Magnapop in INDIECATOR Magazine

September 1992

With a debut album featuring four tracks produced by R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, Americans Magnapop have received a serious amount of critical acclaim across Europe. So how come they ain't big-time stars at home in America? Does it have anything to do with them not coming outta Seattle or being connected in any way with Nirvana and Mudhoney? Also, why does singer Linda Hopper refuse to go onstage with REM? Questions that beg to be answered...

"Oh no!" squeals Linda down the phone when I tell her that I'm calling from Hamburg. "How could I forget that town? Everywhere we went there were a bunch of guys who kept trying to steal the instruments out the tour bus. When they finally succeeded we eventually found them hidden in some bushes. All they got away with was the T-shirts so they had to be real fans." crackles Linda down the line. The seventeen paying fans in the hall were completely unaware that a potential disaster had been averted and they all trooped home in a Magnapop inspired trance.

Linda and her guitarist partner Ruth Morris are really the backbone of Magnapop whilst the two men on drums and bass are the rhythm section who usually stand in the shadows as the girls strut their stuff.

Magnapop's career only really started taking off after a gig in Atlanta, Georgia at which a certain Michael Stipe showed up.

"After the show he came backstage and asked if he could produce a couple of songs for us. Of course we were kind of honoured in a way."

Even though Michael had various ideas about how the band should sound, he didn't force it upon them. They did listen to him and take on board his ideas, but all decisions were left up to the band. After all, the original idea for a noise/pop band was theirs...

A major turning point for their career was in 1991 when they played the highly influential New Music Seminar in New York. Two Dutch journalists were so impressed by the four Georgians' show that they promptly got in touch with a promoter who offered Magnapop some dates - just like that. The gamble payed off and no-one could have imagined the result. Each and every show was sold out in Holland and their combined record sales in Holland, Belgium and Luxemburg outstripped even that of the USA.

"We were completely blown away when we played the festival in Rotterdam," remembers Linda happily. "It was just like we'd known them all for ages. They loved everything we did and forgave us all the mistakes onstage. It was really amazing."

As their support grew, so did their confidence and stage-show. Whilst Linda workes herself into a regular frenzy on the mike, Ruth punished her guitar in a typical Pete Townshend style. Looks-wise though, she's about as far away from the old man Townsend as Australia is from England. She just has that style, that aggression and a blatant disrespect for her instrument.

Of course, people will ask if Stipe's involvement had anything to do with their success. Did his name lend credibility to them?

"Rubbish!" snaps Linda back. "Of course he's seen by some as a sort of god. A kind of god who happens to make great music. But if we'd lit a candle and sung hymns we wouldn't have become successful." At which point the REM connection is dropped... So let's move onto other styles of music. What about the Seattle sound?

"It's just another bit of hype from the media who want to cash in on something. A few years ago there really were some great bands coming out of Seattle. Everyone there was into trying out new styles and experimenting. But then when Nirvana made it big-time, all the gold-diggers in the world came crawling out to try and make some money. And now all that's left in Seattle is a lot of third rate shouters. And that film 'Singles'...it all reminded me of 'Saturday Night Fever'."

To their credit Magnapop have been spared the old exploitation thing. They won't suddenly change direction even though the likes of Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo are suddenly flavour of the month. Commendable behaviour in a world where it's way too easy to sell out and cash in.

What a great way to welcome in those rainy days of Autumn with a blast of Magnapop.

Thomas Soltau