I opened this book and couldn't put it down until I finished it. It truly does tell the story of Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon, and tells it in the best possibly way; from the mouths of the people that lived it. The story is told in a series of quotes from band members, record company people, family and friends obtained through interviews by the author. And in the case of Hoon, the quotes were taken from published interviews from the 90's. There could no be no purer way for this story to be told. The interviewees were candid and open; they seemed to hold nothing back. Their words and stories spoke so clearly of those times and what Shannon Hoon meant to them that I truly felt that I got to know him and his tendencies through this book. I felt as if I truly had spent those hours not reading a book, but spending time with these people and their friend Shannon. Which made for emotional results even though I knew the end to this story. When the fateful end of Shannon Hoon's life came in this book I immediately felt the loss of him. My heart broke, and I missed him. Just from reading a book 13 and a half years after the event. I do not have the book in front of me as I review it, but someone in there said something along the lines of "everyone who met him thought Shannon was their best friend" and it was easy to see that.
As Shannon Hoon had the most powerful personality of the subjects in the book, and people seemed to speak most about their relationship with him, it is easy to focus on him. But through the honesty of Rogers Stevens, Christopher Thorn, Brad Smith, and Glen Graham you felt closer to them as well. They give valuable details of life in the band Blind Melon, everything from stories from the road to recollections of recording and some song meanings. A casual rock and roll fan will see from this book that Blind Melon was a band, and not just Shannon Hoon.
Your heart really goes out to the people that were close to Shannon Hoon. People whose lives were touched very deeply for knowing him, and who had to deal with the pain of losing him. I extend gratitude to those willing to speak about those times for this project, and credit to the author for the Shannon Hoon quotes he chose to give the singer's perspective of that time in his life with his band. Strongest recommendation for anyone that is a fan of 90's music, and this is a flat out must read for any Blind Melon fan.
As Shannon Hoon had the most powerful personality of the subjects in the book, and people seemed to speak most about their relationship with him, it is easy to focus on him. But through the honesty of Rogers Stevens, Christopher Thorn, Brad Smith, and Glen Graham you felt closer to them as well. They give valuable details of life in the band Blind Melon, everything from stories from the road to recollections of recording and some song meanings. A casual rock and roll fan will see from this book that Blind Melon was a band, and not just Shannon Hoon.
Your heart really goes out to the people that were close to Shannon Hoon. People whose lives were touched very deeply for knowing him, and who had to deal with the pain of losing him. I extend gratitude to those willing to speak about those times for this project, and credit to the author for the Shannon Hoon quotes he chose to give the singer's perspective of that time in his life with his band. Strongest recommendation for anyone that is a fan of 90's music, and this is a flat out must read for any Blind Melon fan.
