The Gin Blossoms are having a shaky comeback.
“We’re pretty fortunate that we’ve had several hits in the past,” said Scott Johnson, guitarist for the rock band. “But it’s definitely still a struggle.”
» Where: Rams Head Tavern, 33 West St., Annapolis
» When: 7 and 10 p.m. Friday
» Tickets: $45
» www.ginblossoms.net
But today is cake compared to what the band has endured in the past. The band saw fleeting fame in the mid-’90s with hits like “Hey Jealousy,” “Found Out About You,” and “Allison Road,” but guitarist Doug Hopkins was kicked out for his excessive drinking and committed suicide not long afterwards. In 1997, vocalist Robin Wilson abruptly disbanded the group. They came back together in 2002, but were criticized for not releasing new material until 2006.
Now, the Gin Blossoms seem to be back on track, recording a new album, signing to a new label, and touring across the country. Johnson talked to The Examiner about the comeback.
The record industry has completely changed since the band got back together in 2002. Are you apprehensive about releasing a record with the state of today’s music business?
It’s definitely completely different. Nobody buys CDs anymore. All the record stores are closing. The radio’s changed. There’s really only one station here [in Phoenix, Ariz.] And they usually play young bands, what I call ‘kiddie rock.’ These mixed stations are everywhere, I don’t really hear a lot of new music. One of the things we’ve done is pursue film and television because we’re still getting paid [laughs].
Are you finding that fans who liked your early stuff are open to hearing newer material, or do they just want the “hits”?
We get criticized [by our fans] for not releasing new material, but for us, that doesn’t seem to be a problem. Sometimes you go see your favorite band and they have a new album and instead of playing the old great songs, they play 12 tracks you’ve never heard, and kinda shove it down your throat. We try to keep the new material limited and we rotate the songs to include the older stuff.
The Gin Blossoms have a pretty signature sound. A lot of people would be able to recognize a song as yours even if they had never heard it before.
Yeah, I remember when we broke up, we had to go to the label and tell them. I remember one of the execs saying, “One thing you have is that people recognize your sound, you have something that bands strive for, and it’s easy for you guys.” People recognize the jangly guitar and Robin’s voice. And we’re proud of that. We bring our style of music to the rock ‘n’ roll table, and I’ve always been really proud of that.
