Fifteen years ago I went to New York with my best mate John and one of our intentions while we were there was to go and see a live band. Any band would do - we just wanted to go to a gig in the Big Apple.We were browsing in a record store in Greenwich Village one day where we spotted a small poster for a venue called Tramps where the ever cantankerous Mark E Smith and his latest line up of The Fall were playing. Never having seen The Fall live we bought a couple of tickets. It's rare for me to turn up early enough at a gig to see the support act but on this night in 1994 we were there on time to see this one. The band in question are Magnapop.
The best description I have seen of Magnapop described them as a band who create high energy punk pop with catchy hooks and literate lyrics.
Magnapop are from Atlanta, Georgia. Their self titled debut album was produced by Michael Stipe. The follow up album, Hot Boxing, was produced by Bob Mould of Husker Du. This was the album that made up most of the set at Tramps. The gig was a lesson in how to combine punk aesthetics with quality pop. Most of the songs were short, hook laden punk pop songs. Linda Hopper's smooth unhurried vocals were a perfect combination alongside Ruthie Morris' frantic guitar playing.
Another album followed in 1996, Rubbing Doesn't Help. Then nothing new until 2005 when a re-formed Magnapop released an album called Mouthfeel. Largely I guess due to an undeserved lack of commercial success nothing new has appeared since 2005 although there are rumours of new material this year so if you like the track that follows you could do a lot worse than try to get hold of a copy of Hot Boxing which is probably the best place to start.
Slowly Slowly is, in my humble opinion, their finest moment to date. The perfect introduction to the sound of Magnapop, a song that also manages to neatly pinch the main hook from The Violent Femmes track Kiss Off.
For helping to make a great holiday that bit more special I will always have a soft spot for Magnapop.
Happy listening and, in case anyone was wondering, The Fall were on good form on that balmy September evening as well.
mp3 : Magnapop - Slowly, Slowly
TODAY'S GUEST POSTING IS COURTESY OF SCOTT McLUCKIE, A READER WHO LIVES IN MY OWN PART OF THE WORLD AND WHO HAS SAID SOME VERY KIND AND ENCOURAGING THINGS IN E-MAILS OVER THE YEARS.
9 comments:
Christ JC, this is a brilliant idea you've had. The sheer variety of the posts and the bands is really quite thrilling.
Another god post today. It's the personalness of the posts that grabs.
Cheers ctel....you should see what's still to come!!!!
Go Mr McLuckie! It is you, isn't it?
Thanks for this Scott had never heard of Magnapop before. I like it. Not your typical Fall support, if there is such a thing.
Were the mighty Fall any good that night? A lot of the tapes I have from this period are quite ropey.
Saw the same tour in la and both bands were brilliant. It is a record that I have enjoyed quite a bit over the years. Good call
I agree that Magnapop were a very underrated band. I disagree slightly in that I think "Rubbing Doesn't Help" is their high mark, full of as you said catchy, literate punk. But all the albums are well worth checking out. Just the kind of band that deserves another hearing.
The Fall were on great form - Brix had re-joined the band about a month before and we even had the rare sight of Mark E Smith attempting to dance during Big New Prinz. A priceless moment.
Great to see this posted. I remember when it came out and still have the white vinyl 12"! They then came over to the UK and supported REM on the Monster tour and one of the B sides was also a Fugazi cover.
Great stuff!
Scott your story reminds me of a very sad evening in my life Oct 1999 on holiday in NYC with my wife and discovered The Stereophonics were playing The Bowery ballroom , my wife would not go as the new series of Angel or Buffy was starting on some TV channel in hotel and she would not let me go alone in case it was scary!
son of the rock
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