3. “Found Out About You” – Gin Blossoms
(From the album New Miserable Experience)
1992
The Gin Blossoms had a somewhat unexpected hit with “Hey Jealousy” and were suddenly a hot new band on the rise. “Hey Jealousy” however had been written by guitarist Doug Hopkins who had been battling a crippling and worsening alcohol addiction that had resulted in the record label firing him from his band just as the finished recording New Miserable Experience. Hopkins then sank further into alcoholism and depression and committed suicide just as “Hey Jealousy” was coming off its commercial peak. Just a short time prior to Hopkins’ death a follow-up single was released from New Miserable Experience and it was “Found Out About You”, another song written by Hopkins. “Found Out About You”, a slightly darker but just as catchy earworm of a song, went on to become another big hit for the Gin Blossoms, roughly equalling the success of “Hey Jealousy”. Hopkins was already gone though and would never see that another song he wrote become a massive hit. This also put the band in the weird spot of having another big hit with a song written by someone who had been forced from the group which played a direct role in his decision to commit suicide. Of course, the other members of the band were conflicted by this (remember though that “Found Out About You” was released prior to his death). The situation was only made worse by the fact that the media only wanted to ask about this unusual and difficult turn of events and so they couldn’t escape the tragedy, drama, or loss of their friend.
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