Gin Blossoms

Schmakt · Post by **Schmakt** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 10:06 am

I liked the Gin Blossoms pretty good... a lot of their songs do sound a lot alike, but I enjoyed the first album a lot... and the second album was ok too.

ChiDavid78 · Post by **ChiDavid78** » Thu Jan 29, 2004 7:46 am

They did have some catchy tunes but they have a greatest hits album out for having only released 2 albums and 1 nonalbum single.

flip · Post by **flip** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 7:03 pm

No sweat there dude. I was only offering that up because it has been inferred by many people (not from this board) that the GB's are to blame for Doug's death. That was a fairly large opinion in Arizona when it happened.

hot burrito · Post by **hot burrito** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 5:18 pm

Hey flip. No one said anything about putting a blame on the rest of the GB's. I was just telling what I read in an article. Anyway, thats cool that you got to hang out and jam with DH. I bet he was a cool guy.

flip · Post by **flip** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 7:05 am

scalzunfield wrote:Hopkins wasn't kicked out...He kinda died...

He most certainly was kicked out.

Having lived in Tempe and been a part of the music scene for 8 years, I was afforded the opportunity to know Doug and hang out and jam with him. He was one of the funniest, most brilliant, and most interesting dudes I've ever met. The friend that told him he was out of the band was their long time, but at that point, ex-manager. She was probably the best choice for that. As far as his girlfriend breaking up with him, that's not how it went down. They were together at the end. Doug had struggled with suicidal thoughts before the band kicked him out, and actually attempted it a few times prior. To blame his suicide on the rest of the GB's is wrong. They tried everything they could to make it work, but Doug was completely despondent, drunk, and unmanageable as a band member at that point. But he was an amazingly talented songwriter right up to the end as well.

hot burrito · Post by **hot burrito** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 5:51 pm

Doug was the main songwriter in the band. They kicked him out, and had a friend tell him. I read an artical where he said the other members were to chicken shit to tell him. A few months later his girlfriend broke up with him, then the next month he stuck a gun in his mouth. The band later said his drinking was getting in the way of his guitar playing.

scalzunfield · Post by **scalzunfield** » Sun Jan 25, 2004 11:50 pm

Makes sense. Never knew they voted him out before he killed himself. Learn somethin' new everyday I guess. He was a really good songwriter and I really love NME (except for Cheatin'--it sounds so...fake) but I don't listen to it much anymore. I saw GB Thanksgiving 2002. They've been playing really small venues for the past two years. They said then they'd have a new album out in the spring (referring to 2003). It didn't get me real thrilled, but I must admit, I've totally stopped listening to them because I haven't heard a single note off a new record outta them.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sun Jan 25, 2004 9:43 pm

One of the Gin Blossoms websites says that Hopkins was voted out of the group, mainly due to drinking so much while making NME. He later committed suicide at age 32. I hadn't realized he wrote so many of their best songs...Hey Jealousy, Found Out About You. NME is packed with good, some great songs. Congratulations I'm Sorry does have more 'misses' on it, but the 4 or 5 songs that are good are very good. If that makes sense.

scalzunfield · Post by **scalzunfield** » Sun Jan 25, 2004 8:44 pm

Hopkins wasn't kicked out...He kinda died...

I own the Gas Giants record. It lacks any sort of decent lyrics but has some good catchy pop music. The lyrics are a turnoff though. As far as after Hopkins died, the music there isn't that great. Congratulations I'm Sorry has about 4 good songs. The rest you can throw away.

DS · Post by DS » Sun Jan 25, 2004 6:18 am

I think Doug Hopkins was a great writer, I think Wilson is a good writer. I think their stuff dropped off after the kicked Hopkins out of the group.

Did you get the Gas Giants record?

hot burrito · Post by **hot burrito** » Sun Jan 25, 2004 1:19 am

I pulled out some old stuff from the early 90's last week. I think Doug Hopkins and Robin Wilson were great song writers, like Farrar. Does anyone else agree?