Finding Beauty in Nothing
Photo credit Gabbi Goldman
Ahead of the release of their self-titled debut album, we caught up with UK-based Adam Hopper & the Wimps to talk about the value of making an LP in the streaming era, finding inspiration in everyday life, and the evolution of Hopper's songwriting.
Q: We often ask indie artists why an album still matters in a world that's so focused on singles and stream counts. Why did making an LP feel like the right move for you?
A: I try to actively not focus on stream counts. They are very often an unfair reflection of where you’re at as an artist. Every artist is different and judging them based on stream counts is a very simplistic measure of perceived “success.” I wanted to make an album because I have never made an album before. I love listening to albums too. I think singles are great, but you often don't learn much about an artist from them. You lack context when you just hear a single. I often find that I'm more likely to connect with an artist and enjoy the music if I can hear a collection that they have really poured themselves into. I think albums are for the fan and the artist. I also love putting an album on when I’m driving!
Q: You describe the new record as the culmination of the past five years. Was there a moment, or even a particular song, where it stopped feeling like a bunch of tracks and started feeling like an album?
A: The album is kind of half older songs written over the past five years and half much newer material, finished over the past six or seven months. The older songs are songs that have managed to hang on in the setlist over the years despite not ever being recorded or released. I tapped into a particularly fruitful writing spell at the end of 2025 which ended up being the rest of the album. I think there was kind of a “oh there is actually an album here, we should record it” moment in rehearsal one day. The songs seemed to work well together thematically and sonically.
Q: The single “Another Story About Nothing” finds something meaningful in the mundane. Are these the moments that spark most of your songs, or do you typically only realize their significance once the song is finished?
A: I think in order for me to decide to write a song about something I have realised it is of some significance, often without really knowing why at the time. “Another Story About Nothing” is about a relationship breaking down. Not necessarily a romantic relationship, just any relationship. I sometimes worry I talk too much and that people will get sick of me. I don’t think it has ever happened before, but the song I guess was born of that worry… Hang on… I believe that I just realised the significance of that song right this second!
Q: Your music has taken quite a turn since Blanketman, moving away from that post-punk intensity to something much more reflective. What did this transition teach you about yourself as a songwriter?
A: I think I learned that being sincere and authentic to yourself within the art you make is far more important than trying to write to appease someone else.
Q: You describe The Wimps as much more than a backing band. Was there a moment during the recording process when someone else's idea completely changed the direction of one of your songs?
A: This happened even before the recording process, in the rehearsal room. All of the band are good at challenging me in where I think a song should go. Many of the songs on the album have benefitted from this. “Wellington House,” in my head, was going to be an acoustic ballad with no bass or drums, it’s now the heaviest song on the album, complete with guitar solo and double tracked drums!