Travis Shane Meeks (born April 27, 1979) is an American musician and the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for acoustic rock band Days of the New.
At age 17, Meeks was signed to Geffen Records, and from 1997 to 2001 his band of rotating musicians experienced mainstream success with three studio albums.
During that time, Meeks formed an experimental rock band called Bad Dreemz which included Jesse Vest and Mat Taul.
In 1995, Meeks moved to Louisville, and Dead Reckoning changed its name to Days of the New as well as its genre to an acoustic rock, post-grunge style.
"[2] At the age of 17, Meeks and fellow teenage band members Mat Taul, Todd Whitener and Jesse Vest were signed to a major record label.
However, lack of distribution and finances as a result of the IRS seizing his royalties continually delayed the albums' official release.
After finding the body of his friend and former Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr in March 2011,[9] he experienced a divorce in 2012, which prompted a one-year hiatus.
[12] On October 10 that year, he was arrested in Portland, Maine, on a warrant for failing to appear in court after being charged with possession of a hypodermic needle.
Travis also was enthusiastically offered an audition by then ex-members of Guns N' Roses to be the vocalist and frontman of Velvet Revolver in 2001; however, his creative differences as well as his predicament with addiction resulted in them declining Meeks.
He also favors acoustic guitar over electric, once citing: Travis Meeks's influences include Dead Can Dance (which he discovered whilst recording his debut), The Doors, Pink Floyd, Pantera, Metallica, Guns 'N Roses, Aerosmith, Tool, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Iron Maiden, and Slayer.
Other key favorites of Meeks include Peter Gabriel, Basil Poledouris, Philip Glass, The Crystal Method, and The Nightmare Before Christmas by Danny Elfman.