Artist bio

Nebraska-bred, L.A.-transplanted funk/rock/pop combo 311 burst on the scene in 1993 with the genre-bending album Music, and has continued to ply its trade through hard-hitting live shows and word-of-mouth popularity growth in the ensuing decade.

The group formed on a basically unique hybrid of rock guitars, reggae and funk rhythms, rapped lyrics and soaring vocal harmonies. Through Music and ganja-clouded followup Grassroots, the quintet perfected the sound, scoring minor underground hits with "Do You Right" and "Homebrew" but generally building a fanbase through relentless touring.

The big breakthrough came with a self-titled third album in 1995, as a slicker production courtesy of Ron Saint Germain smoothed out their sound ("All Mixed Up") but still allowed it to rock with precision ("Down"). The five musicians had also grown and become more musically proficient, leading to a branching out on 1997's Transistor, which found them running through genre experiments with less of an ear toward blending than in the past. The album failed to meet critical and commercial expectations, though the group's fanbase stayed strong, and eventually 311 would return to a refined version of its original sound for Soundsystem and From Chaos.

Though the conventional wisdom is that Faith No More, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Rage Against The Machine were the true progenitors of the rap-rock hybrid sound that exploded in the late '90s with hundreds of platinum-selling faceless bands, 311's take on a similar hybrid was unique, and the group's early body of work will always have its place in rock's pantheon, having helped bring the '90s some of its own dialects to speak within the larger language of rock music.

Albums by this artist

From Chaos (2001)

Soundsystem (1999)

Transistor (1997)

Grassroots (Recommended) (1996)

Concerts

October 27, 1999
The Metro, Chicago

311

The Metro, Chicago (October 27, 1999)

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» TROY CARPENTER | CO-DIRECTOR

311 The Metro, Chicago October 27, 1999

Fresh off the year-long recording sessions for October's Soundsystem, 311 hit Chicago's Metro with a bang in the middle of a two-month tour of compact venues throughout the U.S. The twenty-three-song set featured strong selections from throughout the band's five-album career, not really focusing so much on supporting their two-week-old record than the real task at hand: rocking Chicago's ass.

The band kicked off the show with three lead-off hitters: the first songs of Grassroots, 311, and Soundsystem, respectively. High energy was the order of the evening, both the band and the crowd involving themselves in heavy athletics inspired by mutual appreciation of the music.

Vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum said in a 1995 interview that the band strives for a touring reputation similar to that of the late Grateful Dead. Though he agreed it would be foolish to compare the two on many levels, a point is made: 311 is one of a rare breed in today's often fickle music world. Intent on not fading away, the band has stuck to its ideals and kept working hard both on the road and in the studio.

Without a real radio hit, the quintet has grown into a rock juggernaut, drawing an average of 10,000 fans to 1997's international Transistor tour. But 311 fans aren't attending shows looking only to hear their latest single. They are there for a full concert experience - something that changes every night with the atmosphere and always feels fresh to both band and audience.

The 311 vibe is also stronger in places like the Metro than the larger venues the band was playing on their last tour, and Hexum felt this: "It's good to be back," he shouted. All of the components were functioning well, from P-Nut's rambunctious bass slappin' to Chad Sexton's slick and crisp drumming to Timothy J. Mahoney's cut-up guitar riffage to SA Martinez' dexterity in handling both the mic and the turntables. Maybe just because the cool Autumn air dictated an old-school feel (or maybe since it was my birthday and they subconsciously knew what I wanted to hear), the band played more songs from their major-label debut Music than from Soundsystem.

But old or new, each song was performed with gusto, inciting the crowd to move as one organism, caught up in the unique vibe and celebration of life flowing through the PA.

TROY CARPENTER | Troy Carpenter founded NATN from a Chicago apartment during the ambitious winter of 1998 with co-conspirators Ben French and Jonathan Cohen. After a five-year stint in New York, he and wife Lourdes have recently relocated to Indianapolis, where he spends days listening to music and nights in the kitchen at Elements restaurant. Musical heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Super Furry Animals. What else makes life worth living: Sushi, Phucty, runs in the park, and the Atlanta Braves.