Thursday, June 30, 2011

311 stays close to Midwestern roots (Wichita Eagle)

311 will perform in Wichita’s Orpheum Theatre's largest outdoor concert to date at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
It’s not difficult to figure out why 311 has been going strong for more than 20 years. The group, which formed in 1990 in Omaha, works relentlessly on diverse pop-rock music that includes touches of rap, reggae and even metallic guitar tones.

“I think part of the reason we’re still happening is because of our Midwest roots,” vocalist-DJ SA Martinez said while calling from his Los Angeles home.


“There is a Midwestern humbleness about each of us. There’s no rock star attitudes in this band. You work hard in the Midwest. We’re very grounded, and I think you can thank Nebraska for that.”


There’s always been an openness to take sonic chances in 311.


“Each of us has different musical tastes,” Martinez said. “We’ve always been up for anything sonically. We’ll take chances and, not to get too Midwestern on you, but I think our risk-taking has something to with the openness of the Midwest. We’re being true to where we’re from.”


The members of 311 all live in the Los Angeles area now.


“But we have long memories,” Martinez said. “We go back to our roots.” 311, which also includes vocalist-guitarist Nick Hexum, guitarist Tim Mahoney, bassist Aaron “P-Nut” Wills and drummer Chad Sexton, will perform Wednesday outside Wichita’s Orpheum Theatre.


The 311 Block Party starts at 8 p.m. The stage will be at First and Topeka streets, said Adam Hartke, Orpheum operations and promotions manager. The concert will accommodate up to 2,200 people, he said, and is the theater’s largest outdoor concert to date.


The theater also will be open for sales of food and drinks, including alcohol — and for patrons to use restrooms.


The band will preview tracks from its upcoming album, “Universal Pulse,” which drops in mid-July.


“If you’re really into 311, you’ll dig this album,” Martinez said. “It’s a culmination of all of our sounds. It’s more focused since it’s just eight songs, but I think that’s a really good thing. I think this album is signature 311 since it touches on all of our sounds.”


The group will mix the new with such hits as “Down” and “Mixed Up,” which were ubiquitous back in the mid-’90s.

“We’re all for playing the songs that established us,” Martinez said. “We’re thankful that those songs launched us. We love flashing back to that period. For some reason, fans jumped all over those songs.”
The ’90s and the early part of the last decade were good to 311. The group has a pair of platinum albums and two gold records.

“Success is a good thing,” Martinez said. “We have a fan base that never let go of us. Because of that, we can continue to make music. That’s all that we want to do. It’s been a great existence. I thought about this when we hit the 20-year mark last year. I want to keep doing this for another 20 and more with this band. We haven’t had a lineup change in ages (since 1992), and that’s a special thing.”


If you go:

311 Block Party
What: Outdoor 311 concert
Where: Outside Wichita’s Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway. Ticketholders can enter through a fence at the southeast corner of First and Broadway. Visit the Orpheum box office to buy or pick up tickets at will call.
When: Doors open at 7 p.m., concert starts at 8 p.m. Wednesday
How much: All tickets general admission for $36, available at Select-A-Seat, 316-755-7328 or www.selectaseat.com.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

311 Announces Unity Tour 2011, Release New Single (No Treble)

In gearing up for their new album due mid-July, 311 has announced an extensive amphitheater tour about the U.S. The Unity Tour 2011 begins July 6th in Wichita, Kansas and will include support from Sublime with Rome, DJ Soulman, and DJ Trichrome. The schedule also has the band’s first 3-day 311 Pow Wow Fest, which has the group hosting acts ranging from the Deftones to G. Love.

The group’s new album, Universal Pulse, will be out July 19th. Until then, the group has released their first single, “Sunset in July.”

Bassist Aaron “P-Nut” Wills says their latest effort has a special vibe to it.

“This time it totally feels different,” the bassist told SoundSpike. “There’s something in the air, momentum-wise for us that feels like it hasn’t felt in a good bit… I think the songs are strong enough to support that kind of emotional parade and the summer is our time—especially for our diehard fans. Us going out with Sublime with Rome, us having done the cruise, another 311 day coming up. There’s a lot going on in 311-land. It seems like more people have their ear to what we’re doing in the present tense than maybe the last 10 years.”

Source: http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2011/06/29/311-announces-unity-tour-2011-release-new-single/

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Alternative Addiction with SA of 311 (Audio)

311 Mirror Their Expierence With Music (Rip Read And Rock, Westwood One)

ALT/INDIE STORIES

311 have one of the best following’s in music and their shows have become something more than just a band playing the hits for whoever shows up.  Singer Nick Hexum says he’s well aware of the community and draw his band has become and it’s served as inspiration for several new tracks on their “Universal Pulse” album.  The vocalist says, “You know there is a lot of sort of nostalgic kind of look at like, ‘Man, look at what we’re a part of.’  Because…311, we’re kind of a movement and the way our fans feel about it is it’s not just a bunch of people watching a band or whatever.  It’s kind of a state of mind.”  Their current single, “Sunset In July,” is all about what it’s like for the band to be playing for their audience during the summer, as has become custom with their “Unity” tour. 

Monday, June 27, 2011

INTERVIEW: P-Nut of 311 (insideSTL)

They may have given up being nudists, but 311’s music making abilities have stayed on track through their 21-year career and they’re bringing their latest tour to St. Louis July 9.

311 bassist P-Nut talks about how technology influenced the band, where they got their name, touring with Sublime and much more.

InsideSTL: How would you describe your style of music to someone who has never heard of 311?
P-Nut: I’d tell them to get out more often, and I’d say that we are like a hybrid. We were all born in the ’70s and grew up in the ’80s. We saw computers go from too expensive to own to everyone having one in their home. I think in that way, information has always been closer to us, and even closer to kids grew up in ’90s and 2000s.

We were the first generation of kids to have had computers in our home and access in our home…Growing up when we did allowed us to listen to all kinds of music…the British invasion, and when Americans turned blues and country into rock n’ roll and then this tiny little island out in the Caribbean, known mostly as Jamaica, that changed our worlds. We took all the sounds [and] influences and turned them into the music we create. And we don’t really think about it anymore. Of course we’ll put his rock riff next to this reggae line.

InsideSTL: How did the band come up with the name 311?
PN: 311 came from an experience a friend of mine had. He got arrested in a neighborhood pool. The pool was surrounded by the neighborhood. [It was during] the off seasons…[he] stripped off his clothes and was [charged with]…indecent exposure. We thought it was the funniest thing in the world and just ran with it. And, where we used to be nudists, we kind of gave that up. We’ve accepted that clothes are OK.

InsideSTL: What has had the most influence on your music since you started?
PN: The band itself, the lives that we live touring and outside of touring with our families. Three of us are married. Three of us are dads. That’s a huge influence now. Our oldest kids are only 2 years old, SA and Nick’s kids are about to turn two. That’ll be the new biggest influence on us. Our kids, simplicity, the way that time kind of slows down when you watch kids…it’s kind of profound. Simply living life. There are two sides [of life, the touring life and life with our families]…and the way those kind of intersect is what we write about.

But it’s not the easies thing to come up with new ideas. We’ve been in the band for 21 years. We got to live life to talk about it so that’s what it’s all about.

InsideSTL: What can fans expect from the new album, Universal Pulse?
PN: We put a lot of positive, aggressive energy into it. We always think about how songs will feel on stage, since we’re most likely going to play them on stage. We kind of take the fans’ perspective into account. We don’t let it drive the whole inspiration, but we like thanking the fans for coming out and seeing us…They’ll expect to hear songs saying thank you for listening and coming out to shows.

InsideSTL: What are you thoughts on touring with Sublime with Rome?
PN: I think it’s been a long time coming. Of course, it would’ve been great to do a tour this big with Bradley if he hadn’t passed the week after their biggest album came out. That adds a certain legend to bands, where they’re not going to be able to make music like that ever again…There’s a sad, somber kind of coolness in that. Their songs are so great it really deserves a 2.0 version of the band, even without their writer and leader and stuff. It’ll be really cool to see them.

InsideSTL: What should fans expect from your live show?
PN: People come far and wide to see our live show. It would be a little out of my area to say how good we are because that’s not really up for me [to decide]. But I’d be really impressed to see the band that works as hard as we do on being able to play our instruments and being ourselves while we play our instruments…I like to think of us, we’re on the soulful side of that. We’re good at what we do. We love our instruments, we love our craft. But it’s still us…We didn’t go to music school to learn our craft…It’s kind of like a fun mastership of the instruments.

It think anyone who, if you love seeing live music, then you’ve gotta come see our show. Supposedly, we put one of the better rock shows out there…[people are] going to be surrounded by people with similar mindsets. They’re there to enjoy themselves, but they’re not there to fuck shit up or be a jackass. It’s like celebrate, let’s celebrate this life.

InsideSTL: How does playing an outdoor venue differ from playing indoor venues? Do you perform differently?
PN: If feels totally different. You can have really special, unique moments in both atmospheres. There’s something great about an outdoor stage when it starts raining on people….and there’s something about being packed in tiny club where the energy in there is sealed in an envelope and there’s no escaping it…It’s like a drug. You can do that inside and out.

InsideSTL: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
PN: I’ve been donating my time here and there to tell teenagers about how great it is to be a musician, and more to the point and less specific…to be an artist is really my point. If you’re a writer, write. If you’re a dancer, dance…Anything you can do in your life, to be passionate about [it]. Cooking is an art. Conversation, I think, is an art. It’s tough to make money being a conversationalist, but that’s not even really the point… I really want to get in teens ears about falling in love with something in life outside of video games because that doesn’t make you any different…that’s not my passion in life. It’s a diversion. And it’s good to recognize the difference between the two. I can build on my musicianship way more than I can my [gaming]…I just think that’s so important. I don’t want to see a lost generation where there’s media and all these distractions…You can watch your life be a thousand time richer than you could possibly imagine.

http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/Community/STLMusic/tabid/77/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/6884/INTERVIEW-P-Nut-of-311.aspx

311 Talks "Universal Pulse," Rocking For Positivity, and "2011: A Space Odyssey" (ArtistDirect)

"We're all about bringing people together," declares 311 vocalist and guitarist Nick Hexum.

311's tenth studio album, Universal Pulse [due out July 19th], makes that connection to the audience stronger than ever before. 311 preserve the hallmarks of their sound—sly funk beats, heavy rugged guitars, rich bass wizardry, and hypnotic vocals—while immensely progressing at the same time. Songs like "And A Ways to Go" and "Weightless" flutter into space rock territory with an ethereal elegance that's utterly breathtaking. Meanwhile, the first single, "Sunset in July", is one of the group's catchiest anthems to date. This is a new classic for 311 and one of the best rock releases of 2011. Fans will be able to feel Universal Pulse all summer when the band hits the road with Sublime with Rome…

311's Nick Hexum and drummer Chad Sexton spoke to ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino in this exclusive interview about Universal Pulse, getting spacey, rocking for positivity, and some favorite flicks.

What was your overall vision for Universal Pulse?

Nick Hexum:
We're out on the road all summer, and the music was made for that. We realize we're going to tour, and we're going to work the albums around that. It gets to that immediate one-to-one communication between us and our fans. We're making music for them to listen to and dance to. They feed off of the energy as much as we do, and that's the core of what we do. The album was meant to support that rather than the other way around.

Is it important for you to incorporate a visual sensibility in these songs?

Nick Hexum:
Lyrically, I think there's a pretty wide variety on the record. Some songs are extremely personal, while others tell stories and create images. Then other songs are basically talking directly to our fans about what it's like to be in this band and what we do. Songs will be hatched many different ways, and the lyrics will also come up in many different ways.

What fosters that visual sensibility for you?

Nick Hexum:
An idea can be hatched out of anywhere. At one point, we were talking about going into more of a trippy, space travel direction. A song like "And A Ways to Go" or "Weightless" were meant with that image in mind. Then, we're such multi-faceted people that we didn't just want to pigeonhole the whole record as that. Ideas just pop up. It's hard to say where they come from. Sometimes, they'll come from a discussion within the band. It's pretty cool to be a part of. I know I get quite a buzz when I've got an idea for a new song and I'm so excited to go demo it. Then, I'll be listening to the demo over and over again. Every time I get in my car, I'll crank my own demo and think, "This is going to be so neat for the rest of the band to get on, record, get out to the fans, and see people rocking to." That whole arc from nothing to something is a pretty amazing experience.

What's the story behind "Sunset In July"?

Chad Sexton:
It's just a song about what we do in the summer. We're usually playing shows while the sun's going down, and we like making people happy when we play music. That's our perspective, but it can also come from a fan's perspective as well. They're at a show watching the sun go down, and they're around people who are rocking with them. It can be taken many different ways. That's where the general idea was.

Nick Hexum: That's right on! You can see the facial expressions from the people in the first few rows. They have big huge grins, and they're lost in the music.

You manage to wrap a positive message within heavy music. Is that balance a crucial element of the sound?

Chad Sexton:
We're rocking for positivity. We always did that when we were young. We like being happy. We're fans of happiness, and we like walking that fine balance of hard rocking and beautiful. That's where we think we're nailing our stride.

Nick Hexum: Back in the day, we were always like, "We love heavy music, but it doesn't have to be necessarily associated with the anger and bitterness that metal was at a certain time." We just did what feels right to us, but we love heavy music. We can also combine it with whatever sentiment we want at that time. We don't have to be pigeonholed in any sort of attitude.

Did you immediately know "And A Ways to Go" would be the album's finale?

Chad Sexton:
The tracklisting gets put together as we go. There are more songs than we have on the record, so it develops as we go. It was very natural to have that be the finishing touch.

Nick Hexum: Over the years, we've had a few songs like "Sometimes Jacks Rule the Realm" and "There's Always an Excuse" that go through bunch of different phases. They started as demos lying around that we found ways to fuse together. "And A Ways To Go" is an example of that. When P-Nut does his bass solo on stage, he does this tapping thing where he syncs up his delay and goes with this wah sound. He gets into this crazy, rhythmic arpeggiating passage. I was like, "We've got to use that on the record!" So that little piece of a bass solo became the basis for that tribal dancing outro that closes out the album. It starts chill and spacey. Then, it gets heavy and rap-rock. After that, it goes into the "get-down".

What was your goal lyrically on that song?

Nick Hexum:
It's like space travel as a metaphor for personal growth. Look how far we've come and also there are so many new things to understand about yourself, demons to face, and truths to find out. It's like this spiritual journey that we're realizing we're somewhere around the middle of this big, long learning edification process that someone goes through in life. It's a look-back and a look-forward at the same time.

What's up with "Time Bomb"?

Nick Hexum:
"Time Bomb" is a direct thank you to the fans. It says, "Let me introduce you to the excitable crew". A long time ago, I had thrown out something like, "This one is dedicated to the excitable ones". Some of our fans call themselves that. "311 Nation" is a bigger name for all of our fans, but a certain crew of hardcore fans is known as "The Excitable Ones". The chorus opens with a shout to them because we realize they've enabled us to do what we do, and it's a thank you to them. "Universal heart pulse" is the lyric S.A. says in "Time Bomb". We're all about unity and bringing people together through music. When you hear a beat and people start moving, and they're having a non-verbal communication, it's almost like a spiritual experience when everyone's grooving together. Universal Pulse is like the pulse of energy running through everybody and the way people can become unified through music.

If Universal Pulse were a movie or a combination of movies, what would it be?

Chad Sexton:
Maybe 2001: A Space Odyssey

Nick Hexum: That's what I was thinking. It's got its trippier moments than any of our stuff has had lately.

Chad Sexton: 2001 is about life and the cycle of life. Universal Pulse is the same way.

What are some of your favorite movies?

Nick Hexum:
Chad was just telling me I need to watch Moon! Adaptation is one of my favorite movies of all-time. It's about the creative process. This guy is in the middle of an artistic block, and he's writing the movie that you're watching right now. It's a movie about the writing of the movie you're watching. It goes inside the rabbit hole. It's pretty trippy.

Chad Sexton: I'm a Kubrick fan. 2001 is one of my favorite movies. I did recommend Moon to Nick because I think it has some scenarios that are impossible to propose in a movie, but that does. Lately, I've been getting into documentaries and some comedy like Bill Hicks, George Carlin, and Sam Kinison.


Source link: http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/311-talks-universal-pulse-rocking-for-positivity-and-2011-a-space-odyssey/9008120

Friday, June 24, 2011

Quick Hits: Clarence Clemons, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Linkin Park, Britney Spears, J. Cole, Puscifer, The Killers, 311, DMX (FMQB.com)

311 are set to release their new album, Universal Pulse, on July 19 via their own 311 Records (distributed by ATO Records). The record only has eight songs, and singer Nick Hexum tells Billboard, "There was just a general 'Let's put quality over quantity' this time. It's kind of an experiment. We feel that people will want to hear it again, and I find that as pop culture goes further people's attention spans get shorter. So we'd rather do more frequent albums rather than 'Uplifter,' which took four years. Yes, that's a longer album, but I think of our fans had to choose they would want to hear what we are doing more often rather than wait for a longer album." 311 will be on tour all summer alongside Sublime With Rome for the Unity Tour 2011, along with their own Pow Wow Festival in early August in Live Oak, FL.



Source link: http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=2219946

Thursday, June 23, 2011

311 Releases 10 Studio Album (Seymour Duncan)

Long time Seymour Duncan artists 311 will be releasing their 10th studio album with an amphitheater tour to follow. Guitarists Nick Hexum and Tim Mahoney, and bassist P-Nut have used a variety of Seymour Duncan pickups in their instruments over the years. Says Tim, “For the last 15 years, there’s always been some sort of Seymour Duncan pickup in my guitar.” For the new album Nick wanted a fatter single coil P-90 tone and found what he was looking for in our Phat Cats which are P-90 pickups under a humbucker cover. Tim is going back to a true vintage vibe with the Antiquity humbuckers, but he is also using the Custom Shop ’78 Model for something a little hotter and fatter. And P-Nut is using his favorite set up; the SMB-5d and SJ5-3n in his signature Warwick..

For more information about 311, click here. Here’s the upcoming Unity Tour schedule. Look for the boys and their Seymour Duncan-loaded guitars at a show near you.

JULY

8 Bonner Springs, KS Capitol Federal Park at Sandstone

9 St. Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

10 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest (311 only)

12 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE

13 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theater

14 Chicago, IL Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island

16 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center

17 Columbus, OH Lifestyles Community Pavilion

19 Omaha, NE Red Sky Festival, Ameritrade Park

21 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Art Center

22 Wantagh, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Amphitheatre

23 Boston, MA Comcast Center

25 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

26 Philadelphia, PA Penn’s Landing

28 Virginia Beach, VA Farm Bureau Live at VA Beach

29 Washington, DC Jiffy Lube Live (Nissan Pavilion)

30 Atlanta, GA Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood

AUGUST

1 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

2 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek

4 Live Oak, FL Pow Wow Festival / Suwannee Music Park

5 Live Oak, FL Pow Wow Festival / Suwannee Music Park

6 Live Oak, FL Pow Wow Festival / Suwannee Music Park

11 Lake Charles, LA L’Auberge Du Lac Casino

12 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

13 Dallas, TX GEXA Energy Pavilion

14 Austin, TX The Backyard

16 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre

17 Salt Lake City, UT Usana Amphitheatre

19 San Diego, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre

20 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

21 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl

23 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View

25 Eugene, OR Cuthbert Amphitheatre

26 Seattle, WA Marymoor Amphitheatre


Source link : http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/seymour-duncan-artists/311-releases-10th-studio-album/

Festival Feed: Bands Can (and will) Create Their Own Festival (Consequence of Sound)

After staging what basically amounted to their own mini-fests every other year on 311 Day, Nick Hexum and crew finally took the dive this year and started a full fledged311 music festival – the Pow Wow. While the lineup is filled with past and current tourmates, the real highlight for attendees will be the four sets that the band plays throughout their three day stand at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. One of the sets will see the band playing Transistor all the way through – a first in their long career.

So what does it take for a band to be worthy of their own festival? The perfect candidate would be a great live act with a solid and extensive back catalog – especially a band ready and willing to dig deep in their shows. For this reason, most of the bands mentioned here deserve their own festival, love ‘em or hate ‘em. Wilco, Phish, Dave Matthews Band, 311, Pearl Jam, Disco Biscuits – all of these bands fit the qualifications perfectly.



Source Link: http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/06/festival-feed-bands-can-and-will-create-their-own-festival/

311 Dishes About New Album (103.1 The Buzz)

311 is getting ready to release a new album next month and are talking details about the new direction they took.

According to Billboard.com, 311 is gearing up for the release of their new album coming out July 19th and are ditching the ballads and concentrating more on music that is best heard live. Find out what where they’re heading and more below.

When asked about the decision frontman Nick Hexum explains, "Over the past few years we’ve realized we’re primarily a live band and we’re damn glad for that. So we felt the album should support the live setting. It’s nice to have a single (‘Sunset in July’) that goes on the radio, but that’s all kind of gravy. The core of what we do is touring and the live experience, so this album was created to support that. What’s going to be fun to play live, and what’s exciting? What you hear is a band in the studio, playing, and the album is mixed very naturally instead of going for more compression and everything."
Their new album, Universal Pulse, is more of "a concept album about space travel" where Hexum said he isn’t sure "if the rest of the guys really got into it." Hexum and his producer, Bob Rock (from 2009′s Uplifter), went through 50 demos before coming up with 8 that made it onto the album. Although the amount of songs is more of an EP than album, Nick acknowledges that the group is happy with its decision to keep it that way.
311 kicks off their Unity Tour with Sublime With Rome July 6 in Wichita, Kansas. You can catch them in Florida August 4-6 at the first ever Pow Wow Festival at the Spirit of Suwanne Music Park in Live Oak. The show will also feature deftones, G. Love, The Dirty Heads, Reel Big Fish, Ozomatli,Streetlight Manifesto, Mix Master Mike and more.
 
 
Read more: http://buzz103.radio.com/2011/06/23/311-dishes-about-new-album/##ixzz1QKK364i9

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Sublime With Rome Capture Top Spot On This Week’s Most-Played List (KROQ)

Sublime With Rome have scooted into the top spot this week with their new song “Panic,” while 311‘s “Sunset In July” also jumped into the top 5 with their new song “Sunset In July.” Make sure to catch the two this summer as they head out on the Unity Tour.

The Foo Fighters‘ “Rope” fell to the #3 spot, while Cage The Elephant‘s “Shake Me Down” continues it’s climb, reaching #6. Neon Trees‘ “Animal” dropped a few spots, as well as Paramore‘s “Monster.”


1. Sublime with Rome“Panic”
2. The Black Keys“Tighten Up”
3. Foo Fighters “Rope”
4. 311 “Sunset In July”
5. Foster the People“Pumped Up Kicks”
6. Cage the Elephant“Shake Me Down”
7. Incubus “Adolescents”
8. Rise Against “Help Is On The Way”
9. Social Distortion“Machine Gun Blues”
10. Linkin Park “Waiting For The End”
11. Rise Against “Make It Stop (September’s Children)”
12. Neon Trees “Animal”
13. Foo Fighters “Walk”
14. Coldplay “Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall”
15. Seether “Country Song”
16. Paramore “Monster”
17. Redlight King “Old Man”
18. Thirty Seconds To Mars “Night of the Hunter”
19. The Strokes “Taken for a Fool”
20. Death Cab For Cutie “You Are A Tourist”
21. A Day to Remember “All Signs Point to Lauderdale”
22. The Airborne Toxic Event “Changing”
23. Face To Face “It’s Not All About You”
24. Two Door Cinema Club “What You Know”
25. Neon Trees “Your Surrender”
26. Linkin Park“Iridescent”
37. Lykke Li “Get Some”

Audio: 311 interview w/ Across The Board (HAWK Radio)

Q&A: Aaron "P-Nut" Wills of 311 (SoundSpike)

The vibe for the forthcoming 311 album "Universal Pulse" is a little different than past albums, according to bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills. Things are positive in the 311 camp; radio stations have jumped on the first single, "Sunset in July." But the process leading up to the July 19 release of the collection wasn't always easy.

"We had a batch of songs that we got rid of before we started finding our way [with 'Universal Pulse']," Wills told SoundSpike.

"We did a second batch of songs that we started pre-producing with Bob [Rock] and realized how much better the second batch was; the second batch is 'Universal Pulse.' We were a little lost in the first batch. We could have turned them into songs but it would have been a mediocre album. We all saw that coming, and we didn't feel any pressure because we didn't have a label while we were recording and just kind of made the music we wanted to make. It's a good place we're excited about what's coming next."

The multi-platinum band will release "Universal Pulse" on July 19. Produced by Rock (Aerosmith, Metallica) and mixed by 311 drummer Chad Sexton at the band's Hive Studio in North Hollywood, "Universal Pulse" is the seminal act's 10th studio album and the first to be released via its imprint 311 Records through an exclusive partnership with ATO Records.

The quintet (Sexton, Wills,vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, guitarist Tim Mahoney and vocalist SA Martinez) will celebrate the album's release -- and its 21st year together as a band -- with a headlining amphitheater tour set to kick off July 8 at the Capitol Federal Park at Sandstone in Bonner Springs, KS. The Unity Tour 2011 will run through Aug. 26 (see itinerary below) and includes Sublime with Rome and special guests DJ Soulman and DJ Trichrome.

This year, the band will also launch 311 Pow Wow Festival, a three-day, two-stage music extravaganza taking place Aug. 4-6 at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. The 500-acre park and campground will be home to the 311's first multi-day camping and music festival. Confirmed artists include Deftones, Ozomatli, Sublime with Rome, The Dirty Heads, G. Love and more. Festivalgoers can look forward to a four-set performance from 311, which will include 1997's acclaimed album "Transistor" in its entirety.

Wills spoke to SoundSpike about "Universal Pulse," the 311 Pow Wow Festival and his love of the Pixies.


SoundSpike: Congratulations on the release today of the single "Sunset in July.

Wills: Thanks. It's even more exciting that a bunch of radio stations went on it early. Here and there I'm a little used to that, just because that has happened before. This time it totally feels different. There's something in the air, momentum-wise for us that feels like it hasn't felt in a good bit.

Why do you think that is?

I don't know. I think the songs are strong enough to support that kind of emotional parade and the summer is our time -- especially for our diehard fans. Us going out with Sublime with Rome, us having done the cruise, another 311 day coming up. There's a lot going on in 311-land. It seems like more people have their ear to what we're doing in the present tense than maybe the last 10 years.

That's exciting.

It feels like it. It could all be an illusion. I'm really good at convincing myself of things. But it feels pretty real.

I read in a press release that Nick said that everyone stepped up during the making of this record. Would you agree with that?

We try every time, but there's something really special about these songs and where we are as men in the band. Three of us are fathers now and [that's] just something really cool. Maybe it's our chance to look forward and look back in this quiet before the storm, before the album hits, on the day the single attacks radio. It's really nice. It's a good feeling. It feels like we worked our asses off and we've gotten even more than what we've deserved. Because our fans are so generous with their emotional let-loosedness, we're really thankful about the position we're in. At the same time, we feel we have a lot of work to do. We feel like we're at full strength, too, like physically and emotionally and spiritually. Just kind of ready to chop heads off, I like to say.

I'm looking forward to hearing "Universal Pulse." What can you tell me about the direction.

The direction is kind of like -- it's always like this - make the rock songs rock harder. Make the reggae more intricate, not so simple. Play as good as possible. You can't be in 311 and not know how to play your instruments. We like to show that off. We like the songs to translate to the stage, since that's how we've continued for as long as we have. That's always the umbrella under with which we work. This time we really did it. This time it really feels special. But I'm sure you can go back into some interviews a couple years ago and have me say the exact same thing. I'm the biggest 311 fan I know. And I'm always entertained by our positive steps and our misgivings. I'm just enjoying the journey. I like how imperfect we are. Even though we've sold eight-and-a-half million albums, how many more people we have to turn on especially worldwide. But even in the States, too, even though we tour every year, every summer, sometimes three times a year, there's still so many people that need to hear what we're talking about and feel what we're sending.

How was it to work with Bob Rock again?

It was great. He's like the cool dad, the really cool dad you didn't have that knows everything about gear. He knows too much about gear, and started out in the kind of lackey stage when he was moving tapes around for people and doing transfers and overdubs up in Canada. He started a band and started recording with them, started getting on the studio on his own, producing early Loverboy and all kinds of crazy things from Motley Crue to Cher. He's fun to be around, for one, which I'm sure doesn't hurt his career. He's also great to work with musically. His idea about when songs should change, how they could change, how they could change better, to enhance the stronger parts of the songs, he's just smart and he's that great combination of smart and technical with the gear and terribly creative and such a good communicator. That might be his greatest gift to us, is keeping an open door policy about what everyone adds to the songs. If it is lyrics, "How does this line sound?" "What would you say? How could we say it better." "How do you like this guitar solo?" It's more like a committee than just him and whoever he was working with, whether it was SA, Nick or Tim or Chad, he was working with all of us the whole time. Pretty special. Pretty unique. Definitely looking forward to working with him again. He's a sweetheart and he's really easy to work with. On [2009's] "Uplifter," he was really difficult to work with and I'm thankful for that, too. "If you're OK with 'good,' then we can live with that. You're not a good bass player. You're a great bass player. I want to hear it. Play something great." I'm like, "Wow, you're a dick." [Laughs] I'm a better bass player because of it. I'm listening more than I am just blindly reacting. It's a nice combination of using my instincts and, like, playing the game that I'm playing. The game that I'm playing is the game of the kick drum with Chad. So I need to either play right with him, or right opposite of him, in between the notes that he's playing on the kick drums. It's a little dance that all rhythm sections do that I find fascinating, that I think I'm just now getting good at.

It's amazing to see that it's 311's 10th studio album. It doesn't seem like it's been that long.

It's both for me. It could be the 20th album or it could be the second album. It's been quite a ride. I love that we've gotten to the 10-album milestone. I can only see good things in the future. We're just excited about being who we are, helping other people through problems with the lyrics, if that's what our job is to do, for whoever needs it. And just playing great shows. The great thing about the demise of the recording industry is that live shows are still just as much fun to go to if not funner to go to. If there's a band that you love, whether you heard it on the radio or print or even especially if you heard it from a friend, there's something exciting about seeing that band play the songs you want to hear. It's a good time to let go of everything that's troubling you.

What do you consider to be 311's greatest success?

I think that helping people out where people attach themselves to the lyrics and the meaning of the lyrics and find solace and repose from their own lives. What I always say when I hear, "You helped me out through the tough times" is "We're just a mirror. You had the answers inside of you and we helped you see that. � you would have solved that problem -- maybe we helped you get to it, maybe we helped you see it. We were honest enough that you could open up." But that's the greatest thing -- to touch people and have them truly feel it way, way deep inside of them and foreverlasting. I don't think there's any greater compliment besides maybe inspiring people to pick up an instrument. I think that's another great thing we've done on a smaller scale. But I think it's great. I think about that probably every night. Maybe there's someone in the audience that's going to play the drums after seeing Chad, or want to sing that song because they see SA having the time of his life. I love being on stage and playing in front of people. There's only a few things that can match that. Just the inner kind of confidence that you can get from playing your favorite song and learning them and writing new ones that people like to listen to.

Tell me about the Pow Wow Festival.

It's going to be great. We heard about the campgrounds. We were talking about doing a multi-date festival. It seemed like a perfect fit. Allman Brothers started out there a few years ago and kind of laid down the blueprint of how to do a festival in this specific place. We're kind of following that blueprint, except we're doing it on the rock side of things. It's just going to be great. I think we're going to show how powerful rock still is, and how they're all of these great bands that have been around for awhile. Most of the bands on the bill have been around for a good bit, still kicking ass and writing great song and putting on fantastic shows. I couldn't be more thrilled about having the Deftones on the bill. That's when it really, really got interesting for me. That's when it felt like the line up was very solid. It makes us look better and it makes all the other bands look great. It'll be three days, four days that people will never forget.

I understand you grew up listening to Kim Deal as an inspiration?

Everyone's a Pixies fan, I think, at least in my world. It's certainly not technical bass playing. It's not listening to Flea or Les Claypool or the technique kind of slapping kind of thing which I love as well, probably was even a bigger influence on me. The way Frank Black and the rest of the guys in the band wrote music, it was tricky in a really under the table kind of way. It wasn't like tricky right in front of you, like "I'm going to make something appear out of my hand." It's more like my hand would change color over time. You would wake up and say, "Wow, that's something I've never heard before, especially if you're trying to play along with it." The changes that they decide to use are so unique that to play them and learn how they create their songs is really smart for musicians to know how to do, because Frank Black does it as good as anybody -- especially in that simplicity. There's a simplicity to it where other bands would do kind of a cheesy pop change, Frank Black would do a classical fall down like a half step and make everything feel a little slower. Something about the way Frank Black writes has always turned me on. Even with his solo stuff and especially the Pixies stuff. I love the guy. I think he's about as underrated as they come and still a legend. Still a total legend. Seeing them live a couple times has been one of the best concert experiences ever besides seeing Ween.

311 PREP ALBUM TO PLAY LIVE (MTV RADIO'S MORNING FACTS)

311 will release their new album, Universal Pulse, on July 19th. Nick Hexum chatted about the effort to Billboard recently, saying their main goal for Pulse was to get a collection of songs “that were going to be great for live performance.” This came about after the guys realized they consider themselves primarily a live band. Do you agree?

· TIDBIT: Nick revealed that at one point while creating this 10th effort, he suggested the band do a concept album about space travel. That idea didn’t really stick though.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

311 Returns with a New Album and 2011 Unity Tour! (Pearl Drums)

311 announces their highly anticipated studio release and new Summer tour plans! (click picture for more)

Multi-platinum rock band, 311, have announced a July 19th release date for their highly anticipated new studio album, Universal Pulse. Produced by Bob Rock (Aerosmith, Metallica) and mixed by 311 drummer, Chad Sexton, at the band’s own Hive Studio in North Hollywood, Universal Pulse is the seminal band’s tenth studio album and the first to be released via their own imprint, 311 Records, through an exclusive partnership with ATO Records.

The quintet (Sexton, vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, bassist P-Nut, guitarist Tim Mahoney and vocalist SA Martinez) will celebrate the album’s release—and their 21st year together as a band—with a headlining amphitheater tour set to kick off July 8th at the Capitol Federal Park at Sandstone in Bonner Springs, KS. The Unity Tour 2011 will run through August 26th (see itinerary below) and includes Sublime with Rome and special guests DJ Soulman & DJ Trichrome. Please visit 311.com for ticket information and details.

This year’s Unity Tour marks 311’s ninth consecutive summer headlining amphitheatres and will see them playing an electrifying mix of classic tracks and new material, including brand-new lead single “Sunset In July,” which impacts radio on June 14th.

Says vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, “’Sunset In July’ is a song about what this band loves doing most: playing live and watching fans dancing in the aisles and having the time of their lives. There’s no bigger inspiration.”

On June 30th, the band will perform “Sunset In July” on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

About the album, Hexum says, “Everyone really stepped up during the making of this record. The tempos are faster, there are more guitars, and the whole thing feels like it has a certain swagger.” “It’s a musical journey with a burst of good energy,” adds drummer Chad Sexton. “It’s about making happiness available during tough times.”

Explaining the title Universal Pulse, Hexum says, “It’s a nod to the ideology of unity through music and its connective energy. Music’s ability to help people bond and communicate is really powerful. The fact that we’re still going strong 20-plus years later is proof positive.”

This year will also see the launch of the 311 Pow Wow Festival, a three-day, two-stage music extravaganza taking place August 4-6 at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. The 500-acre park and campground will be home to the band’s first-ever multi-day camping and music festival. Confirmed artists include Deftones, Sublime with Rome, Ozomatli, G.Love, The Dirty Heads and many more. Festival-goers can look forward to a four-set performance from 311, which will include 1997’s acclaimed album Transistor in its entirety.
Don’t miss your chance to catch 311 in action. Dates are as follows:

UNITY TOUR 2011

JULY
8 Bonner Springs, KS Capitol Federal Park at Sandstone
9 St. Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
10 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest (311 only)
12 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE
13 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theater
14 Chicago, IL Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island
16 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
17 Columbus, OH Lifestyles Community Pavilion
19 Omaha, NE Red Sky Festival, Ameritrade Park
21 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Art Center
22 Wantagh, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Amphitheatre
23 Boston, MA Comcast Center
25 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
26 Philadelphia, PA Penn’s Landing
28 Virginia Beach, VA Farm Bureau Live at VA Beach
29 Washington, DC Jiffy Lube Live (Nissan Pavilion)
30 Atlanta, GA Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood

AUGUST
1 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
2 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
4 Live Oak, FL Pow Wow Festival / Suwannee Music Park
5 Live Oak, FL Pow Wow Festival / Suwannee Music Park
6 Live Oak, FL Pow Wow Festival / Suwannee Music Park
11 Lake Charles, LA L’Auberge Du Lac Casino
12 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
13 Dallas, TX GEXA Energy Pavilion
14 Austin, TX The Backyard
16 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
17 Salt Lake City, UT Usana Amphitheatre
19 San Diego, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
20 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
21 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
23 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View
25 Eugene, OR Cuthbert Amphitheatre
26 Seattle, WA Marymoor Amphitheatre

For more information on Chad Sexton and 311, please visit them online at www.311.com. Also be sure to keep checking back to www.PearlDrum.com for a sneak peek of Chad’s new custom Reference Series kit, which he will debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!


Source link: http://www.pearldrum.com/News/Artist-News-Article.aspx?id=992

311 Ditches Ballads, Space Travel Notions on 'Universal Pulse' (Billboard)

311's forthcoming new album, "Universal Pulse," went through "a lot of different phases," according to frontman Nick Hexum. Among them? "A concept album about space travel" that he broached to his bandmates.

"Yeah, I don't know if the rest of the guys really got into it," Hexum tells Billboard.com with a laugh. Ultimately, he says, the litmus for the group's 10th studio album -- due out July 19 -- was "to make songs that were going to be great for live performances."

"Over the past few years we've realized we're primarily a live band," Hexum explains, "and we're damn glad for that. So we felt the album should support the live setting. It's nice to have a single ('Sunset in July') that goes on the radio, but that's all kind of gravy. The core of what we do is touring and the live experience, so this album was created to support that. What's going to be fun to play live, and what's exciting? What you hear is a band in the studio, playing, and the album is mixed very naturally instead of going for more compression and everything."

He also notes that "this is the [one] album we've done that doesn't have any ballads. I don't want to close the door on that side of us, but this time it's a bit different."

Hexum says 311 and producer Bob Rock -- returning from 2009's "Uplifter" -- went through up to 50 demos and came up with eight songs for "Universal Pulse." He acknowledges it's more EP than full album-length, but the group is happy with its decision to keep it that way.

"There was just a general 'Let's put quality over quantity' this time," Hexum explains. "It's kind of an experiment. We feel that people will want to hear it again, and I find that as pop culture goes further people's attention spans get shorter. So we'd rather do more frequent albums rather than 'Uplifter,' which took four years. Yes, that's a longer album, but I think of our fans had to choose they would want to hear what we are doing more often rather than wait for a longer album."

After 16 years in the major label world, "Universal Pulse" is 311's first album for its own 311 Records imprint, which is being distributed by ATO Records. Hexum says the band did look at potential deals for the album -- "We just wanted to do our due diligence and consider all avenues," he says -- but ultimately decided it would be better of going on its own.

"We realized we don't need the middle men," he explains. "Because our touring is so strong, (labels) don't have to do anything; we've got such a direct relationship with our fans that we don't need them to 'break' us. If there was an upside to being with a label we would have considered that, but we realized we can provide all the services we were getting from a label. We can make videos and remixes and do all the different promotions that we think will provide extra content and excitement to our fans -- and be more effective than any sort of nebulous label services."

And, Hexum adds, "if we want to throw out a single or an EP or whatever, now we have the right to do that without any sort of all-powerful A&R man between us and our fans. It's very exciting."

311 hits the road on July 8 for its Unity Tour 2011 with Sublime With Rome. The group will also host its first-ever Pow Wow Festival Aug. 4-6 at the Spirit of Suwanne Music Park in Live Oak, Fla., which will also feature deftones, G. Love, the Dirty Heads, Reel Big Fish, Ozomatli, Streetlight Manifesto, Mix Master Mike and more. 311 itself is planning to play two sets each night, including a performance of its 1997 breakthrough album "Transistor" in its entirety.

" 'Transistor'...is kind of our 'Dark Side of the Moon,' and the biggest thing that our fans have been requesting is to hear the whole thing in order," Hexum says. "So we're going to do it for the first time there, and the whole thing is going to be a lot of fun and a chance to be out in a beautiful part of the country that probably not a lot of people have had the chance to visit." Hexum says that 311 also has "a lot of exciting stuff planned for next year that we can't announce. We're kind of pacing ourselves for a two-year touring season."

311's Nick Hexum Delivers Wife's Baby Without Doctors (RTT News)

311 frontman Nick Hexum isn't a doctor, but he played one at his home recently when his wife Nikki went into labor with their new baby daughter Maxine. The couple had arranged for a midwife but Hexum was forced to deliver the baby on his own when the baby came quicker than expected.

While speaking with People magazine, Hexum explained that there were some tense moments in the delivery, but everything worked out for the best:

"After Max's head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions. The baby's head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck."

"I knew from observing and listening the first time around that sometimes the baby's shoulder would get caught and they would have to reach in there and break its collar bone to free her," he said. "I reached my fingers in there and felt the shoulders and rotated the baby back and forth."

Moments later he says he "heard a 'wahhh!' It was an amazing moment." The midwife arrived at their home ten minutes later and cut the umbilical cord. Both mother and daughter are happy and healthy.

Monday, June 20, 2011

311 Frontman Nick Hexum is Seriously A Rockstar: He Delievered His Own Baby! (iVillage)

Nick Hexum, the frontman for 311, really is a rock star -- he helped his wife Nikki deliver their second child at home -- without a midwife. (She was in route for the couple’s planned home birth and arrived 10 minutes after the baby did.)

And he didn’t just assume the catchers position and call it a day. After baby Maxine’s head appeared, Nick noticed that she was blue and that the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, according to People. (This happens in about 25% of births, according to the March of Dimes, and, while it’s scary, it rarely causes any complications.) A quick thinker, he remembered that when his first daughter Echo was born, the doc mentioned that sometimes the baby’s shoulder gets caught and they’d have to reach in to free her. So he got up in there, gently felt for the baby’s shoulder and rotated her back and forth until she slid into his hands.

I’m impressed. So is my husband. While super-speedy delivers are (sadly) not the norm, this is a great reminder that babe number two often arrives faster than numero uno. In fact, my doctor warned me that I’d likely deliver my second in half the time as my first, which seriously only gave me two hours from ‘Is that a contraction?’ to ‘#!?&, get this baby out!!!’ That’s why we chose a home birth for our second, which means my husband totally could have been Nick Hexum. When I relayed the story to him, his jaw slowly moved south. Yet, I have complete faith that he would have given the same rock star performance. I think a lot husbands would have done the same. While childbirth is scary and surreal and all of that, it’s also so instinctual and primal.

If you're now panicking that you and your guy would not know what to do in this situation (it’s rare – we promise!), here's a primer. Have your hubs wash his hands (or use some hand sanitizer if you’re in the back of a cab), get some clean sheets or towels, and have him assume the catcher’s position so he can support the baby’s head with his hands on the way out. He shouldn’t ever pull on the baby’s head: If the baby seems stuck, he should do what Nick did and reach in for the shoulder. Once the baby’s head has emerged, he should feel for the cord. If it’s around her neck, have him slip it over her head and you can resume pushing. Check out this video for guidance. (Remember, there’s always YouTube. This guy helped his wife deliver that way.)

I’m glad that my husband didn’t have to reach inside my lady parts to extract our baby. But, man, he’d be guaranteed amazing Father’s Days for life. Nick Hexum, I hope you had a great one.

Pre-order 311’s New Album / Win Great Prizes (ATO Records)

You can pre-order the new 311 album Universal Pulse (due out July 19th) at http://www.311presale.com and automatically be entered into a contest to win some pretty awesome prizes.

Prizes include…
*PRS Tim Mahoney SE Signature Guitar autographed by the band! (1 grand prize winner)
*Lyrics from the 311 song of your choice handwritten by Nick and SA! (2 winners)
*Autographed prize-pack including guitar picks from Tim & Nick and drumstick from Chad! (12 winners)
*Pair of tickets to the 311 show of your choice in 2011 or 2012 (excluding festivals, 311 Day or special events)! (6 winners)
*Photo Pass to shoot photos from the front row photo pit! (6 winners)
*Phone call from P-Nut! (1 winner)

Rip Read & Rock (Westwood One)

311 Bah-da-da-da-dadiya!

Sometimes the best words for a song aren’t words at all. 311 singer Nick Hexum says that one of his favorite moments in their new single “Sunset In July” is a point where he uses “Bah-da-da-da-dadiya” to follow up the lyrics in the main chorus. Bassist P-Nut says he initially asked if that was a placeholder for a phrase that would eventually end the chorus, but Hexum was sold on the scat to finish things out. P-Nut says, “It’s great. That’s what it feels like. You don’t have to put words on something all the time and there’s a lot of feelings that you can lose in words, and that ‘Bah-da-da-da-dadiya’ says volumes.” “Sunset In July” features on the band’s new album, “Universal Pulse.” (see CLIPS)


Beating Pulse For 311

311 are getting things in order for their next album. “Universal Pulse” is due July 19th and fans are already hearing the new single, “Sunset In July.” The group recently shot a video for the track, which can now be seen at www.youtube.com/311. Nick Hexum says of the title, “Universal Pulse is a nod to the ideology of unity through music and its collective energy.” Pre-sales for the album start today at www.311presale.com. Every order will be automatically entered into 311 prize giveaways including a Tim Mahoney autographed guitar, backstage passes, concert tickets, photo passes and other autographed items. In other 311 news, the band will perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live June 30th

Sunday, June 19, 2011

311 Unveil Track Listing for New LP ‘Universal Pulse’ (Banana 101.5)

‘Tis the summer of 311, apparently. The alt-reggae, funk-rockers are back with a 2011 summer “Unity Tour” alongside Sublime with Rome (reaching Clarkston, Mich., July 13); their first-ever Pow Wow Festival featuring the Dirty Heads, Deftones and more in Suwannee River, Fla., in August; and plans to unleash their 12th studio album, ‘Universal Pulse,’ July 19.

The latest news out of camp 311 brings the album’s short-but-promising track listing.

“Shortest album, yet the strongest as well,” DJ and vocalist S.A. Martinez said about the album’s eight tracks, in a release. “Very tight and concise. Meant to move ya, lift ya, slap ya around a lil bit, then toss your hair at the end.

“Our fans are gonna love this album,” he added. “I think it’s a return to form in many ways, yet refined. The energy is great.”

Pre-sale for ‘Universal Pulse’ starts Monday (June 20) via 311’s website. Everyone who orders will have a shot to score prizes from 311, including an autographed guitar, backstage passes, photo passes, concert tickets and random autographed goodies.

In other 311 reports, frontman Nick Hexum recently was forced to step into the role of doctor and deliver his daughter, Maxine, without any medical supervision. Despite having scheduled for a midwife to deliver their second child, Hexum was pushed to deliver the baby when wife Nikki abruptly went into labor. Both mom and baby are doing fine, reports People.

311 ‘Universal Pulse’ Track Listing:

1. Time Bomb
2. Wild Nights
3. Sunset in July
4. Trouble
5. Count Me In
6. Rock On
7. Weightless
8. And A Ways To Go

311 / Sublime with Rome 2011 U.S. Tour Dates:

07/06 — Wichita, Kan. (without Sublime with Rome)
07/08 — Bonner Springs, Kan.
07/09 — St. Louis, Mo.
07/12 — Pittsburgh, Pa.
07/13 — Detroit, Mich.
07/14 — Chicago, Ill.
07/16 — Cincinnati, Ohio
07/17 — Columbus, Ohio
07/21 — Holmdel, N.J.
07/22 — Wantagh, N.Y.
07/23 — Boston, Mass.
07/25 — Bethel, N.Y.
07/26 — Philadelphia, Pa.
07/28 — Virginia Beach, Va.
07/29 — Washington, D.C.
07/30 — Atlanta, Ga.
08/01 — Charlotte, N.C.
08/02 — Raleigh, N.C.
08/04 through 08/06 — Live Oak, Fla., at 311′s Pow Wow Festival
08/11 — Lake Charles, La.
08/12 — Houston, Texas
08/13 — Dallas, Texas
08/14 — Austin, Texas
08/16 — Denver, Colo.
08/17 — Salt Lake City, Utah
08/19 — San Diego, Calif.
08/20 — Irvine, Calif.
08/21 — Santa Barbara, Calif. (without Sublime with Rome)
08/23 — San Francisco, Calif.
08/25 — Eugene, Ore.
08/26 — Seattle, Wash.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

311 Update! (Live 105)

311 is exploring new terrain with its 10th studio album, Universal Pulse, and we don’t mean musically. After years with major labels like Jive/BMG, the band is releasing the new set on its own imprint! Read more about the new record and waz happening with 311! just click more….
  • Universal Pulse is due out on July 19th and features the single, “Sunset In July,” which is already climbing the Modern Rock chart.
  • The band recorded the new disc at its own Hive Studios in Los Angeles, where it was produced by Bob Rock, best known for his work with Metallica, and mixed by drummer Chad Sexton.
  • 311 will kick off its 2011 Unity Tour — also featuring Sublime With Rome — on July 8th in Bonner Springs, Kansas.
  • The group is also booked to perform “Sunset In July” on the June 30th edition of ABC-TV’s Jimmy Kimmel Live.
  • 311 will also stage its own festival, called the 311 Pow Wow Festival, on August 4th, 5th and 6th at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. Confirmed artists include Deftones, Ozomatli, Sublime With Rome, The Dirty Heads and more. 311 will play a total of four sets throughout the weekend, including a performance of its breakthrough 1997 album Transistor in its entirety.


http://live105.radio.com/2011/06/16/311-update/#ixzz1QKDLGwkH

311's Nick Hexum Delievers Maxine Vita (Bump Shack)

311 frontman, Nick Hexum, was forced to deliver his own daughter, baby girl Maxine Vita Hexum, when his wife Nikki Hexum suddenly went into labor at home without any medical supervision after planning for a midwife-assisted homebirth on May 1.

“When I called the midwife to tell her the contractions were coming fast and hard, I was still calm. So calm that my wife yelled into the phone, ‘Tell her to get here now!’” Nick told Us Weekly.

The 41 year-old had the courage to remain as calm as possible even when he noticed the umbilical cord was wrapped around his baby’s neck. Nick, who had been present at the birth of his first daughter, 21 month-old Echo, knew what he had to do – he reached in and rotated the baby!

“I knew from observing and listening the first time around that sometimes the baby’s shoulder would get caught and they would have to reach in there and break its collar bone to free her,” he says. “I reached my fingers in there and felt the shoulders and rotated the baby back and forth.”

“When Max came out blue and not moving, I was real scared for a moment but then when I heard that first cry, it was a feeling of relief that I’ll never forget,” he said. “Really, it was the thrill of a lifetime. Seeing the miracle of birth first hand by ourselves was a crazy primal experience.”

Ten minutes after Maxine was born, the midwife finally arrived, but the birth was perfect (both baby and mom were okay), and they never actually went to the hospital. The midwife only had to cut the umbilical cord.

“Everything was fine!” Hexum explains. ”We never went to the hospital. We just sat in bed laughing and crying tears of joy about what a crazy experience it was.”

Nick tweeted, “Maxine Vita Hexum was born at 6:30 AM. She came suddenly. We delivered at home alone! Nikki and Max are fine! 8 lbs. So grateful! Resting… The midwife arrived when Baby Max was about 20 minutes old. It was wild. Kicking it old school! The Max Hex is on! Thanks for all the well-wishes and congrats. The Hexums are really happy.”

That has to be an unforgettable moment! Baby Maxine was eager to finally meet her family face to face. Most men would have passed out or freaked out. To Nick, who has been working on 311’s 10th studio album (“Universal Purse”), being a father is “a well of inspiration”.

Congratulations to the Hexum family!

Friday, June 17, 2011

311's Nick Hexum: Delivering Our Baby Was a "Primal Experience" (US Magazine)

311's Nick Hexum is a man of many talents.

On May 1, Hexum's wife Nikki suddenly went into labor. The couple had planned for a midwife to assist in the homebirth of their second child (daughter Maxine), but things went so quickly that the 41-year-old rocker had to deliver the baby himself!

"When I called the midwife to tell her the contractions were coming fast and hard, I was still calm. So calm that my wife yelled into the phone, 'Tell her to get here now!'" he told Us Weekly.

Hexum became extremely concerned for his daughter's safety when he saw that the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. Remembering the birth of his daughter, Echo, 21 months prior, he reached in and rotated the baby so she could be delivered.

"When Max came out blue and not moving, I was real scared for a moment but then when I heard that first cry, it was a feeling of relief that I'll never forget," he said.

"Really, it was the thrill of a lifetime," Hexum gushed. "Seeing the miracle of birth first hand by ourselves was a crazy primal experience."

So how has being a father to Echo, 22 months, and Maxine, 1 month, changed Hexum? "It's a well of inspiration," he said. The proud dad added that Echo loves her new role as a big sister.

311 frontman Nick Hexum delivers his daughter without medical supervision (The Celebrity Cafe)

Hexum was forced to react quickly when his wife went into labor sooner than she planned

Nick Hexum, the lead vocalist of 311, delivered his wife’s second child without medical supervision last month when she went into labor sooner than expected.

The couple intended on having a home birth, but their plans were altered when the musician’s wife, Nikki, went into sudden labor before the midwife arrived.

Hexum was forced to react quickly and cope with frightening complications that surfaced when their daughter, Maxine, became lodged in the birth canal.

“After Max’s head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions,” he told People. “The baby’s head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. I was worried the cord was choking her, keeping blood from getting to her brain.”

Having paid close attention to the birth of the couple’s first daughter, Echo, 21 months, Hexum knew to reach in, feel the shoulders, and rotate the baby back and forth.

“I jiggled her around until I heard a ‘wahhh!’ It was an amazing moment,” he recalled. “Everything was fine! We never went to the hospital. We just sat in bed laughing and crying tears of joy about what a crazy experience it was.”

311’s 10th studio album, Universal Pulse, is scheduled to release on July 19.

311’s Nick Hexum Delivers Baby (Gibson)

311 frontman Nick Hexum recently avoided a 911, as he was forced to deliver his daughter, Maxine, without any medical supervision.

In spite of having planned for a midwife to deliver their second child, the alternative rocker was pushed to step up to the role when wife Nikki abruptly went into labor.

At one point, things got scary, when the baby girl became stuck in the birth canal.

“After Max’s head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions. The baby’s head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck,” he told People.

Thankfully, Hexum, 41, was sharp enough to draw on the memory of the couple’s older daughter Echo’s birth 21 months earlier, and he quickly started to wheedle the newborn out.

“I knew from observing and listening the first time around that sometimes the baby’s shoulder would get caught and they would have to reach in there and break its collar bone to free her,” he said. “I reached my fingers in there and felt the shoulders and rotated the baby back and forth.”

He jiggled her around and finally “heard a ‘wahhh!’ It was an amazing moment,” he said.

Ten minutes later, the midwife finally reached the house to cut Maxine's cord. Mom and baby are doing just fine.

311 will release their 10th studio album, “Universal Pulse,” on July 19 and tour with Sublime this summer.

311 singer Nick Hexum helped his wife deliverbaby at home (Chron.com)

311 singer Nick Hexum helped his wife deliver their child at home after she prematurely went into labor.

The 311 frontman sprung into action and came to his wife Nikki’s aid when she suddenly started having contractions at their home last month.

The couple planned on having an at-home birth, but, because their midwife had not arrived in time, Hexum was forced to literally welcome his daughter himself.

He tells People.com, “After Max’s head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions.The baby’s head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. I was worried the cord was choking her, keeping blood from getting to her brain.”

Thankfully, moments later, a nurse arrived to help.

He adds, “We never went to the hospital. We just sat in bed laughing and crying tears of joy about what a crazy experience it was.”

The couple now has two babies at home – little Echo was born last year.

311 Frontman Tells Terrifying Story Of Delivering Wife's Baby (Perez Hilton)

We can't even imagine having to delivery a baby! Let alone, without a doctor or a midwife!

311's frontman Nick Hexum was forced to do just that when his wife suddenly went into labor.

He and his wife Nikki had planned on having a home birth for their second daughter, Maxine, but things went awry when she went into labor before her midwife arrived.

Having watch the birth of their first daughter, Echo, Nick wasn't afraid to dive right in and help his wife give birth.

He tells the terrifying and VERY graphic story of how it all went down:

"After Max's head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions. The baby's head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. I was worried the cord was choking her, keeping blood from getting to her brain.

I knew from observing and listening the first time around that sometimes the baby's shoulder would get caught and they would have to reach in there and break its collar bone to free her. [I] felt the shoulders and rotated the baby back and forth.

I jiggled her around until I heard a 'wahhh!' It was an amazing moment. Everything was fine! We never went to the hospital. We just sat in bed laughing and crying tears of joy about what a crazy experience it was."

Incredible! Such a harrowing experience, but thankfully it turned alright and both momma, daddy, AND baby are fine!

Way to be a hero, Nick!

311's Nick Hexum Helps Deliver Daughter Maxine at Home (Artist Direct)

311 singer Nick Hexum and his wife had planned for midwife-assisted home birth of their second child — daughter Maxine — but the singer was forced to step in himself when wife Nikki suddenly went into labor unexpectedly.

PEOPLE reports that it was not an easy go of it, since Maxine became lodged in the birth canal! Yikes. How frightening.

"After Max's head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions. The baby's head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck," Hexum, who delivered his daughter on May 1st, said. "I was worried the cord was choking her, keeping blood from getting to her brain." I am biting my nails just thinking about it.

Hexum was able to employ the same techniques he used when he assisted in their other daughter Echo's birth almost two years ago and he helped coax the newborn to a safe birth. Whew!!! He can put delivery room activity on his resume.

311's Universal Pulse is due out July 19th.

Would you ever want to give birth (or have your significant other give birth) at home?

Nick Hexum of 311 shares “crazy” home birth delivery (The Imperfect Parent)

The frontman for 311 used quick thinking and was able to deliver baby Maxine at home when his wife went into labor unexpectedly.

“Everything was fine!” the lead singer recalled of the joyous, yet traumatic delivery. “We never went to the hospital. We just sat in bed laughing and crying tears of joy about what a crazy experience it was.”

Nick and Nikki Hexum had planned on having a midwife attend the home birth of child number 2, but baby Hexum was born before the midwife could get there.

Hexum even managed to safely deliver the baby despite complications. “After Max’s head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions. The baby’s head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck,” he recalled. “I was worried the cord was choking her, keeping blood from getting to her brain.”

“I knew from observing and listening the first time around that sometimes the baby’s shoulder would get caught and they would have to reach in there and break its collar bone to free her.”

Hexum “felt the shoulders and rotated the baby back and forth.”

While waiting for the midwife to arrive, “I jiggled her around until I heard a ‘wahhh!’ It was an amazing moment.”

Nick Hexum married Nikki on New Year’s Eve 2008. She is a writer/painter who worked with the likes of Val Kilmer. Their first born, Echo Love Hexum, was also delivered at home on August 29, 2009. Of that experience he tweeted, “Echo Hexum was born at home today at four in the morning. Words cannot describe how amazing it was. Time to go to bed…”

Maxine was born on May 1.

311's Nick Hexum Delivers Baby at Home (Pop Eater)

Talk about things not going as planned. Nick Hexum, frontman of the band 311, found himself delivering his second child without a midwife when his wife suddenly went into labor last month.

According to PEOPLE, Hexum and his wife, Nikki, planned on having a home birth for their second daughter, Maxine, but Nikki went into labor before the midwife arrived.

Hexum had to be quick on his feet, not only for the delivery, but to deal with some scary complications as well when the baby got lodged in the birth canal.

"After Max's head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions. The baby's head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck," Hexum said of the terrifying delivery. "I was worried the cord was choking her, keeping blood from getting to her brain."

But luckily, the singer paid close attention when the couple's first daughter, Echo, 21 months, was born.

"I knew from observing and listening the first time around that sometimes the baby's shoulder would get caught and they would have to reach in there and break its collar bone to free her," he said, adding that he "felt the shoulders and rotated the baby back and forth."

That seemed to do the trick, and baby Maxine was born on May 1.

"I jiggled her around until I heard a 'wahhh!' It was an amazing moment," Hexum said of the birth, and adding that the midwife arrived minutes later.

"Everything was fine!" the singer said of the whole thing. "We never went to the hospital. We just sat in bed laughing and crying tears of joy about what a crazy experience it was."

Hexum's new album with 311, 'Universal Pulse,' drops July 19.

Singer Hexum Helped Wife Deliver Baby At Home (ContactMusic)

Singer Nick Hexum helped his wife deliver their child at home after she prematurely went into labour.

The 311 frontman sprung into action and came to his wife Nikki's aid when she suddenly started having contractions at their home last month (May11).

The couple planned on having an at-home birth, but, because their midwife had not arrived in time, Hexum was forced to literally welcome his daughter himself.

He tells People.com, "After Max's head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions.The baby's head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. I was worried the cord was choking her, keeping blood from getting to her brain."

Thankfully, moments later, a nurse arrived to help.

He adds, "We never went to the hospital. We just sat in bed laughing and crying tears of joy about what a crazy experience it was."

The couple now has two babies at home - little Echo was born last year (10).

311 front man, Nick Hexum, delivers wife's baby (Ledger-Enquirer)

I sort of love this article about how the lead singer of 311, Nick Hexum, delivered his wife's baby when she went into emergency labor at their home.

Now, my husband has had a decent amount of medical training, but I'd still be pretty nervous if he had to deliver our child. Luckily, the midwife for the Hexum family showed up shortly thereafter and was able to cut the umbilical cord.

Congrats to the couple on their latest addition to the family!

On a side note, I haven't seen a picture of Nick Hexum since like 2001. Doesn't he look kind of like a d-bag in that photo? Weird.

311's Nick Hexum Delivers His Wife's Baby! (Yahoo!)

911 situation for 311!

311 frontman Nick Hexum delivered his daughter Maxine without any medical supervision, Us Weekly confirms.

The 41-year-old and his wife, Nikki, planned for a midwife to assist in their second child's homebirth. But when Nikki went into sudden labor on May 1, her musician hubby took things into his own hands!

Hexum was concerned for his daughter's safety when he noticed the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. Remembering the birth of his daughter, Echo, 21 months prior, he reached in and rotated the baby so she could be delivered.

Fortunately, the midwife arrived about ten minutes later and cut Maxine's umbilical cord. Mom and baby are both doing well.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

311 rocker delivers his own daughter (BabyCenter)

Think your baby’s birth story is good? 311′s Nick Hexum has a whopper of a tale to tell after delivering his own daughter.

The plan was for Nick Hexum’s wife Nikki to deliver their second child at home with the help of a midwife, but sudden labor threw that plan out the window. All was under control until the baby, a girl the couple named Maxine, got stuck in the birth canal.

Nick Hexum, who shared the amazing story with People, says, “After Max’s head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions. The baby’s head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. I was worried the cord was choking her, keeping blood from getting to her brain.”

Thinking back to the birth of their first daughter Echo (seen here holding baby sister Maxine), Nick made a plan.

“I knew from observing and listening the first time around that sometimes the baby’s shoulder would get caught and they would have to reach in there and break its collar bone to free her,” he says. “I reached my fingers in there and felt the shoulders and rotated the baby back and forth.”

With the next contraction Nick says the baby “slid out smoothly.” With Maxine in his arms Nick recalls, “I jiggled her around until I heard a ‘wahhh!’ It was an amazing moment.”

The mid-wife showed up ten minutes later to cut the cord. “Everything was fine!” says Nick. “We never went to the hospital. We just sat in bed laughing and crying tears of joy about what a crazy experience it was.”

Do you think your man could handle delivering his own child as 311′s Nick Hexum did?

Nick Hexum To The Rescue (She Knows)

Pop quiz, Nick Hexum. Your wife's gone into labor and the mid-wife is nowhere in sight! What's a rocker dad to do?


311 rocker Nick Hexum and wife Nikki had decided to have a home birth for their second daughter -- they just weren't planning for Nick to deliver the baby all on his own!

Lucky for the whole family, Nick Hexum kept his cool when Nikki went into labor early. All was going well until the baby, a girl they named Maxine, became lodged in the birth canal.

"After Max’s head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions. The baby’s head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck," Nick Hexum tells People. "I was worried the cord was choking her, keeping blood from getting to her brain."

Nick thought back to their first daughter Echo's birth 21 months ago, and began to coax the baby out.

"I knew from observing and listening the first time around that sometimes the baby’s shoulder would get caught and they would have to reach in there and break its collar bone to free her," he says. "I reached my fingers in there and felt the shoulders and rotated the baby back and forth."

From there Nick Hexum says Maxine "slid out smoothly." He recalls, "I jiggled her around until I heard a 'wahhh!' It was an amazing moment."

The mid-wife who the couple had intended to assist in their daughter's birth arrived 10 minutes later, just in time to cut the cord. "Everything was fine!" says Nick, who shared this picture of Maxine when she was three days old on his Twitter page. "We never went to the hospital. We just sat in bed laughing and crying tears of joy about what a crazy experience it was."

What an amazing story! A round of applause for 311's Nick Hexum for delivering his own daughter!

Nick Hexum of 311 Delivers Baby at Home (Gather)

Nick Hexum is a man of many trades it seems, as the 311 frontman can not only rock, but deliver babies!

Hexum, who is now the proud papa to two gorgeous girls (including Echo, 21 months, and newborn Maxine), delivered his newest bundle of joy at home by himself on May 1, when his wife's quick labor necessitated a home delivery!

Though the pair had planned on a midwife-assisted delivery taking place at home, what they weren't prepared for was how quickly Hexum's wife, Nikki, would progress through labor, making it impossible for the midwife to arrive in time to be of service. Thankfully, Nick Hexum was quick on his feet, remembering details from the birth of the couple's first child and using them to guide Maxine safely into the world.

There were definitely scary moments, though.

"After Max's head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions. The baby's head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck. I was worried the cord was choking her, keeping blood from getting to her brain," he said in an interview.

Wow! It's a good thing that Nick Hexum is used to adrenaline-pumping, nerve-wracking situations (such as a 311 concert!) and was able to act quickly!

Congrats on your new baby girl, Hexum family!

311′s Nick Hexum Delivers Daughter Maxine (People Magazine)

He’s a star on stage as the frontman of 311, but Nick Hexum has proven his talent out of the spotlight as well.

Despite having planned a midwife-assisted homebirth to deliver their second child — daughter Maxine — the singer was forced to step in himself when wife Nikki suddenly went into labor.

However, things took a turn for the worse when the baby girl became lodged in the birth canal.

“After Max’s head popped out, the delivery stalled for the next couple of contractions. The baby’s head was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck,” he tells PEOPLE of the May 1 birth. ”I was worried the cord was choking her, keeping blood from getting to her brain.”

Courtesy Nick Hexum

Fortunately, Hexum — who together with 311 will release their 10th studio album, Universal Pulse, on July 19 — was able to recall the couple’s elder daughter Echo‘s birth 21 months prior, and immediately began to coax the newborn out.

“I knew from observing and listening the first time around that sometimes the baby’s shoulder would get caught and they would have to reach in there and break its collar bone to free her,” he says. “I reached my fingers in there and felt the shoulders and rotated the baby back and forth.”

And with the next contraction, Maxine “slid out smoothly” — but Hexum’s work was not over yet, as his daughter was still not moving. “I jiggled her around until I heard a ‘wahhh!’ It was an amazing moment,” he remembers.

Ten minutes later, with the situation now under control, the midwife arrived to cut the cord.

“Everything was fine!” Hexum, 41, explains. ”We never went to the hospital. We just sat in bed laughing and crying tears of joy about what a crazy experience it was.”

Courtesy Hexum Family

Nick Hexum from 311 Delievers His Daughter in Dramatic Home Birth! (Babble)

311′s Nick Hexum and his wife did plan for an at-home birth for their second child. A midwife-assisted home birth, that is.

But, when his wife Nikki went into labor unexpectedly, it was Nick who had to step in and deliver the baby!
This was always my fear. I had really quick labors and I worried that I wouldn’t make it to the hospital. I don’t think my husband would have stayed calm under pressure the way that Nick did.

The baby’s head came out, but then the delivery was stalled. Nick remembered from his other daughter’s birth that sometimes the baby’s shoulder could get stuck, so he reached in and rotated the baby back and forth. Ouch.

When baby Maxine was born, she wasn’t moving. “I jiggled her around until I heard a ‘wahhh!’ It was an amazing moment,” Nick says.

The couple’s midwife showed up ten minutes after that and cut the cord.

Phew! What a dramatic birth! Congratulations to Nick Hexum and family!

311’s Pow Wow Discloses Final Five (Pollstar)

The first-ever 311 Pow Wow Festival completes its lineup by announcing the final five acts added to the bill.

Scheduled for Aug. 4-6 at the Spirit Of Suwanne Music Park in Live Oak, Fla., the music/camping extravaganza had already revealed a lineup featuring Sublime With Rome, Deftones, G. Love, SOJA, The Dirty Heads, Reel Big Fish, Ozomatli, Streetlight Manifesto, DJ Soulman, The Supervillains, Ballyhoo and DJ Trichrome.

You can now add Mix Master Mike, MURS, Full Service, The Movement and Shinobi Ninja to the fun.

Of course, you’re also going to get plenty of 311. Playing Friday and Saturday night, the band will deliver two sets each evening, including a start-to-finish rendition of the group’s Transistor album.

Advance three-day tickets priced at $145 (plus applicable fees) are available now and include three nights of primitive (tent-style) camping, passenger vehicle parking and access to canoeing, hiking trails, mini and disc golf and more. VIP packages include tent, sleeping bags, access to private bars, viewing areas and bathrooms. For more information, visit 311PowWowFestival.com.