Gin Blossoms biography
Gin Blossoms is an American pop rock band formed in 1987 in Tempe, Arizona. They broke out with the song "Hey Jealousy" from their successful major label debut, New Miserable Experience (1992), but this achievement was coupled with the firing and eventual suicide of the song's author and band co-founder Doug Hopkins, prompting the title of their followup album, Congratulations I'm Sorry (1996). After a series of charting singles, the band broke up in 1997. After they reunited in 2002 they released a fourth album, Major Lodge Victory, in 2006, and their fifth, No Chocolate Cake, in 2010.
History
Members of the band's early years include guitarist and songwriter Doug Hopkins, bassist Bill Leen, vocalist Robin Wilson, guitarist Richard Taylor, Taylor's original replacement Steven Severson, drummer Chris McCann, McCann's replacement Dan Henzerling, and Taylor's later replacement Jesse Valenzuela. They took their name from a photo of W.C. Fields which bore the caption "W.C. Fields with gin blossoms", referring to what appeared to be the actor's gin-ravaged nose, but was actually a skin condition known as rosacea. In their early years, the Gin Blossoms became well-known locally around their hometown of Tempe, Arizona. The band's frequent touring resulted in an increase in popularity; the Blossoms also independently recorded their first full-length album,
Dusted, which was released in 1989.
By the early 1990s, the lineup had changed to Leen on bass, Hopkins on guitar, Valenzuela on guitar and vocals, Wilson on vocals and acoustic guitar, and Phillip Rhodes on drums. After being signed with A&M Records, the band began to work on their major-label debut. Initial attempts to create a major-label record faltered and the band released an EP, Up and Crumbling, instead.
Gin Blossoms named their first full-length studio album New Miserable Experience. In February 1992, while still working to complete it, founding member and lead guitarist/songwriter Doug Hopkins drank heavily and grew increasingly stubborn and disillusioned with the process. Faced with the prospect of being dropped by A&M, the band terminated Hopkins and replaced him with Scott Johnson. The album was completed and the first single released from it was Hopkins' song "Hey Jealousy". It would reach #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on Billboards Mainstream Rock Tracks, largely fueling the success of New Miserable Experience. However, the achievement would be overshadowed by Hopkins' suicide on December 4, 1993. The following year, another song penned by Hopkins, "Found Out About You", would also reach #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and climb to #1 on Billboards Modern Rock Tracks.
Between their debut and second albums, the Gin Blossoms provided the single "Til I Hear It from You" for the Empire Records soundtrack. It reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their second major album, Congratulations I'm Sorry, was released in 1996. Yielding one top ten hit, "Follow You Down" - #9 Billboard Hot 100, the album met with mixed reviews.
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