The Loons

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Mike Stax: Bass guitar, Vocals | Anja Diabolik: Bass guitar | Marc Schroeder: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric) | Chris Marsteller: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric) | Mike Kamoo: Drums

Genre: Noise | Xprmntl, Punk

Sound description: Psychotic garage beat.

RIYL: Pretty Things, the Yardbirds, the 13th Floor Elevators

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Synoposis

Inception: La Mesa, 1995

Influences: Pretty Things, the Seeds, the Yardbirds, the Monks, the 13th Floor Elevators, MC5

Background:

The Loons' 2004 album Paraphernalia introduces the full scope of their sound: Beatlesque vibes reincarnated in the form of post-punk fervency.

With hard rockers, alternative folk ballads, and retro pop hooks, the disc is reminiscent of Kinks rock operas of the late '60s. "Turned to Stone" and "Sweet Turns to Sour" capture the same kind of force, with the emphasis on the innovative use of feedback and vintage instrumentation. The lyricism does fall short due to simplicity and repetition. Take these lines from "Falsehood": "Watch what they say/ They're standin' in your way/ They're gonna make you pay/ Make the change today/ Pick the locks on your chosen cage/ Ain't it time to change." The biggest downfall is a lack of complexity. Still, the band pulls it off well, with each cut crafted into a well-performed singalong.

The voice of front man Mike Stax is indistinguishable from other indie vocalists, but he does hit a groove as he shuffles over the album's most memorable line, "Exploding jasmine seeds become our fantasy." The ballad "Follow the Rain" includes a background melody line that suggests a facet of complexity to the Loons' sound.

The band's most striking aspect is the excellent fusion of psychedelic rock with pop. They never abandons the New Wave and British Invasion influences sharpened with ambitious melodies and indie attitude.

"We are just getting back and have been doing a lot of new writing and practising, after taking almost two years off after having a baby," said Anja Diabolik in early 2010. "We also did some recordings and had Glen Campbell from the Misunderstood play slide on two songs (he overdubbed it in New Zealand) and the stuff sounds great. Way out psychedlic. That’s going to be on a future release for sure."

The resulting album Red Dissolving Rays of Light was released in June 2010. Soon after, they released a split single with Clinic: Loons “If You Could Read Your Mind” b/w Clinic “I’m Wanna Get You,” as well as a split single with the Sadies, covering each others’ songs.

In late 2011, the Loons recorded the Pretty Things’ “Loneliest Person” for a SF Sorrow covers album from UK label Fruits de Mer. In addition, Mike Stax says “We’ve completed about half a dozen tracks for the next Loons album, but looks like that won’t be finished until early next year now.”

When Stax's garage band 'zine Ugly Things celebrated its 30th anniversary in May 2013 at the Casbah, San Diego native Glenn Ross Campbell (of the Misunderstood) performed with the Loons on a three-day bill that also included Ebbot Lundberg (Soundtrack of Our Lives), Cyril Jordan (Flamin’ Groovies), the Neumans, Lundberg singing with a reunited version of Love called Love Revisited, a Sloths reunion, the Rosalyns (local ladies from the Loons, Schitzophonics, New Kinetics, and Chinese Rocks), Benedict Arnold & the Traitors (tributing Paul Revere & the Raiders), the Rising Ramrods (members of Nashville Ramblers), and original “I’m A No-Count” singer Ty Wagner, in his first performance since the ’60s.

Discography

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