They started in Omaha 20 years ago, a quintet of teenagers who decided they wanted to start a band. Not just an ordinary rock 'n' roll group, but one that would feature an MC/DJ and incorporate rap and reggae into the mix.
Now, the members of 311, performing Tuesday at the Trib Total Media Amphitheatre, Station Square, are in their mid-30s, still viable, and thriving.
"A lot of hard work and dedication went into convincing people we are as good as we think we are," laughs P-Nut, the group's bass player. "That's what we've always relied on, so when the media or a record label or anything steps in to help us out, that's just that much better. But nothing can really take us down at this point; we're a good 100,000 obsessive fans deep, they support us endlessly, and we look to satisfy their interest in the band and grow from there."
311 first came into prominence in the early '90s, when the video for the single "Down" was in heavy rotation on MTV. Immediately, fans sensed something different about the group, notably in the way Nick Hexum's vocals were the perfect counterpoint to the hip-hop stylings of SA Martinez. With P-Nut and drummer Chad Sexton versed in everything from funk to rap to rock, and guitarist Tim Mahoney also possessing a diverse repertoire, they seemed to be a rare entity: a band that had a unique approach to popular music.
But not so fast. P-Nut is quick to admit 311 had a varying approach, but it was not something they cooked up in a vacuum.
"We're proud of what we do and we do know we opened some doors for some of the bands," he says. "But there's the generation before us of Fishbone, Urban Dance Squad, 24/7 Spyz and, certainly, the Red Hot Chili Peppers that really did define hybrid music before the term had even been coined. ... All of modern music is a mashup of many different things; it's not just one discipline. Country and western was a mish-mash back in the day, and rhythm and blues to the same degree, and rock 'n' roll was a mish-mash of those four."
But as more and more contemporary bands experimented with cross-hybrid sounds, the music became diluted. Instead of being artful, a lot of the music started sounding like chemistry experiments gone awry.
311 avoided that fate by paying heed to what worked and what didn't.
"If we were just happy pleasing ourselves, we'd still be playing in the garage," P-Nut says, noting that 311 owes everything to its fans.
That's not just a self-serving statement. Every other year on March 11 (3-11), the band holds a special concert in New Orleans that attracts fans from across the country and around the world. On Bourbon Street in the heart of the French Quarter, drinks named after 311 songs are poured at clubs and bars. Fans even band together for the 311 Fans Care project to help rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
"That's hard to not get emotional about, because it's so important to so many people," P-Nut says. "This is just a dream we started in a basement together ... It's just great. We're having the time of our lives."
No comments:
Post a Comment