Talk to Tim Mahoney of 311, and it's no surprise that his band is calling its new CD "Uplifter."
Mahoney is just, well, so nice and cheerful. So unruffled. So upbeat.
The rap-rock group from Nebraska has made positivity its official stance from the start, and now, 19 years and 14 records later, 311 still is sending out good vibrations to listeners.
"Music is an uplifter for all of us in the band," Mahoney says during a phone interview. "One of our managers is responsible for that title, but when we heard it, it seemed to fit."
These five players -- guitarist Mahoney, singer-guitarist Nick Hexum, bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills, drummer Chad Sexton and singer-DJ Douglas "SA" Martinez -- hit their stride in the mid-'90s with smash singles such as "Down," "All Mixed Up" and "Beautiful Disaster."
Although part of the nu-metal craze, 311 distinguished itself by avoiding the dark side and opting for reggae rhythms and funk grooves instead of grunge and sludge. (An appreciation for recreational marijuana use was part of the lyrical aesthetic, but as Martinez once said, 311 declined to be pigeonholed as "happy stoners.")
The energetic force of their live shows, including several dates in Birmingham, helped to develop a devoted fan base. And, after nu-metal hit its peak and public attention moved to other trends, the core of 311's fans stuck around.
The band never stopped touring, although it did pull back some, and has drawn thousands to its 311 Day music marathons, held every other year on March 11 in New Orleans.
On Saturday, 311 returns here for a headlining set at the Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil with all key members intact, not to mention that buoyant attitude.
"For me, personally, I'm happier now than I've ever been playing music," Mahoney says. "I think we've grown as a unit. We're democratic, and we enjoy that. We enjoy each other's company."
Faithful admirers also have reason to be happy: "Uplifter," set for a June 2 release, is the group's first studio recording in four years.
Breaking with tradition, 311 opted to work with producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Motley Crue, The Offspring) instead of longtime collaborator Ron Saint Germain.
"We love Ron; he's a good guy and a great friend. But we've done so many records together, and we wanted to try something new and fresh," Mahoney says. "I think he got the most out of us, as far as potential goes, and I think the songs will show it."
Their sessions at The Hive, 311's studio in Omaha, resulted in songs such as "Hey You" (the first single), "Golden Sunlight," "India Ink" and "Two Drops in the Ocean." Mahoney says Rock assumed a "classic producer" role, focusing on ideas and arrangements for material the band had written beforehand.
Rock mixed the songs at his home studio in Maui, Hawaii, while the band remained stateside.
"I think he didn't want a bunch of weirdos coming over there," Mahoney says, laughing. "Typically, we'd be part of that, but it was kind of nice to let it go and trust him. Maybe on the next record, we'll do some pre-production there."
Festivalgoers at the Crawfish Boil can expect to hear a couple of selections from "Uplifter" at 311's set, along with "Down" and other radio hits. The band also has dug into its stash, he says, and worked up a live version of "Crack the Code," a track from 2003's "Evolver."
Anyone who witnessed 311's previous concerts in Birmingham knows that Mahoney and his colleagues literally threw their bodies into the music, punctuating the songs like physical exclamation marks. Is that still the norm?
"Mentally, it is," Mahoney says. "We're older now, so I think that comes into play. But head-banging and stuff just happens. It takes about a week or two to get your gig neck back."
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