At The Mike Stand With... David Hopkins

By Mike Fitzpatrick

David Hopkins has worked with all the greats. Well, not exactly all, I mean, he wasn't on hand when Charles Dickens wrote 'Great Expectations', nor did he sing back-up vocals on Abbey Road. Neither, it must be said, was he present when Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein were doing stuff with apples and atoms.

He has however, supported the late Jeff Buckley, The Who (with whom he played keyboards on their 2001 'Quadrophenia' tour), Sinead O'Connor, Damien Rice, The Frames and David Gray during many a live performance.

The singer/songwriter launched his career with Dublin rock group, Lir, an act which received considerable acclaim in their native Ireland before Hopkins left the band in 2001.

He's since gone on to release solo albums, 'Here Comes The Bright Light', 'Amber and Green' and 'Running With Knives' (tracks from which can be heard on the soundtrack to Paris Hilton's 2008 movie, 'The Hottie & the Nottie', see, what'd I tell you, greats).

His music has also since featured on MTV's 'Real World Austin', 'Speed Dating' and 'The Year of Getting To Know Us'.

With last year's 'There Are Debts' album, featuring guest vocalist Damien Rice on the title track, available on iTunes, Mr. Hopkins, has indeed been quite a busy young man.

The enigmatic and multi-talented Mr. Hopkins, despite his rather busy schedule, was however, more than happy to join us 'At The Mike Stand'.

What would you like your own tribute act to be called?
Spuds O'Hagen.

When's the last time you laughed out loud?
When I last saw my bank account.

What act would you like to have seen perform live?
Zep.

What team(s) do you support?
I am not the sporty type.

What period in history would you most like to have visited?
Prehistoric.

What song would you most like to have written?
'Eleanor Rigby'.

Who or what, would make you leave a room?
Somebody with a gun telling me to leave the room.

What decade rules (and why)?
The 60s. Cuz Syd Barrett was being a madzer.

What cover version do you most enjoy performing?
'The Irish Rover'.

What movie role would you like to have played?
Bjork in 'Dancer in the Dark'.

Have you ever been told you looked like somebody?
Hugh Grant and Paul McCartney and Bob Marley.

What's the first album you remember buying?
'Confrontation' by Bob Marley.

Who's your favorite Beatle?
Pete Best.

What's your favorite Christmas song?
'Merry Christmas My Love' by David Hopkins. He's f***in' great.

Who's the most rock and roll person who ever lived?
Sid Vicious.

What artist/song/genre do you secretly enjoy listening to?
I am partial to a bit of Duran Duran.

Who would you most like to meet/have met?
Brendan Behan.

What book can you read again and again?
'The Third Policeman' by Flann O'Brien.

What's the greatest album ever recorded?
Abbey Road.

What artists would you most like to have played with in the band of your dreams?
Mozart.

What do few people know about you?
I spear my body with cabbage.

What sitcom character can you most identify with?
Larry David.

What movie can you watch over and over again?
'The Sorrow and the Pity'.

Who's your favorite cartoon character?
Road Runner.

What's the greatest place you've visited?
Aruba.

What's mankind's most wonderful invention?
The choco-pop.

What's mankind's most irritating invention?
Fergie.

Who's the funniest person who ever lived?
Woody Allen.

Who's your favorite namesake?
David Bellamy the botanist and he was born the same day too!