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Blind Melon

Greetings All!

I changed my mind at the last minute in order to bring you a band, that although they are no longer gigging, they will never be forgotten. In keeping with wanting to bring you upbeat music that has a good feel to it, I decided on Blind Melon for this month. Blind Melon is one of those funky, soulful, feel-good bands that you just can't get enough of. On doing research into them, I noticed comments about several bands they were supposedly like, including the Doobie Brothers, but I have to disagree there. About the only thing they have in common with the Doobies was their love for them. Says Brad Smith "it's fun to get a good head, kick back and watch it all. You don't even feel like you're playing at that point." Other than that, in my opinion, this is where their similarity to the Doobie Brothers ends. The first song on the self-titled album (Blind Melon) called "Soak The Sin" reminded me more of the classic Led Zeppelin tune "Trampled Underfoot".

Blind Melon's music is most definitely party music extraordinaire. Shannon Hoon had a way of conveying his feelings into the written word that most could understand and relate to on a more personal level. To quote band member Rogers Stevens, "He had a real gift for words, a real simple way of saying things a lot of people can relate to. It's hard to be simple, direct, honest and powerful at the same time." But apparently, Shannon pulled it off without a hitch! Ok, so let's start this review off with a bang. Firstly, this album was their initial outing, and as such, is pretty dated, but some things never go out of fashion, and it's fair to say this album is one of those things. There are 13 songs on the album, making it a great value, and the music is such that it's worth a buy. The first tune "Soak The Sin" like I said previously reminds me of an old Led Zep tune "Trampled Underfoot". It has the same guitar riffs and singing style indicative of early Zep, so it appeals to those who like their music laid back and classic in style. The band closed their Woodstock 94 performance with this song.

"I've got to buy some shoes
These ones are getting loose
My feet are shrinking in the sun, and it ain't fun
But it looks like rain up ahead in forty miles
A big rainbow took the blue sky

I'm gonna tell my mama I love her so,
and thank you for giving me these bones o gold
I'm gonna run from my home
Jump in the river, and let the water soak the sin in my soul".

Ok, moving on, the next song is called "Tones Of Home" and apparently, it's autobiographical in nature. This was their demo which got them signed, and the first single they released. It's a collective view of leaving behind repressed, conservative environments, and becoming more aware of how things really are, rather than how they appeared to be. When they all packed up and moved out to Los Angeles, they were under the impression that it was going to be this great land of opportunity where musicians and artists resided, something like going to the promised land. Having lived in Los Angeles myself once upon a time, I can say with a surety that it's NOTHING like that at all. Los Angeles is one of those cities in which you either hit it big, or fail miserably. This is the place where the Almighty Dollar reigns supreme, and either you're part of that ride, or hitching one back home.

"What do you think they would say
If I stood up and I walked away
Nobody here really understands me, and so I'll wave goodbye , I'm fine

Tones of home
Said you don't like the way I'm living
You don't like me
Tones of home, Tones of home
And so I'll wave goodbye
I'm flyin', I'm flyin' home

And I always thought this would be
The land of milk and honey
Oh but I come to find out that its all hate and money
And there's a canopy of greed holding me down".

The next song is called "I Wonder", and it's about Shannon's
experiences in a drug rehab. He just seems to want to find someplace
within himself where there's no one else but him, where he can focus
on the self, and not really have to worry a lot about outside sources
trying to analyze his every move.

"Hey I'd like to daze away to a place no one has known
In a state of mind I could call mine and only I could own
Where I can hum a tune any time I choose and there's no such thing as time
Where I can feel no pain just calm and sane what a place for one to find

Now ya see I'm watching everything I do
And they're watching everything I say
Why won't they leave me be?
Why am I even here? I wonder
You leave me wondering
Won't you stop watching me
I said they're watching me, watching me, watching me

Now in my corner I got the ceiling in my eyes
Arms holding up my knees, and rockin' back and forths my life
I didn't mean to feel this way when I walked into the door, lord Then they ripped away my memories And I can't remember who I was before

I only wanted to be sixteen and free."

Ok, this next song really does it for me, I have to say, simply because of the nature of the song, and what it stands for. "Paper Scratcher" is about this old homeless man who apparently, used to pass by the offices of Ricki Rachtman on a daily basis. He'd take papers and scratch out faces and other body parts, then throw them down and start swearing at people. Maybe this was his way of somehow getting back at people who hurt him, or even, possibly put him on the streets.

"Shuffle can to can nobody really gives a damn
For every living day I give myself a hand
Now I'm scroungy as can be, I got all you normals looking at me I'll scratch a hole in my life so everyone can see

My mind is a mind that I have come to know
And my eyes can't conceive a world that cannot grow
And Fridays are always fresh days

Screamin' at the sun, don't really know what he has done
He don't believe in god and a world as one
So he rambles through the weeds
And he will sleep beneath the trees
On the day I die thank god my soul will be released

I've seen all your eyes and I've seen all your faces
Can you tell me honestly that you wanna be free
Then look in my eyes I've been lots of places
Cam you tell me honestly that you'd want to be me honestly"..

Although he somehow makes his experiences seem almost magickal, there
is also the very apparent fact that this has been a life of
needless, and perhaps self inflicted suffering.

Ok, although there are several more very good tunes on this album, I'm going to finish up with a song that everyone knows very well.. Some of you, like me, may really love it, and on the other hand, some of you might even really hate it, hell, the band hates it! They consider it to be one of the all time worst songs they ever wrote! One even says it's a lame co-dependency song because hje wrote it at the time, about his girlfriend. She'd complain there was no rain, because she liked using the rain as an excuse to not have to go out, or be motivated to do anything. She liked sleeping during the day which is totally indicative of depression. Either way it goes, lyrics be damned! I think it's a great, light hearted tune, and the video was just cute, what with all the little girls dressed up like bees and floating around all over the place :o)

"All I can say is that my life is pretty plain
I like watchin' the puddles gather rain
And all I can do is just pour some tea for two
And speak my point of view but it's not sane, it's not sane

I just want someone to say to me
I'll always be there when you wake
Ya know I'd like to keep my cheeks dry today
So stay with me and I'll have it made

And I don't understand why I sleep all day
And I start to complain that there's no rain
And all I can do is read a book to stay awake
It rips my life away but its a great escape...escape...escape"…

Well, as usual, I hope you enjoyed the review :o) I love Blind Melon, I think they were a really unique band, and it's really a great shame, that they can't continue, or at least find some kind of way without Shannon. But I understand. I won't bother with any sites, because there are really only a few out there anyway, but I will add a link to Amazon, so you can listen to the clips for this and other Blind Melon albums :o) Shannon? I think you were altogether a really great musician, as were/are the rest of your bandmates. Rest in peace brother. And in the end, the music remains, a loving memorial to its quixotic creator.

Here is the link to go to for those interested in checking this excellent band out at http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002UY5/qid=11135123 24/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_11_2/026-6273765-7369263. Well all, again, I hope you have enjoyed the review, and I'll be back with you all next month! Enjoy the warming weather :o)

Best regards,

Silver


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