Kev Hopper

Kev Hopper, a multi-instrumentalist who once held the bass position in the 1980s avant-rock outfit Stump, launched an independent path once that ensemble parted ways in 1988. Releases such as Stolen Jewels and Spoombung extended the group’s exploratory approach by blending eerie melodies, playful structures, and touches of electronics. He simultaneously built a parallel identity in visual art; a pair of his paintings appeared on the sleeves of the High Llamas albums Santa Barbara and Hawaii. Sean O’Hagan, billed as Head Llama, joined the roster of contributors to Hopper’s third solo album, Whispering Foils, issued in mid-2000 on Drag City. Two years afterward, he delivered the guest-laden Saurus, a lengthy EP that likewise came out on Drag City.