Doug Hopkins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Douglas "Doug" Hopkins (April 11, 1961 – December 5, 1993) was an American musician and songwriter from Tempe, Arizona. He co-founded the Gin Blossoms, a popular modern rock band of the early 1990s, in 1987 with his longtime friend, Bill Leen. He was the band's lead guitarist and principal songwriter.
Hopkins' songwriting credits included the hits "Hey Jealousy," "Found Out About You," "Hold Me Down," "Until I Fall Away," and "Lost Horizons." His penchant for somber lyrics, matched with catchy guitar hooks and notable melodies underscored his memorable style.
Doug suffered from chronic depression and battled alcoholism early on with the Gin Blossoms. When the band recorded New Miserable Experience, it is reported that Hopkins was unable to stand during his recording sessions. Faced with the prospect of firing Doug or being dropped by A&M - before the ink had dried on the contract - the band terminated Doug. To compound things further, Doug, who performed each track on the album, was not given credit on the album's liner notes.
After he returned to Tempe, Doug started another band, The Chimeras with Lawrence Zubia and his brother Mark Zubia. His role in the band came to an abrupt end during a show one night, when, after a less-than-fantastic solo, he quit the band. It would be the last band he ever played with in public. The Chimera later changed names to The Pistoleros, upon signing a short-lived recording contract.
Later that year, with the constant reminder of his former band's success being heard on virtually every radio station, Doug took his own life on December 5, 1993.
It is interesting to note that the first several singles released by the Gin Blossoms, and the only mainstream hit released by the Pistoleros, prior to being dropped by their label, were penned by Hopkins.
[edit] History
Hopkins graduated from Arizona State University in 1984 or 1985 with a degree in sociology. During his high school and college career, Hopkins played in a number of bands and even spent time in recording studios with them before founding the band which would give him his greatest fame.
