"Luke lives in Phoenix. Paul lives in Minneapolis. We make music together with the help of the internet."
Loop Line is an alternative rock duo who just released their latest catchy as hell EP called Wakes. Using the power of the web to produce the music as the two members live in different cities, the result is a seamless blend of power pop and anthemic rock. I want to thank Paul Winkels and Luke Slisz for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.
The first album you ever bought?
Paul: Some weird compilation of classic rock live performances, featuring the likes of "Horse with No Name" by America and "That's All" by Genesis.
Luke: The self-titled album by The Presidents of the United States of America. The ‘Weird Al’ album with “Gump” might have been the second.
Paul: Some weird compilation of classic rock live performances, featuring the likes of "Horse with No Name" by America and "That's All" by Genesis.
Luke: The self-titled album by The Presidents of the United States of America. The ‘Weird Al’ album with “Gump” might have been the second.
Your last album bought?
Paul: Listening on a paid streaming service is kind of buying, isn't it? The most recent new album I've listened to all the way through is Bowie's Blackstar. But if you're talking going-in-to-a-record-store-and-buying-an-album, then it would be the self-titled album by Black Tambourine.
Luke: Never Bloom by Suspicious Beasts. I stream a lot of music too, but I was guilted into buying the album after noticing how criminally low their Spotify play count was.
Favorite album of all time?
Paul: I always come back to Pet Sounds. Always blown away.
Luke: London Calling by the Clash. Also always blown away.
Paul: Listening on a paid streaming service is kind of buying, isn't it? The most recent new album I've listened to all the way through is Bowie's Blackstar. But if you're talking going-in-to-a-record-store-and-buying-an-album, then it would be the self-titled album by Black Tambourine.
Luke: Never Bloom by Suspicious Beasts. I stream a lot of music too, but I was guilted into buying the album after noticing how criminally low their Spotify play count was.
Favorite album of all time?
Paul: I always come back to Pet Sounds. Always blown away.
Luke: London Calling by the Clash. Also always blown away.
Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Paul: Most albums these days, you get a pretty good idea of what they are like before they are ever out, but I'd go with Daisy by Brand New. Even though I quite like it now, it was not what I was expecting, so my initial reaction was not positive.
Luke: Beck’s Mutations. That was when I learned that artists don’t make the same album over and over again, and I didn’t know how to process that information as a tween. I’m still always slightly disappointed when I listen to it, even though I appreciate it more now.
First concert attended?
Paul: Def Leppard!!!
Luke: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Coming Out of Their Shells Tour. I’m pretty sure that was the first concert every kid my age in my hometown attended.
Last concert?
Paul: It was almost Def Leppard, but it was WAY too expensive. Instead, it was Weezer at Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis.
Luke: Panda Bear here in Phoenix.
Favorite concert ever?
Paul: The Rentals/Ozma at First Avenue. Or the Police, because hey, it was The Police.
Luke: When I lived in Japan, I used to go to this tiny rock club where these crazy, unknown bands would play. It was always half empty, but the bands played like their careers depended on it every night. It’s impossible to pick a favorite, but all of the shows there were incredible experiences.
Least favorite concert?
Paul: Coincidentally, the last show I went to: Weezer at Basilica Block Party. For some reason they refuse to play Pinkerton songs in Minnesota. And then they ended like 15 minutes early in what was billed as an hour long. Could have at least thrown us “El Scorcho”.
Luke: Probably the last Warped Tour I went to, years ago. Huge, outdoor music festivals are just the antithesis of what I look for in a concert experience.
Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
Paul: I used to collect baseball cards as a kid, and I really liked the old Pirates jerseys and logo. And those hats!
Luke: I’ve never been to Pittsburgh, but two of my best friends are from there, so it must be a pretty cool city if they are any indication.
Paul: The Rentals/Ozma at First Avenue. Or the Police, because hey, it was The Police.
Luke: When I lived in Japan, I used to go to this tiny rock club where these crazy, unknown bands would play. It was always half empty, but the bands played like their careers depended on it every night. It’s impossible to pick a favorite, but all of the shows there were incredible experiences.
Least favorite concert?
Paul: Coincidentally, the last show I went to: Weezer at Basilica Block Party. For some reason they refuse to play Pinkerton songs in Minnesota. And then they ended like 15 minutes early in what was billed as an hour long. Could have at least thrown us “El Scorcho”.
Luke: Probably the last Warped Tour I went to, years ago. Huge, outdoor music festivals are just the antithesis of what I look for in a concert experience.
Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
Paul: I used to collect baseball cards as a kid, and I really liked the old Pirates jerseys and logo. And those hats!
Luke: I’ve never been to Pittsburgh, but two of my best friends are from there, so it must be a pretty cool city if they are any indication.
Thanks, fellas. I feel the obvious Weezer love in your music and was wondering if you had any favorable things to say about their latter post-Blue/Pinkerton releases as it is almost a given that musicians dislike those albums?
Hey, this is Paul from Loop Line, just responding to your end bit about Weezer. I think I can speak for both Luke and I by saying that yeah, their post-Pinkerton stuff is obviously a notch down for us. The first two were formative in my early music stage, so they always hold a special place. Green and Maladroit are pretty great, too, just not quite on that level. The rest is just kind of what it is, but I'm okay as long as there is a new song or two on each album that is cool. I think Weezer is kind of like SNL, in that you love whichever era you grew up with. But to their credit, two of the songs off their upcoming album are some of their best songs in well over a decade, so maybe to some degree they've re-found the sound that made those first few albums so enjoyable.
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