‎Tribeca 2019 Interview: Blind Melon Band Members Christopher Thorn & Rogers Stevens For ALL I CAN SAY

I has the opportunity to sit down and speak with Christopher Thorn and Rogers Stevens from the band Blind Melon for the Tribeca documentary All I Can Say. It was an absolute delight as they reminisced and reflected on Shannon and their experiences with the band, as well as the movie itself.

Wonderful to meet you guys! I’m Kristy Strouse from Film Inquiry, and a big fan of your music! What’s this been like, revisiting these past experiences with the band through these videos?

Christopher Thorn: I first saw the movie a couple months ago, or the cut of the movie as it stood then, and it was very emotional. There’s stuff in there that I didn’t know, stuff that he says that’s just sort of… heartbreaking, ya know?

Absolutely.

Christopher Thorn: I’ll never get over it. It’s just something that will always be there. And I don’t know how it’s going to feel sitting in a room with a bunch of people watching it, and I have a little trepidation about that.

Rogers Stevens: I think it changes. I’ve watched it more than once and it changes depending on how you are feeling in that moment as well. But back to what he said, watching it in a room full of people will be a totally different experience.

As a fan of your band, watching this was emotional, so I can only imagine what it’s like for you. I love that it’s all his videos. Nothing added in.

Christopher Thorn: Yes, it’s pure.

Roger Stevens: I mean, it’s what he saw. He shot every frame of this as far as I know. Sometimes others held the camera, but it was his camera. It’s his vision. I mean he had it from the very beginning. I met him in Hollywood, probably 1989, and he had that video camera with him from day 1. He filmed everything; it was annoying!

Christopher Thorn: Yeah.

Roger Stevens: When he and I were living together in this little house in Hollywood, Christopher lived a few blocks away, and there was a constant presence, he filmed all of it. I don’t know how much of that was in there, but that time was really interesting. We got to know him and I think he got better as he went along.

Christopher Thorn: Yes, I was going to say, he got really specific about where to put the camera, and he got different lenses. Obviously, he was obsessed with the wide angle, which is in the film quite a bit. [laughs] But he was really into it. He mentions in the movie that he would go on to make films, and I know he wanted to do that. Now he here is, with a film at Tribeca. It’s pretty cool.

Yeah, it is. Had either of you seen any of the footage before? Did he ever show you what he had recorded afterwards?

Rogers Stevens: Here and there, but you don’t remember it. It was a long time ago. But yeah, every now and again he’d share – “Look what I got, isn’t this cool?” But also, a lot of stuff was surreptitious, you didn’t know he was doing it. That was also funny because, you know, he’d set it up in the room and then leave and catch us all talking shit about him. [laughs]

Christopher Thorn: I hated that so bad, Honestly. I hated that! Honestly.

Yes, and there’s that one scene where he does that.

Christopher Thorn: The Rolling Stone cover.

Roger Stevens: That was a big one too, we were mad at each other.

Christopher Thorn: We were mad and then he walked in and watched the film and it turned into another fight. Because of what we said behind his back.

Roger Stevens: He deserved all of it. [laughs] But, no, I do remember many times specifically saying, “turn that off, get it out of my face.”

Christopher Thorn: Me too

Rogers Stevens: It was intrusive at times, but then you didn’t know.

Christopher Thorn: For band meetings it was there, and I remember being annoyed when it was around, but now I’m so grateful.

Roger Stevens: I mean, I haven’t seen all the footage, but there’s hundreds of hours of it. And I’m terrified of what’s on there. God knows what I did!

I was actually going to ask if you knew how much footage there was.

Christopher Thorn: It was 250 hours.

Wow!

Christopher Thorn: That was just what they started with too, then they had a bunch of audio recordings of answering machines and that sort of stuff got sent over. So, it was quite a bit.

Yeah and that was all worked in really well. The editing was perfect.

Christopher Thorn: Oh, amazing!

Rogers Stevens: They just did really incredible work on this movie. I don’t know much about film editing, but I think it is one of those things that if you don’t, you know when somethings off, somethings wrong, and to be able to turn what they got into a linear narrative in a sense.

It is.

Christopher Thorn: It’s a miracle. That they tied things in like that, the editing is incredible. And for me, I didn’t see that the first time I saw the film, but the more time I spent time with the film you really get to see those nuances and metaphors that she’s working in, and foreshadowing.

Rogers Stevens: Yes!

Christopher Thorn: I mean, there’s a lot going into editing, and you don’t really catch it the first time because there’s all this emotion that you’re seeing. The more you get into it, the more you begin to understand the technical sides that they did as filmmakers. And that stuff you shouldn’t see at first, because if you see it then you know it’s wrong. So, it’s incredible.

Roger Stevens: Yeah, and I don’t envy them that task.

Christopher Thorn: I don’t either, it looks daunting!

Roger Stevens: But I get the art of it now, and it’s astounding.

Agreed! There’s a terrific flow, like you discussed with the narrative. I loved it a lot. So, you worked on the score some right?

Christopher Thorn: I did some stuff at the end, yes.

Can you talk about making that at all?

Christopher Thorn: Yeah, like I said, it was really hard. Some stuff, certain days I had to work up to a certain feeling. I was being directed, Danny [Clinch] and Taryn [Gould] had these specific ideas about what they wanted and certain days were tough. You have to really get in. And what’s also hard about film scoring to me, which I learned, is just staying out of the way as well. On certain days I’m spending hours with Shannon [Hoon], in the same scene, and some of them were really dark scenes so it was super difficult at times. Sometimes you just don’t want to feel like that during the day. But it was also really satisfying when I feel like I got it and made the filmmakers happy that made me feel great. That I could support the film in that way, because you are trying to stay out of the way but also create a vibe.

I understand. Obviously this material is very personal to you, but was there anything new you saw or learned from watching?

Rogers Stevens: There’s a scene in the beginning of the movie where he’s in the hotel room, and this blew my mind. This was really the thing that had the biggest impact on me. I was with him the whole night before and we went up to our rooms and I was like “Just go to bed man,” and we were kind of distraught for a little period there for other reasons. But to hear him say, on the phone with Lisa, “Get me out of here,” and asking if she checked on his plane ticket, him wanting to leave the tour… I had no idea. That broke my heart because I had very deep discussions with him, and he didn’t tell me. Which, I understand, had he lived and bailed on the tour… everyone would have been pissed.

Christopher Thorn: Totally.

Roger Stevens: Because were just starting, and we clearly had a lot of work to do at that point.  But, yeah, I wish he would have. But even if he did, at that age and sort of being in the mire with him, I’m not sure I would have seen it.

Christopher Thorn: Yeah, that’s true. For me, a lot of the stuff with the parents – I didn’t know about. He talked a little bit about that, but we were always hanging out and writing songs, so to see that stuff…

Rogers Stevens: It was beautiful I thought. He had a lot of love for people in his life.

Christopher Thorn: He really did.

Rogers Stevens: He was just full of it. There was all the violence and the crazy shit, but in the end, he was the first guy to call and tell you he loved you. He had some difficult times growing up I think, and to see him taking the lead to rebuild those relationships with his family was beautiful. Now that I’m older, I understand it.

Christopher Thorn: Yes, those things he is talking about, really hit me. Seeing him with his family was really cool, we didn’t see that side much.

Rogers Stevens: I did a little more because I went and stayed with him a bunch in Indiana.

Christopher Thorn: Yeah, I never did that.

Rogers Stevens: I stayed at his mom’s house. He would go out and he had this big 4LTD, this green car as long as this room.  There would be sheets of ice that would come down in Indiana and we would go out and do donuts. [laughs]

Christopher Thorn: That’s so amazing by the way, [laughs] so Indiana.

Rogers Stevens:  It’s the middle of the night, so there’s nobody out there, and you go fast, and he would just take the wheel and spin it and it was just so much fun. And it was impossible to get hurt, or so we thought.

Christopher Thorn: That’s so redneck, I love it.

Rogers Stevens: I know, I felt right at home.

Do you have a favorite memory with Shannon?

Rogers Stevens: Stuff like that, honestly. Because it was a time that was just me and him there. We had some little breakout moments where Christopher was in – mammoth? – skiing and we went up, and we hung out there for a few days,

Christopher Thorn: That’s another moment for me that was a favorite. It was just the three of us hanging out, writing songs for the seek000000 record.

Rogers Stevens: Some of them ended up on our third record too.

Christopher Thorn: Oh yeah! So, that was a great time, we had just toured our butts off. We were exhausted, and it had sort of happened for us, and we had a moment to sit around and be like “Oh wow, we’re doing really great now.” And we hung out and snowboarded during the day and wrote songs at night.

Rogers Stevens: Yes, that was funny because I couldn’t ski really, and these guys were good. [laughs] My center of gravity is horrible.

Christopher Thorn: No skill. [laughs]

Rogers Stevens: But I remember they were daredevils, and there’s that scene where he wipes out, and that happened days on end. He would do jumps. He would do the craziest jumps and I would be like “he’s going to die.”

Christopher Thorn: Oh, he had no fear! But that’s a time that stood out for me, because it was a quiet time. Where it was just the three of us, and Shannon and I alone for a time and then Rogers came up. It’s one of my favorite memories.

Rogers Stevens: And really, that 5-6 years was so concentrated, so much going on. Good, bad.

Christopher Thorn: Yes, so intense during that time.

Yeah, absolutely. I can imagine it was pretty chaotic, especially as you first started.

Christopher Thorn: Yes, very chaotic.

How would you each describe Shannon, in a few words?

Rogers Stevens: Well, and I think this comes off in the movie, but he was a true Rockstar. He was the most charismatic, best looking, most talented dude. And everybody picked up on it.

It seemed like he had a real energy.

Rogers Stevens: Oh, and it was palpable. And I remember this, because when he moved to Hollywood when we first met him, and I had been out there working with Brad, and Brad kind of met Christopher on the side. And we were peripherally involved, and then he showed up and I had heard about him before I met him.

Christopher Thorn: Yup, he was that guy.

Rogers Stevens: And there was somebody who was trying to help us get going, a manager-type, and she had met him at a party with Axel Rose, because Shannon’s older sister went to high school with him. So, he was kind of looking after Shannon, a little, whatever “that” means. [laughs] And make sure he was okay. And there was some funny stuff from that footage too. So, I heard about him and then I met him, and we sat down, we had our little rehearsal room out of a garage in West LA. And he sat down on the floor with an acoustic guitar and played Change top to bottom.

Christopher Thorn: Yes, I remember that moment.

Rogers Stevens: And it was like… holy f*ck, this guy sounds like a girl, but has a really…

He had a very unique voice.

Rogers Stevens: Yes! Almost unusual, especially in a room, by himself, with a guitar. It was like, he sounded like an angel. It was beautiful. When you heard it, you were just… stunned. So, right away, “That guy’s a rock star, you’re in the band for sure.” [laughs] Whatever band you want it to be.

Christopher Thorn: Yes, I thought that the day I met him. He was just a superstar.

Rogers Stevens: From there we just knew, it was obvious. Whatever happens, whatever our own abilities are, he’s going to be a star. And then all the crazy stuff happened. I remember this one time he had asked me to pick him up at the airport because he had gone to Las Vegas with all these heavy metal dudes who were playing.

Christopher Thorn: It was Riki Rachtman.

Rogers Stevens: Yes, and there was this party. And I went to pick him up and I was like “Woah, why are all these police here?” So, then you find out, it’s because he had an altercation with somebody. And they hauled him away, but he had gotten out somehow.

Christopher Thorn: He always got away.

Rogers Stevens: Sometimes, he didn’t. They did this little switcheroo sort of thing, because there was like 100 long haired looking dudes, all the same, and he often made it out.

Do you have a concert that stands out to you? I remember watching The Woodstock one, which is also shown in the documentary.

Rogers Stevens: He was great in that show.

Christopher Thorn: Yeah, though as a unit, we had better shows. The one I remember the most is actually one of our worst, but if you’re wondering what sticks out the most…

Yes, I’d love to hear about it.

Christopher Thorn: It was the night he peed on an audience in Vancouver.

That would be memorable.

Christopher Thorn: Yeah, it’s the one I remember the most.

Rogers Stevens: It was my birthday.

Christopher Thorn: It was his birthday, it was Halloween, and it was the end of a really long run of touring. And we had success, then finally got to unwind, and I actually eloped the next day. So, I remember that time especially, and it was a really crazy time.

Rogers Stevens: You know what happened to us after that show.

Christopher Thorn: I left- I left!

Rogers Stevens: Here’s what happened, we got off the stage and the Canadian, Mounties, I think they were called.

Christopher Thorn: Yes, that I recall.

Rogers Stevens: And Paul did the whole switcheroo, and I remember because we were coming off the stage and they put a robe on him, our tour manager did and then they split. So, he got away, and he got onto the bus! And I’m coming down the ramp, and I go out to the bus and it is surrounded. They figured it out. So, we could have gotten away. And Shannon kicked out the window on the back, climbed on top of the tour bus and he was yelling, “Shoot me,” ya know.

Christopher Thorn: [laughs] Yes, I remember that. Then I left and got married.

Rogers Stevens: But here’s what happened, they put him in a paddy wagon and took off. And here we were thinking we weren’t going to see him for a while. And, then, we get on the bus and drive back to Seattle and we arrive at like 6 in the morning after an all-night party, and Shannon pulls up, in his LTD, out front, and it was UNBELIEVABLE. How’d he get out??

Christopher Thorn: Gosh, I’m so bummed I missed that! That is crazy, what a crazy moment. So, there’s lots of those, lots of those stories. Ya know, in the end, when I think about it, here we are talking about somebody who has been gone for a really long time and it’s just like… he was bigger than life, and that’s why we are still here talking about him. So, when I think about if I had to wrap him up into one small phrase it would be that: He was bigger than life. Here we are.

Rogers Stevens: And that happened to me watching the movie because he’s doing all this stuff and it’s kind of personal with his family, and he really shot a reality tv movie because the genre existed.

For sure.

Christopher Thorn: You’re exactly right, that’s it.

Rogers Stevens: And, so, it’s like, all the personal stuff and then every now and then he opens his mouth and sings and you’re like… “That’s why there’s a movie about him.” Besides his big personality there was that, his talent.

And you can really tell watching the movie, that he was bigger than life, that he had a real presence. It comes through.

Rogers Stevens: I mean, you would have loved him. Everybody did. Unless, you got crossed with him, and then it was a problem.

Christopher Thorn: Yeah, people say it all the time, “Shannon was my best friend.” And in my mind (of course I don’t say this to them) but he was everyone’s best friend. Because that’s how you felt when you were sitting with him, and it wasn’t bullshit either. In that moment, Shannon loved you more than anybody. He had that gift. You were the most important person to him, and that’s why, still to this day, people say that. You probably were his best friend for the night. And I don’t mean disrespect – that was just the beauty of Shannon.

Rogers Stevens: Even people he was rougher with, ya know, because if you were around him long enough you ran an increasing risk of being punched. But he never punched anyone in the band, and that was really something.

Christopher Thorn: No, Never. It was a miracle. [laughs]

Rogers Stevens: The very first night I met him, we went out drinking, and he was sleeping on the couch in my apartment with Brad. And I’m on one couch and he’s on another, and we are going to sleep and he said something really stupid and I started laughing at him, and I didn’t know there was that other part of him. Honestly, I had known him for like eight hours at this point, and he got mad, and in my face like this [snaps fingers] and he’s red and he was strong, athletic – He was a f*cking fighter.

Christopher Thorn: He was a blackbelt actually.

Rogers Stevens: Yeah, and he was like an all-American wrestler, so he knew all kinds of ways to f*ck you up. And then, for whatever reason, we didn’t go at it. And I was all like “Let’s go,” but for whatever reason he didn’t. Maybe foresight. Then he gets on the phone to call a cab back to Indiana. That was how, out of our minds we were, and I was laughing at him too again, and I was like “just go to sleep.” [laughs] He was going to pay a cab to take him to Indiana.

Christopher Thorn: And that was just the beginning of the band.

I love all this reminiscing; I could probably sit here and listen to stories all day.

Rogers Stevens: I’m just remembering stuff. I hadn’t thought about that in years.

It’s amazing, thank you. So, how about musically, what are you guys up to now?

Christopher Thorn: We are making a record right now actually. We did a session in Philadelphia, and worked a little in Joshua Tree, and so yeah, we’re just a few songs in that are finished. And we’re just… moving along. And we are still touring too, honestly, we have a bunch of dates.

Rogers Stevens: We sort of pissed around, sort of directionless for a while, but suddenly in just snapped into place. I can’t explain it.

Christopher Thorn: Yeah, we have a focus now that we hadn’t had since… since that time.

Rogers Stevens: And ya know, sometimes you see bands of a certain age say it’s the best work they’ve done, and people don’t believe them, but yeah, the people will have to judge. I’m surprised by it! I’m pumped, but I’m bias though. [laughs]

Well, we look forward to that! And thank you again, so much, for taking the time today to talk to me. I’ve always loved your music, so this was very exciting.

Film Inquiry would like to thank Christopher Thorn and Rogers Stevens for taking the time to speak with us so candidly.

All I Can Say had its premiere at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.