Graham Hopkins was born 1975 in Dublin, Ireland. Having been brought up in a musical family (father Des being a professional dixieland jazz drummer) he was surrounded by music from an early age and began playing the drums around the time he was 4 or 5 years old. He started playing professionally at the age of 17 with an Irish band called My Little Funhouse, who were signed to Geffen Records and were based in Los Angeles. Graham then left My Little Funhouse in 1996 to join popular Northern Irish hard rock/punk band Therapy?. He recorded 3 albums and a 'best of' compilation and toured worldwide with the band for 6 years before leaving in 2002. Feeling unspired by the musical direction of Therapy? Graham left and was immediately asked to tour with Irish singer/songwriter Gemma Hayes. He toured with Gemma Hayes for over a year supporting her Mercury Music Prize nominated album Night On My Side. He then went on to record and tour with his own solo project called Halite, who were signed to Warner Records. Hopkins recorded two albums, the first performed almost entirely solo, with Graham playing all instruments. The second album 'Courses' was recorded with a band. While recording and performing with Halite, Graham still drummed live and on numerous records with many respected Irish artists. Here is a list of just some of the many artists Graham has recorded and toured with: Therapy?, The Swell Season, The Frames, David Kitt, Gemma Hayes, Mundy, The Reindeer Section, Autamata, Ann Scott, Josh Ritter, Jape, Q, The Pale, Pugwash, Miriam Ingram, Paula Toledo, The Cake Sale, Joe Chester, God is an Astronaut, Scott Maher, Ollie Cole, Snow Patrol and Dolores O'Riordan amongst many others. Graham was invited to tour worldwide, as a temporary replacement, with Snow Patrol in 2007 when drummer Jonny Quinn broke his arm.
He was a member of Dublin hard rock band Boss Volenti from 2005 until 2008, when he unfortunately had to leave the band due to touring commitments. Boss Volenti released their critically acclaimed debut album in 2006.
At the moment Graham is drumming with The Swell Season, which features Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova and members of The Frames. Glen and Marketa won the Oscar Award last year for their song Falling Slowly from the film Once. The band toured the US and Europe nonstop in 2008, and at the start of this year The Swell Season toured Asia and Australia before going in to the studio to finish recording their new album. The new album 'Strict Joy' will be released in October, and the band will start touring as soon as it's released.
Check out http://www.theswellseason.com/ for all details.
The Swell Season - Fitzcarraldo (Bonnaroo 2008) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AinZhQZHDU
Boss Volenti - Shot Live at the Electric Picnic 2006 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJHM8i25ajM
Therapy? - Screamager live 1996 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9O-22LmOl0
Dolores O'Riordan - Dreams (Live in Chile) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6yioBoX8p0
The Swell Season - Low Rising - Conan O'Brien 29/10/09 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTyMNtGHvVE
