Transcript

MN90 Intro: Welcome to MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds. Narrator: In the early 1970s, Minneapolis’ 14 South 5th Street was a steakhouse. Cow heads and wagon wheels dotted the walls. And a rug, blazoned with a longhorn steer, set the tone for this slice of Texas ranch on the Midwest prairie. But by 1977, the restaurant had closed, and the building had gotten a new owner. Jay Berine wanted to open a punk/New Wave club but didn’t have the money to change the décor. So, it was in this cowpunching ambiance that Jay’s Longhorn Bar began life. The atmosphere was electric. Because finally, local bands like the Suburbs, Suicide Commandos and Husker Du had somewhere to play their own music, not crummy Top 40 covers, and they could build a following. Jay’s Longhorn only lasted until 1982, but by then it had already laid the foundation of the Twin Cities alternative music scene. MN90 Outro: MN90 is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, made possible by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Online at mn90.org.