311 Bassist, P-Nut, called The Rebel Yell from his Los Angeles home on a monumental day — the first day he and his wife were able to leave their five-month-old at home. Their date plans? A simple lunch. P-Nut’s approach to his personal life is similar to his musical method. He spoke about making music for 311’s loyal fans, Nevada’s “irresponsible” lawmaking and why he’ll be playing with 311 until he’s six feet under.
The Rebel Yell: 311 is working on a new album. What can you tell us about it?
P-Nut: We’re wrapping everything up. We’re trying to just come up with ideas that will add a little color to, what I think, are great songs. It’s just all about putting the period at the end of the sentence in this last day. It’s really exciting. We’re stoked about these songs.
RY: When you’re working on a new album, do you focus on individual songs or the album as a whole?
P-Nut: This time around we’re just trying to write songs for our core audience. We’re still trying to find our place in the world as the music industry has shifted so drastically. Since day one, it’s been about live shows, about putting on a live performance that we can be satisfied with and that people will go home talking about. We want to burn the house down every night. That’s what’s kept us for so long. When we’re in front of you … we are going to knock you over.
RY: Why was it important to the band to tour before the album’s release?
P-Nut: This tour [that stops in Las Vegas] is warming us up for the [311 Caribbean Cruise] at the beginning of March. We’re trying to add more and more special events because the fans really seem to enjoy 311-focused celebrations.
RY: I noticed you tweet your fans. How has social networking changed your relationship with them?
P-Nut: It’s just added to it. We’ve had a fan club since ‘94 and we’ve had an active presence online since ‘96. We’re all about keeping the fans kind of close. It’s so easy and we love to communicate. No one would have ever seen it coming 15 years ago but it’s a part of our daily lives now. Who knows where it’s going next but I’m excited to be riding the wave with our fans.
RY: Has using Twitter resulted in any strange experiences with fans?
P-Nut: I’ve really only had to block one person [on Twitter]. And, I can be pretty intense in my atheistic views. I like challenging people’s views and I like to be challenged by my own views. I don’t mind that kind of conflict online. I think it’s a really good thing.
RY: In the past, you’ve been outspoken about your own drug use. Is that something you’ve reconsidered now that you have a five-month-old?
P-Nut: No, not at all. I think the way we’ve sequestered drug use into this criminal umbrella is really where the problem is. Drug users and drug abusers aren’t criminals until they break the law by stealing or hurting someone to feed their need. That’s when you’re talking about hard drugs. You’ll never hear about a stoner robbing someone so they can get a joint. The laws that Nevada had on the books for 50-some odd years — smoke a joint, go to jail? Come on! That’s irresponsible lawmaking and it’s really just racism when it comes down to it.
The laws were set up to hassle the people lawmakers wanted to hassle and [marijuana] was one way they could do it. Stoners aren’t criminals and I think America is starting to wake up to that.
RY: 311 is originally from Nebraska. How did you guys develop your unique sound there?
P-Nut: We’re just a reflection of what we were listening to. You’re a product of your environment. We were feeding ourselves Red Hot Chili Peppers, 24/7 Spyz and Fishbone. It’s just about hard, rocking funk. We wanted to play music because it’s so much fun. We complement each other really well.
RY: You play The Joint next weekend, what’s one of your favorite songs to play live?
P-Nut: It changes daily, nightly, per the set we’re playing. Certain songs from our second album, Grassroots, like “Six” or “Offbeat Bare Ass” are just so out there. They’re so fun to play and so out there. These are songs that just wouldn’t have come from any other group of people in any part of history and we’re totally proud of that. As an artist, you’re getting a license to be completely honest, completely ridiculous and completely yourself.
Somewhere in there you can find you voice. You’re being led to that by the people that support you. Any shortcut away from that is canceling out a great opportunity to be honest and bold and silly.
RY: Why do you think 311’s earlier hits are still popular in the college scene?
P-Nut: They feel good. We haven’t had to go out of our way to be positive. That’s just who we are. In that party situation we fit in really good. We’re never going to bring you down. If we bring you down, we’ll always be able to pick you back up.
RY: What next for 311? Is retirement an option?
P-Nut: No way! That’s what’s so great about music. It’s not like I’m a professional basketball player or a ditch digger. I’m going to be able to do this until I’m in the ground.
If you choose music or any kind of art, besides dance which becomes physically impossible, you can do it forever. I wouldn’t be the person I am if I hadn’t picked up the violin when I was six and moved on to bass when I was 11. The joy that you can get from playing along with a Pixies song or a current song like Cee Lo or an Iron and Wine song … my wife is totally cracking up at me. [laughs]
RY: You better go enjoy your date.
P-Nut: Thanks!
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