HALITE: Graham Hopkins' new band...

HALITE
(pronounced hay-lite – a mineral which has a form of crystal known as “Hopper crystals”)

One of Ireland’s finest drummers has strapped on his Telecaster and stepped out into the spotlight to front his own band, Halite. In the space of just three months, Graham Hopkins has signed a worldwide recording deal with Warner Music, made a stunning debut album and landed an opening slot for the Red Hot Chili Peppers at Slane 2003.

Halite is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Hopkins. He has previously played drums for Gemma Hayes, David Kitt and Therapy? The band originally played a handful of live shows under the provisional name of Hopper (Graham’s nickname) before settling on a permanent name. The 27-year-old has now written and co-produced his solo debut album, on which he sings and plays most of the instruments. Born in December 1975, Hopkins, from Clane, Co Kildare, is the son of a professional jazz musician. He left school in sixth year in 1993 to join Irish rock hopefuls My Little Funhouse before taking over behind the kit in 1996 for one of Ireland’s most successful international acts, Therapy? Hopkins recorded three albums and a greatest hits collection with Therapy?, headlining some of Europe’s biggest music festivals along the way.

But he felt musically restricted spending his days bashing the living daylights out of a drumkit and was desperate to front his own band, with his own songs. Hopkins left Therapy? in 2001: “I’d been writing and recording my own songs for a long time and I just felt it was time for a change,” he says. In between penning his own tunes, Hopkins played drums on tour for some of Ireland’s biggest and most popular acts - Gemma Hayes, David Kitt and, more recently, The Frames (he also played drums and has had a big influence on the sound of forthcoming albums by all three artists). More importantly, he’s found time to record his debut album, Head On.

Head On is a stunning collection of songs - with goose-bump inducing melodies, slinky guitar riffs, Hammond organ breaks, strings, brass and enough positive energy to fuel a massive pop revolution. Hopkins’ influences include everything from seminal lo-fi godheads such as Sebadoh and Pavement to the layered melodic genius of The Beach Boys. You can throw in inspiration too from the likes of Teenage Fanclub, PJ Harvey, The Beatles, My Bloody Valentine, Deus, Super Furry Animals and even A-Ha.

Head On was recorded over an inspired four-week stretch in March 2003 at Joe’s Garage in Stepaside, Dublin, and Black Box studios in France. It was produced by Hopkins with Karl Odlum, renowned for his work on albums by David Kitt and the late Mic Christopher. It was mixed by David Odlum (The Frames and Gemma Hayes) with Karl Odlum. The album was mastered in New York by the legendary Greg Calbi, famous for his work on albums by artists such as Bruce Springsteen, The Ramones, The Strokes and Bob Dylan.

Halite’s debut single, “Underneath The World”, is scheduled for release through Warner Music on May 23. The album Head On is out in Ireland on June 13. Halite have been invited to open for the Red Hot Chili Peppers at Slane Castle on August 23. The band will also play at the Lisdoonvarna event in Co Clare, alongside the likes of Christy Moore and The Frames on Saturday, June 28.

Upcoming dates to be annnounced this week