Omer Plays Bass . . . Gin Blossoms - Hey Jealousy (bass cover)
Bass by Bill Leen
Bass Used in this Video: Sheldon Dingwall Custom Bass
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Sometimes a band or artist just kind of resonates with you – whether they are successful, innovative or frankly sometimes even good. Gin Blossoms was a band that resonated with me and frankly they were a pretty good band who achieved good success over the early to mid-1990’s, and perhaps with equal part challenges and obstacles and a pretty sad story that may not be that unusual to many of us in bands. Hailing from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s college scene in Tempe AZ, Gin Blossoms were one of the more melodic and unoffensive alt rock bands of the era rising to prominence following the 1992 release of their first major label full length album, “New Miserable Experience”, eventually going quadruple platinum with five charting singles from the six released from the album and the band's follow-up album, “Congratulations I'm Sorry” in 1996, also platinum with a Grammy nominated single. Frankly, Gin Blossoms are not going to be recognized on any Rolling Stone “Top Bands of the ‘90’s or other critics list, but they had solid performance with well-crafted and played melodic songs that were highly singable and very accessible.
Made up of lead guitarist and songwriter Doug Hopkins, bassist Bill Leen, guitarist and songwriter Jesse Valenzuela, singer Robin Wilson and a few different drummers, Gin Blossoms signed the big deal with A&M Records (like the one that all of us playing around that time frame dreamed of), faltered on their debut release, turning it into an EP, and then onto the band’s debut release. Part of the problems they faced on the recording of the EP ad then “New Miserable Experience” was captured in a article I posted a while back (https://tinyurl.com/33x3ftcv) with Hopkins drinking heavily, depressed and generally unhappy with how his songs were being presented. With the other members hesitant to fire Hopkins, A&M forcefully removed him from the band and withheld $15,000 owed to him until he agreed to sign over half of his publishing royalties and relinquish his mechanical royalties. Hopkins, in dire financial situation, reluctantly agreed to these demands and the band continued without him.
“New Miserable Experience” was released on August 4, 1992 to little fanfare and relatively lackluster reviews. However, nearly a year after its release, the lead single, ‘Hey Jealousy’ which was written by Hopkins, entered the Billboard Top 25 eventually selling gold, and soon after, three more songs from the album would also reach the Top 20 [the Hopkins written ‘Found Out About You’ as well as the Wilson penned ‘Allison Road’ and the Valenzuela/Wilson song ‘Until I Fall Away’]. Sadly, alcoholism and depression – with the bands increasing success without him and his inability to get something new going adding to this - Hopkins committed suicide in December 1993. The band, with on/off breaks right up to today, continued with success on their second album “Congratulations I'm Sorry” which was in reference to the success they achieved, followed closely by Hopkins’ suicide, and enjoyed success with other singles, from the other talented songwriters in the band in Valenzuela and Wilson.
I’ve played this track ‘Hey Jealous’ for years in bands and it, along with a few others from Gin Blossoms, are some of the only songs I have sung lead vocals on over the years as my voice sounded a bit like Robin Wilson’s. It is lyrically a very personal and haunting song with moments of confession, optimism, and distress, written by Hopkins after his girlfriend broke up with him because of his drinking and cheating. Certainly not the lyrical content of your typical radio-friendly singalong single showing the potential Hopkins had as a songwriter. The instrumentation is as you would expect from the era – very jangly guitars and a pretty solid rhythm performance driving along a catchy and singable melody. It is not a difficult song to play – which Leen played it with a pick, I did not - however one that I had to work on a bit as live I was playing the chorus parts differently from the recording for all these years to accommodate singing it as well. I used my Sheldon Dingwall Custom Bass which was the bass that I would have played this song hundreds of times on over the years. Fun track to play and brings back a ton of fond gigging memories in clubs during a misspent youth.
Disclaimer: I am not saying this is exactly how Bill Leen played this song, but it is how I would play it if I was playing it at a gig.
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