Biography of Blind Melon

Although they may vehemently disagree, Blind Melon (comprising singer Shannon Hoon, Roger Stevens [guitar], Christopher Thorn [guitar], Brad Smith [bass], and Glen Graham [drums]) fits neatly into the new-hippie movement of the early '90s. While their music is not psychedelic like the Grateful Dead's, Jefferson Airplane's, or even Phish's, it has the same vibe, the same feeling -- a call for love; peace; understanding; and good, rocking times. Blind Melon has a harder, guitar-based edge than most hippies, which explains why Axl Rose championed them and featured their lead singer, Shannon Hoon, in Guns N' Roses' single and video, "Don't Cry." If anything, Blind Melon's 1993 breakthrough hit single, the breezy "No Rain," is deceiving; it may capture their spirit faithfully, but the rest of their music favors louder, more meandering guitar jams like the follow-up single, "Tones of Home." Blind Melon released their second album, Soup, late in the summer of 1995. The album received better reviews than its predecessor, yet it failed to produce a hit single. The group launched an extensive tour that fall to promote Soup that turned out to be ill-fated. Shannon Hoon was found dead on the band's tour bus in New Orleans on Saturday October 21, 1995, of a reported drug overdose; he was 28 years old. After releasing a rarities collection, Nico, Blind Melon announced that their remaining members would carry on performing; however, no new recordings were forthcoming, and the band eventually broke up for good in 1999. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine