As they take their ’311 Day’ tradition to Las Vegas, veteran reggae-rap rockers 311 reflect on 20 years together—and their hunt for a new record label.
With only a few words the minister managed to crash his own Southern Baptist convention.
“Christians need to courageously seek persons of other races to mix with—and to marry,” he said.
The crowd of 12,000 gasped. Interracial marriage? Dr. R. Lofton Hudson, the father of pastoral counseling, struck a chord with his conservative audience. He spoke of unity. While lost on this crowd, Hudson’s message that day in 1970 would eventually rub off on his newborn grandson. Nicholas Lofton Hexum would form rock band 311, graduate high school early, write songs of acceptance, and move out of Omaha to spread unity far and wide. Twenty years on, Nick’s crowd is clearly listening—311 regularly sells out shows and has moved almost 10 million albums.
Since 1990 the funky reggae partiers known as 311 have promoted peace and positivity across the globe through live music. The five-piece band will play its biennial blowout, an event dubbed “311 Day,” to an audience at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay on March 11 (3/11). The tradition showcases a five-hour setlist and unites as many as 15,000 spectators from all 50 states. This 311 Day will be the first for lead singer Nick Hexum since he started a family.
“I’m on a little daddy duty this morning,” he explains in a hushed voice from his Los Angeles home, an hour before band practice. 311 is wrapping six weeks of rehearsing songs from its latest album, Uplifter, released last summer following the band’s three-year break from the studio.
“I took some guitar lessons and really buckled down on a daily discipline of working on becoming the player I always wanted to be,” says Hexum of the last few years. “The only way you can really screw yourself as a musician is to you think you’ve got it all figured out.”
That’s why reggae-rap architects 311 turned to a new mentor in 2008. #Uplifter#, the band’s ninth album, finds long-time Metallica producer Bob Rock pushing 311 beyond its comfort zone. While the group hasn’t left behind its trademark approach to songs, the rap-rock style isn’t leading the charge this time around. “Too Much Too Fast” emphasizes guitarist Tim Mahoney’s soaring tropical riffs over a shuffling Beatlesque time signature. P-Nut’s rich bass throbs in time with Chad Sexton’s brilliantly precise backbeat
on the textured ballads “Golden Sunlight” and “Two Drops in the Ocean.” These softer gems highlight the vocal beauty of 311 co-frontman S.A. Martinez and allow a break from the band’s more formulaic output, like “Hey You,” a single suited for those content with the familiar, radio-friendly side of 311.
“There’s plenty of 311 fans that say, ‘Just do the heavy stuff,’” says Hexum. “The truth is that we have to make music that’s just from the heart. You can’t make music by a focus group.”
“If we were just the same band every record, maybe we wouldn’t even be a band anymore,” admits drummer and songwriter Chad Sexton. “I think the last one is the most formulated musically on the songs, but in a good way, a way that 311 absolutely needed.”
While Los Angeles bands Fishbone and Red Hot Chili Peppers drew up the funk-metal blueprint in the early ’80s, 311 pioneered and popularized the double-frontman, call-and-response concept of the ’90s. Soon after the band recorded its first official demo, #Unity#, in an Omaha studio in July 1991, the tape caught the ear of Capricorn Records’ general manager.
“They had this ability to cross-pollinate all these different musical genres in a seamless kind of way,” remembers Don Schmitzerle, who signed 311 the following June.
Twenty years and nine albums later, the band plans to start recording again following the spring tour—with or without a label. “We’re free agents now, and so we’ve got a lot of options on the table,” says Hexum. The band satisfied its contract with Volcano Records last year. “I will say that we’re leaning towards one, kind of a label-producer combination,” he adds.
Before the band moved out to L.A. 20 years ago, 311′s tradition meant Monday night gigs at a popular Omaha bowling alley. Now the guys have their own holiday. 311 Day, a five-hour, Grateful Dead-like experience, never disappoints and always climaxes with a drum solo performed by every member of the group. To watch it is to witness unity at work.
“311 really showed us how to be a band, how to tour, how to make it a business,” says Sugar Ray leader Mark McGrath. “They’re really underestimated for what great musicians they are. They’re working on another plane.”
This year that other plane finds four of the band’s five members turning 40, an age when, as the adage goes, life begins. If all his years of making music didn’t convince Hexum of this, the realization hit home six months ago when he and his wife welcomed their first child.
“It’s just a very fulfilling thing,” he says, “a sense of purpose that you can never really fully understand until you’re in it.”
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Doubling Down on 311 (Boise Weekly)
The place isn't hard to find: Just look for the rainbow. Its spray-painted spectrum, weathered and sprawled along the length of a concrete building off 64th Avenue, has been known to lead certain musicians to gold records.
Beyond the music shop facade, down the hall of wall-to-wall guitars and past piles of drums, a modest setup of microphones and vintage equipment showcases an unsung Omaha, Neb., landmark. This back room at Rainbow Recording Studios once hosted Willie Nelson. American Idol winner Jordin Sparks cut a record here not long ago. And it was at this studio, in July 1991, that the guy in charge convinced local band 311 to put its songs to tape.
"I badgered them into recording at a real studio," remembers Nils Anders Erickson, Rainbow's founder. "I told them if they were going to press a thousand CDs they'd better keep the quality up, or it would haunt them the rest of their musical life." Erickson fronted the band $2,000 to cover the session.
Twenty years later, the funky reggae partiers known as 311 regularly sell out shows and have moved almost 10 million albums. The group's promotion of peace and positivity through live music culminates every two years on March 11--"311 Day"--an event that draws some 15,000 spectators from all 50 states. Next week, the band will play its biennial blowout at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay.
"The only way you can really screw yourself as a musician is to think you've got it all figured out," says 311 frontman Nick Hexum.
That's why he and his reggae-rap architects returned to the drawing board with a new mentor in 2008. Uplifter, the band's ninth album, finds longtime Metallica producer Bob Rock pushing 311 beyond its comfort zone. While the group hasn't left behind its trademark approach to songs, the rap-rock style isn't leading the charge this time around.
"Too Much Too Fast" emphasizes guitarist Tim Mahoney's soaring tropical riffs over a shuffling Beatlesque time signature. P-Nut's rich bass throbs in time with Chad Sexton's brilliantly precise backbeat on the textured ballads "Golden Sunlight" and "Two Drops in the Ocean." These softer gems highlight the harmonies between Hexum and 311 co-leader S.A. Martinez and allow a break from the band's more formulaic output of songs like "Hey You," a single suited for those content with the familiar, radio-friendly side of 311.
"There's plenty of 311 fans that say, 'Just do the heavy stuff,'" says Hexum. "The truth is that we have to make music that's just from the heart. You can't make music by a focus group."
"If we were just the same band every record, maybe we wouldn't even be a band anymore," admits drummer and songwriter Chad Sexton. "I think the last one is the most formulated musically on the songs, but in a good way, a way that 311 absolutely needed."
While Los Angeles bands Fishbone and Red Hot Chili Peppers drew up the funk-metal blueprint in the early '80s, 311 pioneered and popularized the call-and-response, double-frontman concept of the '90s on early albums like Music and Grassroots.
"They had this ability to cross-pollinate all these different musical genres in a seamless kind of way," remembers former Capricorn Records executive Don Schmitzerle, who signed 311 in June 1992. Twenty years and nine albums later, the band plans to start recording again following the spring tour--with or without a label.
"We're free agents now, and so we've got a lot of options on the table," says Hexum. The band satisfied its contract with Volcano Records, their label since 2000, last year. Before the band moved out to L.A. two decades ago, 311's tradition meant Monday night gigs at the Ranch Bowl in Omaha. Now the guys have their own holiday. 311 Day, the band's five-hour display of continuous classic cuts, climaxes with a drum solo performed, in unison, by every member of the group. To watch it is to witness unity at work.
"311 really showed us how to be a band, how to tour, how to make it a business," says Sugar Ray frontman Mark McGrath. "They're really underestimated for what great musicians they are. They're working on another plane."
This year, that plane inevitably leads four of the band's five members to age 40, a time when, as the adage goes, life begins. If all his years of making music hadn't already convinced Hexum of this, the realization hit home six months ago when he and his wife welcomed their first child.
"It's just a very fulfilling thing," he says, "a sense of purpose that you can never really fully understand until you're in it."
Beyond the music shop facade, down the hall of wall-to-wall guitars and past piles of drums, a modest setup of microphones and vintage equipment showcases an unsung Omaha, Neb., landmark. This back room at Rainbow Recording Studios once hosted Willie Nelson. American Idol winner Jordin Sparks cut a record here not long ago. And it was at this studio, in July 1991, that the guy in charge convinced local band 311 to put its songs to tape.
"I badgered them into recording at a real studio," remembers Nils Anders Erickson, Rainbow's founder. "I told them if they were going to press a thousand CDs they'd better keep the quality up, or it would haunt them the rest of their musical life." Erickson fronted the band $2,000 to cover the session.
Twenty years later, the funky reggae partiers known as 311 regularly sell out shows and have moved almost 10 million albums. The group's promotion of peace and positivity through live music culminates every two years on March 11--"311 Day"--an event that draws some 15,000 spectators from all 50 states. Next week, the band will play its biennial blowout at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay.
"The only way you can really screw yourself as a musician is to think you've got it all figured out," says 311 frontman Nick Hexum.
That's why he and his reggae-rap architects returned to the drawing board with a new mentor in 2008. Uplifter, the band's ninth album, finds longtime Metallica producer Bob Rock pushing 311 beyond its comfort zone. While the group hasn't left behind its trademark approach to songs, the rap-rock style isn't leading the charge this time around.
"Too Much Too Fast" emphasizes guitarist Tim Mahoney's soaring tropical riffs over a shuffling Beatlesque time signature. P-Nut's rich bass throbs in time with Chad Sexton's brilliantly precise backbeat on the textured ballads "Golden Sunlight" and "Two Drops in the Ocean." These softer gems highlight the harmonies between Hexum and 311 co-leader S.A. Martinez and allow a break from the band's more formulaic output of songs like "Hey You," a single suited for those content with the familiar, radio-friendly side of 311.
"There's plenty of 311 fans that say, 'Just do the heavy stuff,'" says Hexum. "The truth is that we have to make music that's just from the heart. You can't make music by a focus group."
"If we were just the same band every record, maybe we wouldn't even be a band anymore," admits drummer and songwriter Chad Sexton. "I think the last one is the most formulated musically on the songs, but in a good way, a way that 311 absolutely needed."
While Los Angeles bands Fishbone and Red Hot Chili Peppers drew up the funk-metal blueprint in the early '80s, 311 pioneered and popularized the call-and-response, double-frontman concept of the '90s on early albums like Music and Grassroots.
"They had this ability to cross-pollinate all these different musical genres in a seamless kind of way," remembers former Capricorn Records executive Don Schmitzerle, who signed 311 in June 1992. Twenty years and nine albums later, the band plans to start recording again following the spring tour--with or without a label.
"We're free agents now, and so we've got a lot of options on the table," says Hexum. The band satisfied its contract with Volcano Records, their label since 2000, last year. Before the band moved out to L.A. two decades ago, 311's tradition meant Monday night gigs at the Ranch Bowl in Omaha. Now the guys have their own holiday. 311 Day, the band's five-hour display of continuous classic cuts, climaxes with a drum solo performed, in unison, by every member of the group. To watch it is to witness unity at work.
"311 really showed us how to be a band, how to tour, how to make it a business," says Sugar Ray frontman Mark McGrath. "They're really underestimated for what great musicians they are. They're working on another plane."
This year, that plane inevitably leads four of the band's five members to age 40, a time when, as the adage goes, life begins. If all his years of making music hadn't already convinced Hexum of this, the realization hit home six months ago when he and his wife welcomed their first child.
"It's just a very fulfilling thing," he says, "a sense of purpose that you can never really fully understand until you're in it."
Learning to count to 311 (Sparks Tribune)
At its biennial March 11 show, rock/punk/hip hop/reggae band 311 is known to play sets of 60-plus songs that last for five or six hours. The group's current tour, which includes a stop at the Knitting Factory in Reno on Monday, is the band's way of doing stretches before the marathon of this year's "311 Day" in Las Vegas.
The bassist for 311, who goes by the moniker P-Nut, proved he has the energy for long sets in a recent 40-minute phone interview, during which he demonstrated that if given a topic — from the band's history to electric cars — he will expound on it with gusto. Had the batteries in this reporter's recorder not run out, the interview could have kept on going.
"This whole tour is based around us getting songs ready for 311 day," he said from his home in Southern California. "It's an eclectic show, not a specific set. It could be anything."
P-Nut was referring to what fans might hear at the Reno show from 311's library, which goes back more than 20 years. Casual listeners will recognize 311 by songs that hit the charts and the radio, such as 1995's "Down" and "All Mixed Up," 2001's "Amber" and 2004's cover of The Cure's "Love Song," which was featured in the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore film "50 first dates."
The group officially formed in Omaha, Neb. in 1990, with vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, vocalist/dj S.A. Martinez, lead guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut. The quintet of Midwestern boys grew up with all different kinds of music being played in their homes in the 1980s, P-Nut said, which contributed to the variety of influences each member brought to the group.
"There was no scene in the Midwest, so we kind of got to make our own scene music-wise," P-Nut said. The result of that blend was a style of music that is difficult to categorize, but always upbeat with undeniable rhythm. The group's varied appeal is evident in some of the other stars with whom 311 has performed: from rap legend Snoop Dogg to rocking Hasidic Jew Matisyahu to The Wailers.
While the group has, according to official Web site www.311.com, sold more than 8.5 million albums in the U.S., 311's real mark has been made by extensive touring and unique live shows. The highlight of the group's live shows is 311 Day, which started as a New Orleans show in 2000 but was moved to Memphis in 2006 because of Hurricane Katrina. This year, the show is being held in Vegas for a slightly less dramatic reason.
"This time there's a surgeon's convention in which 30,000 or so doctors are showing up on that same week in New Orleans and they scooped tons and tons of hotel rooms and actually kind of jacked up the price since surgeons are a little more well-to-do than your average traveling-around fan of rock music," P-Nut said. "So we had to come up with another place and we didn't really want to do it in Memphis again, just to do something different. If we were going to be forced to do something different, we wanted to do something different different. So Vegas kind of reared its head and I was a little reluctant about it, picturing our fans taking over the city, but I've warmed up to it a lot."
Vegas will no doubt welcome the thousands of fans who turn out for 311 Day, which typically is a multi-day event, culminating in an hours-long performance by the band.
"It's more mentally challenging than physically challenging because you can take it at whatever pace," said P-Nut, who cites R&B singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Curtis Mayfield as one of his biggest influences. "On stage you can pretty much decide how hard you're going to push yourself and it's easier when there's 12,000 people watching you, egging you on. They're the hardest of the hard core fans that take the time, trouble and expense to travel and see our marathon show. It all makes it, not easy, but it makes it easier. We wouldn't do it on a regular show but knowing people expect a lot out of the 311 Day show and it's every other year it kind of allows to get physically and mentally prepared for it."
Throughout their career, 311 has remained steady in releasing new albums, putting out new material every other year or so, in addition to various greatest hits and live recordings.
"I think its just our drive to just keep doing something different is really the key," P-Nut said of the group's motivation and longevity. "You listen to a lot of our older stuff and the stuff recorded in Omaha and then the first couple albums I saw and I continue to see us on mission to just keep being creative and not fall into any particular kind of formula. If we want to make hard rock song or we want to make a reggae song or we want to make some kind of evil mishmash of the two and then anything else kind of comes out its all fair game for us and the band and that's what really keeps it interesting. I think if we had just a narrow view of what our sound should be like I don't know if we'd have made it as far as we've gotten because some or all of us would have gotten bored with a simpler concept."
The band's most recent album, "Uplifter," was released in June 2009 and was produced by Bob Rock, who is known for helping bands through tough times (e.g., Metallica in the mid-1990s). P-Nut said 311 was in a bit of a rut and that Rock helped them through it.
"He picked out little gems of ideas during jam sessions, which impressed us all really deeply," P-Nut said. "He broke some of the tension that had grown between us and helped us appreciate each other's idiosyncrasies."
The band will play Monday at the Knitting Factory, 211 N. Virginia St. in Reno. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. with Tomorrow's Bad Seeds. Tickets range from $40 to $90 and can be purchased by visiting http://re.knittingfactory.com.
The bassist for 311, who goes by the moniker P-Nut, proved he has the energy for long sets in a recent 40-minute phone interview, during which he demonstrated that if given a topic — from the band's history to electric cars — he will expound on it with gusto. Had the batteries in this reporter's recorder not run out, the interview could have kept on going.
"This whole tour is based around us getting songs ready for 311 day," he said from his home in Southern California. "It's an eclectic show, not a specific set. It could be anything."
P-Nut was referring to what fans might hear at the Reno show from 311's library, which goes back more than 20 years. Casual listeners will recognize 311 by songs that hit the charts and the radio, such as 1995's "Down" and "All Mixed Up," 2001's "Amber" and 2004's cover of The Cure's "Love Song," which was featured in the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore film "50 first dates."
The group officially formed in Omaha, Neb. in 1990, with vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, vocalist/dj S.A. Martinez, lead guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut. The quintet of Midwestern boys grew up with all different kinds of music being played in their homes in the 1980s, P-Nut said, which contributed to the variety of influences each member brought to the group.
"There was no scene in the Midwest, so we kind of got to make our own scene music-wise," P-Nut said. The result of that blend was a style of music that is difficult to categorize, but always upbeat with undeniable rhythm. The group's varied appeal is evident in some of the other stars with whom 311 has performed: from rap legend Snoop Dogg to rocking Hasidic Jew Matisyahu to The Wailers.
While the group has, according to official Web site www.311.com, sold more than 8.5 million albums in the U.S., 311's real mark has been made by extensive touring and unique live shows. The highlight of the group's live shows is 311 Day, which started as a New Orleans show in 2000 but was moved to Memphis in 2006 because of Hurricane Katrina. This year, the show is being held in Vegas for a slightly less dramatic reason.
"This time there's a surgeon's convention in which 30,000 or so doctors are showing up on that same week in New Orleans and they scooped tons and tons of hotel rooms and actually kind of jacked up the price since surgeons are a little more well-to-do than your average traveling-around fan of rock music," P-Nut said. "So we had to come up with another place and we didn't really want to do it in Memphis again, just to do something different. If we were going to be forced to do something different, we wanted to do something different different. So Vegas kind of reared its head and I was a little reluctant about it, picturing our fans taking over the city, but I've warmed up to it a lot."
Vegas will no doubt welcome the thousands of fans who turn out for 311 Day, which typically is a multi-day event, culminating in an hours-long performance by the band.
"It's more mentally challenging than physically challenging because you can take it at whatever pace," said P-Nut, who cites R&B singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Curtis Mayfield as one of his biggest influences. "On stage you can pretty much decide how hard you're going to push yourself and it's easier when there's 12,000 people watching you, egging you on. They're the hardest of the hard core fans that take the time, trouble and expense to travel and see our marathon show. It all makes it, not easy, but it makes it easier. We wouldn't do it on a regular show but knowing people expect a lot out of the 311 Day show and it's every other year it kind of allows to get physically and mentally prepared for it."
Throughout their career, 311 has remained steady in releasing new albums, putting out new material every other year or so, in addition to various greatest hits and live recordings.
"I think its just our drive to just keep doing something different is really the key," P-Nut said of the group's motivation and longevity. "You listen to a lot of our older stuff and the stuff recorded in Omaha and then the first couple albums I saw and I continue to see us on mission to just keep being creative and not fall into any particular kind of formula. If we want to make hard rock song or we want to make a reggae song or we want to make some kind of evil mishmash of the two and then anything else kind of comes out its all fair game for us and the band and that's what really keeps it interesting. I think if we had just a narrow view of what our sound should be like I don't know if we'd have made it as far as we've gotten because some or all of us would have gotten bored with a simpler concept."
The band's most recent album, "Uplifter," was released in June 2009 and was produced by Bob Rock, who is known for helping bands through tough times (e.g., Metallica in the mid-1990s). P-Nut said 311 was in a bit of a rut and that Rock helped them through it.
"He picked out little gems of ideas during jam sessions, which impressed us all really deeply," P-Nut said. "He broke some of the tension that had grown between us and helped us appreciate each other's idiosyncrasies."
The band will play Monday at the Knitting Factory, 211 N. Virginia St. in Reno. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. with Tomorrow's Bad Seeds. Tickets range from $40 to $90 and can be purchased by visiting http://re.knittingfactory.com.
311 and the Wailers at the Commodore Ballroom, Mar 2 2010 (Guttersnipe)
When I found out that the Wailers were the opening act of the evening, my first thought was, “THE Wailers”? Legends in their own right, they put on a performance that did not merely warm up the crowd, but had them steaming. That’s what all the clouds of smoke floating on top of the audience must have been.
As their current lead singer approached the stage and saluted the audience, his dreadlocks, formerly twisted on the top of his head, automatically unfurled. I took this as a surefire sign that they were ready for business. What proceeded was a hit parade of party playlist staples such as “Stir it Up”, “I Wanna Love Ya”, “One Love”, and “I Shot the Sheriff”, which had me regretting that I left my skanking shoes at home. The audience, comprised of everyone under the Rasta rainbow, had no problem mimicking the gyrating hips on the stage, an awkward and thoroughly amusing sight for any spectator.
From the Jamaican-themed spotlights, to the velvety voices of the Wailers’ back-up singers, to the pulsating bass lines of band pioneer Aston “Family Man”, the show provided a fun-loving and vibrant environment, uplifting those suffering from the 17-day hangover left from the Olympics. The Wailers’ peaceful and positive aura had completely rubbed off on their fans as they performed “No Woman No Cry”. As the organ notes filled the room, the audience joined the band in singing “Everything’s gonna be alright” with such resounding conviction that it must be true.
The Wailers are currently on tour until April, celebrating 40 years of playing music that rarely hits a sad note, as proven by songs such as “Jammin’” and “Don’t Rock my boat”. However, there is always a pang of grief when thinking of the absence of Bob and Carlie from the current line-up. The band has decided to pay it forward by setting up a global initiative to eradicate world hunger, called I Went Hungry. Their camaraderie and communalistic outlook obviously extends far beyond the stage.
It is a bold move choosing to follow a band as historic as the Wailers. But 311 completely switched up the nostalgic tone of the evening and put on a vigorous show that did not pale in comparison. The moment the lights dimmed and distorted chords blasted from the speakers, it was clear we weren’t in Jamaica anymore. Fans who had come to the show expecting to hear the romantic air of songs like their breakout hit “Amber” would have been surprised, and possibly disappointed, by the Omaha natives’ decision to stick to their brand of punk-metal anthems infused with a generous helping SoCal hip-hop.
The band is currently promoting its latest, Uplifter, which offers hints of their skank roots, but moves closer in the direction of punk-core. Set-opener “Jackpot” displayed this stylistic departure. Lead guitarist, Tim Mahoney, switched to a clean effect for the alternative sounding “All Mixed Up”, which had SA Martinez sweating bullets as he dashed around the stage, rapping about his dream girl. Sounding like a wired version of Q-tip, he and lead singer Nick Hexum, ran circles around the stage throughout the set with an enviable amount of energy. Hexum’s vocals leaned towards being monotonous on the verses of “Freeze Time” and “Mix It Up”, but his constant fist-pumping and trademark twirls made up for this weak spot. That, and the fact that he’s no disaster to stare at. He shines in the seductive and subdued tracks “Purpose” and “Beyond the Gray Sky” when he is able to take his time through the melodies instead of rushing through them like a bullet train.
Martinez and Hexum passed the spotlight over to P-Nut, allowing him to delve into an impressive bass solo on his 6-string. His musicianship can’t be doubted after his display of slapping technique and his precise use of harmonics. Drummer Chad Sexton also had the opportunity to showcase his prowess in his own interlude, supported by an expanded rhythm section comprised of Mahoney and Martinez banging on cowbells and gongs. Rest assured, each member has earned his keep in this unit.
Most of the songs that followed seemed to meld into a medley of fast-paced hip-hop fortified with power solos and record scratching. The crowd had weeded out by the time 311 had reached their final song of the encore. This is probably due to it being a Tuesday night, but quite likely because no one could keep up with the serious efforts on the stage.
As their current lead singer approached the stage and saluted the audience, his dreadlocks, formerly twisted on the top of his head, automatically unfurled. I took this as a surefire sign that they were ready for business. What proceeded was a hit parade of party playlist staples such as “Stir it Up”, “I Wanna Love Ya”, “One Love”, and “I Shot the Sheriff”, which had me regretting that I left my skanking shoes at home. The audience, comprised of everyone under the Rasta rainbow, had no problem mimicking the gyrating hips on the stage, an awkward and thoroughly amusing sight for any spectator.
From the Jamaican-themed spotlights, to the velvety voices of the Wailers’ back-up singers, to the pulsating bass lines of band pioneer Aston “Family Man”, the show provided a fun-loving and vibrant environment, uplifting those suffering from the 17-day hangover left from the Olympics. The Wailers’ peaceful and positive aura had completely rubbed off on their fans as they performed “No Woman No Cry”. As the organ notes filled the room, the audience joined the band in singing “Everything’s gonna be alright” with such resounding conviction that it must be true.
The Wailers are currently on tour until April, celebrating 40 years of playing music that rarely hits a sad note, as proven by songs such as “Jammin’” and “Don’t Rock my boat”. However, there is always a pang of grief when thinking of the absence of Bob and Carlie from the current line-up. The band has decided to pay it forward by setting up a global initiative to eradicate world hunger, called I Went Hungry. Their camaraderie and communalistic outlook obviously extends far beyond the stage.
It is a bold move choosing to follow a band as historic as the Wailers. But 311 completely switched up the nostalgic tone of the evening and put on a vigorous show that did not pale in comparison. The moment the lights dimmed and distorted chords blasted from the speakers, it was clear we weren’t in Jamaica anymore. Fans who had come to the show expecting to hear the romantic air of songs like their breakout hit “Amber” would have been surprised, and possibly disappointed, by the Omaha natives’ decision to stick to their brand of punk-metal anthems infused with a generous helping SoCal hip-hop.
The band is currently promoting its latest, Uplifter, which offers hints of their skank roots, but moves closer in the direction of punk-core. Set-opener “Jackpot” displayed this stylistic departure. Lead guitarist, Tim Mahoney, switched to a clean effect for the alternative sounding “All Mixed Up”, which had SA Martinez sweating bullets as he dashed around the stage, rapping about his dream girl. Sounding like a wired version of Q-tip, he and lead singer Nick Hexum, ran circles around the stage throughout the set with an enviable amount of energy. Hexum’s vocals leaned towards being monotonous on the verses of “Freeze Time” and “Mix It Up”, but his constant fist-pumping and trademark twirls made up for this weak spot. That, and the fact that he’s no disaster to stare at. He shines in the seductive and subdued tracks “Purpose” and “Beyond the Gray Sky” when he is able to take his time through the melodies instead of rushing through them like a bullet train.
Martinez and Hexum passed the spotlight over to P-Nut, allowing him to delve into an impressive bass solo on his 6-string. His musicianship can’t be doubted after his display of slapping technique and his precise use of harmonics. Drummer Chad Sexton also had the opportunity to showcase his prowess in his own interlude, supported by an expanded rhythm section comprised of Mahoney and Martinez banging on cowbells and gongs. Rest assured, each member has earned his keep in this unit.
Most of the songs that followed seemed to meld into a medley of fast-paced hip-hop fortified with power solos and record scratching. The crowd had weeded out by the time 311 had reached their final song of the encore. This is probably due to it being a Tuesday night, but quite likely because no one could keep up with the serious efforts on the stage.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Breaking from routine energizes 311 (Columbian)
The band 311 made its fans wait a long time for a new CD, going four years between the 2005 CD, “Don’t Tread on Me” and its recently released album, “Uplifter.” But singer Nick Hexum says the long gap between albums was the best thing the group could have done for its music and its future.
“If you want to become a better musician, become a better person,” the singer/guitarist said. “I needed to go through a bit of personal growth.”
By the time touring behind “Don’t Tread on Me” wrapped up, the group felt as if it had been on the album-tour treadmill too long and hadn’t been able to step away from its work routine to experience everyday life.
So in 2006, the band decided to take a break that ended up stretching into 2007 when 311 regrouped for its Unity tour, which has become an annual summer event.
It was after that 2007 run of dates that 311 began work on “Uplifter.” By that time, it was clear that the group was coming into the project eager for musical exploration and willing to accept outside input.
“In retrospect ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ feels a little stagnant,” Hexum said. “We realized that it was time to shake things up. We didn’t want to just hurry and make another album. We wanted to really make sure we were taking a huge step forward, because it’s about quality, not quantity.”
Hexum said a key step in the process was choosing Bob Rock to produce the new CD.
Rock came into the project urging 311 to set aside any preconceived notions about its sound and how the group should write and record songs. Hexum said Rock suggested changes to song arrangements and helped 311 discover new ways to approach its sound.
“Invariably bands are going to get into certain sort of ruts and grooves,” Hexum said. “And he (Rock) came in and it was like, ‘I don’t care how you guys used to do things. Let’s try a new way.’”
To say that Hexum is excited about “Uplifter,” would be an understatement.
He said that in some respects, it recalls the more rap-rock oriented sound of early 311 albums like “Music” (1993) and “Grassroots” (1994). But at the same time, it’s also a guitar-oriented album with a definite rock dimension and lots of melody.
“It’s more danceable, but then there’s more heavy, and then there are these shredding guitar solos,” Hexum said. “Then there’s some kind of reggae grooves, even a little bit of world beat, something that we haven’t really messed around with much. But Bob turned us on to some North African guitar textures that make an interesting little appearance in the bridge of one song.”
The reggae-ish grooves work their way into songs like “Hey You” (the CD’s bouncy first single), while the band rocks out on “India Ink” and “Never Ending Summer.” The band puts a little funk into the relaxed rocker, “It’s Alright,” while “Golden Sunlight” is one of several songs that finds 311 venturing into sweetly lit pop territory.
Hexum is also confident that 311 — which also includes SA Martinez (vocals/deejay), Chad Sexton (drums), Tim Mahoney (guitar) and P-Nut (bass) — did some of its best songwriting on “Uplifter.”
“We have 12 songs on the album, and all of those feel like breakthroughs to us, where in the past we might have a few breakthroughs on an album, and then the other songs, we’d be like well that’s just kind of like business as usual,” Hexum said. “Well, now we’re at a place where we don’t accept business as usual.”
Fans can expect to hear some “Uplifter” songs on tour this winter and spring, although Hexum also said the group will include familiar songs from its back catalog and perhaps a few rarities.
“We know that these songs are really going to work live,” he said. “And because we took a break in the middle of the recording to tour … it injected the enthusiasm of the fans into our songwriting. That process made it so the second batch of songs, which all made the album, are very live and friendly.”
“If you want to become a better musician, become a better person,” the singer/guitarist said. “I needed to go through a bit of personal growth.”
By the time touring behind “Don’t Tread on Me” wrapped up, the group felt as if it had been on the album-tour treadmill too long and hadn’t been able to step away from its work routine to experience everyday life.
So in 2006, the band decided to take a break that ended up stretching into 2007 when 311 regrouped for its Unity tour, which has become an annual summer event.
It was after that 2007 run of dates that 311 began work on “Uplifter.” By that time, it was clear that the group was coming into the project eager for musical exploration and willing to accept outside input.
“In retrospect ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ feels a little stagnant,” Hexum said. “We realized that it was time to shake things up. We didn’t want to just hurry and make another album. We wanted to really make sure we were taking a huge step forward, because it’s about quality, not quantity.”
Hexum said a key step in the process was choosing Bob Rock to produce the new CD.
Rock came into the project urging 311 to set aside any preconceived notions about its sound and how the group should write and record songs. Hexum said Rock suggested changes to song arrangements and helped 311 discover new ways to approach its sound.
“Invariably bands are going to get into certain sort of ruts and grooves,” Hexum said. “And he (Rock) came in and it was like, ‘I don’t care how you guys used to do things. Let’s try a new way.’”
To say that Hexum is excited about “Uplifter,” would be an understatement.
He said that in some respects, it recalls the more rap-rock oriented sound of early 311 albums like “Music” (1993) and “Grassroots” (1994). But at the same time, it’s also a guitar-oriented album with a definite rock dimension and lots of melody.
“It’s more danceable, but then there’s more heavy, and then there are these shredding guitar solos,” Hexum said. “Then there’s some kind of reggae grooves, even a little bit of world beat, something that we haven’t really messed around with much. But Bob turned us on to some North African guitar textures that make an interesting little appearance in the bridge of one song.”
The reggae-ish grooves work their way into songs like “Hey You” (the CD’s bouncy first single), while the band rocks out on “India Ink” and “Never Ending Summer.” The band puts a little funk into the relaxed rocker, “It’s Alright,” while “Golden Sunlight” is one of several songs that finds 311 venturing into sweetly lit pop territory.
Hexum is also confident that 311 — which also includes SA Martinez (vocals/deejay), Chad Sexton (drums), Tim Mahoney (guitar) and P-Nut (bass) — did some of its best songwriting on “Uplifter.”
“We have 12 songs on the album, and all of those feel like breakthroughs to us, where in the past we might have a few breakthroughs on an album, and then the other songs, we’d be like well that’s just kind of like business as usual,” Hexum said. “Well, now we’re at a place where we don’t accept business as usual.”
Fans can expect to hear some “Uplifter” songs on tour this winter and spring, although Hexum also said the group will include familiar songs from its back catalog and perhaps a few rarities.
“We know that these songs are really going to work live,” he said. “And because we took a break in the middle of the recording to tour … it injected the enthusiasm of the fans into our songwriting. That process made it so the second batch of songs, which all made the album, are very live and friendly.”
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Show Review: 311 at The Fox Oakland (Spinning Platters)
The first time I saw 311 was at the tender age of 18. I stood staring in awe outside at the Justin Herman Plaza at a band I had only ever seen on a TV screen back when MTV still called themselves “Music” Television. My first live show, for free, and they played for at least two hours. It was a show totally worth skipping my early morning chemistry lab for. I walked away with each band member’s autograph written in black Sharpie on my arms. I felt so cool at the time.
Seven years later I find that 311 can still rock my world.
Their sound is so distinctive and so very 311. For me, they represent a significant part of the sound that made up ’90s, and are severely underrated. The show tonight didn’t sell out, but like any good band that has been touring for the past two decades, they had a slew of dedicated fans wearing 311 t-shirts from past shows. All of them eager to relive the awesomeness that is 311 live.
They kicked off the show promptly at 9:35pm with the classic “Omaha Stylee,” filing the theatre with their personal brand of white-boy stoner reggae rock. Each time the lights dropped, a string of glowing lights would float on stage, emanating from P-nut’s bass. Throughout the set, each band member performed his respective trademark move, from Nick’s leg kicks, to SA’s head bobbing. Along with the quintessential drum solo, and the band drum-a-long. It’s my own personal belief that Chad Sexton has the fittest forearms in the business, and he must surely carry around some hand weights for strength conditioning.
The only thing that marred the show’s energy was the muddled sound that made it seem like I was watching the show behind a wall. But I was pleased with the band’s decision to not play too many new songs from their new album, Uplifter. I’m very partial to the classics.
The set list:
1. Omaha Stylee
2. All Mixed Up
3. Homebrew
4. India Ink
5. Come Original
6. 8:16 AM
7. From Chaos
8. Visit
9. 1, 2, 3
10. Applied Science
12. Flowing
Bass Solo
13. Nutsymtom
14. Amber
15. You Wouldn’t Believe
16. Mix It Up
17. Beautiful Disaster
18. Beyond the Gray Sky
19. Jackpot
20. Down
ENCORE:
21. Creatures (For a While)
22. Fuck the Bullshit
311 is a band that has forged a symbiotic relationship with their fans over the years, and never fail to deliver exactly what they want.
Seven years later I find that 311 can still rock my world.
Their sound is so distinctive and so very 311. For me, they represent a significant part of the sound that made up ’90s, and are severely underrated. The show tonight didn’t sell out, but like any good band that has been touring for the past two decades, they had a slew of dedicated fans wearing 311 t-shirts from past shows. All of them eager to relive the awesomeness that is 311 live.
They kicked off the show promptly at 9:35pm with the classic “Omaha Stylee,” filing the theatre with their personal brand of white-boy stoner reggae rock. Each time the lights dropped, a string of glowing lights would float on stage, emanating from P-nut’s bass. Throughout the set, each band member performed his respective trademark move, from Nick’s leg kicks, to SA’s head bobbing. Along with the quintessential drum solo, and the band drum-a-long. It’s my own personal belief that Chad Sexton has the fittest forearms in the business, and he must surely carry around some hand weights for strength conditioning.
The only thing that marred the show’s energy was the muddled sound that made it seem like I was watching the show behind a wall. But I was pleased with the band’s decision to not play too many new songs from their new album, Uplifter. I’m very partial to the classics.
The set list:
1. Omaha Stylee
2. All Mixed Up
3. Homebrew
4. India Ink
5. Come Original
6. 8:16 AM
7. From Chaos
8. Visit
9. 1, 2, 3
10. Applied Science
12. Flowing
Bass Solo
13. Nutsymtom
14. Amber
15. You Wouldn’t Believe
16. Mix It Up
17. Beautiful Disaster
18. Beyond the Gray Sky
19. Jackpot
20. Down
ENCORE:
21. Creatures (For a While)
22. Fuck the Bullshit
311 is a band that has forged a symbiotic relationship with their fans over the years, and never fail to deliver exactly what they want.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Music promoters rope Twitter into their cause (Jakarta Post)
In the local music industry, Twitter has also taken on an important role: spreading the news and making long-harbored dreams come true. It also helps that it's very intimate - you can talk directly to any person you want as long as they have a Twitter account.
The Concerts for Justice, held for Prita Mulyasari in Jakarta and Bandung, were one such example of Twitter at work: Both concerts were initiated through the social networking site.
Rolling Stone Indonesia managing editor Adib Hidayat was one of the initiators. He tweeted the basic invitation for musicians to take part in supporting Prita, the subject of a legal system gone wrong.
"We only picked up the idea two weeks before the event," he says.
"That Friday night, the idea got really wild. At the time, we didn't know yet whether it was viable or not."
These concerts helped raise almost Rp 1 billion (US$105,000) for Prita's legal costs. Top bands including Nidji and Slank, and indie ones such as Seringai, played their part.
Another example of Twitter at work in the music industry goes back several months to when concert promoter Adrie Subono began his Twitter adventure.
"I'm no good with technology, I can never keep up with it," he says.
"My daughter taught me how to use Twitter. At the time, I was in a bind trying to figure out how to promote my concerts."
So he began tweeting about his job. He wrote of the negotiation process, future plans, even his failure to sign a certain artist.
His followers grew in number. On the first day, he had about 5,000. Now he has more than 60,000.
"I know most of them are music lovers; those who want to know about music concerts here follow my tweets, and I benefit from it by promoting my concerts," says the industry veteran.
The simple link has had an extraordinary impact on his business, most remarkably in how he decided to bring American rock band 311 to perform in Jakarta.
The idea was initially broached by the band's fans.
They flooded Adrie's page on Twitter and then made themselves heard, both by the promoter and by the band.
Surakarta-based Adia Prabowo is a die-hard 311 fan who was in on it from the start.
"Every day I'd send a tweet to Adrie's account," she says.
"I'd say, *Please bring 311 to Indonesia'. Later, I realized I wasn't alone. There were others doing the same. So every night we met over the Internet.
"I don't know what he thought about our tweets. Maybe he was sick of all the requests to bring 311 to Indonesia."
But Adrie responded. He raised the issue with the band.
"The fans had basically petitioned me, so I told the band's management that the demand for them to play here was high," he says.
The rest fell into place: Adrie struck a deal with the band. 311 are now scheduled to perform in Jakarta on March 30. Everyone's happy.
Even Nick Hexum, the 311 front man, paid homage to the Indonesian fans via his Twitter account, @NickHexum.
"It was so cool the way the Jakarta show came together," he tweeted on Dec. 19 last year.
"311 fans there organized and let the promoter know that there was a lot of support."
Later on, he told Brazilian fans to take a hint from the way the Indonesian fans had got the band a gig by local promoter.
"Brazilian 311 fans often ask me when we're going to play there," he says.
"Take a tip from the Indonesians and tweet the local promoters. Grassroots!"
Learning from the 311 case, Adrie tried the same approach with Cobra Starship, another American band.
"The whole Cobra Starship deal was completed within just three days," he says.
But all new technology is prone to abuse. Since anybody can tweet whatever they want, sometimes information can be spread without a proper reference.
News that can only be categorized as rumors often sneaks out via Twitter. It happened with the Jakarta and Bandung gigs for the band Kings of Convenience.
On several occasions, misdi-rected tweets left the public confused about ticket info for the concerts.
Out of nowhere, certain sources tweeted that tickets would go on sale Jan. 17. This was then revised to Jan. 25. That info was re-tweeted hundreds of times by hundreds of people, thus propagating the misinformation.
At the end of the day, it all comes back to the people who use the media in the proper and smart way. Anyone can be a source of information. But the choice is up to the individual to choose what to believe.
The Concerts for Justice, held for Prita Mulyasari in Jakarta and Bandung, were one such example of Twitter at work: Both concerts were initiated through the social networking site.
Rolling Stone Indonesia managing editor Adib Hidayat was one of the initiators. He tweeted the basic invitation for musicians to take part in supporting Prita, the subject of a legal system gone wrong.
"We only picked up the idea two weeks before the event," he says.
"That Friday night, the idea got really wild. At the time, we didn't know yet whether it was viable or not."
These concerts helped raise almost Rp 1 billion (US$105,000) for Prita's legal costs. Top bands including Nidji and Slank, and indie ones such as Seringai, played their part.
Another example of Twitter at work in the music industry goes back several months to when concert promoter Adrie Subono began his Twitter adventure.
"I'm no good with technology, I can never keep up with it," he says.
"My daughter taught me how to use Twitter. At the time, I was in a bind trying to figure out how to promote my concerts."
So he began tweeting about his job. He wrote of the negotiation process, future plans, even his failure to sign a certain artist.
His followers grew in number. On the first day, he had about 5,000. Now he has more than 60,000.
"I know most of them are music lovers; those who want to know about music concerts here follow my tweets, and I benefit from it by promoting my concerts," says the industry veteran.
The simple link has had an extraordinary impact on his business, most remarkably in how he decided to bring American rock band 311 to perform in Jakarta.
The idea was initially broached by the band's fans.
They flooded Adrie's page on Twitter and then made themselves heard, both by the promoter and by the band.
Surakarta-based Adia Prabowo is a die-hard 311 fan who was in on it from the start.
"Every day I'd send a tweet to Adrie's account," she says.
"I'd say, *Please bring 311 to Indonesia'. Later, I realized I wasn't alone. There were others doing the same. So every night we met over the Internet.
"I don't know what he thought about our tweets. Maybe he was sick of all the requests to bring 311 to Indonesia."
But Adrie responded. He raised the issue with the band.
"The fans had basically petitioned me, so I told the band's management that the demand for them to play here was high," he says.
The rest fell into place: Adrie struck a deal with the band. 311 are now scheduled to perform in Jakarta on March 30. Everyone's happy.
Even Nick Hexum, the 311 front man, paid homage to the Indonesian fans via his Twitter account, @NickHexum.
"It was so cool the way the Jakarta show came together," he tweeted on Dec. 19 last year.
"311 fans there organized and let the promoter know that there was a lot of support."
Later on, he told Brazilian fans to take a hint from the way the Indonesian fans had got the band a gig by local promoter.
"Brazilian 311 fans often ask me when we're going to play there," he says.
"Take a tip from the Indonesians and tweet the local promoters. Grassroots!"
Learning from the 311 case, Adrie tried the same approach with Cobra Starship, another American band.
"The whole Cobra Starship deal was completed within just three days," he says.
But all new technology is prone to abuse. Since anybody can tweet whatever they want, sometimes information can be spread without a proper reference.
News that can only be categorized as rumors often sneaks out via Twitter. It happened with the Jakarta and Bandung gigs for the band Kings of Convenience.
On several occasions, misdi-rected tweets left the public confused about ticket info for the concerts.
Out of nowhere, certain sources tweeted that tickets would go on sale Jan. 17. This was then revised to Jan. 25. That info was re-tweeted hundreds of times by hundreds of people, thus propagating the misinformation.
At the end of the day, it all comes back to the people who use the media in the proper and smart way. Anyone can be a source of information. But the choice is up to the individual to choose what to believe.
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