Editing SST Records (section)

===Expansion and diversification===
Despite its legal troubles, SST continued to release records by artists including Minutemen, [[Saccharine Trust]], and [[Meat Puppets]]. In 1982 [[Minneapolis]] hardcore group [[Hüsker Dü]] became the label's first non-West Coast signing.<ref>Azerrad, p. 171</ref> Following the resolution of the debacle with Unicorn Records, SST released four Black Flag albums in 1984. The multiple Black Flag albums, along with the [[double album]] releases ''[[Zen Arcade]]'' and ''[[Double Nickels on the Dime]]'' by Hüsker Dü and the Minutemen, respectively, stretched the label's resources. While SST believed ''Zen Arcade'' would be a sizable underground hit, pressings of over 5,000 copies were unknown territory for the label, so it erred on the side of caution and did not print over that number in its initial pressing. Awarded critical acclaim by several mainstream media outlets, ''Zen Arcade'' sold out quickly and remained out of print for months.<ref>Azerrad, p. 182-83</ref> Ginn decided to cut the promotional costs of the Black Flag albums by issuing them in quick succession and having the band tour solidly behind the releases.<ref>Azerrad, p. 44-45</ref>

During the mid-1980s Hüsker Dü became SST's star attraction, their strong songwriting and increasingly melodic music becoming the key link between hardcore and the developing sound of [[college rock]].<ref>Azerrad, p. 159</ref> The steady recording and release of records by the band (which released three albums over the course of 1984 and 1985) created an influx of income for the label and afforded it leverage to gather payment from distributors for other releases.<ref>Azerrad, p. 184</ref> However, the band felt that SST did not devote enough attention to its releases; Hüsker Dü drummer [[Grant Hart]] said after the band left the label, "I think there's a little reluctance on their part to let anything get a little more attention than Black Flag."<ref>Azerrad, p. 187</ref> In 1985, Hüsker Dü wanted to self-produce its third studio album, ''[[New Day Rising]]''. Ignoring the band's wishes, SST assigned Spot to supervise the sessions. Grant Hart later explained: "We had no other choice but to work with him. SST ''made'' us work with him".<ref>Azerrad, 2001. p. 185</ref> Aware of the tension, Spot "had to do what the record company wanted".<ref name="a186">Azerrad, 2001. p. 186</ref> ''New Day Rising'', as a result, became one of the last recordings Spot did for the label,<ref name="a186" /> and the band soon signed to major label [[Warner Bros. Records]].<ref>Azerrad, 2001. p. 190</ref>

SST's roster was further diminished by the 1985 demise of the Minutemen (the result of the death of guitarist [[D. Boon]]) and the 1986 breakup of Black Flag. The label replaced these bands with new signings [[Sonic Youth]], [[Dinosaur Jr]], and [[Bad Brains]]. Sonic Youth mentioned SST often in interviews and in music writer [[Michael Azerrad]]'s estimation, "seemed to be actively campaigning to get signed to the indie powerhouse";<ref>Azerrad, p. 261</ref> in turn, Sonic Youth was instrumental in getting SST to sign Dinosaur Jr. Gerard Cosloy, manager of Dinosaur Jr's previous label [[Homestead Records]], said, "SST was the label everyone wanted to be on [. . .] Everyone's favorite bands were on the label; SST was funnier and cooler and it also had the machinery."<ref>Azerrad, p. 358</ref>

In 1986, Ginn bought [[New Alliance Records]] from [[Mike Watt]], who had founded the label with [[D. Boon]].<ref>Azerrad, p. 94</ref> Ginn and SST proceeded to reissue some of New Alliance's key releases—albums by [[Descendents (band)|Descendents]], Hüsker Dü's ''[[Land Speed Record (album)|Land Speed Record]]'', and all of the Minutemen's non-SST releases—on SST. He then converted New Alliance to a label based around unusual jazz, rock, and spoken word releases.

In the late '80s and early '90s, Ginn started two SST-distributed sub-labels. The first, [[Cruz (recording label)|Cruz Records]], which started in 1987, released three solo records by Ginn in the space of a year, and also released records by [[ALL (band)|ALL]], [[Big Drill Car]], and [[Chemical People]]. The second, the short-lived Issues Records, concentrated on spoken-word releases, including a double album by former [[NBA]] player [[Bill Walton]] with music by [[Ray Manzarek]].