DRIVING AMBITION
Crookes guitarist looks forward to U.S. tour
The weather has been miserable in England for Daniel Hopewell.
But soon the musician will be hopping across the pond for a tour in the United States.
“We normally get a longer notice for tour,” he says with a laugh. “But anytime we get to come to the States, we’re there. It’s always a fun time.”
Hopewell is a member of the indie rock band The Crookes.
Joining Hopewell in the band are George Waite, Tom Dakin and Adam Crofts. The band released its latest album, “Lucky Ones,” in January and has been on tour since then.
The band formed in 2008 and has released a handful of albums and EPs during that time.
“When we first starting playing, if you would have told us we’d do a show in Albuquerque, I wouldn’t have believed it,” the guitarist says. “We’ve constantly evaluated our targets as a band. There were certain points, we didn’t think we’d make it. While we were in New York, it was like a reality check. People showed up to the show to support us. It’s weird in a brilliant way. We realized that the music brought us here.”
Hopewell says touring in the States is quite different from touring in England. He says the drives are much longer. “When we played on our last tour, we kind of became nocturnal,” he says. “It’s very different. The routine I got into was sleeping all day in the van. Then after the show, I’ll join the festivities in each town. It’s more exciting at night because the people who want to be out, want to be out.”
On each stop, Hopewell looks forward to hearing stories and making memories.
“I like meeting new people,” he says. “And each city we’re in, we are tourists. The best thing is having brilliant tour guides. We meet these guides because they come to the show. They give us the rundown of what’s good and a ‘must see.’
It’s the best way to see a city. We don’t have to waste our time on unnecessary things.”