Several artists contributed their talents to make Blind Melon what it was and the Melons lent their talents to various other projects also. We wanted to give these artists some recognition and let people know about their connections incase you want to check them out...
Connection: Danny Clinch was the band's photographer who ended up playing harmonica with the band on some occasions including Almost Acoustic Christmas 1993 and Woodstock '94. He also played harmonica on "Hell" and "John Sinclair." From Rogers - "We met Danny when we were on the MTV 120 minutes tour way back. He came onto our bus looking to shoot some pictures. We hit it off pretty quickly, and it wasn't too long before he was on our buses in the U.S. and in Europe. Sorta became a fixture, and most of the shots you see of us, he took......" Danny named his debut book Discovery Inn after a postcard he sent Shannon. Shannon also appears on the book's front cover. "The actual Discovery Inn was a little road side motel that I came across that had a great little saying on the marquee where it usually says 'welcome cub scout troop number 9' and it said, 'if you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space'. My friend, Shannon Hoon, at the time was in a rehab and I decided to make a postcard of the sign. I kept the negative and was considering to use it in the book when someone suggested it be used as the title. It's actually is very fitting for a collection of photographs I think because there's lots to discover in there." -- Danny Clinch, 1998
Connection: From an interview with Amy Correia - "I performed out in New York for about four or five years, and I met a lot of people over that period of time," she relates. "I was playing at very little clubs, but I met a lot of musicians. I made some demo tapes, but nothing that I really thought was great. So eventually, somebody came in—a guy named Christopher Thorn, who was in the band Blind Melon—and he had a little studio in Seattle in his home," she continues. "He invited me to go out and record with him, so we made a demo tape, and that was the beginning." With Thorn's well-connected assistance, Correia's demo quickly began to make the record company rounds. "I was writing songs, I was getting them recorded, and I had my friend Christopher who was into sending the tapes to people." (1/24/2001)
Christopher and Brad both played on both Amy's debut EP and album and Christopher produced both records.Website for more information: Official Capitol Records Site
Connection: Shannon wound up singing on several tracks of the Use your Illusion records when he was hanging out in the studio with the band. Axl Rose had been friend's with Shannon's older brother and sister and Shannon had just came in to see how recording was going. Shannon also appeared in the video for the song "Don't Cry" which he sang as a duet with Axl. Later in Blind Melon's career they were the opening band for Gun's N' Roses.Website for more information: GNR Online
GUS
Connection: Gus was asked to be the lead vocalist for the remaining members of Blind Melon but he declined and decided to pursue his own solo career instead. In April 1996, Gus asked Christopher and Brad to back him when he opened for Oasis in Seattle even though they had been jamming together for only six days. Playing drums for Gus at that show was Matt Chamberlain who appears on Brad's Abandon Jalopy record. There was talk of a full fledged tour with this lineup but it never materialized.Christopher worked with Gus again on Gus' cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" playing acoustic guitar and producing the song.
Website for more information: Official Site
Connection: From Jonny's official website - " I left New York in the middle of winter with a two week return ticket. I got off the plane and felt the sunshine, and never went back." Several bands and more than a few odd jobs later,Jonny got a call from his old friend Christopher Thorn, of Blind Melon to come up to Seattle. "I went up to Seattle to visit Christopher and his wife, and to get away from L.A.. for a while. Imagine my surprise when Christopher said, " no Jonny, we don't have time to see the Space Needle! We're going into my basement to record your record!" The loose sessions turned into the critically acclaimed, yet previously un-released "California Heart". Also appearing on this record are Gus and Jena Kraus.Website for more information: Official Site
Connection: Mike Kelsey was Shannon's friend who played guitar in his band Styff Kitten. He also used to own and operate a recording studio in Lafayette, Indiana called "Kelsey's Playground" where "WOOH D.O.G.," "Hell" and "Glitch" were recorded. Mike also lent his phenomenal guitar playing skills to the "secret song" which appears on Soup, joined the band on the Soup tour opening several shows, and appeared live with the band at Much Music Intimate and Interactive playing conga drums. Mike has released two amazing solo records of his own and regularly plays shows in the midwest but sometimes further afield.Website for more information: Official Site
Connection: Jena sang on "Mouthful of Cavities." During a 1996 online chat with Brad, Glen and Rogers, Brad revealed that he had played on her solo album but it has yet to emerge. Jena does play live but presumably only in her native Philadelphia. Jena also appeared on the Christopher Thorn produced California Heart by Jonny Kaplan.
Connection: Hailing from the same home town as Christopher, Live recruited him as an extra guitarist for a tour in 1998. Christopher made his debut for the band on May 28th, 1998 at The Viper Room in Los Angeles. After the tour, Christopher joined the group in the studio and appears on their "The Distance to Here" record. In 2000, Christopher used his connections with Live to get Unified Theory on to the bill for a leg of the Live/Counting Crows tour.Website for more information: Official Site
Connection: In 1996 Brad and Jason Finn (the drummer for Love Battery and The Presidents of the United States of America) finished 2nd in the first annual JAMPAC celebrity pool tournament and according to Kerrang magazine it was on the strength of Brad's skills that the pair made it that far. In 1999, Brad was an engineer for Love Battery's fifth album "Confusion Au Go Go." Jason Finn also played on The Pin Ups Backseat Memoirs record which featured Brad.
Connection: Brad produced, engineered and mixed this Seattle group's debut record, Subtle Ways, which was released in 1999.
Connection: Stephen is from the now defunct Alice Donut. Alice Donut toured with Blind Melon opening for them at several shows. Stephen played trombone on "St. Andrew's Fall."
Connection: Brad played bass and flute on their 2000 debut record Backseat Memoirs.
Connection: Kermit Ruffins and The Little Rascals Brass Band played horns on "Hello Goodbye" and "Lemonade." Kermit is based in New Orleans and has released several albums.
Connection: Jas (Jimbo) Mathus is a founding member of the Squirrel Nut Zippers. He formed "Jas. Mathus and The Knockdown Society" with fellow Zippers Andrew Bird and Stu Cole to record a collection of original and bluesman Charley Patton's songs that benefited his daughter Rosetta and her family. Glen Graham played on several tracks on this record. Also appearing as part of the Knockdown Society was John Sinclair; the 60's activist who John Lennon wrote a song about and Blind Melon subsequently covered. Mike Napilatano who also worked on Soup, Nico and several Squirrel Nut Zippers albums and went on to produce Extra Virgin's debut record, Twelve Stories High. Also a member of the Knockdown Society was Joe Tullos, whose debut record would feature Brad, Glen and Rogers. In 2001, Jim Mathus contributed to Brad's Abandon Jalopy Mercy record playing trombone on "She's an Original."A further Squirrel Nut Zippers/Blind Melon connection is Pat Sansone. Pat had previously worked with the Squirrel Nut Zippers on their Christmas Caravan album and he played several instruments on Extra Virgin's Twelve Stories High. When Johnny Lonely left Extra Virgin, Pat became their full time bass player.
Website for more information: Official Site
Connection: Miles played cello on St. Andrew's Fall and Car Seat (God's Presents). He also appeared live with the band on a number of occasions including Woodstock '94 and Intimate and Interactive. Miles' band Inclined also opened for Blind Melon on at least one occasion."Just for the record, Miles is a Coca-cola drinker not a Pepsi drinker."
Connection: Brad, Glen and Rogers all appeared in 1997 on Tullos' debut record The Scoundrels Waltz.
Connection: Brad and Christopher both appeared on their 1999 debut release California. A video was made for the title track song but it is not known whether Christopher or Brad appear in it.
