Doug Hopkins
Doug Hopkins | |
---|---|
Birth name | Douglas Owen Hopkins |
Born | Seattle, Washington, U.S. | April 11, 1961
Died | December 5, 1993 Tempe, Arizona, U.S. | (aged 32)
Genres | Pop rock, alternative rock |
Instrument(s) | Guitar, bass guitar |
Years active | 1981–1993 |
Formerly of | Gin Blossoms, The Chimeras |
Douglas Owen Hopkins
Hopkins died by suicide in 1993, after suffering from mental health issues and alcoholism.
Early life and education
Hopkins was born in
Career
This section needs additional citations for verification. (May 2023) |
By 1987, Hopkins and Leen formed Gin Blossoms, and in 1988, Jesse Valenzuela and Phillip Rhodes signed on as the band's second guitarist and drummer, respectively.[2] Robin Wilson, the band's eventual lead singer, joined in 1988 as well.[4]
Hopkins had suffered from
Hopkins was resistant to signing to a major label, feeling like its property, and reacted with stubbornness and more drinking.[5] When the band recorded its second studio album New Miserable Experience in February 1992,[2] it was reported that Hopkins was unable to stand during his recording sessions. Faced with the prospect of firing Hopkins or being dropped by A&M, the band terminated Hopkins. Doused in aftershave and mouthwash to cover the effects of his days-long drinking binge, he was flown back to Arizona.[5]
Hopkins was replaced by Scott Johnson. The record label then withheld $15,000 (equivalent to $32,568 in 2023) owed to Hopkins until he agreed to sign over half of his publishing royalties. Hopkins was also required to relinquish his mechanical royalties to Johnson, his replacement. Hopkins reluctantly agreed to these demands because of his dire financial situation.[5] New Miserable Experience went on to become a multi-platinum album, though sales were initially slow.
After he returned to Tempe, Hopkins started another band, The Chimeras, with brothers Lawrence and Mark Zubia. Hopkins soon quit the band after a live performance went poorly. Shortly before his death, Hopkins appeared on stage with Dead Hot Workshop and Hans Olson in Tucson. The Chimeras later changed their name to The Pistoleros, upon signing a short-lived recording contract. The first several singles released by Gin Blossoms, and the only mainstream hit released by the Pistoleros prior to being dropped by their label, were penned by Hopkins.[citation needed]
Death
As Gin Blossoms experienced mounting success performing songs he had written, Hopkins became increasingly despondent.[2] Although he had always dreamed of having a gold record, when he received one (for the song "Hey Jealousy"), he hung it up for two weeks before taking it down and then destroying it. Nine days later, after an intake consultation in the detox unit of Phoenix's St. Luke's Hospital, Hopkins purchased a .38 caliber pistol. The next day, December 5, 1993, Hopkins took his own life by shooting himself.[5]
In 1994, Larry Rudolph of the New York firm of Rudolph & Beer, which represented the Hopkins estate, announced that eighteen songs were found and were open for a recording deal.[6] Circa 2000, award-winning documentarian Mark Stanoch secured the rights to Hopkins’ music and story for a biopic potentially starring Ethan Hawke, but plans got bogged down.[7]
Footnotes
- ^ a b Biography of Doug Hopkins
- ^ a b c d e Dougherty, Steve; Small, Michael (April 4, 1994), "Haunted by success". People. 41 (12):53
- ^ "Lost Horizons - A Tribute To Doug Hopkins :: Biography". www.losthorizons.info. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ "Gin Blossoms Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ a b c d Baird, Robert (February 10, 1994), "Ex-Blossom dies". Rolling Stone. (675):15
- ^ Lichtman, Irv (March 12, 1994), "Doug Hopkins songs surface". Billboard. 106 (11):102
- ^ (Magnet magazine, 2006, Gin Blossoms: Broken Flowers, http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2006/11/25/gin-blossoms-broken-flowers/)