising) is begging for a proper remastering. Sound is too thin. Wish they could put aside their differences to arrange for a good remaster/reissue campaign.
warsperfume Jun 8, 2016
Does this version also have the S12.98 on the spine? I can just barely make it out in the pictures.
warsperfume Jun 5, 2016
I've come across a copy that has the matrix numbers for this version, but the inside of the gatefold is purple, instead of blue, like this version: https://www.discogs.com/H%C3%BCsker-D%C3%BC-Zen-Arcade/release/2639254 Any help identifying it would be great!