Shannon's Obituary
Shannon Hoon, lead singer of the rock group Blind Melon, died on Saturday in the band's tour bus in a parking lot in New Orleans. He was 28 and lived in Lafayette, Ind. The cause was apparently an accidental drug overdose. Blind Melon achieved rapid success with its self-titled first album. The video for "No Rain" was so popular that its images of a cavorting girl dressed in a bee costume threatened to eclipse the band.
In high school, Mr. Hoon developed a reputation for misbehavior. Recently Mr. Hoon moved back to Lafayette with his girlfriend of 10 years, Lisa Crouse, and a daughter, Nico Blue, was born to them this summer. In addition to his mother, daughter and Ms. Crouse, Mr. Hoon is survived by his father, Richard; a sister, Anna, and a brother, Tim. |
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Spring 1986 -- A standout athlete in football, wrestling and track, Hoon
graduates from McCutcheon High School.
February 1988 -- Hoon fronts Styff Kytten, a Lafayette cover band that
includes Lafayette guitarist Mike Kelsey. In a Journal and Courier feature
story about Styff Kytten, the band's manager says: "Shannon's got that desire.
You look at him and automatically know he's a band member. He's got the
persona of a front man. You never want to take your eye off him because you
never know what he's going to do."
Spring 1990 -- After several scrapes with Lafayette police and hoping to
follow in the footsteps of fellow Lafayette native, Axl Rose of Guns n' Roses,
Hoon leaves Lafayette for Los Angeles.
March 1991 -- Hoon and his new band, Blind Melon, sign a ,000
recording contract with Capitol Records. He tells the Journal and Courier, "I
wanted to make a CD they would sell at Musicland in Tippecanoe Mall. I wanted
to show them I could do something with my life, and I have." Blind Melon
moves from Los Angeles to Chapel Hill, N.C., to work on new material and to
live together in a home they dub "Sleepy House."
Fall 1991 -- At the invitation of Axl Rose, Hoon sings backup vocals and
appears in the Guns n' Roses video, "Don't Cry," a major MTV hit. Dubbed the
mysterious man in flannel, Hoon's appearance gives Blind Melon a national
buzz.
April 1992 -- Blind Melon goes on the MTV 120 Minutes Tour with Big
Audio Dynamite II, Public Image Ltd. and Live. Blind Melon releases "Dear Ole
Dad," a video that receives airtime on MTV's 120 Minutes.
September 1992 -- Blind Melon releases its self-titled debut on Capitol
Records. Rolling Stone says Hoon "at times sounds eerily like Janis Joplin."
The record's homey, folk-meets-alternative sound gets good marks, but sales
are quiet.
Oct. 26, 1992 -- Hoon brings Blind Melon to West Lafayette for a sold-out
show at Nick's.
June 1993 -- Capitol releases the Blind Melon single, "No Rain." The
arresting video -- featuring a misfit girl in a bee suit and Hoon's engaging
vocals -- becomes a huge hit and wins heavy rotation on MTV and pop radio.
Blind Melon reaches No. 3 on the Billboard charts that summer. The record
sells more than 2 million copies. The band tours constantly, opening shows
for Soundgarden and Neil Young, among others.
October 1993 -- Hoon faces nudity and indecent exposure charges after he
strips onstage during a concert in Vancouver, B.C.
Nov. 11, 1993 -- Blind Melon appears on the cover of Rolling Stone. The
band poses nude. Hoon gets more attention, though, for wearing braided
pigtails.
February 1994 -- Hoon is charged for attacking a security guard during
the taping of the American Music Awards.
March 1994 -- Blind Melon is nominated for Grammy Awards in Best New
Artist and Best Rock Performance categories. The band doesn't win.
August 1994 -- Blind Melon performs at Woodstock II.
July 11, 1995 -- Hoon becomes a father, when girlfriend Lisa Crouse
gives birth to a girl.
August 1995 -- After months of recording in New Orleans, Blind Melon
releases Soup. The first single, "Galaxie," peaks at No. 8 on Billboard's
modern rock tracks chart.
Sept. 25, 1995 -- Blind Melon plays the Egyptian Room at the Murat
Temple in Indianapolis. Hoon introduces his daughter, Blue, to the crowd:
"Tonight's my daughter's first rock 'n' roll event." The tour is one of the first
dates on a three-month, U.S. and Canadian tour.
Oct. 21, 1995 -- Band members find Hoon dead on the tour bus before a
date in New Orleans.
www.blindmelon.com
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Shannon and his daughter Nico Blue Hoon.
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