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What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.

Ruthie Morris: Linda and I met through a mutual friend with the intention of writing songs. The first song we wrote is on The Circle is Round-Change Your Hair. She contacted David, who was in Oh Ok. I met Shannon through an ad in the Creative Loafing initially and later at Wax N Facts.

Provide us with some info about your latest release…

Ruthie Morris: The Circle is Round is a Flemish expression that means ‘coming full circle’. We liked it and felt like it was a good album title. This record has old and new songs on it. It’s the first recording with the original line up in a million years.

Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?

Linda Hopper: I would say the pop music I grew up listening to, punk and new wave of my college years, and most especially, my beloved REM, who I watched and fell in love with from day one. Magnapop is a combination of all 4 of our influences, my contribution is trying to make a picture or feeling with my words.

In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?

Linda Hopper: I would describe our sound as energetic, powerful, thoughtful. We write to satisfy ourselves, and our music is personal, driven and, at times, sad and happy.

Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…

Linda Hopper: Desert island question: right here, right now, Lost in Translation, The Gold Finch, by Donna Tart, and the Clash’s Clampdown.

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Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?

Linda Hopper: I like the studio and live shows for different reasons; live is energetic, connection, being in the moment, real. The studio is a study in capturing all that with the benefit of time to sculpt the sound, impression.

Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?

Linda Hopper: The unique story for us that pops up first is: we played the NMS in NYC in a showcase put together by Michael Stipe. He had worked with all 4 of the bands in the showcase. We had cassettes to hand out, but everyone felt funny doing that. A couple of men asked Ruthie for one, the only one she passed out. They turned out to be Dutch journalists who took it home, gave it to a promoter there, who then phoned us to come play a big festival in Rotterdam in 6-8 weeks time. It was our first of many trips. I guess we passed the audition.

Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?

Linda Hopper: Our most unique track, I would say, is Lay It Down, from Hot Boxing. It is still played on Belgian radio and the audience there can sing every word. I have had people come to me, telling me how it helped them through something hard in their life. Same thing with Open the Door.

Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?

Linda Hopper: Future plans? to play and record with these 4 people as Magnapop. We are figuring out our next European trip, spring 2020, and are always interested in playing out in the US, if it makes sense.

Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…

Linda Hopper: Thank you for your interest. I’ll stop now.

Curated by: Christos Doukakis

Recommended listening:

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https://www.facebook.com/magnapopband/

www.magnapop.com