Back to the good old days with Gin Blossoms

MANILA, Philippines - I was just a kid during Gin Blossoms’ heyday — the frantic ’90s — but its music lived on through the years and eventually became a staple during my high school days in early 2000s.

My childhood friends hated me for having this rare opportunity to have an exclusive Philippine STAR interview with one of the most highly respected rock icons of our generation. My e-mail inbox was filled with questions they were dying to ask the Gin Blossoms. It’s too bad I was only allotted 15 minutes for the interview. I could have written a Gin Blossoms biography if all my friends’ questions were entertained.

American pop-rock band Gin Blossoms will hit Manila (Araneta Coliseum) and Cebu (Waterfront Cebu) tomorrow, Nov. 18 and Nov. 20, respectively. The concerts are being held to promote its newly released album, No Chocolate Cake, featuring the hit single, Miss Disarray.

The band from Tempe, Arizona was formed in 1987 and took its name from a picture of comedian and actor W.C. Fields, titled “W.C. Fields with Gin Blossoms,” referring to the celebrity’s skin condition known as rosacea, which brings about chronic facial redness.

Gin Blossoms released three albums and had several hits in the ’90s, like Hey Jealousy, Found Out About You and Follow You Down, before breaking up in 1997, with each member of the group moving on to separate projects. In 2002, the band reunited, producing a DVD and two more albums, as they also began touring around the world once again.

Although plagued with tragedy and conflict in the past, such as the suicide of founding member and lead guitarist/songwriter Doug Hopkins and the alcohol problems of former drummer Phillip Rhodes, Gin Blossoms has bounced back and now promises to be a dominant force in the music industry for a new decade.

Jesse Valenzuela, the band’s guitarist, was very pleasant during the phone interview, while still very blunt about his memories of the early years, his take on music nowadays, and problems that faced the group leading to the break-up.

Gin Blossoms seems to be at a very good place right now, simply enjoying music and sharing it with the world. It’s obvious that the boys of the ’90s have matured into men, and thrive on their passion for rock.

Anyway, Jesse (yes, we’re on first name basis) invited me backstage by the time they arrive in the Philippines, so I might just get another chance to know more about what goes behind the scenes with the group.

It’s no secret that you hit it big in the ’90s. What do you miss the most about the ’90s?

“Nothing. I don’t miss anything about the ’90s . It was interesting and fun but I don’t miss it, really. I sort of moved on from that period already. I’m done with that. I like the here and now. I focus on the present.”

Gin Blossoms’ hometown is Tempe, Arizona. What about Tempe, Arizona makes it the greatest place in the world for you?

“It’s a beautiful place. I think what made it special for us was family. Our parents were there. We’re not based there anymore. We don’t live there. That’s just where we started. But that place was all about family.”

Your band name was inspired by a photo of W.C. Fields. Are you fans of W.C. Fields?

“Not especially. We’re not really fans. It was so long ago, I don’t even remember where we stumbled upon the photo.”

What are some of your musical influences?

“I like a lot of ’50s and ’60s music. I really like Bob Dylan. I like music that brings you back to your roots.”

Why did Gin Blossoms break up in 1997?

“Our singer at the time wanted to do everything by himself. And that’s really hard when you have a group made up of a bunch of grown men. A band is a team effort and things won’t work out if one guy is taking over.”

How was life after the breakup?

“It was very enjoyable. It let me live every day of my life to the fullest.”

 What made you decide to reunite the group?

“That was such a long time ago. I don’t really remember. It gave all of us some time off from everything else in our lives, I guess. It gave us something to do. It let us do what we are interested in.”

What were the biggest trials facing the comeback of Gin Blossoms?

“It was nothing dramatic. There were no trials when we reunited. We just started to play. It felt very natural. It was very easy. It felt right.”

Was New Miserable Experience a reflection of your lives at the point of its creation?

“Definitely. We were young and frantic. Youth made our lives miserable.”

What can fans expect from your latest album, No Chocolate Cake?

“We are hoping that fans will enjoy our music. We hope that our new album is different. It’s not just the same thing we’ve been doing the past years.”

You are known for being very interactive with your audience. Does this help your performances onstage?

“Robin Wilson, our vocalist, is the interactive one. He enjoys getting close to the audience. It drives him to perform better on the stage.”

You enjoy calling yourselves the Del Montes. How did that come about?

“Man, that was so long ago. I think that was 23 years ago. I don’t really remember.”

Different artists have their own, unique writing processes. What is yours?

“I write everyday. When I write for TV, when I make songs for TV shows, people just give me direction, and tell me what they want. I work with what I am given. I just keep on writing. That’s my process. I just keep doing it.”

How would you define your music in one word?

“Foolish. No, wait. Gibberish.”

Who are some of the more recent artists you think have a lot of potential?

“I don’t really listen to current music. I’m 48 and new music doesn’t really interest me. But whoever is doing well, whoever is successful, then good luck to them and God bless them. Good job. People like Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus…really anyone who is enjoying success. All I have to say to them is ‘keep on enjoying what you are doing.’”

Any guilty pleasures?

“Everything. All of them are guilty. I just try to enjoy life.”

Other than music, what are your hobbies/ interests/ passions?

“I play a lot of golf. I hope to be able to play golf in the Philippines. I love cooking for my family. I read a lot of books. Right now, I am reading Stardust by Joseph Kanon. I watch a lot of movies as well. I recently watched The Blind Side. It was such an enjoyable movie. It was a true story and it is touching seeing people helping other people.”

What’s your favorite gig ever?

“The Philippines. I’m sure of it.”

What do you expect from the Philippines?

“I have no idea. I have been reading about the Philippines. I’m just looking forward to enjoying myself, and I hope the Filipino audience will enjoy themselves as well.”

What is your message to aspiring Filipino musicians?

“Just don’t stop. Keep on going. And enjoy. At the end of the day, that is all you have. Just always enjoy what you are doing.”

(Catch Gin Blossoms in Manila today at the Araneta Coliseum. For tickets, call Ticketnet at 911-5555. Ticket Prices are P5,500, P4,400, P3,500, P2,420, P1,270 and P530. For tickets to Gin Blossoms in Cebu on Nov. 20 at the Waterfront Cebu, call Waterfront Lahug at (032)23268888.

Gin Blossoms Live is another world-class production by Blue Dream Entertainment and is brought to you by the official radio partners, Magic 89.9 and Jam 88.3, The Official Music Channel, MYX Your Choice Your Music, and TV Partners Solar Entertainment, Jack TV, Basketball TV and Solar Sports.)