Blind Melon

Blind Melon is a group of American Rock of the years 1990.

News

At the end of 2006, an album homage to Blind Melon left to YackMusic and on Internet. The profits will be transferred with charity works. Blind Melon Tribute Album In September 2006, Blind Melon was reformed with the singer Travis Warren and groups it recorded a score of new songs, an album is awaited for find 2007 - at the beginning of 2008. The group began an American round in small clubs on October 7th, 2007 before the exit from the album.

Members of the group

Shannon Hoon - song, guitar, harmonica, kazoo
Christopher Thorn - guitars, banjo
Rogers Stevens - guitars, piano
Brad Smith - low, flute
Glen Graham - battery, percussions

Discography

Videotex

Biography

Blind Melon was an UFO in the musical world of rock'n'roll the American groups of the years 1990: Their roots were as well in the classic rock'n'roll (Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Traffic, The Velvet Underground) as in the scene grunge of the time (Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden). And whereas their history did nothing but start, a tragedy was going all to break and put an end to the group after only 2 albums studio.

Beginnings

Blind Melon was formed in 1990 with Los Angeles then the various members of the goupe came in fact of all the corners of the USA (the singer Shannon Hoon was native of Lafayette in Indiana, the guitarist Christopher Thorn came from Pennsylvania and the guitarist Rogers Stevens as well as the bass player Brad Smith and the beater Glen Graham came from the Mississippi). The group was then contrary to the Californian local scene which gave mainly in the glam rock'n'roll and the heavy metal. The group started by being called “Brown Cow”, then “Mud Bird”, then “Naked Pilgrims” and “Head Train” before choosing “Blind Melon” when the father of Brad Smith has them one day treated of “blind melon” (a term which indicates a band of hippies which does not do anything of its days).

Once the name of the found group and a first recorded demonstration (one 4 titles entitled “Goodfoot Workshop”), some recording companies started to be interested in “Blind Melon” and in particular “Capitol Records”. In spite of the limited number of compositions, the group manages to convince “Capitol” which they have already good ten songs and sign a contract. In 1991, “Shannon Hoon” falls in studio on a friend from childhood from his sister who is not other than the singer of “Guns Pink “,” Axl Pink “. This last invites it to sing with him on some of the titles of “Use Your Illusion” of which famous “the Don' T Cry”. Shannon appears even in the video clip of “Don' T Cry” and starts to be recognized as of spring 1992. “Capitols Records” then tries to push the group to very quickly leave their first album recorded a little earlier with the producer Pearl Jam, Rick Parashar. This first album will leave only several months later (in September 1992) whereas Guns vagueness Pink already passed…

Success

As of the end 1992, the group leaves in round in all USA but in spite of individual (“Tons Off Home”), some clips vidéos and first parts for their friends of Pink Guns, success remains confidential. At this point in time Capitol Records decides to leave the song “No Rain” into individual. The clip which puts in scene a little girl disguised in bee, passes in loop on MTV and it is the beginning of success for the group which will sell finally a few 4 million specimens of their first Cd entitled quite simply “Blind Melon”.

The group finishes the year 1993 by making the first parts of Neil Young and Lenny Kravitz before beginning their own round and filling of the increasingly large concert halls. The group is invited at the beginning of 1994 with the emission Saturday Night Live on NBC then takes part in Late Show of David Letterman on CBS and is nominated like “Best New Artist” and “Best Rock Performance” with the Grammy Awards. But it is at this time that Shannon Hoon starts to have serious problems with drug and that the group is forced to stop the round to make it possible its singer to enter in detoxification therapy. The group takes again a few weeks later a round which will in particular make them pass by Woodstock' 94 and make some first parts for the Rolling Stones with the autumn 1994.

Blind Melon then decides to turn over in studio to record to them 2nd opus under the crook of Andy Wallace (producing of Jeff Buckley, Rage Against The Machine, Nirvana, Skunk Anansie). The group leaves then to the Orleans News in the studio Daniel Lannois and even if work is productive, Shannon Hoon falls still a little more into drug (he will acknowledge later not to have more any memory of these sessions of recording). After having finished their new album (entitled “Soup”), Shannon turns over in detoxication to spring what pushes back the exit of the disc in August 1995.

One month before the exit of the album, the boyfriend of Shannon gives rise to a little girl, “Nico Blue”. Shannon is not then very hot to leave in round but the abum has just left and Capitol Records insists that Blind Melon makes the promotion of an album which was reduced by the criticism and whose sales are disappointing.

End

Conscious of the brittleness of the singer, Capitol engages a coach which will have the role of following the group in round and to prevent Shannon from falling down in its through. But Hoon manages to convince everyone that all is well and manages to make transfer the coach. A few days later, on October 21st, 1995, one finds it dead of an overdose in one of the buses of the round in New-Orleans.

The other members of the group then make a pause of several months before finding themselves in studio for a posthumous album starting from certain isolated titles of the preceding albums and of demonstrations that Shannon was accustomed to recording on its multitrack. The exit of CD “Nico” in November 1996 is the result of this work, as well as the documentary video “Letters From has Porcupine” whose benefit are transferred with an association of assistance to the musicians who try to leave themselves alcohol and drug, like at a bottom of education for the girl of Shannon, Nico Blue Hoon. “Letters From has Porcupine” is nominated for “the Best Long Form Music Video” with the Grammy Awards in 1998.

The group then tries to continue the adventure and launches out in the search of a new singer but alchemy does not operate and the group announces its rupture in April 1999.

What did they become?

Rogers Stevens then forms the group “Extra Virgin” since 1999 in New York with his/her friend Rene Lopez with the song and leaves an album in 2000 heading “12 Stories High” but the goupe separates at the beginning of 2002 before the recording from the second album. Rogers Stevens and Rene Lopez find themselves the following year in company of Royston Langdon (ex bass player and singer of the English group Spacehog and incidentally husband of the actress and mannequin Liv Tyler) to form a goupe which will be called first of all Sparticle then The Quick in finally The Tender Trio but which will announce its separation on Thursday, March 2, 2006.

As for Brad Smith and Christopher Thorn, they formed in 2000 the group Unified Theory with the singer Chris Shinn (ex Celia Green) and the beater Dave Krusen (ex Pearl Jam). After first Cd in 2000 at “Universal Records” and a round, the group separated the following year. Brad Smith also worked on his project solo and left Cd under the pseudonym Jalopy Abandonment initilé “Mercy” in 2001 in which all the former members of Blind Melon took part. In September 2001, music channel VH1 diffused an episode of its saga “Behind The Music” devoted to Blind Melon and it video “Letters From has Porcupine” is arisen in DVD accompanied by some no-claims bonus and the clips of the group. Since, Christopher Thorn and Brad Smith assembled a studio of recording to Los Angeles (Wishbone Studio) and produced and recorded some artists like “Under The Influences Off Giants”, “American Minor”, “Cheyenne Kimball” and especially “Anna Nalik” whose first album is a real success.

Glen Graham did not really make spoken about him since all this time. It left to settle in North Carolina to paint. Since the end 2005, it formed all the same the group The Meek with Joe Tullos and started to record.

The topicality of Blind Melon was strong in 2005 with the tenth birthday of died of Shannon Hoon. Cd best-of left in September 2005 as well as a dvd live recorded 10 years earlier to the Subway to Chicago. 2006 well also begin with the exit from the first album live from the " group; Live At The Palace" even if this album dissatisfied members with the group (of which the recommendations relating to this new album were put on side by their recording company) as well as the fans: indeed, the design of Cd is minimalist and the songs indicated to the back are not even in the good order! After an appointment between the members of the group and Capitol Records, Rogers Stevens announced on May 3rd, 2006 that a new edition of the " Live At The Palace" decorated several additional titles was going to be born for the autumn 2006 (October 17th, 2006).

The group has just announced its reformation! Brad Smith (low) and Chris Thorn (guitar) invited Rogers Stevens (guitar) and Glen Graham (battery) in their studio of Los Angeles while they worked with Travis Warren (the former singer of Rain Fur Rent). They started then to play together and found the result good and made the decision to be reformed!! The group is currently in studio and an album should be born at the beginning of 2008. The group began an American round in small clubs before the exit from the album. Visit http://www.beemelon.com for more information

Fans

10 years after the end of the group, the community of the melonheads is still quite alive! The proof is that every year, of the fans of the whole world is retouvent at the end of September in Lafayette in Indiana on the tomb of Shannon Hoon and for a spectacle (“Vigilstock”). This Vigil (taken care in French) is held the week nearest to the birthday of Shannon Hoon and is organized by her mother “Nell Hoon”. The sister of Shannon, her niece as her Vernie grandmother often takes part in Vigil. The remainder of the year, melonheads retouve on Internet mainly on forums like BlindMelonForum.com or on Myspace.

An album homage to Blind Melon will leave on December 15th, 2006 on the YakMusic label. It is about an album made by fans for the fans. It will be available only on Internet on the site of the http://www.blindmelontribute.com label

Important dates

Richard Shannon Hoon born on September 26th, 1967 in Lafayette, Indiana.
Brad Smith born on September 29th, 1968 in West Point, the Mississippi.
Glen Graham born on December 5th, 1968 in Columbus, the Mississippi.
Christopher Thorn born on December 16th, 1968 in Dover, Pennsylvania.
Rogers Stevens born on October 31st, 1970 in West Point, the Mississippi.
Blind Melon is formed in Los Angeles, California in 1989.
Shannon Hoon sings with Axl Pink de Guns' NR Pinks on the title “Gift' T Cry,” of `Use Your Illusion in 1991.
Blind Melon signs with Capitol Records in 1991.
Blind Melon belongs to the round of MTV “120 Tower Minutes” (with Public Limited Image, Big Audio Dynamites and Live) in spring 1992.
the first album of Blind Melon leaves on September 14th, 1992.
Blind Melon ensures the first parts of Neil Young, Soundgarden, Ozzy Osbourne, Lenny Kravitz and Guns Pink while ensuring their own round of the clubs of at the end of 1992 at the beginning of 1994.
“No Rain” leaves into individual and turns in loop on MTV during the summer 1993.
the first opus of Blind Melon is double platinum on December 17th, 1993.
the group is the guest of “Saturday Night Live” on NBC on January 8th, 1994 and interprets there “No Rain” and “Paper Scratcher”.
Blind Melon is nominated for 2 Grammy Awards on March 1st, 1994 - Best Rock Performance and Best New Artist.
the group takes part in the emission “Late Show With David Letterman” on CBS and interprets there “Exchange” which is dedicated in Kurt Cobain, whose body is found this day of April 8th, 1994.
Blind Melon plays Woodstock' 94, between Joe Cocker and Rollins Band, on August 13rd, 1994.
`Soup' leaves on August 15th, 1995.
the American round begins on September 19th, 1995.
the group is again invited in “Late Show With David Letterman” on September 21st, 1995 and there interprets “Galaxy”.
Shannon Hoon dies of an overdose on October 21st, 1995.
the first album is certified quadruple disc of platinum on November 13rd, 1995.
`Nico' and `Letters from have Porcupine' leave on November 12th, 1996.
`Letters from has Porcupine' is nominated with the Grammy Awards for the `Best Long Form Music Video' on February 25th, 1998.
After having sought in vain a new singer, the group announces his separation on March 4th, 1999.
music channel VH1 devotes an episode of `Behind The Music' to Blind Melon on September 9th, 2001.
on September 11th, 2001, leaves version DVD `Letters from has Porcupine'
on September 27th, 2005, off leave simultaneously 1 Cd best (“Tons off home: the best off blind melon”) and a dvd live recorded 10 years earlier (“Live At The Subway”)
on April 4th, 2006, leaves Cd live recorded on October 11th, 1995 to the De luxe hotel to Hollywood ~ this album should arise with the autumn 2006 in a version repackagée with some additional titles
on September 15th, 2006, Blind Melon announced its reformation with a new singer (Travis Warren de Rain Fur Rent) on his site msyspace. The group is currently in studio and an album should see the day with the during 2007.
on October 17th, 2006, leaves a new live version of Cd left a few months earlier.
on December 15th, 2006 should leave an album homage to Blind Melon entitled “20 Stories Below”. For more information and to order an album, visit http://www.blindmelontribute.com

Bonds

blindmelon.com: Official site
Official site of Capitol Records
BeeMelon.com - Site of fan, in English, most regularly updated
Tons off Homes: Blind Melon Site in English, most complete
BlindMelonForum.com: Join the Melon Community- in English, recent forum with more than 200 members!
Blind Melon Tribute Album - (left planned for the end 2006)
Wishbone Studio - the studio of Brad Smith and Christopher Thorn in Los Angeles
The Tender Trio - the new group of Rogers Stevens

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