Post by Akrat on Feb 17, 2013 9:47:01 GMT -5
www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130215/LOCALENT/302150349/-1/NEWSMAP
See Blind Melon at Mount Airy
By MELANIE VANDERVEER
For the Pocono Record
February 15, 2013 12:00 AM
Best remembered for their early '90s hit song "No Rain" as well as the iconic "Bee Girl" in the video, the group Blind Melon is performing again with a new frontman.
The group will make a stop at Mount Airy Casino Resort for a show this weekend. Guitarist Christopher Thorn had some time to chat about how the group has changed since the death of lead singer Shannon Hoon, the "Bee Girl" and what's coming around the corner for them.
Q: How did the band get started?
The first time? I moved out to L.A. in 1988 and placed an ad in a magazine that connected musicians together. That's how I met Brad Smith, the bass player. We became friends, and the project didn't work out. He called me a year later when he met Shannon. Shannon's singing floored me on the spot. I was completely blown away.
Q: What did you do during the band's hiatus?
It was from 1995, with the death of Shannon, and we didn't do anything until 2007. I was in a few bands, producing records, mixing records, playing on people's records. I stayed in the music business. We never really intended to put the band back together. Brad and I were a production team and met Travis. He reminded us of Shannon and was a huge fan of Shannon. One day Brad said, "What do you think about playing with Travis?" I said, "Let's do this." That's how phase two happened.
Q: How hard was it to remain a band after Shannon Hoon's death?
It was hard. It's always hard. You're always trying to measure up to Blind Melon. You think about the art and writing great songs. You can't measure your success in record sales. You're always thinking about Shannon and the band. It's nice to play Blind Melon songs again and connect with Shannon. It's a really good feeling.
Q: "No Rain" is a song that pretty much everyone on the planet knows. And the highlight of the video, the girl in the bumble-bee costume, is iconic. What's that all about?
That image was a picture on our drummer's wall. I thought it would make a great album cover. The director of the video thought it was a great image for the video. None of us realized it would be such an iconic figure and remembered.
The girl in the video is just an actress. The girl in the original picture was 20 years old at the time we made the video. I think that image was what everyone feels they have. You're not quite the glamorous one. Everyone could relate to it.
People remember it because they've all been there. That's the song that got people to buy the record and turn them onto the whole record.
Q: How has the music changed over the years?
It has changed and evolved whether I like it or not. Sometimes before a show, I have to go back and learn the old songs.
Sometimes I think: What was I thinking? It's hard and you evolve. I think I have a lot more influences now. We were really winging it back then. That was the beauty of the songs.
We're all songwriters, so we were trying to pull the songs in our own directions. It wasn't just one person's vision. It's a hard thing to define. It's just the chemistry a band has. We have special chemistry when we are together. I don't play that way when I'm away from these guys.
Q: What's the future hold for the group?
We love being together, and it's a hard balancing act for us because we're doing other things, but it's important to play these songs and be on stage together.
The future is not mapped out yet, but we do want to play some shows. We are working on a cover record after the Poconos. We each picked a song or two from our favorite bands.
I never know what it is or if it ends, so I don't take it for granted. Any show could be the last or the start of a bunch of shows. I would love to play these songs for the rest of my life and play with these guys. We'll see.
IF YOU GO
BLIND MELON
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Mount Airy Casino Resort, 312 Woodland Road, Paradise Township
Cost: $55 and $40
INFORMATION: 877-682-4791 or mountairycasino.com
See Blind Melon at Mount Airy
By MELANIE VANDERVEER
For the Pocono Record
February 15, 2013 12:00 AM
Best remembered for their early '90s hit song "No Rain" as well as the iconic "Bee Girl" in the video, the group Blind Melon is performing again with a new frontman.
The group will make a stop at Mount Airy Casino Resort for a show this weekend. Guitarist Christopher Thorn had some time to chat about how the group has changed since the death of lead singer Shannon Hoon, the "Bee Girl" and what's coming around the corner for them.
Q: How did the band get started?
The first time? I moved out to L.A. in 1988 and placed an ad in a magazine that connected musicians together. That's how I met Brad Smith, the bass player. We became friends, and the project didn't work out. He called me a year later when he met Shannon. Shannon's singing floored me on the spot. I was completely blown away.
Q: What did you do during the band's hiatus?
It was from 1995, with the death of Shannon, and we didn't do anything until 2007. I was in a few bands, producing records, mixing records, playing on people's records. I stayed in the music business. We never really intended to put the band back together. Brad and I were a production team and met Travis. He reminded us of Shannon and was a huge fan of Shannon. One day Brad said, "What do you think about playing with Travis?" I said, "Let's do this." That's how phase two happened.
Q: How hard was it to remain a band after Shannon Hoon's death?
It was hard. It's always hard. You're always trying to measure up to Blind Melon. You think about the art and writing great songs. You can't measure your success in record sales. You're always thinking about Shannon and the band. It's nice to play Blind Melon songs again and connect with Shannon. It's a really good feeling.
Q: "No Rain" is a song that pretty much everyone on the planet knows. And the highlight of the video, the girl in the bumble-bee costume, is iconic. What's that all about?
That image was a picture on our drummer's wall. I thought it would make a great album cover. The director of the video thought it was a great image for the video. None of us realized it would be such an iconic figure and remembered.
The girl in the video is just an actress. The girl in the original picture was 20 years old at the time we made the video. I think that image was what everyone feels they have. You're not quite the glamorous one. Everyone could relate to it.
People remember it because they've all been there. That's the song that got people to buy the record and turn them onto the whole record.
Q: How has the music changed over the years?
It has changed and evolved whether I like it or not. Sometimes before a show, I have to go back and learn the old songs.
Sometimes I think: What was I thinking? It's hard and you evolve. I think I have a lot more influences now. We were really winging it back then. That was the beauty of the songs.
We're all songwriters, so we were trying to pull the songs in our own directions. It wasn't just one person's vision. It's a hard thing to define. It's just the chemistry a band has. We have special chemistry when we are together. I don't play that way when I'm away from these guys.
Q: What's the future hold for the group?
We love being together, and it's a hard balancing act for us because we're doing other things, but it's important to play these songs and be on stage together.
The future is not mapped out yet, but we do want to play some shows. We are working on a cover record after the Poconos. We each picked a song or two from our favorite bands.
I never know what it is or if it ends, so I don't take it for granted. Any show could be the last or the start of a bunch of shows. I would love to play these songs for the rest of my life and play with these guys. We'll see.
IF YOU GO
BLIND MELON
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Mount Airy Casino Resort, 312 Woodland Road, Paradise Township
Cost: $55 and $40
INFORMATION: 877-682-4791 or mountairycasino.com