aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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dime in the gutter
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aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by dime in the gutter »

Image

Image
apart from some of it...this will not be in chronological order.

so…cool story, bro.

lsu…fall of 1989.

i was chatting with a clerk at my neighborhood record store. we were discussing the drivin n cryin show that was scheduled at a local bar for the following nite. he asked me if I had ever heard of the opening act….the sidewinders. I had not.

i left paradise records that day with the cuacha! and witchdoctor lps……and then went by my cousin’s dorm to purchase a dime bag of skank weed. smoked up and hit play. started my journey into the desert.

30+ years later, i am still traveling on a that same journey thru that same desert.

rich hopkins, guitarist and founding member of sidewinders, has been my guiding light on that journey. when I occasionally get lost in the wilderness…..i just have to turn it up to find the right direction…..typically head-on, straight into the sun.

hopkins is many things….artist, photographer, peace corps vet, label owner, decades long soup kitchen volunteer, band leader, band mate, singer, songwriter, collaborator, humanitarian, mentor, father, husband, social commentator and rock guitarist for the ages. spanning 35 years, hopkins has been touring, writing, producing and recording all time classic records. various bandmates and incarnations. he is a true DIY artist. carries his gear and melts the faces.

distortion, reverb and very loud. enormous sound and tone. punk riffage and power chords. slow and searing solos with bends and stretches that are unique in the world of rock. not overly tons of notes and speed…..just ginormous notes of length and sustain. soundscapes that color a picture of stifling heat, blinding sun, blistering sand, endless rocks and cacti, late afternoon shadows and spiritual visions. shamans. healers. medicine men…..witchdoctors.

as legend has it, hopkins was born in tx in 1958. he never picked up a guitar until a stint in the peace corps after graduating from ithaca college in the early 80s. not sure how or why…but hopkins ended up in the tuscon area to start his life. while there, he founded the sidewinders with local singer/producer david slutes.

1st release was cuacha! in 1988. a mix of jangly acoustic pop, baritone vocals and not so subtle hints of crazy horse influenced guitar work outs. lp sounds like it was made on a cheap budget and hopkins and slute were still working on their sound....but the songs and talent were abundantly apparent.

star was rising quickly.


find the source. find the tone. find the spirits. turn them up. here begins the journey.







to be continued.....
Last edited by dime in the gutter on Thu Oct 29, 2020 10:38 pm, edited 10 times in total.

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cortez the killer
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Re: coming soon....loudly

Post by cortez the killer »

Bad Crazy Sun!
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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dime in the gutter wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 4:15 pm
Image
Image
I had no idea Yara Greyjoy used to be in Sidewinders
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by cortez the killer »

dime in the gutter wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 8:56 am
1st release was cuacha! in 1988. a mix of jangly acoustic pop, baritone vocals and searing, crazy horse influenced guitar work outs. lp sounds like it was made on a cheap budget and hopkins and slute were still working on their sound....but the songs and talent were abundantly apparent.

star was rising quickly.


find the source. find the tone. find the spirits. turn them up. here begins the journey.




Spun that a few times last week. The obvious R.E.M. influence is most obvious on that one. Great stuff!
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by Clams »

Good stuff dime.

Way back when (2009?) you put What She Said on that swampy four disc compilation that you sent me (I still have all four of em). Epic 9 minute jam. Great fuckin song.



Last night will be the last night
Is what she said
Everyone needs a friend, everyone needs a fuck

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dime in the gutter
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by dime in the gutter »

cortez the killer wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 4:27 pm
dime in the gutter wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 4:15 pm
Image
Image
I had no idea Yara Greyjoy used to be in Sidewinders
andrea curtis....drummer, singer and one time wife of hopkins.

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dime in the gutter
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by dime in the gutter »

Clams wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 4:52 pm
Good stuff dime.

Way back when (2009?) you put What She Said on that swampy four disc compilation that you sent me (I still have all four of em). Epic 9 minute jam. Great fuckin song.

Last night will be the last night
Is what she said
we are so fucking old, dude.

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by cortez the killer »

dime in the gutter wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 5:02 pm
Clams wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 4:52 pm
Good stuff dime.

Way back when (2009?) you put What She Said on that swampy four disc compilation that you sent me (I still have all four of em). Epic 9 minute jam. Great fuckin song.

Last night will be the last night
Is what she said
we are so fucking old, dude.
And high.
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by dime in the gutter »

cortez the killer wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 4:39 pm
Spun that a few times last week. The obvious R.E.M. influence is most obvious on that one. Great stuff!
some husker du inspired cow punk crunch too.

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by Clams »

dime in the gutter wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 5:02 pm
Clams wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 4:52 pm
Good stuff dime.

Way back when (2009?) you put What She Said on that swampy four disc compilation that you sent me (I still have all four of em). Epic 9 minute jam. Great fuckin song.

Last night will be the last night
Is what she said
we are so fucking old, dude.
Yep, incredible to think how long we’ve all been doing this
Everyone needs a friend, everyone needs a fuck

chuckrh
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by chuckrh »

Clams wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 9:41 pm
dime in the gutter wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 5:02 pm
Clams wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 4:52 pm
Good stuff dime.

Way back when (2009?) you put What She Said on that swampy four disc compilation that you sent me (I still have all four of em). Epic 9 minute jam. Great fuckin song.

Last night will be the last night
Is what she said
we are so fucking old, dude.
Yep, incredible to think how long we’ve all been doing this
I'm so old that I saw Led Zeppelin when I was in high school. & Skynyrd before the crash. & AC/DC (with Bon Scott) third bill to Turd Nugent & Cheap Trick (circa Heaven Tonight). I hadn't thought about Sidewinders in a long time. I'll have to look in the archives & see if any survived the "hey, I'm broke" purge. Good times!

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by blessedcurse »

distortion, reverb and very loud. enormous sound and tone. punk riffage and power chords. slow and searing solos with bends and stretches that are unique in the world of rock. not overly tons of notes and speed…..just ginormous notes of length and sustain. soundscapes that color a picture of stifling heat, blinding sun, blistering sand, endless rocks and cacti, late afternoon shadows and spiritual visions. shamans. healers. medicine men…..witchdoctors.

Gawddamnit Dime, ain't that saying something!!!

Limited experience with deserts, being from the northlands, but I have always been fascinated with that landscape since the old black and white matinee westerns. McCarthy's border trilogy captures an essence, I like to think.

I did travel by overcrowded train from Tepic (Northwest of Mexico City) to Nogales in my earlier days...sadly I was sitting on the floor for most of it - but man o man - big skies (and cold ass nights). Thanks for this thread. I'm all in!
Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. - Thoreau

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by dime in the gutter »

1989 Witchdoctor LP
Image
sidewinders crank the volume and create an all time classic record. high drama lyrics with fuzzed out leads and power chords. getting hot up in here.

co-produced by hopkins and slute.

1st sounds w/an 80's video. yes!!!

whipsaw double whammy opening shot is the shit. still vibrating. husker du in the house.



to be continued....
Last edited by dime in the gutter on Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:44 am, edited 4 times in total.

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by dime in the gutter »

blessedcurse wrote:
Wed Oct 07, 2020 6:26 pm
distortion, reverb and very loud. enormous sound and tone. punk riffage and power chords. slow and searing solos with bends and stretches that are unique in the world of rock. not overly tons of notes and speed…..just ginormous notes of length and sustain. soundscapes that color a picture of stifling heat, blinding sun, blistering sand, endless rocks and cacti, late afternoon shadows and spiritual visions. shamans. healers. medicine men…..witchdoctors.

Gawddamnit Dime, ain't that saying something!!!

Limited experience with deserts, being from the northlands, but I have always been fascinated with that landscape since the old black and white matinee westerns. McCarthy's border trilogy captures an essence, I like to think.

I did travel by overcrowded train from Tepic (Northwest of Mexico City) to Nogales in my earlier days...sadly I was sitting on the floor for most of it - but man o man - big skies (and cold ass nights). Thanks for this thread. I'm all in!
thanks, bc. a rich hopkins song is worth a 1000 words. i've run out a long time ago in trying to describe his playing.

welcome to the trek. bring some water.

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by dime in the gutter »

bad, crazy sun

slow burn. he's out in it now. getting desperate. hopkins slays on the way out the back door. spirits of shakey. buzzards and salvation.

i lost my mind and i've lost my soul and i know that i'm never going home....




to be continued...
Last edited by dime in the gutter on Fri Oct 09, 2020 10:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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Over ten years ago, dime sent me a burned CDR of Witchdoctor. Took me a decade or so to recalibrate my listening ability to fully appreciate the genius of these guys. Such a great record! Lovin' this thread!
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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mid tempo acoustic strummer. yara greyjoy vocals remind of lydia loveless.

hopkins brings the goods on the outro.



to be continued....

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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solitary man

duality of the neils. hopkins guitar explodes out of the speakers.


what am i supposed to do?

fantastic sing along chorus with that amazing hopkins tone on the picking and stretching. too short on the record.


tears like flesh

driving bass, frayed as fuck chords give way to a mahogany neck strangling solo for good measure. boy can dig into that guitar. he likes punk too.
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by dime in the gutter »

Image
totally awesome vest. gin blossums t for the win.
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by dime in the gutter »

what she said
Clams wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 4:52 pm
Epic 9 minute jam. Great fuckin song.



Last night will be the last night
Is what she said
clams is a fucking genius.

several break up songs (maybe all of them) on witchdoctor lp. pure speculation as to the inspiration...but band members divorcing....as old as rock and roll itself. so i guess maybe it's a relationship album also.

nothing left but ashes at the end of this one. all timer for windows down air guitar and drumming. singing too, if so inclined. i''m always so.

11.

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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worlds apart

album closes with this beautiful ode to dreams lost and a crumbling relationship. andrea curtis singing again. violins or cellos or both. building slowly until hopkins guitar sets the room on fire. walking away from the wreckage into the setting sun.

end scene.
Image

to be continued....

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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dime in the gutter wrote:
Fri Oct 09, 2020 5:56 pm
Image
totally awesome vest. gin blossums t for the win.
Same scene. Sidewinders got screwed.
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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dime in the gutter wrote:
Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:17 am
bad, crazy sun

slow burn. he's out in it now. getting desperate. hopkins slays on the way out the back door. spirits of shakey. buzzards and salvation.

i lost my mind and i've lost my soul and i know that i'm never going home....




to be continued...
Strong candidate for the best song that begins as an 80s power ballad and transforms into a Crazy Horse-esque rocker.

Sun's so hot & my throat's so dry...
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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dime in the gutter wrote:
Fri Oct 09, 2020 5:47 pm
what am i supposed to do?

fantastic sing along chorus with that amazing hopkins tone on the picking and stretching. too short on the record.
Hooks abound. A jangle masterpiece. Fuckin' love this song!
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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Image
coming soon...

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by dime in the gutter »

1990
auntie ramos' pool hall lp
co-produced by hopkins and slute
co-written by hopkins and slute
Image
Image
a perfect blend of byrds psych jangle, indie crunch and petty/heartbreaker melodies. beautiful, nostalgic chorus turns that are pure, confectionary pop. lyrics about that life-age between youthful irresponsibility and the pressing reality of grown up obligations.

however, these truths bury the lead...above all else, arph is a guitar freakout record. glorious, serious, sun baked, high octane, 6 string theatrics. careening down the road at 100 mph. fear and loathing abound. danger in every curve. pitch black darkness beyond the headlights.

opening number. we don't do that anymore

well the noise from the tape deck is only drowned out by the buzz from the wine...

a casual invitation to an afternoon garden party of a record that, within an hour, morphs into an all-nite rager.

stereophonic crack. get your sing-along out.

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

Post by dime in the gutter »

Image
more vests and a misfits t.

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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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dime in the gutter wrote:
Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:10 am
opening number. we don't do that anymore

well the noise from the tape deck is only drowned out by the buzz from the wine...

a casual invitation to an afternoon garden party of a record that, within an hour, morphs into an all-nite rager.

stereophonic crack. get your sing-along out.
Cousin of "What Am I Supposed to Do?" Shining example of the perfect harmony of the jangle early 80s R.E.M. and the woolly roar of Crazy Horse. Album clobbers you right out of the gate.
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Re: aotw 10/5/20: rich hopkins-godfather of desert rock

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dime in the gutter wrote:
Mon Oct 12, 2020 1:03 pm
Image
more vests and a misfits t.
Street cred 101.
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