First/Last-The Lopez

"If there's one thing that's for sure about music from The Lopez, it's the fact that your kindergarten teacher would absolutely loathe it.  Frontwoman Stephenwolf and everything-else-guy Jesse, collectively The Lopez, have failed to retain any notion of "inside voices" from their elementary school days, a move that seems to have worked out in everyone but Mrs. D'Amato's favor.  While "loud" alone can't adequately describe the noisy duo's blend of fuzz-laden garage pop and synth-punk, it's tough not to become immediately engrossed in the high volume ferocity of their craft.  Combining the acid-drowned noisiness of an act like Wavves with some true blue shoegaze a la No Age, The Lopez bring California's lazy blue waves to Rust Belt Way, USA.  Stick it to grandma's eardrums with head-spinner 'Obedience', or get lost in the unrelenting drum machine cacophony of 'Dougie' (minus the silly dance) - either way, be sure to check out the Pittsburgh duo's self-titled EP before Ma and Pa make it home from work."

I really dig this duo. If you live in Pittsburgh and have never seen them play, please do yourself a favor and check them. What better time than tomorrow night at Howler's on a bill with pow wow! and my buds in Neighbours.You can also find them online at FaceBook, BandCamp, ReverbNation, and MuzicDizcovery. My thanks to Stephenwolf (Vocals/Synth) and Jesse Lopez (Guitar/Vocals/Programming) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
Steph: I can’t remember the first full-length album I ever bought, but I know the first music I ever owned was Suzanne Vega’s ‘Tom’s Diner’ single cassette tape.
Jesse: It was either the first Naughty by Nature or the first Cypress Hill. That Cypress record is still crazy good. Some of those beats are mind blowers. Someone should reissue that shit.

Your last album bought?
Steph: I got two Sleater Kinney albums from Santa this year, “All Hands on the Bad One” and “The Hot Rock”.
Jesse: I just picked up (with a gift certificate to the wonderful Sound Cat Records) a 5LP box of this band Witch, a sweet  psych/rock/funk band from Zambia and also the reissue of the first NEU record.

Favorite album of all time?
Steph: I don’t think I could pick a number one favorite album, but Beck’s “Mellow Gold” and The Breeders’ “Last Splash” are two albums that I will always love.
Jesse: Fuck. Today the answer is “Billion Dollar Babies”?

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Steph: Crash Test Dummies, “God Shuffled His Feet”.
Jesse: These are different questions. Least favorite?  Hmmmmmmmm…Like, something I could just throw away? That jive turkey Elvis Costello gets on my nerves. I have some of his records. Most disappointing? Since Steph mentioned him, Beck’s “Sea Change” record. Man, that fucking sucked. Big disappointment.

First concert attended?
Steph: Elastica at Metropol.
Jesse: Lollapalooza ’94 at Starlake.

Last concert?
Steph: Weird Paul Rock Band, South Seas Sneak, Duo, and Tron Ate My Baby at Garfield Artworks.
Jesse: Hmmmm…It may also have been WPRB. But not the same one Steph said. Rock & Bowl maybe?

Favorite concert ever?
Steph: Guided By Voices.
Jesse: We saw Fogerty a few years back at the Tower Theatre in Philly and he just fucking killed. The set was relentless. One of the most fun times ever. Springsteen and the Band at the Arena in ‘99 or 2000 was also a banger. I went with my fam and my Dad was hoping he was gonna play this song, a Jimmy Cliff cover, that was on the “We are The World” record. I was like “You’re nuts if you think they’re playing that”. I had been checking out setlists online. But this was the second show out of two and the set was nothing like the night before and of course like five songs in they play ‘Trapped’. My Dad marked out hard.

Least favorite concert?
Steph: Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Jesse: I fell asleep at two shows in my life. One was obviously the Dave Matthews Band at Three Rivers. The other was Stereolab at Laga. But the Stereolab show was actually O.K.

Favorite thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
Steph: There are a lot of good shows going on here in the ‘burgh…you just have to get out and go to them!!
Jesse: I like food. Food tastes good.

Thanks, guys. Turns out I was at BOTH your first concerts. And funnily enough Jesse, my Dad loved Springsteen and his favorite song was 'Trapped'.