Blind Melon

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Blind Melon

Blind Melon is an alternative rock band, whose most notable work dates from 1992 to 1995, and ceased with the death of lead vocalist Shannon Hoon. In 2006 the band reformed with the new lead vocalist Travis Warren.

Early history

Blind Melon assembled in California, with members hailing from Indiana, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania. The band signed to Capitol Records in 1991 and recorded an unreleased demo. The band gained buzz from vocalist Hoon's association with Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose, and Hoon's back-up vocals on several Guns N' Roses tracks on 1991's Use Your Illusion albums, most notably "Don't Cry."[1] The band's self-titled debut album, produced by Rick Parashar (Pearl Jam), contained 13 songs spanning a wide sonic palate. The aggressive dual-lead guitars and shouted vocals of "Soak The Sin" and "Tones of Home" evoked heavy metal and classic rock; "Time's" spacious bridge and ambient, winding outro shared commonalities with Grateful Dead-style improvisational music; while heavily acoustic songs "Change" and "No Rain" hinted at pop and folk influences. The album sold poorly until the No Rain single became a smash success, along with a popular video which featured the "Bee Girl" (played by Heather DeLoach). Thematically, the video suggested a social outcast eventually finding a supportive community through trial and error. Subsequently, Blind Melon went platinum four times. After opening for Neil Young, Lenny Kravitz, Soundgarden and The Rolling Stones, Blind Melon's own tour was cut short due to Hoon's escalating drug abuse.

1994–1995

In 1994, the band began recording their second album, Soup, in New Orleans with producer Andy Wallace. The album was released in 1995, and predominantly featured shorter songs with a more conventional "alternative rock" approach. The lyrics to "St. Andrew's Fall" referenced a suicide jump, while "New Life" discussed the forthcoming birth of a child. "Mouthful of Cavities" featured backing vocals from Jena Kraus, who subsequently recorded a solo record with Christopher Thorn and Brad Smith. Despite the more contemporary sound, the album failed to meet sales expectations.

In 1995, Blind Melon also contributed a version of the song "Out On The Tiles" to the Encomium tribute album to Led Zeppelin, as well as a promotional CD with a cover of the School House Rock song "Three is a Magic Number."

Against the advice of Hoon's drug counselor, Blind Melon went on tour in support of Soup. Hoon was found dead of a cocaine overdose on October 21 1995 in New Orleans. The remaining members released Nico (named for Hoon's daughter, only 13 weeks old when her father died) in 1996, with the profits going to a program that helps musicians with drug and alcohol addiction. Nico contained unreleased songs from the Soup recording sessions, as well as other songs often recorded with only partial instrumentation. The closing track, "Letters from a Porcupine", was recorded as a telephone message left by Hoon on a bandmate's answering machine. Nico included covers of Steppenwolf and John Lennon songs.

After briefly attempting to continue, Blind Melon officially disbanded on March 4 1999, and the various members went on to other projects.

Compilations and reunification

In 2002, Capitol Records released a Classic Masters CD showcasing twelve Blind Melon songs. Thanks to stronger than expected sales, the band released The Best of Blind Melon in 2005, a CD+DVD package that features Blind Melon performing live from a September 1995 concert in Chicago. On December 15 2006, a tribute album to Blind Melon was released by Yakmusic in New Zealand featuring bands from all over the world. In April 2006, Capitol Records released the Live At The Palace CD that was re-released in the fall (October 17 2006) with a new package.

On September 15 2006, it was announced that Blind Melon has reunited with a new lead singer, Travis Warren of Rain Fur Rent. Further information is on Blind Melon's site and this article.

On Thursday, November 9 2006, three new Blind Melon songs were released. The titles are: "Make a Difference", "For My Friends", and "Harmful Belly." In August of 2007, the band released another song titled "Wishing Well" which can be accessed on the band's MySpace site. Later another new song titled "Sometimes" was put up for a brief period, quickly replaced with two new songs, "Right Set of Eyes" and "Hypnotized".

On Sunday, October 7 2007, Blind Melon performed their first show in 12 years in Providence, Rhode Island. The new Blind Melon album should be available in January.

Members

Discography

Main article: Blind Melon discography

Albums

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Live album

Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 US Mainstream Rock US Modern Rock UK
1992 "Tones of Home" - #10 #20 #62 Blind Melon
1992 "No Rain" #20 #1 #1 #17 Blind Melon
1992 "I Wonder" - - - - Blind Melon
1994 "Change" - - - #35 Blind Melon
1995 "Galaxie" - #25 #8 #37 Soup
1995 "Toes Across the Floor" - - - - Soup
1996 "Three is the Magic Number" - - - - Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks
1996 "Soul One" - - - - Nico
1996 "The Pusher" - - - - Nico

Notable events in the history of Blind Melon

  • Richard Shannon Hoon born on September 26, 1967 in Lafayette, Indiana.
  • Brad Smith born on September 29, 1968 in West Point, Mississippi.
  • Glen Graham born on December 5, 1968 in Columbus, Mississippi.
  • Christopher Thorn born on December 16, 1968 in Dover, Pennsylvania.
  • Rogers Stevens born on October 31, 1970 in West Point, Mississippi.
  • Blind Melon forms in Los Angeles, California, in 1989.
  • Shannon Hoon duets with Axl Rose on the Guns N’ Roses track "Don’t Cry", from Use Your Illusion in 1991.
  • Blind Melon signs with Capitol Records in 1991.
  • Blind Melon tours as part of MTV’s "120 Minutes Tour" (alongside Public Image Limited, Big Audio Dynamite, and Live) in the spring of 1992.
  • Blind Melon's self-titled debut is released on September 14, 1992.
  • Blind Melon opens for the likes of Neil Young, Soundgarden, Ozzy Osbourne, Lenny Kravitz, and Guns N’ Roses, in addition to their own headlining tour of clubs, throughout late 1992 and early 1994.
  • "No Rain" released as single, video aired heavily on MTV in summer of 1993.
  • Blind Melon certified double platinum certification on December 17, 1993.
  • Saturday Night Live appearance ("No Rain" and "Paper Scratcher" are performed) on January 8, 1994.
  • Blind Melon is nominated for two Grammy Awards – Best Rock Performance and Best New Artist on March 1, 1994.
  • “Late Show With David Letterman” appearance ("Change" is performed and dedicated to Kurt Cobain, whose body was discovered that day) on April 8, 1994.
  • Blind Melon plays Woodstock ’94, between Joe Cocker and the Rollins Band, on August 13, 1994.
  • ‘Soup’ released on August 15, 1995.
  • U.S. tour begins on September 19, 1995.
  • Second “Late Show With David Letterman” appearance (“Galaxie” is performed) on September 21, 1995.
  • Shannon Hoon dies from a drug overdose on October 21, 1995.
  • ‘Nico’ and ‘Letters from a Porcupine’ released on November 12, 1996.
  • ‘Blind Melon’ certified quadruple platinum on November 13, 1995.
  • ‘Letters from a Porcupine’ is nominated for ‘Best Long Form Music Video’ at the Grammy Awards on February 25, 1998.
  • After an attempt to find a new singer doesn’t pan out, Blind Melon officially disbands on March 4, 1999.
  • VH1’s ‘Behind The Music: Blind Melon’ premieres on September 9, 2001.
  • ‘Tones Of Home: The Best Of Blind Melon’ (CD) and 'Live At The Metro' (DVD) released on September 27, 2005
  • ‘Live At The Palace’ released on April 4, 2006.
  • ‘Live At The Palace’ reissued on October 17, 2006.
  • ‘Twenty Stories Below’, a tribute album to Blind Melon is set to be released on December 15, 2006 on YakMusic label at http://www.blindmelontribute.com
  • September 15, 2006 Blind Melon announce that Travis Warren, formerly of Rain Fur Rent is the new lead singer of the band and that they are working on two new albums.
  • October 7, 2007 Blind Melon play their first live show since Shannon Hoon's death in 1995.
  • October 16, 2007 Blind Melon performs on the Mancow radio show.

Other projects featuring former members

The Tender Trio
featuring:
Royston Langdon of Spacehog
Rogers Stevens of Blind Melon
Rene Lopez (NYC musician)

Unified Theory - Self Titled - Brad, Christopher
Audio CD (August 15, 2000)
Original Release Date: August 15, 2000
Label: Universal
Catalog: #159275
ASIN: B00004WF6B

Extra Virgin - 12 Stories High - Rogers
Audio CD (April 24, 2001)
Label: Old Lady
ASIN: B00005BC88

Live - Distance To Here - Christopher
Audio CD (October 5, 1999)
Original Release Date: October 5, 1999
Label: Mca
Catalog: #111966
ASIN: B00001QENU

Mercy - Abandon Jalopy - Brad, Christopher, Glen, Rogers
Audio CD (June 12, 2001)
Original Release Date: June 12, 2001 Number of Discs: 1
Label: Stankface
ASIN: B00005MG93

Joe Tullos - Scoundrel's Waltz - Brad, Rogers, Glen
Audio CD (June 3, 1997)
Original Release Date: June 03, 1997
Label: Dinosaur
Catalog: #84511
ASIN: B000005CGQ

James Mathus - Songs for Rosetta - Glen
Audio CD (August 31, 1999)
Original Release Date: October 21, 1997
Label: Mammoth / Pgd
Catalog: #980179
ASIN: B000004AYB

Amy Correia - Carnival Love - Brad, Christopher
Audio CD (September 12, 2000)
Original Release Date: September 12, 2000
Label: Capitol
Catalog: #98221
ASIN: B00004X0PJ

Anna Nalick - Wreck of the Day - Brad, Christopher
Audio CD (April 19, 2005)
Original Release Date: April 19, 2005
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Sony
ASIN: B00061U64S

See also

References

  1. ^ Prato, Greg. "Blind Melon". All Music Guide. Retrieved July 24 2005.

External links

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