The recently reborn Blind Melon will release its first studio album in 13 years this spring. "For My Friends" is due April 22 via Adrenaline and introduces new singer Travis Warren as a replacement for late frontman Shannon Hoon, who died in 1995.
Warren joins original members Rogers Stevens (guitar), Christopher Thorn (guitar), Brad Smith (bass) and Glen Graham (drums). "This record's a great rock'n'roll record," Warren tells Billboard.com "It's kind of like [1995's] 'Soup' -- the more you listen to it, the more it grows on you."
The frontman says the title track "has got a special place in my heart" since it "was the first that we worked on together." Stevens sent him the song at 9 or 10 p.m. ET, and upon first listen, Warren "heard a melody for it, threw it on ProTools and literally wrote the lyrics right there. Recorded it, and when Rogers woke up the next morning; I had sent the song back to him with vocals on it."
Without eschewing familiar Blind Melon sounds, the album ventures off on tracks like "Sometimes," according to Warren. "We definitely want to experiment and do different things with music," he says. "Hopefully with the [next] record, it'll go completely left field from where this record took off."
The album's first single will be the track "Wishing Well," and a U.S. tour in support will begin Feb. 28.
Also in the works is a book that will focus on the Hoon era of Blind Melon, tentatively titled "Caramel Cake Covered Christmas: The Story of Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon." Updates about the book will be included on the group's official Web site.
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Blind Melon RETURNS
