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11.13.03
We chatted with David Hopkins about life after
Ireland, boy bands and Big Bird. Read on for more about
this rising, mellow rocker.
When did you start playing?
I started playing music when I was 5 or 6. I started
on recorder, moved on to clarinet, started playing keys
and Piano and now my favorite is the guitar.
What did you listen to?
Well, when I was playing the recorder I think I was
into songs that I heard on Sesame Street. Then it was
stuff that I heard my brothers, sister and Dad playing.
Stuff like, John Lennon, Stiff Little Fingers, the Undertones,
the Wolfe Tones and the Fureys, mostly Irish stuff.
(You know 3 quarters of the Beatles were of Irish Decent?)
I remember I heard the Pipes of Peace by Paul McCartney
on the radio and I taped it. I was crazy about that
song for a while. And I remember my teacher taught me
a song that was about a branchy woods where nobody went.
I think that the early stuff you hear, is the stuff
that really shapes you, not the stuff that you listen
to as an adult. Now, I'm back listening to Sesame Street
Songs.
Hey, there's quality in Big Bird. So when did you
move to the US?
I moved here a few years ago after I left Lir, the
Irish band I was in. We were touring, we were fighting,
we were pissed off. I quit, they went home, I stayed.
That's the simple way of putting it! Do you visit
Ireland often?
Whenever I can. I was going back twice a year but that
gets expensive. I always do a tour when I go back there,
mostly go on the Road with Colm Quearney, a great friend
and fellow arteeest.
Why did you decide to go solo? Do you still talk
to the LiR guys?
 I
went solo because I don't like to compromise in music.
It sounds conceited and it probably is, but I have an
order in my brain of how a song should sound. Imagine
getting up in the morning and putting on your own choice
of trousers, but then having 4 other people come and
picking out the rest of your outfit. I didn't dig it,
the orange jumpers with the pumpkins all over and the
blue boots.
I still love all the boys, they're like my brothers.
I dream about them every night.
I think that's understandable, and it lets you retain
your individuality. So this supersong, "One Dark Morning"
explain it to us...what does it mean to you? What about
"I Can't Speak Your Name."
One Dark Morning is me being pissed off. It's me transmitting
some Karma onto someone. It's not really my place to
be doling out any Karma though as I'm no Mother Teresa
myself, although I do like the Nun outfits.
"I Can't Speak Your Name" is a song and I don't think
I will ever tell what it's about. "I Can't Speak Your
Name". It should be "I Won't Speak Your Name".
When you're writing your songs, what are your expectations?
Are they based on real experiences or random thoughts?
My expectations, or rather my criteria are that this
song will be something that I would go out and buy.
I go for honesty. More than anything, that. I want to
keep pushing the envelope too. I want to get better
and better. I think I am. They are all very very factual.
 I
hear you've collaborated with Matt Nathanson, tell us
about that!
Matt and I used to share a keen interest in Bee Keeping
and Eel Photography. That's how we met. No, seriously,
I played on a record of his a few years ago, I can't
remember what it's called. So, after that I did some
other stuff for him. He played on a demo of mine too,
sounded great. Matt's doing really great now and he
deserves it for all the hard work he put into it.
Through Matt I met my dear dear great great friend,
Matt Fish. Great player and all round amazing lad.
Fish rocks! So what do you think is the biggest
challenge for independent artists?
The challenge is this. The music industry is driven
mostly, by money, not music. There is no state music
grading system in place, where the best music gets the
push and the shite music gets left behind. Unfortunately,
this fact means that there are a lot of incredibly talented
people out there who you will never know, but all the
Back Street Boys Boy Band type stuff will be only a
radio away. Wonder bread as apposed to Bucelli's Bakery.
Definitely true and a Hopkinesque way of looking
at it! What's in your CD player now?
Back Street Boys
Hehe, so do you dig Josh Ritter? (I had to ask,
the whole "Irish" thing....even though...he's not!)
I have never heard his stuff. I mean to, I've heard
good things. I know Glen Hansard brought him over to
Dublin and really got his career going over there.
 What
do you usually do before performing? Any "traditions"?
I have begun to chant a mantra. Om Mani Peme Hung.
I like to go off by myself and just chill out, remember
why I'm playing, why I keep going on. Another tradition
is toknock back a shot.
That's the Irish! So what's in store for you? What
can we expect?
I am going to be touring next year, releasing my new
record, which incidentally will not be called "One Dark
Morning", it'll be called something else. Don't know
what yet. I am then, going to release another record.
If I had my way there'd be four David Hopkins records
out next year, I have so many songs, I don't want to
waste them.
Keep us posted! Thanks so much, David.
Thanks Kristen, thanks for taking the time.
Interviewed by Kristen
Fischer
Photos by cruzando
DiscoveringArtists.com
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