I was ten years old when this song and video came out. Both were equally impacting. I'll forever remember this video as "the one with the girl in the bumble bee outfit." Of course at ten, I didn't understand it really, and the idea of being an outcast or standing apart from society, went largely unnoticed. In 1995 when lead singer Shannon Hoon died of a cocaine overdose, I didn't really understand what that meant either. I just knew he was another rockstar who got swept up in the drug culture like most of them did, and ultimately died from it. Another lesson as to why drugs are bad. But they're not really. You see, people have to actually make the conscious choice to do drugs, so it's people that are bad. Or stupid. Drugs are just there. Like fast food. Whether you choose to indulge in them or not, and in what amount is up to you. If you know how to control yourself, and understand what moderation is, then no, drugs are not bad. Granted, that ideology might be difficult with harder drugs like cocaine and heroin, but my point is that you can't just tell kids "Drugs are bad, don't do drugs," you have to make them understand that it's a decision, a choice that they make and are responsible for, and it's not black and white. Help them understand what drugs do to people, and to their mind and body. Educate them on making the right decisions, which isn't always the all out exclusion of all substances. To tell a bunch of rebellious teenagers not to smoke pot, is practically an invitation to do so. In their eyes at least.
But I've gone a bit off topic now. This usually happens to me when I hear this song or think about this band though, because it was one of the first times in my life that I really thought about this stuff. I was twelve, the "Blind Melon guy" had OD'd, and he was the frontman of a band I really liked. This wasn't like hearing stories about Jimi Hendrix or Janis Joplin from my mom and dad, this actually happened in my lifetime, and I was affected by it. It was sixth grade, and we were being inundated with drug talks, pamphlets and seminars. But none of it was real. Shannon Hoon's death was.
"No Rain" is such a beautiful, light-hearted, and happy song to be associated with something so sad. But alas, this is indicative of the world in which we live. If this is how Blind Melon is remembered, at least even by me, then I'd say Hoon's legacy is better than most. I still feel good every time I listen to this song, and clearly, I still think about his life and it's tragic end. In a strange way I think he even became a lesson to me. Not necessarily in what not to do, but in what can happen if you're not in control. And he was not in control as he had problems with drugs and the law for a very long time.
An interesting tidbit regarding Hoon, is that his sister's high school friend was Axl Rose. Axl invited him into the studio when they were recording the Use Your Illusion and Use Your Illusion II albums. Hoon actually sang backing vocals on a few of the tracks like "The Garden," and appeared in the video (as well as sang) for "Don't Cry."
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