Song:Runaway Train
Album:Grave Dancer's Union
Runaway Train was the only top five hit for Soul Asylum in 1993. They were an overnight success after over a decade in the music business. I can't tell you how many times I have seen that in music. From Minneapolis, they started out in 1981 as Loud Fast Rules. By 1984 the band was lead singer, primary songwriter and rhythm guitarist Dave Pirner, lead guitarist Dan Murphy, bassist Karl Mueller and drummer Grant Young. Pirner was the original drummer. They changed their name to Soul Asylum and signed with local record label Twin Tone Records with distribution from A & M Records. Their problem in the early days is they took a back seat to other Minneapolis bands like The Replacements and Husker Du and Soul Asylum was even dubbed The B-Team by The Replacements. But they toured constantly and gained a following on college campuses. But they were fading by the late 80s. Murphy and Pirner toured for a while as the folk duo Murphy & Pirfinkle and the some of the songs got them a deal at Columbia Records. Grave Dancer's Union was their first Columbia album in 1992. Runaway Train was the third single and reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The video with images of missing children had a lot to do with the song's success. They also performed at President Bill Clinton's inauguration. Grant Young left in 1994 and was replaced by Sterling Campbell. Soul Asylum continued to release albums on Columbia until they were dropped in 2000. They never again reached the heights of Runaway Train. Grave Dancer's Union is available as a budget CD. Pirner & Murphy have had severtal side projects including ther group Golden Smog. When the others learned that Karl Mueller had cancer, they reunited for a tour anmd released an album of new music after Mueller's 2005 death. Soul Asylum is currently working on a new CD. Here's the video for Runaway Train by Soul Asylum.
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