"On the back of his locker door was taped the Rolling Stone cover of the Sex Pistols," he says. It’s a very good quality.“. [4] With "Found Out About You" following a few months later, the album eventually reached multi-platinum status.[5]. It was Flower who exposed him to the Pistols. My parents loved him.

But it's the first one Bill Leen and Doug Hopkins … © 2020 www.azcentral.com. People often drifted in and out of bands with Hopkins. The band has reunited and released two albums in the past decade with another album slated to begin recording in the fall. "Doug liked melodic voices," Swafford says. 'Monique LeShea' and '100 Summers' are still two of my favorite songs. Support Us "He doted on me, my sister, our children, his children," Valerie says. Asking him to think back on the events surrounding an album recorded two decades ago feels like pulling teeth. Before Doug Hopkins tragically committed suicide in 1993, he would often tell his friends that the Gin Blossoms were ripping him off. "But boy, could that guy sing.". But he had all these handwritten lyrics and could sing them to you.". "So he said, 'I can't go on this adventure with you guys,'" Valerie recalls.

You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Phoenix with no paywalls. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

His name might be less familiar than those of his former bandmates who went on to form the Gin Blossoms. The spirit of Hopkins, who struggled with depression and alcoholism for several years, followed the Gin Blossoms as they began work on their follow-up, Congratulations I’m Sorry.

When the singles “Found Out About You” and “Hey Jealousy” started climbing the charts, Hopkins’ nightmare unfolded before his eyes.

", In August 1983, the Psalms recorded a cassette EP, "No Great Cathedral.".

Gin Blossoms' quadruple-platinum breakthrough album "New Miserable Experience. "And Richard had that.". But he's not in pain anymore.

"And Bowie, of course. It was more management than anything. He was supportive of everyone in his life. His name might be less familiar than those of his former bandmates who went on to form the Gin Blossoms. And that was the first song, probably, Doug Hopkins ever wrote. ", Shipp found it funny that his friend would draw the line at "Be True to Your School. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox, Phoenix Restaurant Directory: Takeout/Delivery/Dine-in, Joe's Grotto: An Oral History of Phoenix's Now-Defunct Metal Haven, The Five Best Songs by Phoenix Musicians in October 2020, 20 Years Ago, the Gin Blossoms Released Their First Album After Doug Hopkins’ Death, Uranus Recording of Tempe Closes With Great Performances From Gin Blossoms, Rembrandts, and Tempe Rock Lifers, New Music from AJJ, Jared & The Mill, Diners, and More. Support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times free. Flower's health had been declining since 2003, when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer.

Subscribe to azcentral.com today. Everybody loved him.". Flower had retreated from the scene after leaving the Psalms, his second band with Leen and Hopkins, in 1984, to focus on family, settling into a long career at Sears at Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix. Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-4495.

And Rich was just a fixture at my parents' house.

Staff,

The album was released to little fanfare and relatively lackluster reviews.

", Hopkins emerged as something of a mythic figure, writing such Gin Blossoms classics as "Hey Jealousy" and "Found Out About You. "That record Alice Cooper produced for Gentlemen Afterdark came out and the Psalms EP came out," he says. It was us.

Valenzuela recalls one point of contention between the band and the label: They couldn’t include “Til I Hear It From You” on the album. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. That first band, whose name was so "punk" that Leen won't share it, never made it out of the garage. “Maybe [the song] shouldn’t be on the record.

We use cookies to collect and analyze information on site performance and usage, and to enhance and customize content and advertisements. "We were gonna do 'Be True to Your School' like the Ramones did 'Do You Wanna Dance,'" Leen says. ", His bandmates fired him during the recording of that 1992 release. "I was with him the night he bought the 'Anarchy in the U.K.' 45," Leen says. Help, Don't have an account yet? All rights reserved. But the train picked up speed and Hopkins ended up in Tucson, where he spent the night drinking at a bar in Hotel Congress before taking a bus back to Phoenix. By clicking 'X' or continuing to use the site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. The Phoenix New Times may earn a portion of sales from products & services purchased through links on our site from our affiliate partners.

While members of other bands touring the ’90s nostalgia circuit seem eager to reminisce, Jesse Valenzuela, guitarist and one of the Gin Blossoms’ founding members, seems audibly frustrated as he attempts to recall how the sessions for the album began. "And Rich was against the idea. However, nearly a year after its release the lead single "Hey Jealousy" entered the top 40. Leen says. Valerie says her brother left the Psalms because Hopkins started to "have his decline with his drinking" and Flower and his girlfriend at the time didn't want any part of it. Some of the credit and blame for the sonic consistency between the two albums goes to producer Hampton. In addition to Valerie, Flower is survived by two other siblings, Larry and Patricia, and two daughters, Emily, 23, and Amanda, 20. But it's the first one Bill Leen and Doug Hopkins considered when choosing a singer for their first of several bands together, setting in motion events that would lead to Tempe jangle-pop stars the Gin Blossoms' quadruple-platinum breakthrough album "New Miserable Experience.". All rights reserved. "And they were trying to learn how to play 'Anarchy in the U.K.'".

Flower quit in a dispute over a Beach Boys song.

He was tall and lithesome. He died of renal failure at his home in Peoria. The album's original cover artwork depicted the Arizona desert. That’s just how he was. And it was like, 'You are!'". "He found something and said, 'How does this one go?'" ANDERSON — The Highland High School Class of '66 will host its 48th class reunion on Aug. 23. "In terms of what sort of mark he left in Phoenix music, it was just a blip, unfortunately, because he didn't really pursue it the way he could have," says writer and musician Brian Smith, a longtime friend who met Flower when Smith was the singer for Gentlemen Afterdark. About Us, He curtly confirms it’s not something anyone can comprehend. Terms,

Valenzuela, Wilson, and power pop legend Marshall Crenshaw co-wrote the hit single “Til I Hear It From You.” The song, which was written and recorded rather quickly, proved to be more popular than the film. So that's saying a lot.". Leen, who has been the bassist in the Gin Blossoms since the band formed in 1987, recalls those early days, playing with Flower and Hopkins, fondly. Contact Us, "In Arizona in the '70s, that was kind of unheard of. I think it’s done okay … It’s not something that would have kept me up at night.”. It was kind of a silly decision. “I remember thinking being of both minds,” Valenzuela recalls.

He’s proud of his bandmates’ deft songwriting skills. Most of them want to forget about their high school.

He had these tremendous flowing locks. Especially music people. Get the most out of your experience with a personalized all-access pass to everything local on events, music, restaurants, news and more. "I was like 'What the hell are you people looking at? According to Hampton, the label was concerned that including the song on the record would diminish sales for the Empire Records soundtrack. However, nearly a year after its release the lead single "Hey Jealousy" entered the top 40. Rolling Stone praised the album, saying it "sounds both fresh and highly personal. He'd be like, 'I'm not!' Join the New Times community and help support independent local journalism in Phoenix. I mean, he and I were in cahoots about which singles to release.

With "Found Out About You" following a few months later, the album eventually reached multi-platinum status. "Before life got too serious. The album, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, came along four long years after the release of their successful major-label debut, which included touring in support of New Miserable Experience for over a year. Since we started Phoenix New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we would like to keep it that way.

“So, the band starts down the path of record two with some good songs, but not quite the songs of youth.”. Hampton recalls Wilson announcing that because Wilson originally was a mouthpiece for Hopkins’ songs, his work with the Gin Blossoms had served its purpose and it was time to move on. "Then we'd gravitate back together," Swafford says, "because he was such a great songwriter.".

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