Metal Circus is an EP

Extended play

An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

 by Hüsker Dü

Hüsker Dü

Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....

, released in 1983. As one of their early records

Gramophone record

A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...

, it was largely rooted in the band's initial hardcore punk style. However, signs of a new, poppier influence emerge on Metal Circus, particularly in the songs sung by Grant Hart

Grant Hart

Grant Hart is an American musician, best known as the drummer and co-songwriter for the influential alternative rock and hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü. After the band's breakup in 1987, Hart formed the alternative rock trio Nova Mob, where he moved to vocals and guitar...

 ("It's Not Funny Anymore" and "Diane"). It also features some of Bob Mould

Bob Mould

Robert Arthur "Bob" Mould is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar in the 1990s.-Early life:...

's most passionate singing, and shows further development in his guitar playing. The change from the furious hardcore moments of Land Speed Record

Land Speed Record (album)

Land Speed Record is the first full-length record by Hüsker Dü, released in January 1982. It was recorded live on August 15, 1981 at the 7th Street Entry, a venue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The album is a fast and furious hardcore workout that bears almost no resemblance to the melodic post-punk...

and Everything Falls Apart

Everything Falls Apart

Everything Falls Apart is the second album by Hüsker Dü, though their first studio album, as their debut, Land Speed Record, was recorded live...

towards increasing melodicism hints at the groundbreaking new approach that was to be seen on the band's next release, Zen Arcade

Zen Arcade

Upon its release Zen Arcade received positive reviews in many mainstream publications, including NME, The New York Times and Rolling Stone. In his review for Rolling Stone, David Fricke described Zen Arcade as "the closest hardcore will ever get to an opera .....

.

The horrific murder depicted in the anguished "Diane" is based upon the murder of West St. Paul waitress Diane Edwards by Joseph Ture in 1980. The title pronunciation, "Diane", makes a quibble

Quibble

A quibble may refer to:*a trivial objection*a pun, or play on words* Quibble , in narratology...

 with the word "dying" (and the background vocals sing the word "Diane" in a way that makes it sound like "Die Ann"). The music was covered by the band Coffin Break in 1989, Irish band Therapy?

Therapy?

Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...

 in 1995, Superdrag

Superdrag

Superdrag is an alternative rock band from Knoxville, Tennessee. The band had a hit with its 1996 single "Sucked Out" off their album Regretfully Yours, for which a video clip was broadcast regularly on MTV...

 in 1998 and Gravenhurst

Gravenhurst (band)

Gravenhurst is a vehicle for the music of the singer-songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist, Nick Talbot, who lives in Bristol, England and is signed to Warp Records.-History:...

 in 2004 .

This EP was almost released as a 30 minute album with 11 songs. The outtake

Outtake

An outtake is a portion of a work that is removed in the editing process and not included in the work's final, publicly released version. In the digital era, significant outtakes have been appended to CD and DVD reissues of many albums and films as bonus tracks or features, in film often, but not...

s were "Standing by the Sea" (later used on Zen Arcade), "Today's the Day", "You Think I'm Scared", and "Won't Change". http://www.thirdav.com/hd_discog/04_demos.html#mcfull

Track listing

Side One

1. "Real World" (Mould) – 2:27
2. "Deadly Skies" (Mould) – 1:50
3. "It's Not Funny Anymore" (Hart) – 2:12
4. "First of the Last Calls" (Mould) – 2:48

Side Two

1. "Lifeline" (Mould) – 2:19
2. "Diane
   Diane (therapy? song)
   "Diane" was originally recorded by US band Hüsker Dü for their Metal Circus EP in 1983. The song was written by drummer Grant Hart, and concerns the murder of West St. Paul waitress Diane Edwards by Joseph Ture in 1980....
   
   " (Hart) – 4:42
3. "Out on a Limb" (Mould) – 2:39