I knew Doug personally. He was tortured, smart, a raging alcoholic, and magnetic. I had many a drunken conversation with him, that were mind blowing. He was one of a kind. And the genius behind the The Blossoms. I also knew Kathy Swafford… she married Phillip Rhodes’s (GB drummer) brother, Mike Rhodes. Such a small world. I miss that time in my lie. It was short, but really eventful. PS that picture of him sitting on the pinball machines is at the Sun Club.
I saw the Gin Blossoms play live in Philadelphia this week, as part of their tour for the 25th Anniversary of the release of their major-label debut album, "New Miserable Experience". About midway through the show, Robin Wilson got on the mic and told a sold-out crowd that the band owed a lot of its success to Doug Hopkins and his brilliant songwriting, and that they all missed their friend. A very emotional and classy moment.
From this point on, I’ll always sing the correct lyric of “you can trust me not to drink” .. Taking that out (in my opinion) takes away the raw emotion from Doug’s overall plead to his ex.
Story goes. Doug was in line at Circle K after hours. He heard his song ‘Hey Jealousy’ come on the radio as it did a thousand times before. Because radio ran that fuckin song into the ground. Anyway, he left, went home, put the barrel in his mouth and sayonara. Truth is, some people have a hard fuckin time from the get go. He wasn’t perfect, he just wrote music that stays. Hearing his failure to succeed sent his ass over. It was just a trigger for what was inevitable. The only goddamn problem I have, is why the guys in the band that knew him, actually knew who he was, didn’t do enough to work with him. I don’t know man. It’s a hard world on little things. Long Wongs Kitchen kid 93-95
I've been kicked out of bands, bars, rehabs, for drinking, but I couldn't imagine being manipulated to signing over publishing rights from any of my old band mates. That's low. I also realize he wasn't reliable and became a liability to the band, it's just sad.
Valid point. I think that's the part that ... sticks... Look, the guy was a problem and a liability and they couldn't go forward with him. Ok,..got it. And as far as I know, it was actually the label that insisted he forfeit his performance/publishing rights. That's what sucks. He was fucked and maybe would have died anyway. But maybe if he'd gotten just what was due him, he could have turned it around. Then again, maybe not... Sounds like you have your demons on the run. I congratulate you!!
I can completely understand how it must've felt; he's kicked out, the band's getting famous on his work, and here he is sitting alone watching it happen. That's a horrible, suffocating feeling.
Well, no matter your stance, it's still ironic if you think about it: your head of creativity had a fatal flaw. But in the brief moment, he gave them a perfect song,. His flaw kept him from a piece of piece of the pie, understandably.
Yet he couldn't fix himself or get help. IF he had done that, they would have hadn't to do anything. He might have been able to fix the situation if he sobered up. You try living with a drunk.
Thank you for posting this! I looked all over for it and couldn't find it archived anywhere and it never played on air that I saw. It has some great pics of Doug that I haven't seen anywhere else. Doug Hopkins deserves to be remembered. Peace.
Saw them live a few weeks ago in Louisville, Ky. Still sound great. Dedicated the New Miserable Experience Tour to Doug. Fantastic show start to finish.
Chad Clifford The music industry is cold blooded. Many song writers have been screwed over. It's a vicious industry. How many lead singers have dumped their band members for stardom?
They didn't force anything. Hopkins was a hopeless, narcissistic drunk who could barely stand most of the time. He blamed everyone except himself for his situation like most addicts. A pathetic, sad tale of the wonders of addiction.
He was offered X amount (I believe it was $15K) to sign over the rights and took it. No on made him do it. I'm from Tempe and saw them many times @ Wongs and the Sun Club and have always been one of DH's biggest fans. Its such a sad case cause he was soooooooo talented....but unfortunately loved alcohol more.
I was listening to SiriusXM the other day and they played this vignette where Robin Wilson was on there talking about the "Congratulations I'm Sorry" album, and how the record company put pressure on the band to create "one last hit" before release. He said they all felt this tremendous stress to live up to expectations, then finally came up with "Follow You Down"..... If only you had a songwriter to sustain your newfound (at the time) success..... hmmmm..... It sounded so contrived and phony! I had to switch the station. "Congratulations I'm Sorry" doesn't hold a candle to the masterpiece that is NME! I have just about zero use for post-Doug Hopkins Gin Blossoms.
The Best Gin Blossoms Songs were Written By Doug Hopkins. I remember back in 93 -94 really getting into their music because I heard "Until I Hear From You" on The radio late one night Rip Doug Hopkins
Actually their Guitarist Jesse Valenzuela wrote “Til’ I Hear It From You”. One of their best. I’m a huge Doug fan. I live in the Phoenix Area and have been to a lot of Doug related places in Tempe.
@@kennethpetroni7911 ‘Til I hear it from you’ and ‘Follow you down’ were great pop songs. Without Doug, the band lost that indie hint that put them above the rest in those early years.
I think for True Justice and Honor of their friend, who WROTE THE SONG FROM HIS ACHING HEART should sing the Lyric That His Friend Wrote....... 🎶"You can trust me not to Drink" 🎶. That's THE RIGHT THING TO DO!!! 😁
if the stories i have heard are true this really glossed over some pretty shitty things that the rest of the band did to him after they threw him out, yet kept the material he wrote which is more than just one of their best songs.
Sad to feel that there is always someone we care about but we can't stand there and watch them self destruct. Always there is the 'What if?' situation of sticking around, What if. Right now his contribution only expanded the amazing universe of musical heart felt sea and somewhere he is deep in touching us all for what he knew was true to this heart. Thanks for sharing Doug.
I moved to Mesa, AZ in 1994 because the rents were low compared to So Cal and there was a really good music scene. Part of what inspired me to move there was the Gin Blossoms, because I loved their music (especially Doug's songs) even though I was primarily a metal fan and musician. I didn't even about Doug being kicked out for being a drunk and then eventually commiting suicide until a few months after he died and I read an article in a music magazine that told the story. I got really sad after that.
my Father lived in Tempe, and became good friends with Doug, and an even better drinking buddy. Til this day he still tells me the wild stories of the crazy shit they got into. But underneath it all, according to my Dad, he was an amazing soul. He misses the shit out of him.
@@applescruff1969 yes, he needed help and they turned their backs on him. Nobody else in the band could touch him as a songwriter. I believe he deserved better.
@@applescruff1969 That's BS. Did Doug get himself kicked out of the band? Certainly, but he didn't force himself into signing away his publishing rights. Membership in the band and publishing rights are two very different things, as evidenced by the fact that many artists/groups perform songs written by songwriters outside of the band.
@Robert Anthony Unfortunately, I know an addict close to me and it's been heartbreaking. You're right about the fact that they're the only one who can help themselves. But, I'm always there for her with love and support. I would never take anything from her that rightfully belongs to her. The band should have allowed him to have his royalties. Enough said
@@paulsandor3522 His father later sued Warner and DID get his royalties. I can't blame the band who always wind up getting the brunt of the blame for what management AND the record company did! Doug taking his own life is on him and him alone! I've watched friends drown in addictions and no, you can't always save them no matter how hard you try. All that happens in the end is either THEY make themselves better with the proper help or they take you down with them!
There are so many comments on what the band should have done and what they shouldn't have done. When you sign a contract with a record label, you lose a lot of control over who you can fire, what negotiations take place, etc. You are usually packed off to a studio, a bus, a plane and a gig and most of the business dealings go on behind your back. I don't believe for a second that the band was directly engaged in Doug signing away his royalties.
I had depression, solved by a great drug. I know what depression is like and trying to fix it yourself with booze. I can't feel sorry for anyone more than Doug, I know exactly how he was suffering. He didn't see the right doctors or gave up searching for the right medicine (there are many to try) and so he just drank, and the booze wasn't working anymore and his condition just got worse. In his condition, the way he was, the world would never be right for him and he knew how he could finally get some peace.
🎯 Exactly why i don't judge anyone suffering from serious clinical depression. They see good through a gloomy ,dreary filter. They see bad as devastating and impossibe to bear. I have heard many who attempted suicide later say "It's not so much as i want to die. I just want relief from this constant torture."
wow, yeah - hadn't thought of that. with Bob, though, it was probably an easier decision because he wasnt the songwriter. but harder because his brother was in the band.
All too often the most creative and talented artists are also the most tormented souls. It's eye opening to think the girl shown at 01:31 was also most likely the inspiration for "Found Out About You". None of the Gin Blossoms other songs even came close to being as amazing as the Doug Hopkins written ones.
If my husband had not watched over me like a guard dog, I would definitely be dead. As a medication resistant girl with Bipolar Disorder, acute panic, night terrors, and PTSD caused by childhood trauma from constant abuse by a very sick mother, I avoided drugs and alcohol, graduating Magna cum laude with two majors and three jobs to pay the cost of college. A year later I met my husband. He saw me through uncountable desperate downslides into psychosis and many suicide attempts. If he had left me, I would have died immediately. Rest in Peace, Doug. You shouldn't have died. Your story makes me desperately sad.
I think they took advantage of the situation by having him sign away his song writing credits. If you felt so bad about your "dear friend", you would never do that. They never were able to write anything even close to Doug's songs. He could've been their Brian Wilson.
They totally took the opportunity to get famous while leaving their friend in the dust. I never liked Robin tbh he seems like a primadonna who was jealous of Dougs writing capabilities. It’s okay though cause the Gin Blossoms haven’t written a good thing in a long time.
The gin blossoms would not even exist without Doug. You are just going through life riding on his coatails. I was an ASU student back then and saw you guys play almost every nights and I attended some fun after parties with you all. Doug was the leader of the band and he was the reason you guys got the record deal to begin with He needed Your help and you guys turned your backs on Doug. Yes he suffered from depression and alcoholism ... sticking with him would have been the right thing to do. The hooks the lyrics the melodies the raunchiness the rockabilly the whole vibe of the gin blossoms was all Doug. The suits at A&M took you guys out of town and basically manipulated you guys to firing Doug. I saw you guys once at a concert behind long wongs in a parking lot after Doug ...... it was not even close to what it was like with him. I feel for you guys but you needed him more than A&M. If only things would have turned out differently. RIP Doug Hopkins.....
I get your sentiment and I'm sure you're right about the energy of the band, buuuuuuuut, being in some type of relationship with a HARD drinker is so beyond emotional torture, daily drama, bullshittery etc... that any normal person goes through stages of coping. One of the stages is 'go fuck yourself....' Sure, they could've eventually come to a more empathetic place, but that is a huge ask for people in their 20s
I remember liking Hey Jealousy a lot, then, they come out with a new single a few years later, "Til I Hear It From You" and I was like, what the heck is this poser crap
Not every tragedy has a villain. Try being in a band (or a marriage or a friendship) with an abusive alcoholic. Every member of this band is supremely talented and that lead singer is a true original.
@@Baubles1337 yeah I didn’t say saying about the songs. I agree Doug was a genius. I just said that the band not be able to tolerate an abusive drink is understandable.
I truly loved this band, got their first two releases! I still talk about the Gin Blossoms to my friends to this day. You put certain albums up on Mt Everest... Saw them in concert in my hometown, Cedar Rapids, IA, on July 4th AMAZING!!! What happened??? Don't talk to me about Doug Hopkins, he was gone before the claim to fame. The band took a nose dive, Why??? Tragic.
No one has a crystal ball to tell which one of us will be able to handle alcohol or drugs and who will be destroyed. Some of us enjoy a few drinks and we are fine to come back to the troubles of this world. Some of us have so much pain that hangovers, blackouts or even death are preferable to being sober. Some of us can find the will to tolerate the pains of life and focus on just the good things.
I don't care about this band, but this story is unspeakably heartwrenching. The "Jesus of Suburbia" article is one of the most gorgeous things I've read.
I have or have had at least 5 friends who were alcoholics/drunks. One is now sober. Two are basically functional alcoholics. The remaining two, I don't hear from anymore. It's really hard watching somebody crawl into the bottle.
He was sadly short sighted...they would have invited him back in a heartbeat as soon as he cleaned up his act a little. He was their primary song writer after all! I get being upset and kicking addiction is hard to do, but if the reward is getting to rejoin your band that's getting more famous by the day, uh, yeah!!!
They should have invited Hopkins back into the band a few months after his attempts to get clean or something, and A&M should have paid him a LOT more. Many argue that Hopkins WAS the Gin Blossoms and although I kinda disagree because Congratulations I'm Sorry does stand on its own, one thing that can't be contested was that Hopkins wrote both Hey Jealousy and Found Out About You, therefore it was his property. Its not like the other songs on the record which were mostly him and Bill Leen or him and Robin Wilson. They were all him, lyrics and all. If he got paid more, looked after even MORE closely than he already was being looked after, I believe Hopkins could have survived. Look what happened to Mike Ness of Social Distortion. Or even Brett Gurewitz from Bad Religion. They had substance problems as big (some would argue bigger) than Hopkins had. They got kicked out of their respective bands too. And they came back and survived cuz they still had a very good support system. I don't believe Hopkins had this kind of support system. A&M are pricks for pressuring the band to kick Hopkins to the curb the way they did. I highly doubt it was the band's intention. Had to be the record company's. And now all we have are questions: Were there really no other solutions? Was there a deadline? Was Hopkins REALLY that bad? I read in an article that he couldn't play sober or under the influence. So they couldn't just make him a contributor and not a part of the active lineup? Did A&M REALLY find it necessary to not give Hopkins credit for writing the song? The mysteries surrounding this are driving me insane. If Hopkins lived, I guarantee he would be making contributions not just to the Blossoms but to pop music in general TO THIS DAY. He mentioned that he enjoyed writing songs from a female point of view. He could have written some of Taylor Swift's songs and would have made her somewhat enjoyable (just an example). And the songs he could have wrote for Adele or Ellie Goulding? Holy crap. I'm going too far here. RIP Doug Hopkins, I just wish I had known about you 23 years ago when I thought Hey Jealousy was about asking a chick out and Found Out About You was the "sequel" to it lol.
Inviting him back would be nice but there's nothing worse than a drunk. And at the high level the Gin Blossoms were suddenly operating at, it would have been impossible.
I agree, its wishful thinking really. Even worse are dudes so drugged up that they can't function. This is what happened with Bad Religion. Brett Gurewitz was still on drugs and the rest of the band was clean in 1995, so he was replaced rather quickly with Brian Baker. It would take until 2001 for him to get clean and rejoin the band.
He started, and destroyed, a few more bands after this, as well. There's no mysteries. He refused treatment, escaped treatment, had several suicide attempts prior.
Doug wrote ALL the good songs on NME. Doug was the key ingredient to this band having success. The band always writes good music but the lyrics have suffered since NME. Wish they had got a hold of Doug before he left us.
NBA_FAN yeah but how many people play those songs over and over again? I feel like Hey Jealousy and Found Out About You are much more popular because they feel real and resonate more with a larger audience. I like Allison Road a lot though and Until I Fall Away is okay, but they aren’t nearly as popular or as good.
Keegan Stanley speak for yourself. I like the stuff that Doug wrote a lot, but everything else ranges from okay to meh. Their next album isn’t very good either, but what do I know? 🤷🏻♀️
Sad story that after all these years i had no idea about until i decided to look up more about the Gin Blossoms..one of the few 90s bands that i liked.
They killed him at the end of the day. His supposed friends, his bandmates. They had him sign over all the rights to his songs without any real compensation. Instead of being there for him when he needed them most, they pushed him further down towards desperation and hopelessness. There is a special place in hell for people like that.
I don't really believe the band learned all about mechanical royalties, etc., that fast. I would be more inclined to blame the management ecord company for that bad deal. The band members may have felt every bit as helpless as Doug did, they were all so young and had been trying to help him only to see him go back to it over and over.
Funny how this seemed to happen to so many bands in the mid eighties to mid nineties. For example, Dave Mustaine was in Metallica originally before they kicked him out right before recording their debuts album.. three of the songs on the first album and two on the second album were written by Mustaine. Shame it happens that way sometimes, but at least in Mustaine’s situation he founded his own band and achieved international fame too.
What a crazy thing.. Writing 99% of a platinum record only to watch other people take the credit and the royalties while already sick with addiction. Now he's forgotten in time only remembered by people who took the time to track the history of a band that was once his. There's not alot of tragic endings like this.
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LOL, I love people like you, when it's someone you admire they has a "sickness", when its a homeless guy he's a "drunk"
99%? He wrote 6 of the 12 songs. Jesse Valenzuela wrote 6, Robin wrote 3. Hey Jealousy and Found Out About You we’re definite hits, but Until I Fall Away, Allison Road and Mrs. Rita were gems too. It’s sad to see what happened with Doug given his artistry, but that’s no reason to tear down the rest of the band.
Someone once said to me in a completely unrelated discussion, "You can't compete with a dead man." The Gins continue to live this today. Addiction kills, and it drags down everything and everyone around unless they take what are often dramatic steps to distance themselves. We have the band today to enjoy because they did get distance, and thankfully we have Doug's body of work before he truly hit rock bottom.
But according to this, they're the ones who fueled the addiction in the first place... they were ready and willing to be enablers until a record company spoke to them...
K.C. Sabo I met Doug couple of times before the record deal he was a good person but he also had his demons too I used to work for a band in Tempe called echo house and we played most of the same clubs on Mill ave and crossed paths from what I had seen of Doug he was a heavy drinker unfortunately I never had a real chance to get to know him well he was polite to people around him I was always busy setting up echo houses gear I wish I had gotten to know him better
I can't imagine there could've ever been a win/win in that situation. Doug's addiction had a stranglehold on him by pretty much all accounts of everyone who was there and a part of it all. Had i been Robin, I'd have forced him to go to rehab so he could be a part of the success he built for everyone. But would he have gone? Or was he too far gone already... Was there a solution that could satisfy everybody? And if there wasn't a choice but for him to be fired, do you just say no to a major record deal? Or do you stand by Doug and say you don't get us if doug doesn't come with us... Because you know it was the record company that gave them the ultimatum. And in the end, it was a catalyst that propelled the demise of the man. There is something terribly heartless about what Robin and the rest did, but they didn't know he'd kill himself. So it sort of amplifies the spotlight on their decision to fire Doug. And though the gin blossoms had such success, it'll always be something of a tarnished triumph. there will always be a black stain of guilt that comes with it. Just really a shame.
still No one should be blamed for anyone else's suicide. It is still doug's decision. Based on what you said I would blame the record company for not understanding the situation and being too money driven.
Joshua Jones plus they did not know that hey jealousy and found out about you were going to put them on the road to fame either Doug was doing a couple of other projects before he killed himself but the royalties was one piece of the problem with Doug there were a bunch of others that also played in his downward spiral too his on and off again girl friend was a major contributor to his depression as well
One of the saddest stoires of the rock era, but nothing like what happened to Badfinger, who were so screwed by their manager, who pocketed their 3 million dollar signing bonus, paid band members a small salary, AND they were shut out of their record deal and the music biz completely, this after 4 top ten hits in just their first 2 years, the 2 main frontmen each hung themselves 8 years apart. The daughter of the main songwriter and singer Pete Ham, after decades finally won the rights to his songs, including "Without you" which went gold and #1 for 2 different artists.
This story is worse because had to deal with it alone. If it was a whole band that got screwed over, at least they had support from their bandmates and could talk to them and feel someone understands them.
There were a large handful of middling rock bands in the 90s like this that had their shining moments. Like Toad the Wet Sprocket and Big Head Todd and the Monsters.
If i'm even still regularly listening to a single song by a band 30 years later then I consider that a tremendous success. Gin Blossoms have multiple songs that are top tier and when I hear barely more than a single chord I know who it is and it transports me right back to the early '90s. To me that's a cut above an average band.
I heard he asked his girlfriend to tell the band he put sugar in their tour bus's gas tank at his own funeral. This guy was such a legend and he made the Gin Blossoms the success they were in the 90's. Without his heartfelt lyrics, the band went downhill and fell into obscurity. It's really sad what happened to him but it wasn't their fault. There's only so much you can do as a friend when they're on a downward spiral as huge as his was.
I’m a Doug fan, Doug was the one who put sugar in the van that was named “Sugar”’. Kate M. was instructed by Doug to inform them at his funeral that it was he who was the culprit.
So let me get this straight - they used the pain of their "friend's" breakup and addiction to go commercial while leaving the that same friend in the dust. Not to mention, the rest of the band basically forced Hopkins to release his rights to the songs HE created by dangling $15,000 in front of him when he was at his most vulnerable. No help, no offer to slow down their trajectory when they saw a friend struggling with that transition, nothing. Robin Wilson even admitted to this in this video, being "tired" of Hopkins' drinking and even changing the lyrics of his most famous song. "You can trust me not to drink" is such a powerful line that was corrupted by the greed of the other band members. These people may have been Hopkins' friends at one time, but their hunger for fame destroyed a person in the process. RIP Doug Hopkins
Fired their friend who’s desperately in need of help and support, forced him to sign over the rights to the songs he’s written, went on tour and lived on the songs he’s written. These guys are fucking scumbags.
A very sad story but one that unfortunately happens way too often. Addiction has claimed many a rock and roll star; Morrison, Hendrix, Joplin, Moon, Parsons, Petty and others.
Doug Hopkins and his talent made these guys. And quite frankly, without his songwriting, they sucked-they tanked after his termination. I understand he was a mess-I dont blame them for that...but they took advantage of him and forced him to sign over half his publishing and his mechanical royalties. He was trying to pay rent and being desperate-he did it. Cold blooded. It's funny, all these years later, they are still riding his coattails- people go to see them to hear two of Doug's songs-they owe him everything.
It still breaks my heart💔 that Doug Hopkins didn't even get a penny for Hey Jealousy. Sadly after he died Doug there was no royalties for under his name. That's so sad.
Oh, he drank too much. Wow, what a bunch of jerk-offs. Thumb's down on this one for sure. And I'll have a drink to Doug and pray he's at a better place now.
This is why you shouldn't ever fuck over your "friends" because they may care more for you than you of them and they'd end up hurting themselves. I understand the man had a serious issue, but dumping him like a used condom in the condition he was in is damn near criminal.
It's so nice to hear a rocker who actually speaks well. Thank you, Robin. I've been looking for this for years, thank you much The eighties were a chemical fog for a lot of us.
It was more than just firing him; the band and its management even stole his songs; Hopkins was never set to receive any royalties for his songs, and his name never even appeared on the album he played on. When he shouted "thieving bastard" he was not referring to the band using his songs; they had always done that --- he was referring to his not receiving either the credit or payment for his work.
It shows how brainless/soulless the singer and band were without Hopkins. Changing "you can trust me not to drink" to "think" takes no creativity and doesnt even make sense. If they had a brain, they could have sang ''trust me enough to think and not to sleep around'' etc
They can try to justify it however they want but they screwed him over then kicked him while he was down. Offering him a measly 15k for millions worth of royalties. They knew he was broke and basically had to take it.
That happened before the release so no it actually wasn't worth millions at the time. Perspective. Yes, in retrospect what happened was sad but do you keep 3-4 musicians lives hanging in the balance while one goes down the toilet? How long do you wait? The record was ready to go! Hopkins did several stints in rehab prior to and had also had several other suicide attempts. Not everyone can be saved! He did the very same thing with his next band too!
If this is even true, why did he agree to sign away his potential royalties? Did the band/record company offer him a buyout with cash upfront and he took it, instead of risking the album not selling and thus receive no royalties? There's more to the story than the narrative being presented to make Doug look like the victim and the others being criminals. It doesn't work that way. If Doug had been coerced, he would have lawyered up and sued for his share.
I understand why his girl left him. He was going under and her choice was drown with him or cut loose. She had to. His band not so much. Music business trashes. Music uplifts.
I knew Doug personally. He was tortured, smart, a raging alcoholic, and magnetic. I had many a drunken conversation with him, that were mind blowing. He was one of a kind. And the genius behind the The Blossoms. I also knew Kathy Swafford… she married Phillip Rhodes’s (GB drummer) brother, Mike Rhodes. Such a small world. I miss that time in my lie. It was short, but really eventful.
PS that picture of him sitting on the pinball machines is at the Sun Club.
Are you disappointed you never got to see Doug played by Ethan Hawke in a movie? I am.
@@DramaQueen-im8qm Zac Efron has grown on me over the years and I could see him pulling it off well.
I saw the Gin Blossoms play live in Philadelphia this week, as part of their tour for the 25th Anniversary of the release of their major-label debut album, "New Miserable Experience". About midway through the show, Robin Wilson got on the mic and told a sold-out crowd that the band owed a lot of its success to Doug Hopkins and his brilliant songwriting, and that they all missed their friend. A very emotional and classy moment.
@The Elder what do the rest needed to do? the band was going nowhere with doug in their team.
somehow i doubt that
Years after they robbed him.
.. Bought houses of his back and heart and mind. Those thief's got karma waiting for them!
@@Mrdrivereight I mean they had a reason to kick him out. Doug was a heavy drug addict and that was affecting the band.
@@TheStepmonkey drug addict?? He abused alcohol
I wish that I could time travel back to save Doug.
A creature of rare beauty and fragility. Doug is and always will be THE SOUL OF THE GIN BLOSSOMS 🌸
The #1 most underrated song writer in rock history
Should’ve never changed Hopkins lyrics; extremely underrated songwriter.
"You can trust me not to drink, and not to sleep around"
@ i think, you are pathetically hilarious
@ You just love to fuck up the mood don't you.
If you dont expect too much from me, you might not be let down
Really think is deeper than an oath of sobriety that one probably wont live up to anyway.
@@trecooltabbilos2279 One of my all-time favorite lines
When all is said and done, it’s a goddamn perfect song from an imperfect man.
I think about Doug whenever I hear it.
From this point on, I’ll always sing the correct lyric of “you can trust me not to drink” .. Taking that out (in my opinion) takes away the raw emotion from Doug’s overall plead to his ex.
Such a sad story. His songs stand up better than any of his contemporaries, yet Dough Hopkins remains little known.
Story goes. Doug was in line at Circle K after hours. He heard his song ‘Hey Jealousy’ come on the radio as it did a thousand times before. Because radio ran that fuckin song into the ground.
Anyway, he left, went home, put the barrel in his mouth and sayonara.
Truth is, some people have a hard fuckin time from the get go. He wasn’t perfect, he just wrote music that stays. Hearing his failure to succeed sent his ass over. It was just a trigger for what was inevitable.
The only goddamn problem I have, is why the guys in the band that knew him, actually knew who he was, didn’t do enough to work with him.
I don’t know man. It’s a hard world on little things.
Long Wongs Kitchen kid
93-95
I've been kicked out of bands, bars, rehabs, for drinking, but I couldn't imagine being manipulated to signing over publishing rights from any of my old band mates. That's low. I also realize he wasn't reliable and became a liability to the band, it's just sad.
Valid point. I think that's the part that ... sticks... Look, the guy was a problem and a liability and they couldn't go forward with him. Ok,..got it. And as far as I know, it was actually the label that insisted he forfeit his performance/publishing rights. That's what sucks. He was fucked and maybe would have died anyway. But maybe if he'd gotten just what was due him, he could have turned it around. Then again, maybe not... Sounds like you have your demons on the run. I congratulate you!!
I can completely understand how it must've felt; he's kicked out, the band's getting famous on his work, and here he is sitting alone watching it happen. That's a horrible, suffocating feeling.
it was harsh how they kicked him out and took his songs with them to get famous without him
I'm not gonna lie. If that happened to me, I more than likely would have taken out a little more than just myself if you know what I mean.
Well, no matter your stance, it's still ironic if you think about it: your head of creativity had a fatal flaw. But in the brief moment, he gave them a perfect song,. His flaw kept him from a piece of piece of the pie, understandably.
Yet he couldn't fix himself or get help. IF he had done that, they would have hadn't to do anything. He might have been able to fix the situation if he sobered up. You try living with a drunk.
Sir Joelsuf Hmmph... Amen bro
Doug was super talented , this is why we need to take care of each other , proactive, not after the fact , be strong and try to save your friend.
Such an interesting, sad story for such a beautiful timeless song.
Thank you for posting this! I looked all over for it and couldn't find it archived anywhere and it never played on air that I saw. It has some great pics of Doug that I haven't seen anywhere else. Doug Hopkins deserves to be remembered. Peace.
Saw them live a few weeks ago in Louisville, Ky. Still sound great. Dedicated the New Miserable Experience Tour to Doug. Fantastic show start to finish.
Verdade nice
they shouldn't have forced him to sign over the rights to his work, thats the part that makes me sick,
Chad Clifford The music industry is cold blooded. Many song writers have been screwed over. It's a vicious industry. How many lead singers have dumped their band members for stardom?
They didn't force anything. Hopkins was a hopeless, narcissistic drunk who could barely stand most of the time. He blamed everyone except himself for his situation like most addicts. A pathetic, sad tale of the wonders of addiction.
Lehmann Peters Did you know Doug?
He was offered X amount (I believe it was $15K) to sign over the rights and took it. No on made him do it.
I'm from Tempe and saw them many times @ Wongs and the Sun Club and have always been one of DH's biggest fans.
Its such a sad case cause he was soooooooo talented....but unfortunately loved alcohol more.
Many folks say they already owed him $15,000 and held up payment until he signed over the music.
I was listening to SiriusXM the other day and they played this vignette where Robin Wilson was on there talking about the "Congratulations I'm Sorry" album, and how the record company put pressure on the band to create "one last hit" before release. He said they all felt this tremendous stress to live up to expectations, then finally came up with "Follow You Down".....
If only you had a songwriter to sustain your newfound (at the time) success..... hmmmm..... It sounded so contrived and phony! I had to switch the station. "Congratulations I'm Sorry" doesn't hold a candle to the masterpiece that is NME! I have just about zero use for post-Doug Hopkins Gin Blossoms.
The Best Gin Blossoms Songs were Written By Doug Hopkins. I remember back in 93 -94 really getting into their music because I heard "Until I Hear From You" on The radio late one night
Rip Doug Hopkins
Actually their Guitarist Jesse Valenzuela wrote “Til’ I Hear It From You”. One of their best. I’m a huge Doug fan. I live in the Phoenix Area and have been to a lot of Doug related places in Tempe.
@@kennethpetroni7911 ‘Til I hear it from you’ and ‘Follow you down’ were great pop songs. Without Doug, the band lost that indie hint that put them above the rest in those early years.
@@kennethpetroni7911 Jesse and the great Marshall Crenshaw wrote it.
I think for True Justice and Honor of their friend, who WROTE THE SONG FROM HIS ACHING HEART should sing the Lyric That His Friend Wrote....... 🎶"You can trust me not to Drink" 🎶. That's THE RIGHT THING TO DO!!! 😁
if the stories i have heard are true this really glossed over some pretty shitty things that the rest of the band did to him after they threw him out, yet kept the material he wrote which is more than just one of their best songs.
Yeah all the songs from that record except like 1 or 2. Hold me down, lost horizons are doug
Sad to feel that there is always someone we care about but we can't stand there and watch them self destruct. Always there is the 'What if?' situation of sticking around, What if. Right now his contribution only expanded the amazing universe of musical heart felt sea and somewhere he is deep in touching us all for what he knew was true to this heart. Thanks for sharing Doug.
"Did you love me only in my head?"
I moved to Mesa, AZ in 1994 because the rents were low compared to So Cal and there was a really good music scene. Part of what inspired me to move there was the Gin Blossoms, because I loved their music (especially Doug's songs) even though I was primarily a metal fan and musician. I didn't even about Doug being kicked out for being a drunk and then eventually commiting suicide until a few months after he died and I read an article in a music magazine that told the story. I got really sad after that.
The eighties were a chemical fog for a lot of us.
my Father lived in Tempe, and became good friends with Doug, and an even better drinking buddy. Til this day he still tells me the wild stories of the crazy shit they got into. But underneath it all, according to my Dad, he was an amazing soul. He misses the shit out of him.
i'm curious to hear some of these crazy stories...
Lol
Wow
They forced him to sign away his royalty rights to “hey jealousy” in exchange for a flat kill fee of $15,000. those royalties were worth millions.
He did it to himself. When they were trying to make an album, he wouldn't show up to the sessions. When he did, he was usually drunk.
@@applescruff1969 yes, he needed help and they turned their backs on him. Nobody else in the band could touch him as a songwriter. I believe he deserved better.
@@applescruff1969 That's BS. Did Doug get himself kicked out of the band? Certainly, but he didn't force himself into signing away his publishing rights. Membership in the band and publishing rights are two very different things, as evidenced by the fact that many artists/groups perform songs written by songwriters outside of the band.
@Robert Anthony Unfortunately, I know an addict close to me and it's been heartbreaking. You're right about the fact that they're the only one who can help themselves. But, I'm always there for her with love and support. I would never take anything from her that rightfully belongs to her. The band should have allowed him to have his royalties. Enough said
@@paulsandor3522 His father later sued Warner and DID get his royalties. I can't blame the band who always wind up getting the brunt of the blame for what management AND the record company did! Doug taking his own life is on him and him alone! I've watched friends drown in addictions and no, you can't always save them no matter how hard you try. All that happens in the end is either THEY make themselves better with the proper help or they take you down with them!
There are so many comments on what the band should have done and what they shouldn't have done. When you sign a contract with a record label, you lose a lot of control over who you can fire, what negotiations take place, etc. You are usually packed off to a studio, a bus, a plane and a gig and most of the business dealings go on behind your back. I don't believe for a second that the band was directly engaged in Doug signing away his royalties.
With him they killed their talent. The golden goose. It was almost like a curse to get rid of him.
I had depression, solved by a great drug. I know what depression is like and trying to fix it yourself with booze. I can't feel sorry for anyone more than Doug, I know exactly how he was suffering. He didn't see the right doctors or gave up searching for the right medicine (there are many to try) and so he just drank, and the booze wasn't working anymore and his condition just got worse. In his condition, the way he was, the world would never be right for him and he knew how he could finally get some peace.
🎯 Exactly why i don't judge anyone suffering from serious clinical depression. They see good through a gloomy ,dreary filter. They see bad as devastating and impossibe to bear. I have heard many who attempted suicide later say "It's not so much as i want to die. I just want relief from this constant torture."
the Replacements went through a very similar experience with Bob Stinson
God they were a great band though. Songs with humor.
wow, yeah - hadn't thought of that. with Bob, though, it was probably an easier decision because he wasnt the songwriter. but harder because his brother was in the band.
All too often the most creative and talented artists are also the most tormented souls.
It's eye opening to think the girl shown at 01:31 was also most likely the inspiration for "Found Out About You".
None of the Gin Blossoms other songs even came close to being as amazing as the Doug Hopkins written ones.
Doug Hopkins. No Doug, no band. RIP. *your stuff still has balls in 2020.
If my husband had not watched over me like a guard dog, I would definitely be dead. As a medication resistant girl with Bipolar Disorder, acute panic, night terrors, and PTSD caused by childhood trauma from constant abuse by a very sick mother, I avoided drugs and alcohol, graduating Magna cum laude with two majors and three jobs to pay the cost of college.
A year later I met my husband. He saw me through uncountable desperate downslides into psychosis and many suicide attempts. If he had left me, I would have died immediately.
Rest in Peace, Doug. You shouldn't have died. Your story makes me desperately sad.
Doug pretty much died the same way Kurt Cobain died. Escaping from a detox unit and acquiring a gun and committing suicide.
and my friend Steve. It is a pattern /syndrome and yes you can be depresssed enough to end it
And Kurt and Doug's death were 4 months apart.
Only four months apart.
Kurt was wacked
I think they took advantage of the situation by having him sign away his song writing credits. If you felt so bad about your "dear friend", you would never do that. They never were able to write anything even close to Doug's songs. He could've been their Brian Wilson.
They totally took the opportunity to get famous while leaving their friend in the dust. I never liked Robin tbh he seems like a primadonna who was jealous of Dougs writing capabilities. It’s okay though cause the Gin Blossoms haven’t written a good thing in a long time.
The gin blossoms would not even exist without Doug. You are just going through life riding on his coatails. I was an ASU student back then and saw you guys play almost every nights and I attended some fun after parties with you all. Doug was the leader of the band and he was the reason you guys got the record deal to begin with He needed Your help and you guys turned your backs on Doug. Yes he suffered from depression and alcoholism ... sticking with him would have been the right thing to do. The hooks the lyrics the melodies the raunchiness the rockabilly the whole vibe of the gin blossoms was all Doug. The suits at A&M took you guys out of town and basically manipulated you guys to firing Doug. I saw you guys once at a concert behind long wongs in a parking lot after Doug ...... it was not even close to what it was like with him. I feel for you guys but you needed him more than A&M. If only things would have turned out differently. RIP Doug Hopkins.....
I get your sentiment and I'm sure you're right about the energy of the band, buuuuuuuut, being in some type of relationship with a HARD drinker is so beyond emotional torture, daily drama, bullshittery etc... that any normal person goes through stages of coping. One of the stages is 'go fuck yourself....'
Sure, they could've eventually come to a more empathetic place, but that is a huge ask for people in their 20s
I remember liking Hey Jealousy a lot, then, they come out with a new single a few years later, "Til I Hear It From You" and I was like, what the heck is this poser crap
Not every tragedy has a villain. Try being in a band (or a marriage or a friendship) with an abusive alcoholic. Every member of this band is supremely talented and that lead singer is a true original.
@@Baubles1337 yeah I didn’t say saying about the songs. I agree Doug was a genius. I just said that the band not be able to tolerate an abusive drink is understandable.
Pure 90's love it still listen to it
I truly loved this band, got their first two releases! I still talk about the Gin Blossoms to my friends to this day. You put certain albums up on Mt Everest... Saw them in concert in my hometown, Cedar Rapids, IA, on July 4th AMAZING!!! What happened??? Don't talk to me about Doug Hopkins, he was gone before the claim to fame. The band took a nose dive, Why??? Tragic.
No one has a crystal ball to tell which one of us will be able to handle alcohol or drugs and who will be destroyed. Some of us enjoy a few drinks and we are fine to come back to the troubles of this world. Some of us have so much pain that hangovers, blackouts or even death are preferable to being sober. Some of us can find the will to tolerate the pains of life and focus on just the good things.
I don't care about this band, but this story is unspeakably heartwrenching. The "Jesus of Suburbia" article is one of the most gorgeous things I've read.
I don't care about Doug, but love the band, go figure,
@@justsayin3000Weird statement. If you love the band then you love Doug. He was the heartbeat and the resson for alot of their success
I have or have had at least 5 friends who were alcoholics/drunks. One is now sober. Two are basically functional alcoholics. The remaining two, I don't hear from anymore. It's really hard watching somebody crawl into the bottle.
He was sadly short sighted...they would have invited him back in a heartbeat as soon as he cleaned up his act a little. He was their primary song writer after all!
I get being upset and kicking addiction is hard to do, but if the reward is getting to rejoin your band that's getting more famous by the day, uh, yeah!!!
I've been looking for this for years, thank you much
They should have invited Hopkins back into the band a few months after his attempts to get clean or something, and A&M should have paid him a LOT more. Many argue that Hopkins WAS the Gin Blossoms and although I kinda disagree because Congratulations I'm Sorry does stand on its own, one thing that can't be contested was that Hopkins wrote both Hey Jealousy and Found Out About You, therefore it was his property. Its not like the other songs on the record which were mostly him and Bill Leen or him and Robin Wilson. They were all him, lyrics and all.
If he got paid more, looked after even MORE closely than he already was being looked after, I believe Hopkins could have survived. Look what happened to Mike Ness of Social Distortion. Or even Brett Gurewitz from Bad Religion. They had substance problems as big (some would argue bigger) than Hopkins had. They got kicked out of their respective bands too. And they came back and survived cuz they still had a very good support system. I don't believe Hopkins had this kind of support system.
A&M are pricks for pressuring the band to kick Hopkins to the curb the way they did. I highly doubt it was the band's intention. Had to be the record company's. And now all we have are questions: Were there really no other solutions? Was there a deadline? Was Hopkins REALLY that bad? I read in an article that he couldn't play sober or under the influence. So they couldn't just make him a contributor and not a part of the active lineup? Did A&M REALLY find it necessary to not give Hopkins credit for writing the song? The mysteries surrounding this are driving me insane.
If Hopkins lived, I guarantee he would be making contributions not just to the Blossoms but to pop music in general TO THIS DAY. He mentioned that he enjoyed writing songs from a female point of view. He could have written some of Taylor Swift's songs and would have made her somewhat enjoyable (just an example). And the songs he could have wrote for Adele or Ellie Goulding? Holy crap. I'm going too far here. RIP Doug Hopkins, I just wish I had known about you 23 years ago when I thought Hey Jealousy was about asking a chick out and Found Out About You was the "sequel" to it lol.
Inviting him back would be nice but there's nothing worse than a drunk. And at the high level the Gin Blossoms were suddenly operating at, it would have been impossible.
I agree, its wishful thinking really. Even worse are dudes so drugged up that they can't function. This is what happened with Bad Religion. Brett Gurewitz was still on drugs and the rest of the band was clean in 1995, so he was replaced rather quickly with Brian Baker. It would take until 2001 for him to get clean and rejoin the band.
Mickey Vidakovich BS
Sir Joelsuf BS
He started, and destroyed, a few more bands after this, as well. There's no mysteries. He refused treatment, escaped treatment, had several suicide attempts prior.
You told a ONE SIDED story. Best taken with a grain of salt.
Sad, R.I.P Dude
Doug wrote ALL the good songs on NME. Doug was the key ingredient to this band having success. The band always writes good music but the lyrics have suffered since NME. Wish they had got a hold of Doug before he left us.
He did not write all the good songs. Until I Fall Away and Allison Road were both hits in their own right and were not written by Doug.
NBA_FAN yeah but how many people play those songs over and over again? I feel like Hey Jealousy and Found Out About You are much more popular because they feel real and resonate more with a larger audience. I like Allison Road a lot though and Until I Fall Away is okay, but they aren’t nearly as popular or as good.
NBA_FAN I should have added imo but that really is how I feel about those songs. NMEs best songs are the ones written by Doug.
Joseph Haubert I love all the songs on new miserable Experience
Keegan Stanley speak for yourself. I like the stuff that Doug wrote a lot, but everything else ranges from okay to meh. Their next album isn’t very good either, but what do I know? 🤷🏻♀️
Sad story that after all these years i had no idea about until i decided to look up more about the Gin Blossoms..one of the few 90s bands that i liked.
And until now you are make money on doug Hopkins works
Robin didn't ask to change the lyric he just changed it.......
R.I.P. Hopkins 🌹
They killed him at the end of the day. His supposed friends, his bandmates. They had him sign over all the rights to his songs without any real compensation. Instead of being there for him when he needed them most, they pushed him further down towards desperation and hopelessness. There is a special place in hell for people like that.
I don't really believe the band learned all about mechanical royalties, etc., that fast. I would be more inclined to blame the management
ecord company for that bad deal. The band members may have felt every bit as helpless as Doug did, they were all so young and had been trying to help him only to see him go back to it over and over.
Imo? Sadest back-story in rock history
RIP Doug 🎸
They were never the same after he left. Good, but not great like they were on New Miserable Experience.
I completely agree! Doug really brought the magic to their music!
Mickey Vidakovich He was kind of the Syd Barrett or Keith Moon of the Gin Blossoms.
Hey Jealousy and Found Out About You were great.
He was great for them, but Major Lodge Victory is an awesome album!
Not so good, really. They released several good pop songs, that’s it.
Maybe they could honor him by giving back his royalties to him
Funny how this seemed to happen to so many bands in the mid eighties to mid nineties. For example, Dave Mustaine was in Metallica originally before they kicked him out right before recording their debuts album.. three of the songs on the first album and two on the second album were written by Mustaine. Shame it happens that way sometimes, but at least in Mustaine’s situation he founded his own band and achieved international fame too.
He wrecked his looks with the drink.
What a crazy thing.. Writing 99% of a platinum record only to watch other people take the credit and the royalties while already sick with addiction. Now he's forgotten in time only remembered by people who took the time to track the history of a band that was once his. There's not alot of tragic endings like this.
LOL, I love people like you, when it's someone you admire they has a "sickness", when its a homeless guy he's a "drunk"
99%? He wrote 6 of the 12 songs. Jesse Valenzuela wrote 6, Robin wrote 3. Hey Jealousy and Found Out About You we’re definite hits, but Until I Fall Away, Allison Road and Mrs. Rita were gems too. It’s sad to see what happened with Doug given his artistry, but that’s no reason to tear down the rest of the band.
pretty kind to the record label who basically stole 'new miserable experience'
Someone once said to me in a completely unrelated discussion, "You can't compete with a dead man." The Gins continue to live this today.
Addiction kills, and it drags down everything and everyone around unless they take what are often dramatic steps to distance themselves. We have the band today to enjoy because they did get distance, and thankfully we have Doug's body of work before he truly hit rock bottom.
But according to this, they're the ones who fueled the addiction in the first place... they were ready and willing to be enablers until a record company spoke to them...
Since none of us were actually there, I wouldn't assume we know exactly what went on.
K.C. Sabo so true very well said
AJ Smith actually he was like that before they became a band
K.C. Sabo I met Doug couple of times before the record deal he was a good person but he also had his demons too I used to work for a band in Tempe called echo house and we played most of the same clubs on Mill ave and crossed paths from what I had seen of Doug he was a heavy drinker unfortunately I never had a real chance to get to know him well he was polite to people around him I was always busy setting up echo houses gear I wish I had gotten to know him better
I can't imagine there could've ever been a win/win in that situation. Doug's addiction had a stranglehold on him by pretty much all accounts of everyone who was there and a part of it all. Had i been Robin, I'd have forced him to go to rehab so he could be a part of the success he built for everyone. But would he have gone? Or was he too far gone already... Was there a solution that could satisfy everybody? And if there wasn't a choice but for him to be fired, do you just say no to a major record deal? Or do you stand by Doug and say you don't get us if doug doesn't come with us... Because you know it was the record company that gave them the ultimatum. And in the end, it was a catalyst that propelled the demise of the man. There is something terribly heartless about what Robin and the rest did, but they didn't know he'd kill himself. So it sort of amplifies the spotlight on their decision to fire Doug. And though the gin blossoms had such success, it'll always be something of a tarnished triumph. there will always be a black stain of guilt that comes with it. Just really a shame.
still No one should be blamed for anyone else's suicide. It is still doug's decision. Based on what you said I would blame the record company for not understanding the situation and being too money driven.
sadly, as it often is, there were so many trys at what you suggest
Joshua Jones plus they did not know that hey jealousy and found out about you were going to put them on the road to fame either Doug was doing a couple of other projects before he killed himself but the royalties was one piece of the problem with Doug there were a bunch of others that also played in his downward spiral too his on and off again girl friend was a major contributor to his depression as well
RIP, Douglas Hopkins
He did several stints in rehab, and tried to kill himself many times prior.
One of the saddest stoires of the rock era, but nothing like what happened to Badfinger, who were so screwed by their manager, who pocketed their 3 million dollar signing bonus, paid band members a small salary, AND they were shut out of their record deal and the music biz completely, this after 4 top ten hits in just their first 2 years, the 2 main frontmen each hung themselves 8 years apart. The daughter of the main songwriter and singer Pete Ham, after decades finally won the rights to his songs, including "Without you" which went gold and #1 for 2 different artists.
This story is worse because had to deal with it alone. If it was a whole band that got screwed over, at least they had support from their bandmates and could talk to them and feel someone understands them.
The Gin Blossoms and Badfinger are two of my all time favorite bands.
I actually thought they were a lame band but this story puts a whole new spin on the song and the band. Adds a lot more soul.
There were a large handful of middling rock bands in the 90s like this that had their shining moments. Like Toad the Wet Sprocket and Big Head Todd and the Monsters.
I would dig into New Miserable Experience a bit more. Pay attention to the musicianship, read the lyrics. It’s really a fantastic record.
If i'm even still regularly listening to a single song by a band 30 years later then I consider that a tremendous success. Gin Blossoms have multiple songs that are top tier and when I hear barely more than a single chord I know who it is and it transports me right back to the early '90s. To me that's a cut above an average band.
Best band ever gin blossoms
The Best Alternative band of all time
miss doug!!
I heard he asked his girlfriend to tell the band he put sugar in their tour bus's gas tank at his own funeral. This guy was such a legend and he made the Gin Blossoms the success they were in the 90's. Without his heartfelt lyrics, the band went downhill and fell into obscurity. It's really sad what happened to him but it wasn't their fault. There's only so much you can do as a friend when they're on a downward spiral as huge as his was.
I’m a Doug fan, Doug was the one who put sugar in the van that was named “Sugar”’. Kate M. was instructed by Doug to inform them at his funeral that it was he who was the culprit.
So let me get this straight - they used the pain of their "friend's" breakup and addiction to go commercial while leaving the that same friend in the dust. Not to mention, the rest of the band basically forced Hopkins to release his rights to the songs HE created by dangling $15,000 in front of him when he was at his most vulnerable. No help, no offer to slow down their trajectory when they saw a friend struggling with that transition, nothing. Robin Wilson even admitted to this in this video, being "tired" of Hopkins' drinking and even changing the lyrics of his most famous song. "You can trust me not to drink" is such a powerful line that was corrupted by the greed of the other band members. These people may have been Hopkins' friends at one time, but their hunger for fame destroyed a person in the process.
RIP Doug Hopkins
Agree-Doug was the catalyst and heart of the creation.
Sad but true.
Are there any interviews with Doug Hopkins?
No, by the time their debut came out he was already out of the band
Is there a site where I can watch this whole documentary?
DOUG
Buen grupo noventero
Fired their friend who’s desperately in need of help and support, forced him to sign over the rights to the songs he’s written, went on tour and lived on the songs he’s written. These guys are fucking scumbags.
100%
Wow! I live in Tempe! I'm going to find them and sing for them. I'll show them skills.
I live right next to ASU; I can walk to A mountain in 7 minutes. I'm right by ASU
LOL
And found out about you let’s not forget that the group that those are like two of the most iconic song and I can understand him being angry it’s hard
I changed my opinion on this with further info. As sad as it was Doug screwed Doug.
Exactly. He did it again later with his next band also!
A very sad story but one that unfortunately happens way too often. Addiction has claimed many a rock and roll star; Morrison, Hendrix, Joplin, Moon, Parsons, Petty and others.
I truly love this group. Been a fan over 30 years. I should be head of your fan club!
They changed the lyrics to "Hey Jealously", but not "Lost Horizons" ????
They added those stupid lyrics in the middle eight
Thunk thunk thunk in the gardens and the graves
Doug Hopkins and his talent made these guys. And quite frankly, without his songwriting, they sucked-they tanked after his termination. I understand he was a mess-I dont blame them for that...but they took advantage of him and forced him to sign over half his publishing and his mechanical royalties. He was trying to pay rent and being desperate-he did it. Cold blooded. It's funny, all these years later, they are still riding his coattails- people go to see them to hear two of Doug's songs-they owe him everything.
Word
True story Doug was great used to see them all the time.Yuppies suck on Doug’s guitar .. playin to all those ASU.. kids crazy
They became a pop band without him. Still living on past glories.
It still breaks my heart💔 that Doug Hopkins didn't even get a penny for Hey Jealousy. Sadly after he died Doug there was no royalties for under his name. That's so sad.
Changing the lyric from "drink" to "think" is like sawing the balls off of Michaelangelo's "David".
"Drink" is yet another pathetic whine. "Think" is actually funny. Good change. "Matures" the song a bit.
Not laying blame, suffice it to say this is tragic all the way around. Everybody is right, and everybody is wrong.
These guys are snakes… did they even include him in the songwriting so he could have gotten royalties?
Oh, he drank too much. Wow, what a bunch of jerk-offs. Thumb's down on this one for sure. And I'll have a drink to Doug and pray he's at a better place now.
Not trying to start a shit storm but I would like to know if Doug received compensation for his song/s after he was dropped from the band?
This is why you shouldn't ever fuck over your "friends" because they may care more for you than you of them and they'd end up hurting themselves. I understand the man had a serious issue, but dumping him like a used condom in the condition he was in is damn near criminal.
so it goes, the music has to come first
xox
It's so nice to hear a rocker who actually speaks well. Thank you, Robin.
I've been looking for this for years, thank you much
The eighties were a chemical fog for a lot of us.
They robbed Doug!
"In memory of Doug" really? Do yall mention him before you sing HIS Songs or just sing them?
Man i love the bands misic but i didnt know this... Dam what a shame they coiuldnt get him help and just try
yes clearly they didn't try at all, as evidenced by _______ ?
It was more than just firing him; the band and its management even stole his songs; Hopkins was never set to receive any royalties for his songs, and his name never even appeared on the album he played on. When he shouted "thieving bastard" he was not referring to the band using his songs; they had always done that --- he was referring to his not receiving either the credit or payment for his work.
His father later sued Warner and got Doug's share!
It shows how brainless/soulless the singer and band were without Hopkins. Changing "you can trust me not to drink" to "think" takes no creativity and doesnt even make sense. If they had a brain, they could have sang ''trust me enough to think and not to sleep around'' etc
Yeah, no kidding. Good point.
so right!
They can try to justify it however they want but they screwed him over then kicked him while he was down. Offering him a measly 15k for millions worth of royalties. They knew he was broke and basically had to take it.
That happened before the release so no it actually wasn't worth millions at the time. Perspective. Yes, in retrospect what happened was sad but do you keep 3-4 musicians lives hanging in the balance while one goes down the toilet? How long do you wait? The record was ready to go! Hopkins did several stints in rehab prior to and had also had several other suicide attempts. Not everyone can be saved! He did the very same thing with his next band too!
Why the fuck did you make him sign away most of his royalties to the song?
If this is even true, why did he agree to sign away his potential royalties? Did the band/record company offer him a buyout with cash upfront and he took it, instead of risking the album not selling and thus receive no royalties? There's more to the story than the narrative being presented to make Doug look like the victim and the others being criminals. It doesn't work that way. If Doug had been coerced, he would have lawyered up and sued for his share.
I understand why his girl left him. He was going under and her choice was drown with him or cut loose. She had to. His band not so much. Music business trashes. Music uplifts.