Courtesy of Gin Blossoms
For Robin Wilson, frontman of rock band the Gin Blossoms, quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic was the first time he’d been home for more than two consecutive weeks since 1991.
Needless to say, Wilson keeps a busy schedule. After the Gin Blossoms released their now-multi-platinum album New Miserable Experience in 1992, the five-man band was constantly on the road—navigating tour, Wilson recalls somewhat quizzically, in a time without cell phones or GPS.
Although the early ‘90s saw the Gin Blossoms launched to mainstream success, that period was also marked by the tragic death of former lead guitarist and songwriter Doug Hopkins, who wrote on many of the hit songs on New Miserable Experience. Following a stretch of uncertainty, the band broke up in 1997. Wilson pursued other creative projects for the next several years, including the creation of his own recording studio in his home state of Arizona.
The band found their way back together in 2001 and released their comeback album, Major Lodge Victory, five years later. Today, Wilson is balancing his duties as Gin Blossoms’ frontman with what he calls a “part-time” job singing for The Smithereens, a rock band he once admired as a college student.
Gin Blossoms are on the road again this month for the 30th anniversary tour of New Miserable Experience. St. Louisans can catch them on November 4 at The Pageant for a full play-through of their classic album as part of their New Miserable Experience Live: Celebrating 30 Miserable Years tour. We spoke with Wilson about his artistic pursuits in quarantine, the band’s upcoming shows, and his advice for young artists.
Traveling has been a major part of your life for a long time. How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact you and the band?
When the pandemic hit us, I was suddenly faced for the first time in my adult life with the idea of being home for months and months. It was strange and surreal, but I made the most of it. I immediately began doing live stream broadcasts from my home recording studio to give myself a sense of purpose, and hopefully some comfort and entertainment to our fans. That became a big part of the pandemic experience for me. As soon as it got warm enough—around May of 2020—I started doing my live stream performances from my front yard at home on Long Island in New York. I would invite all the neighbors to come out into their yards with their folding chairs and a bottle of wine, and they would invite their families over too. So my neighbors were just about the only people on planet Earth getting quality live music during the pandemic. It was a really rewarding experience to perform for my neighbors and to have been able to create this sense of community.
How would you describe the energy of the crowds when you were able to perform live again?
It was really high energy, and there was a sense of relief and a sense of pride that this is what we get to do for a living. We're fortunate that we’ve been able to keep the band together and still make a living, provide for our families, and enjoy the satisfaction of our success and our musicality.
What is it like taking New Miserable Experience on tour again with the added perspective of the past three decades?
We've only done one show so far, and it was a sold-out gig in Houston, Texas. It was an exciting nightclub show. We played really well. We did the whole album in sequence, but we mixed it up in terms of the additional material that we supplement with. We started with something we generally don't start with, and we finished the show with songs we normally don't finish with. It gave a fresh sense of excitement to the performance. Last night's show was really fun. We blew the roof off the joint. Then we’re back on the bus—you know, in the old days, we’d be out chasing girls and hitting the town, trying to have as much fun as possible. Now we just want to sit there yucking it up on the bus.
You’ll be in St. Louis at The Pageant on November 4. What can fans expect from the show?
Well, I'm sure I've got to be in a great mood because I have family there in St. Louis. I'm probably going to be having dinner with my lovely and cantankerous aunt; I really enjoy her, and I'm looking forward to seeing her. My cousin also lives in St. Louis, so I'll probably have my cousin at the show. I expect to be in a pretty decent mood. For us, it's all pretty routine. We enjoy performing and we enjoy being on the road. A lot of it is a grind. But as I said before, we're pretty grateful to do what we do. You know, we take a lot of pride in not sucking in front of our fans.
Despite ups and downs, the Gin Blossoms have had a long and impressive career. Is there anything you would want to tell young artists today who are hoping to pursue music?
I've told my son, don't pursue this life purely for the sake of some success, or fame, or achieving a hit. Do it for yourself; do it because it's satisfying and it makes you happy to perform original music. There are no guarantees. It's very difficult to succeed—perhaps more difficult than ever to score a hit record. You have to do it for yourself.
Tickets are still available for the Gin Blossoms' New Miserable Experience Live on November 4 at The Pageant. Get them at thepageant.com.
