Unified Theory
Photo: Zoren Gold

Unified Theory, the Los Angeles foursome featuring former Blind Melon guitarist Christopher Thorn and bassist Brad Smith, will embark on a 12-city North American tour in February to support their dark new single, "Wither." The group, which also includes singer Chris Shinn and former Pearl Jam and Candlebox drummer Dave Krusen, released their self-titled debut album last fall and toured with Counting Crows, Live and VAST to promote it.

Now headlining their own shows, Unified Theory will hit mostly Western cities, kicking off February 12 in Santa Cruz, California, and ending March 1 in San Diego.

"Wither," the follow-up to "California," centers on drug abuse, though the band said in a press release it is not about former Blind Melon singer Shannon Hoon, who died of a drug overdose in 1995.

"The song was poignantly inspired by a friend who was going down the same path as Shannon, but it's not directly about Shannon," Smith said. "The message is quite haunting. Living your life around hard drugs is a dead end ... sometimes literally." " 'Wither' is about watching someone you love slowly hit their personal bottom and not being able to help in his or her path," Shinn added.

The song was released to radio earlier this month and is available in streaming format on Unified Theory's official Web site.

Unified Theory's tour dates, according to the band's spokesperson:

• 2/12 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Palookaville
• 2/14 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Grill
• 2/15 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox
• 2/16 - Spokane, WA @ Ichabod's
• 2/17 - Vancouver, BC @ Richards on Richards
• 2/19 - Boise, ID @ Big Easy
• 2/21 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Liquid Joes
• 2/23 - Denver, CO @ Soiled Dove
• 2/26 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launch Pad
• 2/27 - Phoenix, AZ @ Big Fish Pub
• 2/28 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
• 3/1 - San Diego, CA @ Brick by Brick

• Unified Theory

There was more than the usual commotion on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles in the wee small hours of Monday morning, and it can be attributed to Unified Theory's debut video shoot.

Unified Theory is perhaps best known as the new vehicle for guitarist Christopher Thorn and bassist Brad Smith, whose last group, Blind Melon, disbanded after singer Shannon Hoon died in 1995.

The band shot performance footage for its pending first single, "California," in a Hollywood parking lot Sunday night and Monday morning with several hundred friends, fans, and extras in attendance. The band's management told MTV News that the single and its video, which was directed by up-and-comer Bobby G., are expected out by mid-July.

Unified Theory, once known as Luma (see "Ex-Blind Melon Members Resurface With Luma, Extra Virgin"), will be releasing its self-titled debut album August 15. The band also includes former Pearl Jam and Candlebox drummer Dave Krusen and singer Chris Shinn of the lesser-known Celia Green. Shinn hails from Charlotte, North Carolina, while Thorn, Smith, and Krusen made their homes in Seattle. All four members are now all based in L.A.

The group will be embarking on a warm-up tour up the West Coast beginning July 17 at the Opium Den in Los Angeles before taking on the rest of the country later in the year. Other tour dates confirmed as of press time include San Diego (July 18), Santa Barbara (July 21), Sacramento (July 22), San Francisco (July 23), Portland (July 25) and Seattle (July 26). No venues have been released yet for these shows, and a few more cities will be added to the group's itinerary.

• Unified Theory