LINDA HOPPER AND RUTHIE MORRIS are trying to figure what spawned the myth of the amazing backstage party. Magnapop's singer and guitarist have seen plenty of backstages but that happening party scene has eluded them thus far. They've seen their share of deli trays with mystery meat, downed too many cheap beers, and shaken the hands of plenty of people who put the "strange" in stranger. So, where the hell is that party? "We're happy with a clean bathroom," said Morris. "Forget the party, I just want an hour-long shower," added Hopper.
"As far as Linda and I are concerned, that whole party thing was never part of our fantasy." said Morris. The groupie thing doesn't do it for them, either. "I hate to say it," sighed the singer, "but the people who get backstage are not necessarily the people you would want to have sex with."
"We're thinking, 'Would I like to date him?,'" said Morris. "Not, 'Oh, for tonight, that would be great.' We're not in it to meet guys." No big party in the green room, no groupie lust; Magnapop's frontwomen love exposing those myths one by one. It would be comforting to believe -- here at the end of the 20th century -- that the "gender issue" had gone the way of "separate but equal," but it hasn't. Enlightenment is slow in coming even in the theoretically more tolerant world of rock 'n' roll.
Hopper and Morris have heard all the clichés. Their favorite is that women can't rock, and if they do, then they're not real women. "Supposedly, Margaret Thatcher really isn't a woman," said Hopper. "And neither is Anita Hill," Morris chimed in. These two women, who do, in fact, rock and are female right down to their double-X chromosomes, are best friends and co-conspirators. They are also optimistic that one day, no one will care about what they wear on stage. Especially if they opt for trousers.
"We still get people who say, 'Well, the women sure wear the pants in your band,'" said Morris. "I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean anymore. I know a lot of women who like to wear pants, and some of them are in bands. Is that a problem?" Truth be told, everyone in Magnapop wears pants, even the guys. To make things more confusing for the backward-minded, bass player Shannon Mulvaney (XY chromosomes) frequently sports eyeliner, while drummer Mark Posgay (also a guy) is still pretty new to the band, so his ambiguities may surface later.
The members of Magnapop aren't too concerned with the role of the sexes in music. They are four people who wanted to be in a band together and have turned their musical passion into a career. "It's tour, tour, tour," said Hopper. "That's how it's always been with us." According to Morris, staying on the road is the best way to ensure stage time. "We're not one of these bands that got a record deal right off the bat, which is a good thing. That's the fun of it -- learning what to do and having a chance to get better at it. It's made us smarter," she said.
The band mates aren't exactly sure how much touring they've done, but Magnapop has been around for six years and, to them, it feels like most of that time has been spent on the road. Fortunately, they love it. "You can tell with British bands when they come over here that they don't tour much because they get so whiny about the whole thing," said Morris. "The drives are so long and they're so used to being so famous in a smaller country where they get all the press and the attention. We can play to no one and have a good time."
It's been a long time since Magnapop has played to no one. The band is well established on the club circuit and headlined in large clubs on the most recent U.S. leg of its world tour. Now, it's off to Europe for about three weeks in August and September, and later in the fall, Magnapop will make its debut in Australia and Japan. More U.S. dates are to come and the band is already slated for some radio station sponsored Christmas shows.
Critics and alternative music hipsters know all about Magnapop's early days in Athens, Ga., and its albums produced by Michael Stipe and Bob Mould. The rest of the world is finally catching on, thanks to the strength of Rubbing Doesn't Help, the band's first release on Priority Records.
"We've definitely been very fortunate," said Morris. "We've gotten where we are, not because we play so well, but because people have picked up our spirit of abandonment to music. We're not trying to be anything other than ourselves. I'm thrilled that people get it. It gives me hope that you don't have to be half naked or clichéd or hit people over the head with what you're doing." Magnapop has toured its way into the mainstream without hype or a prefab image. Like Hopper said, it's just tour, tour, tour.
"I have this ability to look down and just keep pushing forward. Occasionally, I'll look up and think, 'Ok, this is working.' I love this band; I want it to be successful." she said. "I've always been in bands and I love it. I've never had a regular job. I love this and working with Ruthie means working with my best friend, so this is perfect for me."
Magnapop is powered by great noise and a good heart. The bandmates have a solid team behind them, too. First, the enthusiastic folks at Priority came on board, and now Magnapop has signed up Jonathan Levine at Artists & Audience. The band has a new manager as well, the Umbrella Group's Tom Manzi. "We've got the knowledge and we've got the songs," said Morris. "Things are only going to get more interesting."