MAGNUSON

Artist Information

Biography

Imagine the year is 2049. We are living in a post apocalyptic world inhabited by mutated beasts, powered by Tesla coils, and haunted by the memories of a world that once was. There are many human survivors left struggling to rebuild a new life amidst the ruins. This is their soundtrack.

Armed only with a guitar, a drum kit, and the will to live, Magnuson set out in September 2012 to reach other survivors residing in Europe. Show highlights including 4 spots in the Live At Heart Festival (Sweden's version of SXSW) in Örebro, a sold out showcase at KGB in Stockholm, and a headlining spot at the Triplex Festival in The Netherlands enabled Magnuson to bring their "Black Sabbath climbing a Porcupine Tree listening to Deftones sound" to a broader fan base.

Since 2009, this power-duo has performed throughout the US, from the best clubs in Los Angeles up to the grunge capital of the word, Seattle. Their unique mix of addicting guitar riffs, hard hitting drums, and intricate male and female harmonies set Magnuson apart from the rest. Their latest LP "Crash of Cassini” (July 2011) shows Magnuson’s “use of unusual and clever chord progressions” and has solidified them as “one of the most exciting acts of this year”.

Magnuson is currently in their shelter writing an exciting new concept album (scheduled to be released in 2013) and honing their fighting skills. If you are hearing this message, we have food, water, shelter, and excellent music.

There is hope....
/end transmission

Instrumentation

Kyrsten Magnuson - Vocals, Drums, Guitar
Greg Magnuson - Vocals, Drums, Guitar

Discography

Crash of Cassini (full length album)
The Struggle Within (EP)
Last Days (full length album)

Official Website

http://www.magnusonband.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Last.fm
• MySpace
• Reverbnation

Audio

• Real Control
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• Dying to See
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• Never Know
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• MAGNUSON what child
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• Somewhere
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• Let Me Go
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• Strange Lights
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• Don't Turn Away
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• Hopeless Rerun
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• Tortola
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Lyrics

• Real Control
• Dying To See
• Never Know
• Strange Lights
• Don't Turn Away
• Hopeless Rerun
• Tortola

Video

Magnuson%20-%20Europe%20Tour%20Sizzle%20Reel.mp4

Dying to See HD.mov

Photo Gallery

Press

• Magnuson: Crash of Cassini (Album Review) [+ Show ]
  

  "This tremendous duo gives off some powerful vibes that clearly show they love the music they create..."This tremendous duo gives off some powerful vibes that clearly show they love the music they create..."Crash of Cassini" is the work of two people who desperately want you to understand their passion and desire to produce heavy riffs fronted by downright frightening lyrics...there should be now doubt that they are one of the most exciting acts of this year..."

• Album Review: "Crash of Cassini" by Magnuson [+ Show ]
  

  "Magnuson’s greatest strength is their use of unusual and clever chord progressions...fans of the al..."Magnuson’s greatest strength is their use of unusual and clever chord progressions...fans of the alt-rock should consider picking it up..."

• Magnuson – Crash Of Cassini – Mini Review [+ Show ]
  

  "I was actually blown away by what these two could record...by themselves... "Crash Of Cassini” hide..."I was actually blown away by what these two could record...by themselves... "Crash Of Cassini” hides a selection of melodic and genuine gems..."

• Magnuson-Crash of Cassini [+ Show ]
  

  "...an album of poppy progressiveness...there are...catchy, interesting and diverse songs to be expe..."...an album of poppy progressiveness...there are...catchy, interesting and diverse songs to be experienced here. "Crash of Cassini" has moments that lock in your head..."

• Magnuson's "Crash of Cassini" on CD [+ Show ]
  

  "The Magnuson sound is turgid and dense...less Zep and more Sabbath. This is not a stripped-down sou..."The Magnuson sound is turgid and dense...less Zep and more Sabbath. This is not a stripped-down sound, laid bare, simple for the sake of being simple. This is two point sources being stretched out to fill a void with energy and a fair share of grime. There's nothing wrong with that."

• InfamousGuitar.com announces Kyrsten of the band Magnuson as first member-spokesmodel [+ Show ]
  

  Guitar player’s website InfamousGuitar.com announces Kyrsten of the band 'Magnuson' as first member-...Guitar player’s website InfamousGuitar.com announces Kyrsten of the band 'Magnuson' as first member-spokesmodel
  InfamousGuitar.com and Kyrsten, lead guitarist from San Diego band “Magnuson” are teaming up to promote the Infamousguitar.com $10,000 Habitat for Humanity Challenge.
  (EMAILWIRE.COM, July 17, 2008 ) Dallas, TX - InfamousGuitar.com and Kyrsten, lead guitarist from San Diego band “Magnuson” are teaming up to promote the Infamousguitar.com $10,000 Habitat for Humanity Challenge.
  
  “We chose Kyrsten for several reasons,” says Sean Hansen, editor of Infamousguitar.com. “She’s a killer guitar player, she’s a member at our site InfamousGuitar.com, she’s uber-hot, her band rocks, and she’s all in all a really cool chick. So, we’re going to put her face out there to help grow our site, promote Habitat for Humanity, and get her band noticed. It’s a win-win-win-win, the fourth win being whoever eventually receives the benefits from Habitat for Humanity as a result of our contribution.”
  
  The InfamousGuitar.com Habitat for Humanity challenge is a combination membership drive and fundraiser. If InfamousGuitar.com gets 10,000 members on its site in 2008, they will donate $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity by the end of the year.
  
  “Habitat for Humanity is undoubtedly our favorite charity. Everyone needs a home, and Habitat gives people who are down on their luck a chance to work together with others to build themselves a home,” offers John Kirkwood, webmaster of Infamous Guitar. “You can’t beat it. They’re technically a charity, but they don’t give handouts, they give hands-up. Which we all need from time to time.”
  
  Kyrsten’s band, Magnuson, is going places. They’ve toured nationally, and are getting lots of air time on the college stations with their single “Strange Lights". Their music video "Hopeless Rerun" generated industry accolades in the Rock Star 98.7 video competition. “Just listen to them, ad you’ll hear a band that actually manages to take the three-piece rock trio to a new place,” offers Hansen. “I’m glad we get to say ‘we knew them when…’ ”.
  
  InfamousGuitar.com has just begun its first monthly guitar solo competition in May 2008, and has already had over a half million pages viewed on its site. Many guitar players and fans from the now-complete 2007 Guitar Center King of the Blues competition have migrated to InfamousGuitar.com, and its membership has grown into the hundreds, primarily through word-of-mouth viral marketing. InfamousGuitar.com expects thousands of members and millions of unique visitors during its 2008-2009 Online Guitar Solo Contest.
  
  For more information about InfamousGuitar.com, please visit http://www.infamousguitar.com, or email press [at] infamousguitar.com.
  
  For more information about “Magnuson”, please visit http://www.magnusonband.com.
  
  For more information about Habitat for Humanity, please visit http://www.habitat.org.
  
  ###
  
  This press release was issued through GroupWeb EmailWire.Com. For more information on unlimited press release distribution service, go to http://www.emailwire.com
  
  
  
  Contact Information:
  InfamousGuitar.com
  Sean Hansen
  Tel: 817-283-3239
  Email us
  
  

• Soma Review - Kevin Farr 1/05 [+ Show ]
  

  ...Magnuson took the stage in a frenzy, opening up with a more artistic style. However uninspiring ......Magnuson took the stage in a frenzy, opening up with a more artistic style. However uninspiring the opening bands were, artistic validity was redeemed, as Magnuson set themselves apart from others on the bill by playing kick-ass rock. The bassist was killin' his fretless bass, as his hands flew across the fret board. Their song structures were complex, in regards to time changes and composition. If one gave a careful listen, you could hear the complicated bass lines set the backdrop, as the drummer drove the beat. The guitar was heavily distorted, similar to Kill Me Tomorrow's sounds, just a lot harder and faster. The dynamics between the male bassist and female guitarist created an etheral sound that rocked as well a entertained. There lyrical content had depth, and vocal harmonies enticed the listener. The composition had sustenance, it was something you could remember.

• Magnuson - Palm's Performance [+ Show ]
  

  Magnuson plays Solloto Magnuson, a Star Rising? By J.D. Hawk One week after performing before...Magnuson plays Solloto
  Magnuson, a Star Rising?
  
  By J.D. Hawk
  
  One week after performing before celebrities at The Palms Casino in Las Vegas, the San Diego based rock band "Magnuson" gave a special performance for their core supporters in Chula Vista at EastLake's Caffe Solotto on December 13. "You're supposed to make eye contact and be all flirty," Greg Magnuson, group founder, said about his engaging style of performance.
  
  But Magnuson's "flirting" in Las Vegas happened to be with a girl in the front row wearing heavy eye make-up, somebody with an impressive entourage. Her name? Paris Hilton. She was accompanied by rock stars Tommy Lee and Pink and they stayed for the group's complete performance. Magnuson said he enjoyed wooing her from the stage but claims he didn't know who she was at the time and stopped short of formal introductions. "She had a lot of very big body guards," he said.
  
  The home town crowd was delighted to hear the story but really came to hear the group's alternative music, which some have compared to Radiohead, Tool and The Cure.
  
  But to classify Magnuson isn't easy. With their cryptic lyrics based in apocalyptic doctrine, one may need to have a background in both the biblical book of Revelation and secret society conspiracy theories. Beware, the anti-christ is here and he wants to put a computer chip into your hand (sign of the beast). The cover of their CD even has a giant bar code on the front alluding to that theory. But the group is more than one dimensional, singing of love--or rather, love gone bad, stalking and occasionally cursing and swearing to emphasize a point. This may throw a curve ball to anyone about to classify them as Christian Rock. "This is what evokes the emotion and this is what I want to say. Maybe we should make it more palatable. But it is what it is," Magnuson said with artistic pride.
  
  Magnuson said, however, that the words are secondary to the music itself and refused any definite labels, perhaps out of marketing savvy or just as likely, because the group is still being defined. Yes, they are good, they are confident, they work together smoothly but do they have an identity? Some have simply put them in a box called "Otherworldly", a word that also appears in their press release packet. But...
  
  Greg Magnuson: "Otherworldly? I don't think I know what that means. It's kind of New Wavy, but with some angry punk."
  
  Kyrsten Hopkins: "No! It's Alternative Rock!"
  
  Greg Magnuson: "It's Alternative Punk."
  
  Kyrsten Hopkins: "No, it's not Punk at all!"
  
  Greg Magnuson: "We're not the typical Punk band, Alternative or Grunge band. We don't even listen to Grunge... Progressive? We are Edge Rock because we cover such a broad emotional spectrum."
  
  Kyrsten Hopkins : "Ah yes. Beautiful."
  
  Even if they decide to call themselves Polka, the overriding themes of doom, desperation and anger are what resonate in the troubling words. They bite you, gnawing at your sense of security, pushing out of your comfort zone while the soothing rhythm pulls you back in, lulling the you into a blissful sense of mesmerizing melancholy . Yes, it's the end of the world, but it's so oddly fantastic! Helicopter sounds are heard in the background... Are they coming to get you? Is this Orson Wells' 1984? Here comes the chopper to chop off your head! Background news reporters are heard discussing Israel's Six Day War, a milestone in end-of-the-world prophecy. It doesn't matter, though, because Kyrsten gives a haunted smile. Is she flirting, or merely engaging the audience. Anxiety dissipates. Matt Guthrie, drummer and group dynamo, spins his sticks, showing off. Guthrie could care less that the anti-christ is lurking around because he's in a happy-go-lucky mode.
  
  Closing out the performance at Cafe Solloto, Magnuson gives a thanks to his loyal following, lets them know about where the next concert will be held and remembers to leave them always wanting more. "Next time we all perform naked," he promised.
  
  To hear the music of Magnuson, go to www.magnusonband.com.
  
  Contact J.D. Hawk

Setlist

Standard 45 minute set includes:
Dark Reality
Real Control
Somewhere
The Scout
Never Know
Blame
Let Me Go
Stars Collide
Dying To See
Vibration Girl
Strange Lights

Basic Requirements

Calendar