Skip to content

Mark Hoppus’ Thursday Pick: Sunset Rubdown

100916-sunset-rubdown-1.jpg

At SPIN.com, we get pitches from aspiring writers all the time, but one we received last fall was quite different. It came from Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus, who said he was dying to write a column about his favorite new bands for us-so we hired him! For four months, the bassist-producer-social media maven contributed a weekly piece called Hopp on Pop, profiling acts like Japandroids, Mumford & Sons, Uffie, and dozens more.

But that was just the beginning. Starting Thursday, Sept. 16, Mark will take his tastemaking talents to the Fuse network with his new show, A Different Spin, which airs at 7 P.M. EST and finds Hoppus talking about all things music with co-host Amy Schumer. Get more info and behind-the-scenes video at trustmeiminaband.com.

To help celebrate the launch of A Different Spin, Mark is back on SPIN.com for one week only, sharing five of his favorite acts of the moment (one per day), culled from his incessant pursuit of all that rocks. (Click here to discover Mark’s previous picks, and come back to SPIN.com every day this week for Mark’s latest discovery.)

And be sure to follow more of Mark’s opinions and exploits via Twitter and on his blog!

SUNSET RUBDOWN

HOMETOWN:
Montreal

THE BASICS:
When he’s not playing with any number of creature-themed indie-rock bands (Wolf Parade, Frog Eyes, Swan Lake), Spencer Krug fronts Sunset Rubdown, who deliver wild and wooly art-rock with song titles like “Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Oh!”

WHERE HOPP HEARD THEM FIRST:
“I was already a fan of Wolf Parade when I heard about this side-project”

WHY THEY ROCK:
“Way out there, Dungeons and Dragons rock! Epic stories of slaying dragons.The album itself is titled Dragonslayer, and there’s a ten-minute song called ‘Dragon’s Lair.’ (Get the play on words there?) Art rock is a complete understatement. These guys are on their own planet. Most of the songs are longer than five minutes. Amazing musicianship and incredible, unique vocals throughout.

HOPP’S TOP TRACK:
“Idiot Heart”

LISTEN: Sunset Rubdown, “Idiot Heart” (DOWNLOAD MP3)