P 9 - Soul Asylum (1989)

What this video is

Soul Asylum occupied a unique position in the late-1980s Minneapolis rock ecosystem — shaped by the same Twin/Tone Records infrastructure that launched Hüsker Dü and The Replacements, yet distinct in its willingness to blend hardcore punk energy with country-inflected songwriting. 'P-9' is among the most explicitly political songs in their catalog: its title references the union local (P-9 of the United Food and…

Why it matters

An important document of pre-mainstream Soul Asylum and the political dimension of Minneapolis alternative rock. 'P-9' demonstrates that the genre's social consciousness preceded its commercial explosion; the video's understated production is itself a statement, aligning aesthetically with the…

The director

Philip Harder (born 1965) is an American music video director, commercial director, and cinematographer based in Minneapolis and New York. He co-founded the Minneapolis production company Harder/Fuller Films (1985–2005) with producer Rick Fuller, producing…