Last week, I interviewed S.A. Martinez, one of two vocalists for rock-reggae act 311 (he shares vocal duties with singer/guitarist Nick Hexum). When we spoke, the band was working on a new album and getting ready to hit the road with Snoop Dogg. Their Unity Tour, which kicked off a few days after our conversation, includes a stop Friday at Rothbury.
Press: You're working on a record now. How's the new stuff shaping up?
Martinez: The new stuff is the bomb, man. We put the last record out in 2005, then we focused on touring for a while there and didn't worry about writing a new record. We took some down time and had some space and just kind of cleared the mind, so to speak. So when we recommenced with writing, we really got into it, and things just started coming and coming. We've got 10 songs done with the producer we're working with.
Who are you working with?
Guy by the name of Bob Rock (who has produced Metallica, Aerosmith, Motley Crue, etc.). He was on a short list of producers that a rep from our label had put together and wanted us to consider. We met with a few of the guys, and things really just kind of gelled with Bob. His discography speaks for itself. Honestly, I can say I'm not a huge fan of any of those bands (laughs). But that being said, working with him was one of the best moves we've ever done.
He definitely knows what he's doing, and he's brought something out of 311 that's never really been there before. We're all excited.
Where are you in the process, then?
We have 10 songs written. Everything is recorded on those songs except for guitar. Drums are done on all the songs, and bass, and vocals are done on most of the songs.
So mixing and mastering await once you're done with the tour?
Yeah, and then finishing writing. We'll shoot for at least five or six quality songs to complement what we've got.
This will be the 10th record?
Let's see, not counting our live album or greatest hits, I think it will actually be our eighth album.
It's rare for a band to be as productive as 311 for as long as you have been, with basically the same lineup the whole time.
Initially, early on, that was what we had to do to really forge our way in the industry. If a band tours, you have to really tour in support of an album. Early on, we weren't blowing up on radio at all, and our bread and butter was the live show. So we had to keep fueling that fire, so yeah, we put out an album, went on tour, got back, then put out an album again (laughs). We did that for three straight years, then it became every other year for a long time.
This has been the biggest separation between albums because the last one came out in 2005. Now we are at that point where we can tour in support of our catalog. We're becoming a heritage band, so to speak. We can really just rely on what we've done in the past. But it's great now to have some new music in the chamber.
So now you've got the liberty to really spend time on a record.
Yeah, totally. I guess we've worked up to this point where we can do that, thank God. To keep that kind of consistency up, I mean, something's not gonna go right.
Will you be playing new stuff on the road?
We've talked about it. I don't know if we've come to a conclusion. My gut feeling is we probably won't because ... it's been three years since our last record, and I guess we really don't want to see the first material from it on YouTube. It will be more special for us and our fans to at least keep it to a leak right before it comes out (laughs). Hopefully it won't come to that.
Dude, every record leaks.
Yeah, it's the nature of the beast now. But if it leaked closer to the release date, and it was proper audio leak, it would be fine with us.
Really?
There is a new model, like take it for free or pay what you want, and it's OK for a band like us, but most bands don't have the luxury to be able to afford to do that. In a way, it works for some bands. But a lot of bands just have to have some kind of monetary supplement there to work.
How did the tour with Snoop come together?
We go with anything (laughs). It's easy to really pair us with any genre of music. We've done the H.O.R.D.E. tour, we've done hip-hop packages, we've done the reggae groups. Thankfully, we have that luxury. It makes it easy in a way. It's easy because our style of music is varied. Snoop came along because... honestly, it just came out of the blue. We were talking with Ben Harper for a second, and the Black Crowes, and then Snoop came along, and promoters really saw it happening. His agent and our agent were just kind of gelling and talking. We're looking forward to it.
You get to spend the summer hanging out with Snoop.
Exactly. I don't think many kids from my high school can say that.
You guys will be playing the Rothbury festival soon. Are you familiar with the event at all?
We have heard of that festival. How many years has that been going on now?
This is the first time.
The first time? I was under the impression that it had gone on for a couple of years. Maybe I was confusing it with 10,000 Lakes or some other festival. You kind of get confused after a while. But if I understand the premise, it's jam-oriented, correct?
Mainly. My sense is that it's going for the original Bonnaroo crowd, considering that Bonnaroo's gone more mainstream in the past couple of years. There's some indie rock and hip-hop there, but it's primarily jam bands. Phil Lesh, Trey Anastasio, Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews...
For that show, we will definitely extend some songs. That's what we'll do for that audience. That's why we pair so well with ... you name it. Our fan base is wide and varied, and it just reflects the music. We have such a great fan base, and it's a great thing to be a part of because it's natural. It wasn't created. None of these things are created, great bands and their followings.
There's no greater compliment than to have a subculture spring up from your music.
How do you feel about festivals in general then? You're playing to a huge crowd, but it's not necessarily people who came to see you.
Yeah, it's always interesting putting set lists together for festivals. We played Langerado last spring, and we were going on right before the Beastie Boys. You give them stuff they're familiar with, and at Rothbury we'll give them that, and we'll give them stuff they're not familiar with because it'll be that type of audience that's into experimental music and extended soloing that's not on the radio.
With a catalog as big as yours, how do you approach building a set list anyway?
We'll go out on tour and we'll have 80 or 90 songs ready to play any night. We'll play a different set every night. Some songs will be in most of the sets. Not all the radio singles, but a good portion of them will make it into each night's show. Then we'll rotate through the catalog. We take suggestions from the forum on our Web site, but we try to keep it fresh for the band and the fans because we'll have a lot of fans that come to multiple shows.
These days fans are so connected, and they know what's going on as it's going on, so you have to do your best to keep it fresh and unique because that is what separates the men from the boys. It's easy to play the same set every night, and a lot of bands do it. And I understand it. It's a trap that you set up for yourself.
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