Rusty Hopkinson
Encyclopedia
Rusty Hopkinson is the drummer for Australian rock act You Am I
.
Allegedly, Rusty was an occasional drinking buddy of You Am I while with his then band, indie
act Nursery Crimes
, around the turn of the 1990s. Shortly after the recording of You Am I's first album, Sound As Ever
(1993), the relationship with drummer Mark Tunaley soured and Rusty was seen as an ideal replacement. Ever since, Hopkinson has been a core member of the band.
Bandmate and songwriter Tim Rogers
often cites Hopkinson's drumming style as the key part of the group's sound. So much so that when he writes new material, it's the drumming ferocity that will decide whether the song will be performed by You Am I or Rogers' other band, the Temperance Union. Rogers was quoted regarding Rusty "[He's] an enigma, a renaissance man
and the best drummer in the world,"http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/18/1063625154909.html?from=storyrhs
To date, Rusty's only lead singing role in a You Am I song has been on the "Good Mornin'
" B-Side- a cover of the Mummies' classic "(You Must Fight to Live On the) Planet of the Apes".
Hopkinson has a show on Sydney radio station 2SER
called "Stronger Than Dirt" (a reference to his beloved Mummies) that features all manner of music from the last two centuries including Pre WW2 Folk and Jazz, Obscure Psychedelia, Gutter Punk, "Blue" Comedy records and Asian Go Go music.
of Deep Purple
as a key influence. Other sixties and seventies influences referenced include the Super Stocks, The Pretty Things
, The Honeycombs
and the Who
.
With several songs, particularly on the Convicts album, Rusty recorded the drum tracks after only rehearsing the piece two or three times. His fills are often heavily improvised.
Upon the death of Syd Barrett
in 2006, Rusty was interviewed on Triple J
radio about the influence of Syd in the early days of Pink Floyd
. He is also believed to be a fan of much other psychedelic era music
.
whose drums he endorses wholeheartedly. On the 2006 Convicts tour, he played with a blue Pearl
five-piece with two floor-mounted toms
. He consistently uses Zildjian Custom A cymbal
s and New Beat 15" hi-hat
s. His snare drum collection includes a solid Jarrah Brady Snare (handmade Western Australian Drum), a 1968 Ludwig
Superphonic snare and a handmade perspex Gas snare.
, Rusty has also played with Australian punk
act Radio Birdman
on the Zeno Beach album and consequent tours.
Other bands Rusty is said to have been associated with during the course of his career include Circle A, Zoo Rejects, Genocide, Mob Vengeance, Dismembered, Insurrection, Vicious Circle, Greenhouse Effect, The Bamboos
, Memento Mori, Cremator, The Kryptonics, Nursery Crimes
and Killing Time as well as playing on The Pictures
' second album, Kicking Indiffference.
Outside of his band involvements, Rusty manages record label
and distribution company Reverberation Records.
You Am I
You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts, and are renowned for their live performances.-History:Tim Rogers formed the first...
.
Allegedly, Rusty was an occasional drinking buddy of You Am I while with his then band, indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
act Nursery Crimes
Nursery Crimes (band)
Nursery Crimes is a hardcore band from Melbourne. They formed in 1989 by Phil Rose, played both locally and around Australia before disbanding in 1993. They released three full length albums, some singles and an ep...
, around the turn of the 1990s. Shortly after the recording of You Am I's first album, Sound As Ever
Sound As Ever
Sound As Ever is an album by You Am I released in November 1993. It was recorded at Pachyderm Studio in rural Cannon Falls, Minnesota & produced by Lee Ranaldo,...
(1993), the relationship with drummer Mark Tunaley soured and Rusty was seen as an ideal replacement. Ever since, Hopkinson has been a core member of the band.
Bandmate and songwriter Tim Rogers
Tim Rogers
Tim Rogers is the frontman of Australian rock band You Am I. He is also a solo artist, as well as having fronted and released albums with bands The Twin Set and The Temperance Union.-History:...
often cites Hopkinson's drumming style as the key part of the group's sound. So much so that when he writes new material, it's the drumming ferocity that will decide whether the song will be performed by You Am I or Rogers' other band, the Temperance Union. Rogers was quoted regarding Rusty "[He's] an enigma, a renaissance man
Polymath
A polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...
and the best drummer in the world,"http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/18/1063625154909.html?from=storyrhs
To date, Rusty's only lead singing role in a You Am I song has been on the "Good Mornin'
Good Mornin'
"Good Mornin" is the third single from the album Hourly, Daily by Australian rock band You Am I. It was released in 1996 and reached number 84 in the 1996 Triple J Hottest 100 and number 44 on the Australian charts....
" B-Side- a cover of the Mummies' classic "(You Must Fight to Live On the) Planet of the Apes".
Hopkinson has a show on Sydney radio station 2SER
2SER
2SER is a community radio station in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, broadcasting on the frequency 107.3 FM and is a member of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia. The station operates as a company limited by guarantee and is jointly owned by Macquarie University and the...
called "Stronger Than Dirt" (a reference to his beloved Mummies) that features all manner of music from the last two centuries including Pre WW2 Folk and Jazz, Obscure Psychedelia, Gutter Punk, "Blue" Comedy records and Asian Go Go music.
Drumming style and influences
Rusty is often seen to wear his drumming influences on his sleeve. In a Triple J radio J File interview he comments "I try to sound like three different drummers in every song [laughs]", citing Ian PaiceIan Paice
Ian Anderson Paice is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the English rock band Deep Purple. As of Jon Lord's departure in 2002, he is the only founding member of the band who never stopped performing with the group, and the only member to appear on every album the band has...
of Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
as a key influence. Other sixties and seventies influences referenced include the Super Stocks, The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things are an English rock and roll band from London, who originally formed in 1963. They took their name from Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing" and, in their early days, were dubbed by the British press the "uglier cousins of the Rolling Stones". Their most commercially successful...
, The Honeycombs
The Honeycombs
The Honeycombs were an English beat/pop group, founded in 1963 in North London. The group had one chart-topping hit, the million selling "Have I the Right?", in 1964. After that song the interest in the group ebbed away, and they split up in late 1966...
and the Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
.
With several songs, particularly on the Convicts album, Rusty recorded the drum tracks after only rehearsing the piece two or three times. His fills are often heavily improvised.
Upon the death of Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic...
in 2006, Rusty was interviewed on Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
radio about the influence of Syd in the early days of Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
. He is also believed to be a fan of much other psychedelic era music
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
.
Equipment
Since 2001 Rusty has enjoyed a relationship with Pearl DrumsPearl Drums
Founded in 1952, the is a multinational corporation based in Japan with a wide range of products, predominately percussion instruments.-History:Pearl was founded by Katsumi Yanagisawa, who began manufacturing music stands in Sumida, Tokyo on April 2, 1946...
whose drums he endorses wholeheartedly. On the 2006 Convicts tour, he played with a blue Pearl
Pearl Drums
Founded in 1952, the is a multinational corporation based in Japan with a wide range of products, predominately percussion instruments.-History:Pearl was founded by Katsumi Yanagisawa, who began manufacturing music stands in Sumida, Tokyo on April 2, 1946...
five-piece with two floor-mounted toms
Tom-tom drum
A tom-tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snare.Although "tom-tom" is the British term for a child's toy drum, the name came originally from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala; the tom-tom itself comes from Asian or Native American cultures...
. He consistently uses Zildjian Custom A cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals 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 and New Beat 15" hi-hat
Hi-hat
A hi-hat, or hihat, is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in R&B, hip-hop, disco, jazz, rock and roll, house, reggae and other forms of contemporary popular music.- Operation :...
s. His snare drum collection includes a solid Jarrah Brady Snare (handmade Western Australian Drum), a 1968 Ludwig
Ludwig
Ludwig may refer to:* Ludwig , a German name* Ludwig , a German surname* Ludwig , a 1972 film by Luchino Visconti about Ludwig II of Bavaria* Ludwig , a 1977 animated children's series...
Superphonic snare and a handmade perspex Gas snare.
Side projects
Aside from You Am IYou Am I
You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts, and are renowned for their live performances.-History:Tim Rogers formed the first...
, Rusty has also played with Australian punk
Punk rock
Punk 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...
act Radio Birdman
Radio Birdman
Radio Birdman was one of the first punk bands in Australia along with The Saints. Deniz Tek and Rob Younger formed the group in Sydney, Australia in 1974...
on the Zeno Beach album and consequent tours.
Other bands Rusty is said to have been associated with during the course of his career include Circle A, Zoo Rejects, Genocide, Mob Vengeance, Dismembered, Insurrection, Vicious Circle, Greenhouse Effect, The Bamboos
The Bamboos (rock band)
The Bamboos were an alternative rock band from Western Australia.-Biography:The Bamboos were formed in 1984 by Craig Hallsworth in the West Australian township of Collie. The band consisted of Hallsworth , Mark Gelmi , Roger Russell and Tony Chiallella...
, Memento Mori, Cremator, The Kryptonics, Nursery Crimes
Nursery Crimes (band)
Nursery Crimes is a hardcore band from Melbourne. They formed in 1989 by Phil Rose, played both locally and around Australia before disbanding in 1993. They released three full length albums, some singles and an ep...
and Killing Time as well as playing on The Pictures
The Pictures
The Pictures are an Australian alternative rock band based in Melbourne, Victoria. The band is led by Davey Lane, the lead guitarist of Australian alternative rock band You Am I. To date, the Pictures have released two studio albums, as well as three EPs...
' second album, Kicking Indiffference.
Outside of his band involvements, Rusty manages record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
and distribution company Reverberation Records.
Quotes
- "Tim comes up with the chordsGuitar chordIn music, a guitar chord is a chord, or collection of tones usually sounded together at once, played on a guitar. It can be composed of notes played on adjacent or separate strings or all the strings together...
and the melodyMelodyA melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
and we start playing it – I don’t know I can speak in terms of drums being a drummer. I want to provide a back beat for people to be the foundation of the song… it’s all about trying to make Tim’s hips swing basically when I see him when in studio playing he’ll pull off some move and you know you’re in the right zone – it’s just about turning each other on and enjoy playing to each other. That’s the bottom line". Access All Areas.net.au - [User profile from SETI web site] "Hey I'm a rocknroll drummer from Sydney, Australia. I'm in my thirties and as a hobby I run an independent record label called "Illustrious Artists". I love sixties science fiction movies like "Teenagers from Outer Space" and I collect records, mainly underground psychedelia like The Blues Creation and July. I'm married to a beautiful woman named Andrea (we got married in Vegas a couple of years ago)and we have two cats (Flugelhorne and Cheeks)and an Old English Sheepdog (Dewey)." http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/view_profile.php?userid=553988
- [Asked about his favourite song] "Drumming-wise, Rumble, because I nicked the drum beat from Kraftwerk's Showroom Dummies", says Hopkinson. "Or Minor Byrd, because it's the sound of a very white-bread punk drummer trying to be funky like a James BrownJames BrownJames Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
record and ending up sounding like something else entirely." http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/18/1063625154909.html?from=storyrhs - "I've played on more shitty punk records than you've had hot dinners".