Nineties indie rock band unrecognisable 32 years after global smash hit, guitarist tragedy and shock split

IN the nineties, The Gin Blossoms were a bunch of fresh-faced dudes who made their mark on the indie rock scene.

But now, the band who still perform together, are virtually unrecognisable, more than 30 years on from their smash hit song, Hey Jealousy.

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The band as they appear now, more than 30 years since they got together[/caption]

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The band suffered a huge setback after the death of their lead guitarist Doug Hopkins[/caption]

The US band who formed in Arizona, emerged around the same time as mega rock groups including REM and Deep Blue Something. But sadly they never quite reached the big time, after their lead guitarist and songwriter, Doug Hopkins, tragically committed suicide.

During the recording sessions for their debut album, New Miserable Experience, Hopkins who was a depressed alcoholic, had become too much of a burden and so the other members fired him.

Around 18 months later, he sadly killed himself and after his death, it seems The Gin Blossoms fortunes dwindled.

Although the musicians were fine without Hopkins, he had widely been considered to be their talisman, having written their first two hits, Hey Jealousy and Found Out About You. It was his downtrodden song writing voice that set them apart from the other groups of the era.

Though they continued to write decent singles, including, “Till I hear it From you and “Follow you Down.” They failed to match the success of the songs penned by their late bandmate.

While big mainstream success has eluded them, the band continue to perform on the festival circuit in the US and Canada.

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Having emerged at the same time as REM and other bands, they were primed for mainstream success, but sadly it never materialised[/caption]

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Although they didn’t become the biggest names in rock, the band still perform together on the festival circuit[/caption]