A 311 Profile (At the Shore)

311's sixth album "From Chaos" might not be what you have come to expect from this hard-rocking quintet from Omaha, Neb.

The band, known for its edgy mix of rock, reggae and hip-hop, has been lately invading the radio with some pretty mellow stuff. The ska-influenced "I'll Be Here Awhile" and the ballad "Amber" may suggest that the boys from 311, who all now live in Los Angeles, are softening up a bit.

But guitarist Tim Mahoney points out that 311 fans seem to be digging it. The band is selling out decent-sized venues - like the Sports Center at Richard Stockton College Friday, March 22. On top of that, the radio-friendly tunes are bringing new fans to the band, which has been together for 12 years.

"People are really responding to the new stuff," says Mahoney. "Like always, we're getting more response to the songs that people have heard more. But 'Amber,' which is the current single, has people really going nuts. I start the song on guitar and people start cheering. I think to myself, 'Calm down, I'm trying not to f-k this up here."

Mahoney says 311 didn't try to soften its sound, but the band does try to make some of its music accessible for radio.

"We're always in a weird position when it comes to that stuff," Mahoney says. "We make the record, and all of our songs are from the heart that we really enjoy playing. When we finish up, we try to figure out what songs will fit on the radio. When we finished 'From Chaos,' we realized the modern rock climate has changed a little with the focus being on hard rock.

"For whatever reason, we always seem to be a little different than everyone else out there. So we picked 'I'll Be Here Awhile' and 'Amber' and just hoped radio would play them. We figured maybe people would like a little reggae and ska with all of the hard rock out there right now.

"From Chaos" shows the band at its songwriting peak. While the band still fuses rock, hip-hop and reggae, there are some other surprises along the way.

"We're really big punk rock fans and that comes out here a little more than it has in the past," Mahoney says. "Drum and bass has really influenced us over the last few years. We all have similar tastes, but everyone has their own tangents. It's nice that we can bring all of it together. It keeps things fresh for us.

"I think the album also has a real live feel to it, too. We always find that if we can play and track songs together, and everyone has the energy and is on the same page at the same time, you can't beat that feeling in the studio."

"From Chaos" also continues the band's tradition of staying pretty positive lyrically.

"With all of the angry bands out there right now, I think we're a good alternative," Mahoney says. "Generally, we all have a pretty positive mental attitude. I think we adhere to positive thought, whether it's bringing people out of bad moods with the music or whatever. But overall, I think this is a real good record for us. Every time you make a record, you say, 'This is the best record we ever did.' But when you get back in the studio, you have to hope it gets better."

If you were lucky enough to grab a ticket for the concert, which also features up-and-comers Hoobastank, 311 will offer more than two dozen songs and play at least 90 minutes.

"Sometimes we get into two hours," says Mahoney, who was preparing for a big March 11 (3/11) concert the band tries to perform in New Orleans every year on that date. "It's 311 day, and the last time we played for four hours and 11 minutes. We're trying to top that this year. Last time we did 47 songs. So we have our stamina built up a little. By the time we get to Atlantic City, we should be in great shape."

311, which developed a reputation years ago for jamming out, got away from that a little bit over the last couple of tours, but Mahoney says the band is working back some jams into its set.

"We have a nice handful of songs that we can add to the beginning or ends of the songs," he says. "It's nice to open up on some of the songs. I'm a huge Phish and Jerry Garcia fan, so we've been getting back into that."

Mahoney, 32, remains single like most of his "lifelong friends" in 311 (P-Nut is the only married member). It's that freedom that allows 311 to hit the road for at least 150 dates a year.

"There's something about that Midwestern work ethic," Mahoney says. "I would never trade my upbringing for anything. I do miss my dogs when I travel, but we love being on the road. There's a lot of places I really love playing, especially New York and Philadelphia. "

So now that 311 has conquered the modern rock world, what's next?

"We want to be the first band to record in outer space," Mahoney says with a laugh. "But that's at one end of the spectrum. More realistically, we're just looking forward to our summer tour. There's nothing like touring in the summer."