Gin Blossoms

Gin Blossoms was established in 1987 in Tempe, Arizona. The initial lineup included Doug Hopkins on lead guitar and songwriting, Bill Leen on bass, and Jesse Valenzuela on lead vocals. Over the early years, the band saw several lineup adjustments, with Robin Wilson eventually taking over lead vocals and Valenzuela shifting to rhythm guitar. The band quickly gained recognition in their hometown of Phoenix, Arizona, due to frequent touring, which led to an increase in their public presence. Their independent full-length album, “Dusted”, was released in December 1989. Following this, Gin Blossoms signed with A&M Records and released an EP, “Up and Crumbling”, before their breakthrough.

Their second album, “New Miserable Experience”, released in 1992, marked a significant turning point. Despite internal challenges, including the departure of founding member Doug Hopkins, the album gained quadruple platinum status. The lead single, “Hey Jealousy”, penned by Hopkins, became a Top 25 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks. Post-Hopkins’ passing, another of his compositions, “Found Out About You”, also hit No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 1 on Modern Rock Tracks. The band contributed “Til I Hear It from You” to the “Empire Records” soundtrack in 1995, which peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their subsequent album, “Congratulations I’m Sorry” (1996), earned platinum certification, featuring the top-ten hit “Follow You Down” and a Grammy-nominated single, “As Long as It Matters”.

Gin Blossoms disbanded in 1997, with members pursuing individual projects. However, the band reunited in 2001. Their reunion led to the release of “Major Lodge Victory” in 2006, which entered the Billboard 200 at number 159, and “No Chocolate Cake” in 2010. They continued to perform, including a series of shows for American troops in Iraq in 2010. After further lineup changes, the band released their sixth studio album, “Mixed Reality”, in 2018. In 2022, they announced a tour to commemorate the 30th anniversary of “New Miserable Experience”, though it was shortened due to an injury.