At a time when Pearl Jam and Nirvana were becoming household names, a little band from Minnesota sneaked into heavy rotation with a simple song that became a runaway hit.

Ten years ago, Soul Asylum released “Runaway Train,” a single that dominated commercial radio and MTV; it was nearly impossible to escape the images of teen runaways and the simple, inviting opening lyric, “Call you up in the middle of the night. .”

Dan Murphy, guitarist for Soul Asylum, calls, not in the middle of the night, but in the morning, from Minneapolis, and explains how he is re-adjusting to the home life after recent touring. Now, with the band lacking both a record label and a hit single, Murphy reflects on past success and muses about how things have changed.

“It seems like when the whole grunge thing took off, we had a big acoustic guitar radio hit,” Murphy says. “That was kind of funny.”

What wasn’t funny was the band’s attitude prior to the release of “Grave Dancers Union,” the album that contained the pervasive “Runaway Train.”

“I think if that record hadn’t done something we would have quit for sure,” Murphy says.

“We kind of felt like we had been beating our heads against the wall. We’d had the same audience, done the same shows and hadn’t even come close to being able to make a living doing it.”

Ten years into Soul Asylum’s life, the members were looking to a future that didn’t include the band.

“That was a grim period for the band,” Murphy says.

However, he and front man Dave Pirner holed up in New York for three to four months and lived off $10 a day, writing and recording “Grave Dancers Union,” Murphy says.

“I think that record has that desperation,” Murphy says. “Maybe that’s why it worked.”

And how it worked, with the album garnering multiplatinum sales for Columbia Records – not that the band had any inkling of its impending success.

“Every time you make a record, someone at your record company will tell you, `Whoa, you guys really did it this time’,” Murphy explains. “We heard that a bunch but didn’t believe it.

“It wasn’t like we were thinking our lives were going to change,” he adds.

A successful tour for “Grave Dancers” that spanned two and a half years brought the band through Europe, Australia, Japan and Brazil.

“It was really, really tiring,” Murphy says. “It wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as it should have been, but it had its moments.

“I remember playing a few shows where it just started to click, and there’d be 20,000 people just going nuts. That was kinda cool; I could get used to that.”

Besides playing to crowds larger than they had ever seen, the members of Soul Asylum noticed some other changes.

“We’d go into a restaurant and order some food, and your waiter would just flip out: `I can’t believe I got Soul Asylum here,’ ” Murphy says. ” `I would still like to order, sir.’ “

The excitement eventually died down, and Soul Asylum again went platinum with “Let Your Dim Light Shine,” though not to the level of “Grave Dancers.”

“People were saying, `God, what a disappointment,’ ” Murphy says. “And we’re like, `What, are you nuts? You sold a million records in America.'”

Another album and some major label frustration later, Soul Asylum now finds itself in a new, yet partially familiar position.

“For the second or third time in our career we went out to New York and did a showcase show, which is where you let a bunch of record creeps check you out,” Murphy says.

“It actually went pretty good; we played good and had a ton of fans there.”

Soul Asylum is aggressively pursuing a major label deal, Murphy says, and signing with an indie label doesn’t seem to be a viable option.

“Having been on an indie label [Twin/Tone] and then having the success that we’ve had, there’s kind of a `thou art holier’ thing going on,” Murphy says. “I think they’re more intimidated than we are.”

While waiting for the right deal to pop up, the band has recorded some new material and is playing as much as possible, anywhere from Florida to Korea.

“We’ll play the opening of an envelope,” Murphy says.

Touring and playing shows has always been the band’s forte, he adds, and having 20 years and 10 albums to grow as musicians helps.

“The good thing is there’s a breadth of material when you’re putting together a set,” Murphy explains. “You can put together a 20-song set that covers some of the Twin/Tone stuff even.

“In most other rackets, familiarity kind of breeds contempt, I guess, but in the music business it’s good to have songs that people know,” he adds. “And we got about five or six of those.”

Of course, Soul Asylum will play three or four songs off “Grave Dancers Union,” Murphy says. And the band’s signature song?

“We do [play it], not every night, but it’s in the middle of our set,” he says. “It’s not anything I’m embarrassed by.”

And so, Soul Asylum will most likely play “Runaway Train” when they arrive Thursday for Rock the Rec.

“So many people come up to us after shows and say, `I met my … or we first started dating when that song came out,’ and you’re like, And?’ ” Murphy says. “But it’s still kind of sweet to hear.”

Nostalgia aside, Murphy is proud of the song.

“I think it’s timeless,” Murphy says.

“It’s more like a notch on your belt than something we’re embarrassed about.”