Post by Korez73 on Dec 9, 2007 10:17:40 GMT -5
It was 1993, in Winona, Minnesota, and I was at a college house party with all my friends in the world, enganging in the business of self distruction as was our norm in those days.
The lead singer of a local bar band was off in one of the quieter rooms in the house listening to some music and I found a chair there and sat down. He had great taste when it came to music so whenever I got the chance I loved to hear what Mike was listening to.
After a minute or two of concentration to block out the noise of the party and REALLY LISTEN ... I heard this ...
...And as we all play parts of tomorrow..
..Some ways we'll work and other ways we'll play ...
...But I know we can't all stay here forever ...
...So I'm going to write my words on the face of today ...
...
...And then they'll paint it....
That was it. Exceptional sound, exceptional song-writing... I was hooked. I asked Mike who the band was, and he gave me the self titled Blind Melon CD. He played No Rain so I could understand that I had heard this band before, but I learned long ago that the best tracks by bands are usually the ones that don't get radio play.
The day after the party (I never left that room and wouldn't allow anything else to be played except the Blind Melon CD)... I went out and picked up my own copy. (That was the first of probably 6 or 7 copies I've had to buy over the years because I would scratch them, borrow them and never see them again, etc).
I heard "Deserted" and was stunned. I heard "I Wonder" and was totally amazed. Soon "Sleepyhouse" became the best song I had ever, ever heard. Shannon had an amazing voice. The band's execution was so tight.
Needless to say .. Blind Melon has been my favorite band since that day, way back when. I bought every CD on it's release date thereafter ... I was officially a Melon Head. Most of my friends didn't get it ... but I didn't care. They knew a ride in a car or a party with Jamie meant they were going to get exposed to Blind Melon and were going to have to listen to me rave about them.
When Shannon passed, some of my less sensitive friends expressed their relief.. Thinking that somehow I would be a less fanatical supporter of the band. Didn't happen of course. When Nico came out ... and I heard "Soul One" ... it was a moment of joy (at such, such a beautiful song) ... and sadness in knowing I was listening to the last new Blind Melon music I would ever hear.
I continued to try and keep up .. downloaded obscure tracks off the internet and bought every tribue (that Led Zepplin tribue album) and compilation (School House Rock) that had Blind Melon on it ... but I knew this music would now always be a part of my past, and not my future.
Seasons changed, time moved on ... Grew up .. Finished school, got married .. moved to Chicago .. Never stopped listening to Blind Melon. But I never, never expected to learn what I learned a few weeks ago.
They're back. OMG they're back!
I heard the new music ... and it has the same amazing sound and songwriting that they had back then. Wishing Well, Right Set of Eyes... it's there .. and I am so overwhelmed. I passed somebody at work the other day and they asked me how it was going ... I told him "every day above ground is a good one".
I learned that I missed their stop here in Chicago, and that bummed me out ..... but I found the videos and mp3's of Nico's appearance on stage .. and her singing "Change" still gets me all misty thinking about all the meaning of her singing the song her father used to sing, and the one that really "got me".
OK that was a really long first post. Just wanted to express to you all how truely happy I am to find this forum and happy that the band is back.
A heartfelt hello to all of you. I can't wait till the new album is out. I can't wait till I get a second chance to see them in person ... and maybe I'll see a few of you there when I do.
J
The lead singer of a local bar band was off in one of the quieter rooms in the house listening to some music and I found a chair there and sat down. He had great taste when it came to music so whenever I got the chance I loved to hear what Mike was listening to.
After a minute or two of concentration to block out the noise of the party and REALLY LISTEN ... I heard this ...
...And as we all play parts of tomorrow..
..Some ways we'll work and other ways we'll play ...
...But I know we can't all stay here forever ...
...So I'm going to write my words on the face of today ...
...
...And then they'll paint it....
That was it. Exceptional sound, exceptional song-writing... I was hooked. I asked Mike who the band was, and he gave me the self titled Blind Melon CD. He played No Rain so I could understand that I had heard this band before, but I learned long ago that the best tracks by bands are usually the ones that don't get radio play.
The day after the party (I never left that room and wouldn't allow anything else to be played except the Blind Melon CD)... I went out and picked up my own copy. (That was the first of probably 6 or 7 copies I've had to buy over the years because I would scratch them, borrow them and never see them again, etc).
I heard "Deserted" and was stunned. I heard "I Wonder" and was totally amazed. Soon "Sleepyhouse" became the best song I had ever, ever heard. Shannon had an amazing voice. The band's execution was so tight.
Needless to say .. Blind Melon has been my favorite band since that day, way back when. I bought every CD on it's release date thereafter ... I was officially a Melon Head. Most of my friends didn't get it ... but I didn't care. They knew a ride in a car or a party with Jamie meant they were going to get exposed to Blind Melon and were going to have to listen to me rave about them.
When Shannon passed, some of my less sensitive friends expressed their relief.. Thinking that somehow I would be a less fanatical supporter of the band. Didn't happen of course. When Nico came out ... and I heard "Soul One" ... it was a moment of joy (at such, such a beautiful song) ... and sadness in knowing I was listening to the last new Blind Melon music I would ever hear.
I continued to try and keep up .. downloaded obscure tracks off the internet and bought every tribue (that Led Zepplin tribue album) and compilation (School House Rock) that had Blind Melon on it ... but I knew this music would now always be a part of my past, and not my future.
Seasons changed, time moved on ... Grew up .. Finished school, got married .. moved to Chicago .. Never stopped listening to Blind Melon. But I never, never expected to learn what I learned a few weeks ago.
They're back. OMG they're back!
I heard the new music ... and it has the same amazing sound and songwriting that they had back then. Wishing Well, Right Set of Eyes... it's there .. and I am so overwhelmed. I passed somebody at work the other day and they asked me how it was going ... I told him "every day above ground is a good one".
I learned that I missed their stop here in Chicago, and that bummed me out ..... but I found the videos and mp3's of Nico's appearance on stage .. and her singing "Change" still gets me all misty thinking about all the meaning of her singing the song her father used to sing, and the one that really "got me".
OK that was a really long first post. Just wanted to express to you all how truely happy I am to find this forum and happy that the band is back.
A heartfelt hello to all of you. I can't wait till the new album is out. I can't wait till I get a second chance to see them in person ... and maybe I'll see a few of you there when I do.
J