No Singer? No Problem! Blind Melon
Old Singer: Shannon HoonNew Singer: Travis Warren
These alterna-hippies merit respect for waiting the better part of a decade before cashing in on – oh, we mean "paying homage to" – their late lead singer with a reunion. To illustrate their dedication to the memory of the overdose-stricken Hoon, they chose a stand-in who is illustrated with a huge tattoo of his predecessor. What would the Bee Girl say?
Posted by Spinner Staff
Filed under: The Hit List
Reader Comments(1 of 2)
reggie500at 4-02-2008
What would you have the band do? Become music journalists? That would be a fate too terrible to wish upon the worst of bands. I thought the reformation of one of my favorite bands was going to suck, but I was proven wrong. They made a great album as people are about to realize.
Hoonfan3edat 4-02-2008
How do you come off saying that they are "cashing in on their late dead singer" looks like to me you should do a little investigating before you go ripping on some band you know absolutly nothing about. Blind Melon is a BAND, not a cover band, not a tribute band, not a cashing in on a Shannon Hoon sound band. It's been 13 years since Shannon died, seems to me if they were going to cash in on Shannon they would have done it right after his death, not a decade later. I have seen them twice since they reformed and Travis is not up there trying to be Shannon, Travis is up there being Travis, He naturally sings in same register as Shannon But he is not up there trying to imitate. Whatever you guys suck!!!!!! Oh yeah the beegirl would probably tell you to kiss her ass.
onebaldeggat 4-03-2008
he sucks. bad singer, out of tune and all over the place. hoon did it with charm and character. this guy is like cheap beer. i saw blind melon prolly 15 times when hoon was alive. not even close. blind melon are not keeping the music alive, they are cashing in on the music. why not just use a different name and cover some blind melon songs? i'll tell ya why, cause it involves work, it is much easier for them to slap a name that is familiar on it and market it as the band regrouping. wanna keep the music alive, go watch their live at the metro dvd. funny how they decided to reform after all their other projects flopped. if they were doing it for hoon's kid it would be one thing, but they are just doing it to putty money in their pockets.their actions smell like a hot fart! sad to see a band that went from battling it's own exploitation to leading it!
Meredithat 4-03-2008
I love the reformed Blind Melon. To "ONE BALD EGG": Dude, get a life...have you talked to the band and asked them why they reunited or have you asked other fans if they love the new music and support the band? Opinions are like A-holes....quit spreading negative vibes and go discuss a band you do like somewhere else. The reformed Blind Melon has TONS of dedicated and loving fans who are really enjoying the reunion so quit bagging on it just because you have no musical taste.
To the writer this blurb was lame, it influences people who may not have heard the new material to possibly pass it by, let people make up their own minds.
~Matt~at 4-03-2008
A lot of these "recognized" journalism crafts hardly do their homework... I wouldn't take this to heart people. Editors need fillers. So, why not sill it with absolute filth, generated from an opinion of a writer, leaving our pure facts.
Spinner fluff.
Carolynat 4-03-2008
I would just like comment in defense of what was written about Blind Melon.
1. The band did not have plans to reunite. Travis met Brad Smith and Christopher Thorn through their studio, and as time went on, they felt a connection. 2. Travis' intention was not to take Shannon's place. Every show he explains how he wishes Shannon could be on stage, and himself in the crowd. He's just keeping the music alive.
3. The band recorded new music before they toured. This proves that they have a musical connection, and that they are not acting as "their own cover band". They play half "old" and half new songs on tour.
I felt that there was no need for the quotes around "paying homage to", because the band IS honouring Shannon every show. I can't think of any better way to honour Shannon, then having a crowd full of Melon fans singing his songs.
I suggest that unsure fans should check out videos on YouTube, or check out the bands Myspace for new tunes.
Thank you.
Ryanneat 4-03-2008
Wow, so apparently there is no need to check up on things before writting them. Travis has done an amazing job. Is he Shannon Hoon? No, but he was never trying to be. Just as Matt said in the previous post, if the other guys had gotten together with Travis under a different band name and played some of their old songs, they would have been their own cover band. It makes sense that they would keep Blind Melon. Especially since Shannon's mother blessed the band and feels that they are keeping Shannon's memory alive. Have you even heard the new music? Instead of bagging on them and printing misinformation about them "cashing in", go look at other articles from responsible writers who actually talk to the band and read how they reformed, why, and the tribute to Shannon they make every night they play. Please, those of you who have not heard them yet, go to Youtube and see the Wishing Well video that was just released, then make up your mind.
Thanks
Mattat 4-03-2008
I have heard the new music and quite frankly I think some of it sucks and some of it is ok. I have a hard time listening to it, honestly. I would have rather seen another Abandon Jalopy album come out than a reunited BM, but since I'm not pulling the strings I guess I don't get a say. I have noticed that anyone that offers a negative opinion of the new band gets blasted by people who think they have the only opinion that matters. Well guess what, I think it was a bad idea to reform and I don't like Travis Warren and that is that. I'm likely a bigger BM fan than you are and know a shit ton more about music than you do so keep your blathering about it between you and your idiot friends that may or may not respect your opinion. Or browse on over to the BM Forums where you can have a love in with the other followers that believe anything with the name Blind Melon will be Blind Melon. I have devoured every note that these guys have played since Shannon died and the last thing I wanted to see was them re-forming the band with another singer as Blind Melon. Think about it for a second - that is not Blind Melon. It is and always will be Travis Warren playing with the surviving members of Blind Melon, I don't care how good that music is or gets, that is all it will ever be. Blind Melon is dead.
melonheadat 4-03-2008
What would YOU say if you actually knew the facts, saw a few shows and talked to the band? Instead of waisting your time writting bullshit, why don't you go and learn what journalism is.
Karenat 4-03-2008
It continues to amaze me that people have such a problem with Blind Melon reforming 10+ years after Shannon died. It seems too few are giving Travis a chance. He is amazing and courageous to take on such a job and EXCEL at it. I have been to 15+ shows of the "new" Blind Melon and have never been disappointed.
I also think that people need to know how this all came about. The band could easily have sunken low enough to have their own reality show to find a new lead singer. They weren't looking for the band to get back together. Travis just came into the picture for a reason. For that I (and many, many others) are extrememly grateful.
I encourage everyone to check out the new music and see Travis perform with the rest of the band. They are all amazingly talented. If Shannon's mom and daughter approve of Travis, why not give him a shot?
Mattat 4-03-2008
I don't need to go see a show to know what I know buddy, or at least to think what I think. That is my opinion and I would say the same thing if I saw a few shows and talked to the band. It doesn't mean you can't like the band buddy, I just don't think they should have moved forward as Blind Melon. Why would I go find out what journalism is? I'm not trying to become a journalist, I'm just expressing my opinion in the reader comment section of a website article. What facts am I missing? The fact that you think you have the only opinion that matters is obvious to me.....
Mattat 4-03-2008
Karen I just don't think you can lose the most intricate member of a band and continue with the same name. The guy was irreplaceable. It just isn't BM without him. The Grateful Dead lost several members and continued until the one, irreplaceable member was gone. Would the Rolling Stones have continued as RS had Jagger died instead of Jones? What would you think if Nirvana reunited with Franz Ferdinand on lead guitar/vocals? It is impossible to imagine. I love it when the band puts out new material and I kill to get it all. I just don't agree with using a new lead singer under the Blind Melon name.
Meredithat 4-03-2008
Hey, I have an original idea....why not like it if you like it and go find something you do like if you don't? Why waste your time trashing something you don't like only to offend people that do like it? I will stand up for this band with every last breath I have because I love the music, new and old. Its nice to be fan. Its fun to be a fan. This music makes me happy. I don't go around putting down bands I don't like. Whats the point other to offend people?
Ryanat 4-03-2008
So here's my question? If these guys were making music under the title of just "melon" or how about "JoJo's Magical Cornucopia" - would you still be for or against it?
Here's my take, the people who are fixated on the whole name issue are hung-up on semantics which really do not matter. The music is what matters and will stand on its own merit or it will wither away if it has no merit. There are plenty of fans coming out to the shows who are showing their appreciation for the old & new music. People who are hung up on the name probably aren't as concerned with the music as they are with an image or a name.
Shannon Hoon will never be forgotten, and he will always be remembered. What better way to pay tribute to Shannon than to have a giant singalong every night with a packed house. Blind Melon is cementing Shannon's legacy with every show they perform. And all the while, you can bitch & moan. . . won't change a thing dude.
Sonyaat 4-03-2008
Considering that the band is pretty much selling out every show they've done so far and continue to play larger venues without having even released a new album yet, I would say that there are thousands of people out there who are willing to support Blind Melon with Travis on vocals. I really don't think the ignorant opinion of a closed-minded "journalist" is going to change any of the people's minds who actually DO go out to a show with an open mind before they form an opinion.
Hey, if you go out to a show and you think it sucks then at least you gave it a shot and you'll have some authority on the subject. Why don't you find out what it's all about before making asinine accusations that are 100% false. The band isn't hard to talk to after a show, if you have a problem with what they're doing, why don't you seek one of them out and ask them straight up why they are doing this? I think you will find that this isn't about the money at all. I have talked to band members face-to-face about it and guess what - they have had to pay their own money to get this off the ground....they haven't even had a label until a few months ago. Brad and Christopher were making far more money producing bands in their studio than they were making out on the road playing small venues as Blind Melon. How is it about the money? They have Nel's support and Nico is all about it...Nico has even performed on stage with them twice since October so are you going to tell Shannon Hoon's OWN DAUGHTER that they are just cashing in? I think she will most likely disagree with you.
Whoever wrote this blurb has no idea what the hell they are talking about. All you have to do is take 10 minutes to do a little research to understand what it's all about.
Seriously, at this point if you are still beating this dead horse you need to get a life and get over it.
The fact is, it is blatantly obvious that THE FANS want to hear these songs played live. That's why thousands of people have already been coming out to shows for the past 6 months. The fans love hearing the old songs and are being open to the new songs. They wouldn't be continuing on with this if people weren't supporting it.
For the record, Travis is the perfect man for the job. What more could you ask for, he started out as a huge fan of Blind Melon, he's got the right voice to be able to pull of Shannon's songs, he's an exceptionally talented singer, guitarist, and songwriter, and he has a ton of charisma.
If anyone doubts Travis' abilities or the band's intentions, just GO TO A SHOW and give it a chance. Don't sit there behind your computer screen hating on something you have no authority to speak about.
And if you check it out with an open mind and you still want to hate on it, then I think the band and the community of fans are doing just fine without you. The party's going on whether you like it or not.
Mattat 4-03-2008
Ryan if the name really doesn't matter then why even take a chance at tarnishing the legend by using the name with a new lead singer? The obvious answer is no, I would not have a problem with them forming under a new name with a new singer, although if they used Melon I would find that a bit obtrusive. I can back this up by the fact that I've got, to my knowledge, everything available from all of the other bands the remaining four have been a part of since Blind Melon ended. These guys are amazing musicians and I respect and love the music they have made under the Blind Melon, Unified Theory, Abandon Jalopy, Meek, Extra Virgin, and Halocomplex names (Am I leaving anything out?). It isn't that I need to hear the music or see a show to feel the vibe here. I had a negative feeling about it from the second I heard this was happening. I like a couple of the songs. I'll be going to see them later this summer. I would have seen them last month but the show sold out before I could get tickets. I truly, honestly have a great appreciation for Blind Melon and the music means a ton to me. The music of Blind Melon ended when Shannon died, I don't care who endorses it. That is the way I feel it should be. I'm not some idiot that doesn't know what he is talking about just posting to flame people. I'm a fan. I'm a fan of Blind Melon, Chris Thorn, Brad Smith, Rogers Stevens, and Glen Graham. Hell I'm even into Rogers brothers band, Moonlight Towers. But hey, I just disagree with the concept. I'll be looking for some of your "Leave Travis Warren Alone" videos on YouTube.
Meredithat 4-04-2008
*goes to make a "Leave Travis Warren Alone" video.
Sounds fun!
Connieat 4-04-2008
I find it incredibly ridicules to be so hung up on this.
I am a huge Hoon fan. But completely disagree with the statement "when hoon died the music died". I originally felt the same way you did. it took me to see it, to not only approve but also realize that travis is the best man for the job. I think the band waited long enough to heal from the death of hoon to do this.
this is not the only project travis is doing. he is and even before melon has always been a musician.
you should take a look at some interviews the guys have done. they explain it better. then any one of us can.
hell there is a huge community of fans. that still support and love the band. one person. one article isn't going to change that.
Mattat 4-04-2008
I didn't say it died I said it ended.
melonhead1at 4-04-2008
Matt, my comment wasn't directed towards you but towards the so called journalist who wrote the article. One of the very basics of journalism is to collect the facts (which is obvious he didn't) and not write only from a personal perspective.
After I read your first comment I knew you are too closed minded for me to even bother and waste my time discussing with you.
I enjoy the old and the new Blind Melon. And I'm extremly happy I do. You can stay bitter because the band kept the name. It's a free world.