Magnapop

About

Magnapop built their reputation the hard way, winning over festival crowds in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg long before their home country caught on. The Athens and Atlanta based rock band centers on the chemistry between vocalist Linda Hopper and guitarist Ruthie Morris, whose blend of pop melodies and punk edged guitar work gives the band a sound that sits somewhere between catchy and abrasive in the best possible way. Their mid 1990s singles "Slowly, Slowly" and "Open the Door" gave them a foothold in the US, and they worked with some serious names along the way, including Michael Stipe, Bob Mould and Geza X as producers. After their label collapsed and the band went quiet for a stretch, Magnapop came back in 2005 with a new rhythm section and the album Mouthfeel on Daemon Records. Since then they have kept going on their own terms, self releasing two more albums and continuing to perform. The Reading Festival, Pukkelpop, Lowlands and a John Peel session are all part of their back catalogue of moments, which says a lot about how seriously Europe took them even when America was still catching up.