Kev Hopper

Kev Hopper (born 1961) is primarily known as the bass guitarist with the 1980s band Stump, but it is more accurate to define him as a composer and multi-instrumentalist playing musical saw, guitar and samplers.

Life and career

Since the mid 1980s, Hopper's (mainly instrumental) output has been diverse and best described as a blend of experimental and melodic pop styles. His electronic work has led him to the creation of virtual software instruments (such as sequenced resonators and generative devices) "that 'impose' harmony on multi-harmonious, multi-textural, multi-ambiguous source material". He has played and collaborated with pop bands such as Stereolab and The High Llamas and individuals such as guitarist Derek Bailey and drummer Charles Hayward.

Hopper began his musical career as a bass guitarist with the Anglo/Irish Captain Beefheart-inspired indie band Stump in the mid '80s. His playing was heavily influenced by the fusion bassist, Percy Jones; busy triplets, tremolos and stretched harmonics on a fretless Wal bass. After the group’s demise in 1988 his interest moved from bass playing to sequencing odd sound sources and samples resulting in the 1989 recording Stolen Jewels. A concept album (with a garlic theme) The Stinking Rose followed in 1992 further exploring sampling.

Around 1994, Hopper began playing on the London Free Improvisation circuit with a variety of musicians. The resulting recording from that period, Spoombung marked a return to bass playing with extensive new playing (hammering) techniques and ‘preparations’ – clips and other devices attached to the strings to produce overtones. He combined this approach with the tuned percussion of Dominic Murcott and the musical saw for a more melodic effect and greater tonal scope on the Whispering Foils album (2000).

Around 1998, he co-formed the electronic ensemble Ticklish with Phil Durrant, Richard Sanderson and Rob Flint. Originally from the London free-improvised scene, they developed their interest in abstract electronica and became one of the first groups to perform with laptops and visual projections producing two albums; 'Here are your New Instructions' (2005) and 'Ticklish'.

In 2003, he released a musical saw album, Saurus featuring 6 melodic, original tunes and I Saw Spoombung's Daughter consumed by Kirby Dots in 2005 under his 'Spoombung' alias; this featured a combination of acoustic and electronic mutated, granular pop with extensive use of the modular software synthesis/sampling package, ’Reaktor’.

After a long period of silence, a 2012 album, 'The Germjoin' quietly emerged on the Japanese Afterhours label. This marked a departure from his more experimental material as it was a collection of melodic songs with a variety of different singers (including Hopper).

In 2012, Hopper returned to bass playing and formed a new instrumental live band, 'Prescott' with Scritti Politti Keyboardist, Rhodri Marsden and drummer, Frank Byng playing endlessly cycled, minimal riffs.

Discography

Solo albums

• Stolen Jewels (1990), Ghetto
• The Stinking Rose (1992)
• Spoombung (1998), Thoofa
• Whispering Foils (2000)
• Saurus (2002), Drag City [US], Afterhours [Japan]
• I Saw Spoombung's Daughter Consumed by Kirby Dots (2006), Afterhours
• The Germjoin (2012), Afterhours
• Tonka Beano (2013), Linear Obsessional Records
• Kevlington - EP (2015)

with Stump

• Mud on a Colon EP (1986), Ron Johnson (UK Indie #39)
• Quirk Out (1986), Stuff (UK Indie #2)
• The Peel Sessions EP (1987), Strange Fruit (UK Indie #13)
• A Fierce Pancake (1988), Ensign
• "Chaos" (1988), Ensign
• "Charlton Heston", (1988) Ensign (UK #72)
• "Buffalo" (1988), Ensign
• The Complete Anthology box set (2008), Sanctuary
• How Much Are The Chips" (2014) Cherry Red Records

with Ticklish

• Ticklish (2000), GROB
• Here Are Your New Instructions (2005), Textile Records

with Prescott

• One Did (2014) Slowfoot Records

External links

• Kev Hopper's homepage