Blind Melon: New "Best of.." CD + Live DVD out 9/27/05
07-14-05, 03:42 PM
#1
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Blind Melon: New "Best of.." CD + Live DVD out 9/27/05
Blind Melon Revisited On Hits/Live Sets
Rock act Blind Melon will be the subject of a "Best of" CD and a live DVD this fall via Capitol/EMI Music Catalog Marketing, and will also issue a previously unreleased concert recording to digital download services. The projects will be available Sept. 27, less than a month shy of the 10-year-anniversary of Blind Melon vocalist Shannon Hoon's death from a drug overdose.
The 19-track "Tones of Home: The Best of Blind Melon" will also be available in a limited-edition with a DVD featuring six music videos and a live performance of the group's biggest hit, "No Rain." According to guitarist Rogers Stevens, its release was inspired by higher-than-expected sales for the 2002 compilation "Classic Masters."
"That exceeded [the label's] expectations of what they thought it was going to do," he tells Billboard.com. "They sold through [the pressing] -- it's not that widely available anymore, so they're going to re-do it and make it better."
After the 1996 documentary "Letters From a Porcupine" earned a Grammy for best long form music video, Blind Melon's surviving members were anxious to release a follow-up. But the group found it difficult to secure live performances that met their quality standards.
"There's so much out there, in terms of what's being passed around by fans," explains bassist Brad Smith. "If we're going to put our name on it and get behind a release, it has to sound really good -- the playing has to be really good. It's live, [so] it's unpredictable. We fished through a lot of stuff that was just like everybody playing different songs basically [laughs]."
Ultimately, the group settled on a Sept. 27, 1995, show at the Metro in Chicago, from which a smattering of tracks can be previewed on "Porcupine." The DVD will be bolstered with three acoustic songs from a performance on MuchMusic.
A Los Angeles show recorded at the Hollywood Palace three weeks after the Metro gig, and just two weeks before Hoon died, will be the digital-only release. The material was mixed by Smith and Blind Melon guitarist Christopher Thorn at their Los Angeles studio, Wishbone. "This is the only one that's been broken up onto 24-track tape," Smith says, "[so it's of] really good quality."
Of late, Smith and Thorn have immersed themselves in producing and songwriting. "Anna Nalick -- we found her and produced demos, and once she got signed, she came back and we did the record ['Wreck of the Day' on Columbia] in our studio," Smith says. The pair also recorded demos with the group American Minor, helping it get signed to Jive, and produced its self-titled debut for the label, due Aug. 16.
Meanwhile, Stevens is playing in the group the Tender Trio, which features former Spacehog member Royston Langdon. The act is in the midst of a North American tour that hits Los Angeles tomorrow (July 15). "We'll hopefully make a record this year," he says.
[BILLBOARD.com]
Rock act Blind Melon will be the subject of a "Best of" CD and a live DVD this fall via Capitol/EMI Music Catalog Marketing, and will also issue a previously unreleased concert recording to digital download services. The projects will be available Sept. 27, less than a month shy of the 10-year-anniversary of Blind Melon vocalist Shannon Hoon's death from a drug overdose.
The 19-track "Tones of Home: The Best of Blind Melon" will also be available in a limited-edition with a DVD featuring six music videos and a live performance of the group's biggest hit, "No Rain." According to guitarist Rogers Stevens, its release was inspired by higher-than-expected sales for the 2002 compilation "Classic Masters."
"That exceeded [the label's] expectations of what they thought it was going to do," he tells Billboard.com. "They sold through [the pressing] -- it's not that widely available anymore, so they're going to re-do it and make it better."
After the 1996 documentary "Letters From a Porcupine" earned a Grammy for best long form music video, Blind Melon's surviving members were anxious to release a follow-up. But the group found it difficult to secure live performances that met their quality standards.
"There's so much out there, in terms of what's being passed around by fans," explains bassist Brad Smith. "If we're going to put our name on it and get behind a release, it has to sound really good -- the playing has to be really good. It's live, [so] it's unpredictable. We fished through a lot of stuff that was just like everybody playing different songs basically [laughs]."
Ultimately, the group settled on a Sept. 27, 1995, show at the Metro in Chicago, from which a smattering of tracks can be previewed on "Porcupine." The DVD will be bolstered with three acoustic songs from a performance on MuchMusic.
A Los Angeles show recorded at the Hollywood Palace three weeks after the Metro gig, and just two weeks before Hoon died, will be the digital-only release. The material was mixed by Smith and Blind Melon guitarist Christopher Thorn at their Los Angeles studio, Wishbone. "This is the only one that's been broken up onto 24-track tape," Smith says, "[so it's of] really good quality."
Of late, Smith and Thorn have immersed themselves in producing and songwriting. "Anna Nalick -- we found her and produced demos, and once she got signed, she came back and we did the record ['Wreck of the Day' on Columbia] in our studio," Smith says. The pair also recorded demos with the group American Minor, helping it get signed to Jive, and produced its self-titled debut for the label, due Aug. 16.
Meanwhile, Stevens is playing in the group the Tender Trio, which features former Spacehog member Royston Langdon. The act is in the midst of a North American tour that hits Los Angeles tomorrow (July 15). "We'll hopefully make a record this year," he says.
[BILLBOARD.com]
07-14-05, 04:01 PM
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funny. it'd be cheaper to just buy their entire catalogue of 2 albums, and have the jams in one spot. they're both great, but alas, you can probably find them for $1.00 at any used cd store.
07-15-05, 08:50 AM
#3
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
There is also their 3rd album put together after Shannon Hoon's death, that is stuff that was sitting on the shelf unreleased, Nico. This album cover was also the cover of the Letters From A Porcupine DVD.
I will have to hear what the DVD has that is not covered in LfaP to see if I will pick this up or not, because I think Blind Melon is one of those great bands that no one knows how great they due to one song that is not a good representation of their material.
I will have to hear what the DVD has that is not covered in LfaP to see if I will pick this up or not, because I think Blind Melon is one of those great bands that no one knows how great they due to one song that is not a good representation of their material.
07-16-05, 07:48 AM
#5
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally Posted by Cusm
I think Blind Melon is one of those great bands that no one knows how great they due to one song that is not a good representation of their material.
I saw that home video/documentary years ago when it was first released on VHS. From what I remember, it was pretty good too.
I can remember when they played here at the Newport and it happened to fall on the same day the Smashing Pumpkins were playing at what was 700 High at the time. I had to choose and went with the Pumpkins- who wouldn't considering it was the Siamese dream tour and the venue held about 700 people. Wouldn't you know it during the show, a friend said Blind Melon was standing right behind us watching with the same awe as everyone else.
07-20-05, 02:19 PM
#6
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Originally Posted by woofman
I agree, their first two releases are wonderful.
I saw that home video/documentary years ago when it was first released on VHS. From what I remember, it was pretty good too.
I can remember when they played here at the Newport and it happened to fall on the same day the Smashing Pumpkins were playing at what was 700 High at the time. I had to choose and went with the Pumpkins- who wouldn't considering it was the Siamese dream tour and the venue held about 700 people. Wouldn't you know it during the show, a friend said Blind Melon was standing right behind us watching with the same awe as everyone else.
I saw that home video/documentary years ago when it was first released on VHS. From what I remember, it was pretty good too.
I can remember when they played here at the Newport and it happened to fall on the same day the Smashing Pumpkins were playing at what was 700 High at the time. I had to choose and went with the Pumpkins- who wouldn't considering it was the Siamese dream tour and the venue held about 700 people. Wouldn't you know it during the show, a friend said Blind Melon was standing right behind us watching with the same awe as everyone else.
