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The eclectic Alternative-Rock band Blind Melon got together in 1989 in
Los Angeles, California USA, with a line-up consisting of lead singer
Shannon Hoon, guitarists Rogers Stevens and Christopher Thorn, bassist
Brad Smith and drummer Glen Graham; the quintet quickly recorded a demo
tape that landed them a deal with Capitol Records.
Shortly thereafter the group put out their first EP and then hit the
road with Soundgarden; in September
1992 Blind Melon issued its self-titled debut full-length disc, the first
single off the CD was "Tones Of Home", it cracked the top 10
of The Mainstream Rock chart; they supported the record as Guns
N' Roses opening act and by the time the album soared to the #3 slot
on The Billboard Top 200 list thanks to the breakthrough success of "No
Rain", this single smashed at #1 on both Modern and Mainstream Rock
charts, hit the top 20 of The Billboard Hot 100 and propelled "Blind
Melon" to sales of over 4 million copies.
The group continued to tour relentlessly through 1993 and 1994, scoring
opening slots for Lenny Kravitz,
Neil Young and The
Rolling Stones, meanwhile, during this time drug problems slowed Hoon
down and the band was forced to take a hiatus from playing.
Blind Melon headed back into a New Orleans studio to cut their sophomore
effort, but Hoon continued to use substances and he later confessed in
interviews that he could not actually remember making the record; "Soup"
was finally released in August 1995, it reached the #28 position on The
Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and generated only one charting single,
"Galaxie", which peaked at #8 on The Modern Rock Tracks.
Sadly Hoon died of a drug overdose, at the age of 28, on October 21,
1995, in New Orleans.
Almost exactly one year after his death, the surviving bandmembers decided
to pay tribute to the singer releasing a collection of outtakes, demos,
covers and other rarities, entitled "Nico", the set was named
after Hoon's young daughter and reached #161 on Billboard's Top 200.
After failing to find a replacement for Hoon, the group officially went
their separate ways in 1999. However, it was clear that there was still
an unmistakable demand for the band. When Smith and Thorn were asked to
produce a few tracks for Texas-based singer+songwriter, Travis Warren,
who also happened to be a diehard Blind Melon fan, it soon became apparent
that they had finally located Blind Melon's new singer. With Stevens and
Graham reclaiming their spots as well, Blind Melon was back in business.
The reformed band spent most of 2007 writing and recording.
Blind Melon will release its first studio album in 13 years this spring.
"For My Friends" is due April 22 via Adrenaline Music Group,
it includes their new single, "Wishing Well".
Blind Melon biography is an exclusive of 100xr.com
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