I’m not sure that information alters my larger point about Hoon’s role in Blind Melon. It might even reinforce that point–Hoon playing the edgy contemporary personality in front of a largely benign set of musicians.

Furthermore, isn’t that–the drawing of the question mark–kind of a hairbrained way to comment on Cobain’s suicide? Is that gesture not tantamount to a giant shrug of the shoulders in the face of a tragedy? Is writing something on your forehead ever an elegant or powerful way to make any kind of point? I argue that is not.

Stipe himself would later make a giant public Cobain gesture by writing “Let Me In” on “Monster.” Sick song though.