Dave Pirner

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Dave Pirner
Columbia

David Anthony Pirner (born April 16, 1964) is an American songwriter, singer, and producer best known as the lead vocalist and

frontman for the alternative rock band Soul Asylum.[3]

Early life and work

Pirner was born in

Pat Morley joined on drums. Morley was later replaced by Grant Young, and the band changed their name to Soul Asylum. After touring the United States for a number of years they gathered a cult following of fans, but did not quite reach commercial visibility. Pirner at the time was the band's songwriter and he produced the album, Coup De Grace, by the Minneapolis metal
band the Coup de Grace in 1990.

Commercial success

The band achieved commercial success and visibility on MTV and VH1 with the 1993 single "Runaway Train", followed by another hit song, "Black Gold"; both from their album Grave Dancers Union. As Soul Asylum grew in popularity, Pirner was seen guesting on albums of differing genres, including artists like Paul Westerberg, Jason Karaban, Mike Watt, The Autumn Defense[3] and Victoria Williams. His disheveled appearance and blonde matted dreadlocks made an unmistakable impression on fans and critics alike, making Pirner easily recognized and associating the band with the grunge scene.

Dave Pirner playing with Soul Asylum in 2016

By 1999, Soul Asylum went into hiatus after making their eighth album Candy from a Stranger (1998). After four years, the band reunited and started writing songs in the studio.[3] Bassist Karl Mueller died on June 17, 2005, at the age of 42 from esophageal cancer. About a year after his death, Soul Asylum released The Silver Lining on Legacy Recordings, which was dedicated to Mueller. Soul Asylum toured with their new line-up, which consisted of Pirner on guitar and vocals, Dan Murphy on lead guitar, Michael Bland on drums and Tommy Stinson on bass (as well as John Fields standing in on bass and piano for Mueller). A few years later, on July 17, 2012, Soul Asylum released an album titled Delayed Reaction. In 2016, the band released Change Of Fortune and in 2020 released Hurry Up And Wait.

Pirner had a small role in the film

Clerks, and Smith used "Misery" in the sequel, Clerks II
.

In 2002 Pirner released his first solo album entitled Faces & Names on Ultimatum Music.[3] He also contributed guest vocals on the song "Chillout Tent" in The Hold Steady's 2006 release, Boys and Girls in America. In 2020 he released the book Loud Fast Words: Soul Asylum Collected Lyrics and when the pandemic stopped the tour Soul Asylum was making for their new album, Pirner and the band's guitar player Ryan Smith played 100 original songs on weekly Facebook streams that were called The Quarantine Sessions.

Personal life

Pirner started dating actress Winona Ryder after the pair were introduced at Soul Asylum's performance on MTV Unplugged in 1993.[6] They broke up three years later.

Pirner lived in Carrollton, New Orleans, Louisiana for a time and still maintains a residence and recording studio in New Orleans. He also maintains a residence in Minneapolis. He has a son, Eli, with his ex-wife.[7]

Discography

Solo

Guest appearances

References

  1. ^ "Dave Pirner Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Minnesota, Birth Index, 1935-2002
  3. ^ a b c d "Dave Pirner > Biography". Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  4. ^ "Dave Pirner Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  5. ^ "1982 Minneapolis West High School Hesperian yearbook pg 87". Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  6. ^ "Interview: Winona Ryder". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  7. ^ Rivera, Erica. "Dave Pirner talks divorce, longevity, and Soul Asylum's 'shit show' heyday | City Pages". City Pages. Retrieved 2018-03-29.

Bibliography

  • Pirner, Dave (2020). Loud Fast Words: Soul Asylum Collected Lyrics. St. Paul, MN: .

External links