We were lucky to catch up with Scott Hopkins recently and have shared our conversation below.

Scott, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I first picked up the electric guitar in college exactly 25 years ago. However, I found learning traditional chords difficult and it sat in the corner for a few weeks. It was only after a friend (and future bandmate) showed me a few easy bar chords that something clicked. Almost immediately, I was playing my favorite Ramones songs and making overdubbed recordings with a boom box and tape deck. From there, I progressed to a four-track and ultimately to computer recording…which continues to this day. So I’ve always just learned by doing, with a little help from my friends!

In middle school, I played violin and clarinet. Or I should say…I tried to play them. I was last chair or close to it the whole time, and soon gave up in frustration. Perhaps the best thing about the experience is that I learned to read music. However, I lost that skill as well after I quit playing those instruments. If I had just practiced a bit more and stuck with it into high school, or at least made a point to remember how to read music, I’m sure I would be a more “accomplished” musician today.

When you find something you truly love doing, I think the most valuable skills are actually a couple of common virtues: persistence and patience. Keep trying, keep getting better in any way you can and don’t get discouraged if you don’t have overnight success. Find your own unique path, even if it takes a while. And even if fame and fortune never arrive…at least you can have fun along the way and create a body of work to be proud of.

As far as obstacles, my fat fingers have definitely been a hindrance to being a more well-rounded and accomplished guitarist! It’s one reason why I prefer the bass and insisted on playing that in my current band, the Electric Mushrooms. However, limitations can present their own opportunities…and I think I’ve gotten by as a guitarist in my own weird way! And because my songwriting generally flows from my guitar playing, it’s helped me to have my own unique style in that area as well.

Scott, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Scan Hopper is my long-running musical project that has been around since the release of the self-titled debut album in 2009. The follow-up album ‘Scan Hopper 2’ and EP “Mariana Bridges” were released in 2011 and 2013, respectively. Concurrently, I have been producing somewhat more collaborative and experimental music under the name Project S.N.A.R.E., which released two full-length collections (2010’s ‘Cerebral Bookends’ and ‘Mushroom City’ from 2018). I am now putting the finishing touches on the next full-length Scan Hopper album, tentatively titled ‘Covissa Nova’. This is my “pandemic record” that I began recording in March 2020. The entire discography consists of home recordings that could be described as elaborately-produced psychedelic art rock. Both Scan Hopper and Project S.N.A.R.E. have also been live bands, and I plan to put together another band for the former in the coming months. Additionally, I’ve recently decided that Project S.N.A.R.E. will be a project under the umbrella of Scan Hopper going forward and all future releases and live performances will be under the name Scan Hopper. All the music ends up pretty much sounding like me anyway…and with the next release around the corner, it feels like a good time to unify into one name and be a little less confusing for all involved!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

To be honest, my mission early on was to make the greatest album of all time! I’m not sure I achieved that admittedly delusional goal, but my first album was good enough to form a live band afterward and start a musical project that is still going strong. My mission now is both more down to earth and more satisfying: Keep making music, keep getting better at it, and keep having fun…while also being the best husband and father I can be for my wife and newborn son.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The act of being creative is its own reward, and it’s still the best reward there is. There is nothing like that zen moment when everything comes together just right. That being said, it sure is nice to hear from fans about my old music and know that it still means something to them. Recently the son of Scan Hopper’s first drummer got in touch with me to discuss his favorite song of mine, “The Bureaucrat” from the first album. That was cool! And my most recent gig with the Electric Mushrooms (a 1960s garage rock cover band) ended with a packed house, chants of “one more song!”, a standing ovation and even some post-show blabbering fans. I don’t expect every gig to be like that, but it sure is encouraging when it does happen!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.scanhopper.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScanHopper
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvIcfvUTlhA