Graham Hopkins is an
IrishIreland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
drummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
. He is the drummer in
The Swell SeasonThe Swell Season is a folk rock duo formed by Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. "The Swell Season" name is derived from Hansard's favourite novel by Josef Škvorecký from 1975 bearing the same title...
,
The FramesThe Frames are an Irish band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six albums...
, and former drummer for the
hard rockHard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
/
punk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band
Therapy?Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
.
Early years
Hopkins was born in
Dublin and was brought up in
ClaneClane is a town on the River Liffey and in the barony of Clane in County Kildare, Ireland, from Dublin.Its population of 4,968 makes it the eighth largest town in Kildare and the 78th largest in the Republic of Ireland....
,
County KildareCounty Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
in a musical family (his father, Des being a jazz drummer). He was surrounded by music from an early age and began playing the drums at approximately four or five years old. In 1993, he left school to join
My Little FunhouseMy Little Funhouse were a rock band from Kilkenny, Ireland in the early 1990s.After winning the Carling Hot Press band competition, they got signed to Island Publishing and went on, in late 1991, to sign what was Geffen Records' largest deal to that date: $2 million...
, a band from
County KilkennyCounty Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
. The band had already released their debut album
Standunder on
Geffen RecordsGeffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
, when Graham joined. The band toured for about a year in support of the album, mainly in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Tours included support to
Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
and The Ramones amongst others. The band then lived in
Los AngelesLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and recorded a second album for Geffen before imploding.
Therapy?
Hopkins moved on, joining the extremely popular
Northern IrishNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
band
Therapy?Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
in 1996, recording three albums and releasing a "best of" album. His first public appearance with Therapy? was at the IRMA Awards, Dublin on 29 March 1996. Hopkins played his first full gig with Therapy? at a fan-club members only show at The Attic, Dublin on 10 April 1996. His last show was at the Ambassador Theatre, Dublin on 8 December 2001.
Gemma Hayes
Feeling uninspired by the musical direction of Therapy?, Graham left the band in December 2001 and was immediately asked to tour with Irish singer/songwriter
Gemma HayesGemma Claire Hayes is an Irish singer-songwriter and member of The Cake Sale.-Early life:...
. He toured with Gemma Hayes for over a year - supporting her Mercury Music Prize-nominated album
Night on My SideNight on my Side is the debut album by Irish singer-songwriter Gemma Hayes, released in 2002 with success in the Republic of Ireland, France and the UK.The album was nominated for that year's Mercury Music Prize but lost out to Ms...
.
Halite
Hopkins then went on to record two albums with his own band Halite. Halite began as a solo project for Graham, who debuted with the critically acclaimed first album "Head On" with
Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in 2003. Head On was an off-kilter melodic pop/rock album. He played most instruments on the record but needed musicians to help out for playing live. He asked his friends Binzer Brennan, Keith Farrell and Derren Dempsey if they would tour with him. Halite then grew into a fully formed band. They soon went on to record and independently release their second album "Courses" in 2004. Courses had more of a harder and frantic edge than the first album. Halite played numerous shows over the following two years, including opening the
Slane ConcertSlane Concert is a concert held most years since 1981 in the grounds of Slane Castle near Slane, County Meath, in Ireland. The castle is owned by Henry Conyngham, 8th Marquess Conyngham, who was the Earl of Mountcharles until 2009. Slane lies between Navan and Drogheda, about 45 km northwest...
in 2003 for
Red Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
and
Foo FightersFoo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
. The band were also invited to play shows with bands such as
My Morning JacketMy Morning Jacket is an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky.The band consists of Jim James , Tom 'Two-Tone Tommy' Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket was...
,
MudhoneyMudhoney is an American alternative rock band. Formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988 following the demise of Green River, Mudhoney's members are vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison, and drummer Dan Peters. Original bassist Matt Lukin left the...
,
GomezGomez are an English indie rock band from Southport, comprising Ian Ball , Paul "Blackie" Blackburn , Tom Gray , Ben Ottewell and Olly Peacock . The band is distinguished for having three singers and four songwriters, employing traditional and electronic instruments...
,
SebadohSebadoh is an American indie rock band, formed in 1986 in Westfield, Massachusetts by Eric Gaffney and Dinosaur Jr bass player Lou Barlow. Along with such bands as Pavement and Guided by Voices, Sebadoh helped pioneer lo-fi music, a style of indie rock characterized by low-fidelity recording...
. Then in early 2005, due to commitments with others projects from each member, the band was put on hold.
Boss Volenti
Hopkins was a member of Dublin band
Boss VolentiBoss Volenti are a rock quartet based in Dublin, Ireland. They formed in 2003. Rob Daly, Martin Murphy and Dan O'Connor first met while playing in bands around Dublin. Then followed Laura Mackey, who Dan met while both were studying guitar at college...
for three years. He drummed on their self-titled debut album released in 2006 but left the band immediately after their appearance at
Electric Picnic 2008Electric Picnic 2008 was the fifth Electric Picnic festival to take place. The three-day event took place on the weekend of Friday–Sunday, 29–31 August at Stradbally in County Laois, Ireland...
.
The Cake Sale
Hopkins appeared as part of the band on the 2006
OxfamOxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
charity album,
The Cake SaleThe Cake Sale are a collective of mostly Irish musical artists including Swedish singer/songwriter Nina Persson of The Cardigans and Australian musician Nick Seymour of Crowded House....
.
Snow Patrol
Hopkins spent the early part of 2007 stepping in as drummer for
Snow PatrolSnow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
on their
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n,
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and American tours.
Dolores O'Riordan
He drummed on
Dolores O'RiordanDolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter. She led The Cranberries to worldwide success and fame for 13 years before the band took a hiatus in 2003. Her first solo album Are You Listening? was released in May 2007...
's debut solo album,
Are You Listening? in 2007 before embarking on a worldwide tour with her.
Once and The Swell Season
Hopkins also played on the soundtrack to the Irish Oscar-
winningThe Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
musical filmThe musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
OnceOnce is a 2006 Irish musical film written and directed by John Carney. Set in Dublin, this naturalistic drama stars musicians Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová as musicians...
which was written and directed by
John CarneyJohn Carney is an Irish film and TV writer/director who specialises in low-budget indie films. He is best known for his award-winning 2007 movie Once. He is also a co-creator of the Irish TV drama series Bachelors Walk.-Life and career:...
. He drummed on a few of the songs with
Glen HansardGlen Hansard is the Academy Award–winning principal songwriter and vocalist/guitarist for Irish group The Frames and one half of folk rock duo, The Swell Season...
of
The FramesThe Frames are an Irish band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six albums...
and
Markéta IrglováMarkéta Irglová is a Czech songwriter, musician, actress, and singer. As of 2010, she resides in New York City.-Early life:...
.
He is currently on tour with
The Swell SeasonThe Swell Season is a folk rock duo formed by Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. "The Swell Season" name is derived from Hansard's favourite novel by Josef Škvorecký from 1975 bearing the same title...
, which features
Glen HansardGlen Hansard is the Academy Award–winning principal songwriter and vocalist/guitarist for Irish group The Frames and one half of folk rock duo, The Swell Season...
,
Markéta IrglováMarkéta Irglová is a Czech songwriter, musician, actress, and singer. As of 2010, she resides in New York City.-Early life:...
and members of
The FramesThe Frames are an Irish band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six albums...
.
The Swell SeasonThe Swell Season is a folk rock duo formed by Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. "The Swell Season" name is derived from Hansard's favourite novel by Josef Škvorecký from 1975 bearing the same title...
released their third album,
Strict JoyStrict Joy is the third album by The Swell Season . It was released in Ireland on October 23, 2009, the rest of Europe on October 26, and on October 27 in North America on the ANTI- record label...
, in September 2009.
Others
Graham has always been kept busy drumming on numerous albums, both Irish and internationally. He has played drums on albums, and live, with
The FramesThe Frames are an Irish band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six albums...
,
The Swell SeasonThe Swell Season is a folk rock duo formed by Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. "The Swell Season" name is derived from Hansard's favourite novel by Josef Škvorecký from 1975 bearing the same title...
,
David KittDavid Kitt is an Irish musician. He is the son of Irish politician Tom Kitt.He has released six studio albums to date: Small Moments, The Big Romance, Square 1, The Black and Red Notebook, Not Fade Away and The Nightsaver.-History:Kitt grew up surrounded by music, as his father and uncles formed a...
,
MundyMundy is an Irish singer-songwriter. 'Mundy' is a nickname given to Enright, as it not only refers to his name Edmund, but it is how he pronounces the word "Monday".-Biography:...
,
The Reindeer SectionThe Reindeer Section are a Scottish indie rock supergroup formed in 2001 by Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, which released albums and gigged in 2001 and 2002. The Reindeer Section grouping was somewhat ad hoc, and so it is uncertain if more will be heard from them...
, Alphastates, Autamata, Ann Scott,
Josh RitterJosh Ritter is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006 he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine.- Early life :Josh...
,
JapeJape are an Irish electronic–rock band from Dublin. Formed as a side project by Richie Egan whilst part of The Redneck Manifesto, they have released four albums to date; Cosmosphere , The Monkeys in the Zoo Have More Fun Than Me , Ritual and Ocean of Frequency...
, Q (Colm Quearney), Ollie Cole,
The PaleThe Pale are an Irish band of varying genres including: eastern European, reggae, ska, bluegrass, world music, and pop.They were formed in Dublin in 1990 with Matthew Devereux on vocals, Shane Wearen on mandolin, Sean Molloy on Bass, and a drum machine. They released an award-winning debut album on...
,
PugwashPugwash is an Irish pop band fronted by Drimnagh-born musician Thomas Walsh. Pugwash has released four albums since its debut LP Almond Tea in 1999. The band signed a five-year deal with XTC founding member Andy Partridge's label Ape House in 2009...
, Miriam Ingram, Paula Toledo, Ferghal McKee (
Whipping BoyWhipping Boy were an influential Irish rock music band who were active in the 1980s and 1990s. The band reformed briefly in 2005 for a series of shows. 2011 has seen Whipping Boy emerge again, this time without Paul Page and Myles McDonnell...
) amongst many others.
Hopkins plays
ZildjianThe Avedis Zildjian Company is a cymbal manufacturer founded in Istanbul by Armenian Avedis Zildjian in the 17th century during the Ottoman Empire. At nearly 400 years old, Zildjian is one of the oldest companies in the world...
cymbalCymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s,
AquarianAquarian may refer to:*Aquarius , a sign of the zodiac*Aquarian Illusion, a magic trick*Aquarian Tabernacle Church, a wiccan church*The Aquarian Foundation, a spiritualist church based in Seattle, Washington...
drumheadA drumhead is a membrane stretched over one or both of the open ends of a drum. The drumhead is struck with sticks, mallets, or hands so that it vibrates and the sound resonates through the drum.-History:...
s, uses
Vic FirthVic Firth is an American musician and is the founder of Vic Firth Company , a percussion stick and mallet manufacturing company that he started in 1963. The company bills itself as the world's largest manufacturer of drum sticks and mallets...
sticks and
Drum WorkshopDrum Workshop is a drum and hardware manufacturing company based in Oxnard, California. Their slogan is "The Drummer's Choice".-History:...
drumA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
s,
hardwareHardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
and pedals.
Short selected discography
- Therapy?
Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
- Semi-Detached (1998)
- Therapy? - Suicide Pact-You First (1999)
- Therapy? - So Much For the Ten Year Plan
So Much for the Ten Year Plan: A Retrospective 1990-2000 was a compilation album by the band Therapy?, and the second to be released by Ark 21 Records. It was released on October 2, 2000 and allowed the band to fulfill some outstanding obligations to Universal Records...
(2000)
- Therapy? - Shameless
Shameless is a British television drama series set in Manchester on the fictional Chatsworth council estate. Produced by Company Pictures for Channel 4, the first seven-episode series aired weekly on Tuesday nights at 10pm from 13 January 2004...
(2001)
- Therapy? - Music Through A Cheap Transistor
Music Through A Cheap Transistor is an album by the band Therapy?. It was one of the first releases in Universal Records 2007 series of BBC sessions...
(2007)
- The Frames
The Frames are an Irish band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six albums...
- Dance the DevilDance the Devil... is the third studio album by Dublin based band The Frames. The album was first released in Ireland on 25 June 1999 on ZTT Records and subsequently in the UK and USA later in the year. On this album the band returned to using their original name in place of the moniker The Frames...
(1999)
- The Frames - Burn the Maps
Burn The Maps is the fifth studio album by The Frames, released in Ireland on Plateau Records on September 17, 2004 and worldwide on ANTI- Records on February 8, 2005.This was their first studio album to go to #1 in the Irish Album Charts....
(2004)
- The Frames - The Cost
The Cost is the sixth studio album by The Frames, released in Ireland on Plateau Records on September 22, 2006. The album was released worldwide on ANTI- on February 20, 2007. The album exhibits a sound more like that of For the Birds than their more recent album Burn the Maps...
(2006)
- David Kitt
David Kitt is an Irish musician. He is the son of Irish politician Tom Kitt.He has released six studio albums to date: Small Moments, The Big Romance, Square 1, The Black and Red Notebook, Not Fade Away and The Nightsaver.-History:Kitt grew up surrounded by music, as his father and uncles formed a...
- Square 1 (2003)
- David Kitt - Not Fade Away (2006)
- Pugwash
Pugwash is an Irish pop band fronted by Drimnagh-born musician Thomas Walsh. Pugwash has released four albums since its debut LP Almond Tea in 1999. The band signed a five-year deal with XTC founding member Andy Partridge's label Ape House in 2009...
- Jollity (2005)
- Pugwash - Giddy
Giddy is a compilation album by Irish band Pugwash, featuring tracks from their four studio albums. It was released by Ape Records on September 29, 2009.- Track listing :- Personnel :...
(2009)
- Dolores O'Riordan
Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter. She led The Cranberries to worldwide success and fame for 13 years before the band took a hiatus in 2003. Her first solo album Are You Listening? was released in May 2007...
- Are You Listening? (2007)
- Jape
Jape are an Irish electronic–rock band from Dublin. Formed as a side project by Richie Egan whilst part of The Redneck Manifesto, they have released four albums to date; Cosmosphere , The Monkeys in the Zoo Have More Fun Than Me , Ritual and Ocean of Frequency...
- The Monkeys in the Zoo Have More Fun Than Me- References :...
(2005)
- Miriam Ingram - Trampoline (2006)
- Boss Volenti
Boss Volenti are a rock quartet based in Dublin, Ireland. They formed in 2003. Rob Daly, Martin Murphy and Dan O'Connor first met while playing in bands around Dublin. Then followed Laura Mackey, who Dan met while both were studying guitar at college...
- Boss Volenti (2006)
- Ann Scott - We're Smiling (2006)
- The Cake Sale
The Cake Sale are a collective of mostly Irish musical artists including Swedish singer/songwriter Nina Persson of The Cardigans and Australian musician Nick Seymour of Crowded House....
- The Cake Sale (2006)
- Once
Once is a 2006 Irish musical film written and directed by John Carney. Set in Dublin, this naturalistic drama stars musicians Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová as musicians...
- Once soundtrackOnce is a 2006 Irish musical film written and directed by John Carney. Set in Dublin, this naturalistic drama stars musicians Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová as musicians...
(2007)
- The Swell Season
The Swell Season is a folk rock duo formed by Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. "The Swell Season" name is derived from Hansard's favourite novel by Josef Škvorecký from 1975 bearing the same title...
- Strict JoyStrict Joy is the third album by The Swell Season . It was released in Ireland on October 23, 2009, the rest of Europe on October 26, and on October 27 in North America on the ANTI- record label...
(2009)
- Oliver Cole - We Albatri (2010)
- Q (Colm Quearney) - Root To The Fruit (2010)