30 years later, ‘Miserable New Experience’ still strikes a chord with Gin Blossoms’ fans
I n nf you were around 30 years ago, you might remember some of these events from 1992:
▪ U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin declared an end to the Cold War.
▪ A divided U.S. Supreme Court again upheld a woman’s right to an abortion. Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to their second consecutive NBA title.
▪ The compact disc overtook cassette tapes as the preferred medium for purchasing recorded music.
▪ The Gin Blossoms, an alt-rock band from Tempe, Ariz., newly signed by A&M Records, started recording what would become their breakout album, “Miserable New Experience.”
Fast forward to today, and the Cold War is suddenly hot again. Legal abortions are on teetering on the rocks in the U.S. The Bulls are out of the playoffs and haven’t won a title since 1998. Most music is now purchased digitally online.
And the Gin Blossoms, after a turbulent roller coaster ride that saw them break up in the late 1990s before reuniting in 2002, continue to tour, write and record songs.
As part of that touring, the Gin Blossoms made a stopover Saturday at the Backyard Amphitheater at Green Valley Ranch Resort. There, to mark the 30th anniversary of the release “Miserable New Experience,” they played the album in its entirety, from first track to last, to an appreciative all-ages crowd.
Robin Wilson, the band’s lead singer, opened the concert by noting, “We’re here to chew bubblegum and kick (some tail), and we’re all out of bubblegum.” And kick some tail did they. Though the Gin Blossoms showed their years, graying and thinning hair the most obvious signs, the music was vibrant, the songs spot-on — and just good to hear again.
Jesse Ventura and Scott “Honey Bear” Johnson sparkled on guitar. Bill Leen, who co-founded the band in 1987 with Doug Hopkins, was stellar on bass. Scott Hessel, a relative newcomer to the band, sitting behind the skins since 2012, was strong on drums. Wilson’s vocals were powerful when they needed to be yet melodic and clear.
On several of the songs, Wilson implored the mostly standing audience to “put your hands up, Las Vegas” or to sing along with the band.
In between songs, he detailed some of the history behind the album to those in the crowd:
“The band was on the verge of breaking up. We had no idea if the album would ever come out. But we knew it was good,” he said.
The Gin Blossoms, which had formed in 1987, survived the studio sessions, and the album was released. And the album was more than good. “Miserable New Experiences” kept the Gin Blossoms on the charts for three years. And the album’s hit singles including “Hey Jealousy,” “Found Out About You,” “Allison Road,” “Until
I Fall Away,” and “Mrs. Rita,” with their infectious tunes and memorable lyrics, continue to earn radio play and have sold more than 5 million records.
Wilson also raised several toasts in honor of Hopkins, who committed suicide in December 1993, a year after the release of “Miserable New Experiences.” One was before the band launched into “Pieces of the Night,” which Wilson said told the story of him and Hopkins driving to Tucson for a gig:
In addition to the 12 tracks, the Gin Blossoms also played several other songs, including “Follow You Down”; “As Long as It Matters,” which, Wilson boasted, hit
No. 1 in the Philippines; and “Til I Hear It From You.”
After the nearly 90-minute set, the stage went dark and the Gin Blossoms were off to their next gig. This summer, as they continue marking the 30th anniversary of “New Miserable Experience,” they’ll team up with Toad the Wet Sprocket — the same band they toured with 30 years ago in support of the breakout album.
— Green Valley Ranch Resort’s Backyard Amphitheater series continues at 8 p.m. Saturday with Pop 2000 Tour hosted by Chris Kirkpatrick of *NSYNC with Mark Mcgrath of Sugar Ray, O-town, Ryan Cabrera and LFO. For ticket information, go online to www.stationcasinoslive.com or Ticketmaster, https:// bit.ly/3yczv2g.