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Blending college rock sensibilities with plenty of jangly power pop energy, Gin Blossoms made their way to the top of the charts with their 1992 blockbuster New Miserable Experience. Formed in Tempe, Arizona in 1987 by main songwriter Doug Hopkins, the band went through several lineup changes before settling on their classic formation - Robin Wilson on vocals, Bill Leen on bass, Jesse Valenzuela on rhythm guitar, Phillip Rhodes on drums, and Hopkins on lead guitar. After making the rounds on Arizona’s indie circuit, they funded the independently-released LP Dusted in 1989. This garnered the attention of label A&M, who signed them to their roster. Plagued by Hopkins’ worsening alcoholism and depression, the recording of their major-label debut proved to be troublesome. This led to an ultimatum from the label that resulted in Hopkins’ firing from the band, who recruited guitarist Scott Johnson to fill his spot. Despite the grim circumstances surrounding it, the quadruple-platinum New Miserable Experience (1992) topped Billboard’s Heatseekers chart aided by the hit singles “Hey Jealousy” and “Found Out About You,” which reached Number 1 on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart. Further single “Til I Hear It from You” reached Number 4 on the Mainstream Rock chart in 1995 helped by its inclusion on the Empire Records soundtrack. Despite the success of the Top 10 single “Follow You Down,” Congratulations, I’m Sorry (1996) did not perform as expected and the band called it quits the following year. During this hiatus, Wilson and Rhodes formed The Gas Giants, while Johnson joined Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers. A reunion ensued in 2001 as the band swiftly resumed their touring schedule. Major Lodge Victory, the group’s first offering since their comeback, saw the light in 2006 and was followed by the live album Live in Concert (2009) and No Chocolate Cake (2010), which debuted at Number 73 on the Billboard 200 and Number 14 on the Independent Albums chart. In subsequent years, Gin Blossoms fed on the 90s nostalgia boom and continued to tour regularly, releasing a sixth album, Mixed Reality, in 2018.
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