Blind Melon assembled in California, with members hailing from Indiana, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania. The band signed to Capitol Records in 1991 and recorded an unreleased demo. The band gained buzz from vocalist Hoon's association with Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose, and Hoon's back-up vocals on several Guns N' Roses tracks on 1991's Use Your Illusion albums, most notably "Don't Cry. The album sold poorly until the "No Rain" single became a smash success in November of 1993, led by a popular music video featuring the "Bee Girl". In 1994, the band began recording their second album, Soup, in New Orleans with producer Andy Wallace. The album was released in 1995, and predominantly featured shorter songs with a less conventional "alternative rock" approach. Against the advice of Hoon's drug counselor, Blind Melon went on tour in support of Soup. Hoon was found dead on the bands tour bus of a cocaine overdose on October 21, 1995 in New Orleans. The remaining members released Nico in 1996, with the profits going to a program that helps musicians with drug and alcohol addiction..
Blind Melon officially disbanded on March 4, 1999, and the various members went on to other projects.