five fed up faces with the itch to kill a king.

It all started from a seed and grew into a beautiful tree that was tragically struck down in 1995. The death of Shannon Hoon brought the 90’s alternative band Blind Melon to a halt, this being after their infamous “one hit wonder” No Rain. Now 13 years later the question that has been boggling my mind is when did Shannon Hoon’s voice change into that of Travis Warren?

Travis Warren is the new face of Blind Melon. Now here is the real tragedy. Blind Melon is not back in business- but a new band, with new members, new songs and a new visage is. Calling themselves Blind Melon is blasphemy.

To me, this would be like Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic finding a die-hard fan, someone who may or may not sound exactly like Kurt Cobain, throwing him a microphone and asking him to sing a few hits and write a few new songs then calling themselves Nirvana. How about Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore doing the same thing to a guy with long shaggy hair and a drinking problem then calling themselves the Doors. Relax fans, I am in no way comparing the music styling of The Doors and Nirvana to that of Blind Melon, but as a fan you can see how I would be disgruntled by such developments.

I completely dig the fact that the remaining members of the band want to pick up where they left off, I wouldn’t be a true fan if I didn’t. And I do realize that it was not just Shannon Hoon’s unique stylistic voice that made the band. Every guitar lick, drum beat and bass line still after all these years of listening and learning gives me chills. It’s just as a true Melonhead myself, I know that Blind Melon just is not Blind Melon without the true front man Shannon Hoon giving it hell up on that stage (tripping or not).

In the end however, firstly if it is going to be about one thing I’m glad its about the music and I can respect Travis Warren for getting up there and tributing a legend in my mind. And secondly I cannot deny the fact that as soon as I see Canada on their tour dates I’m going to do whatever it takes to get a ticket to whatever show I can no question about that.

“Make the music that makes us feel fine” – Shannon Hoon. Spoken by a true musician & this certainly is what the band is doing – making the music that makes them as well as thousands of other Melonheads feel fiiiine.

lq.