The Loons - Memories Have Faces (2024)

The Loons of Southern California have been playing their uniquely original brand of psychedelic garage and freakbeat for more than 25 years. The Loons keep growing, learning, creating, evolving but never compromising. With “Memories Have Faces” (fifth album!) they’ve created their most impressive batch of songs to date, along with an intense version of the Pretty Things’ ‘Cries from the Midnight Circus.’ Formed in San Diego, The Loons have recorded and released five albums along with a slew of singles, and played gigs in more cities around the world than they can keep count of. They’ve collaborated with original 60s music icons like Glenn Ross Campbell of The Misunderstood, Dick Taylor of The Pretty Things, Randy Holden of The Sons of Adam and Blue Cheer, and Michael Stuart-Ware of Love. Mike Stax, who also publishes Ugly Things magazine, is the lead singer. Anja Stax plays bass and sings backing vocals. Marc Schroeder and Chris Marsteller play guitars, and Chris Cancelliere is on drums. Mike Stax was already a veteran of several other San Diego bands, including The Crawdaddys and The Tell-Tale Hearts, when he first formed the Loons in 1997. Ebbot Lundberg of The Soundtrack of Our Lives produced the group’s debut album, “Love’s Dead Leaves”, released by Get Hip Records in 1998. Anja joined on bass after relocating to California from London, where she’d been playing with The Diaboliks, and Marc Schroeder and Chris Marsteller joined soon afterwards. Chris Cancelliere became the group’s new drummer at the end of 2018. “A perfect pairing of Love-influenced garage-psych and British underground in the mould of the Pretty Things played with preternatural style and ability.” ~ Shindig Magazine