311 is an American rock band formed in Omaha, Nebraska in 1988. The band consists of vocalist Nick Hexum, lead guitarist Jim Watson, bassist P-Nut and drummer Chad Sexton. 311 are known for their eclectic mix of rock, rap, reggae and funk. Some of their most popular songs include “Down”, “All Mixed Up” and “Amber”.
How did 311 get started?
311 got their start in Omaha, Nebraska in 1988 when high school friends Nick Hexum and Aaron Wills began jamming together. They recruited classmates P-Nut and Chad Sexton to join them and began playing local gigs around Omaha as a cover band. In 1990, they moved to Los Angeles and changed their name from Fish Hippos to 311 – inspired by the police code for indecent exposure. Jim Watson joined the band in 1992. 311 self-released their first album Dammit! in 1990 before signing to Capricorn Records in 1991. Their self-titled major label debut album 311 was released in 1995.
What is 311’s musical style?
311 blends together a mix of rock, rap, reggae and funk influences. Their sound features fast tempos and heavy guitars combined with rapped or melodic vocals and reggae-influenced rhythms. Critics have described them as an “American hybrid of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bob Marley.” 311 don’t fit neatly into any one genre but have been categorized broadly as rock, rap rock, funk rock, reggae fusion, and alternative rock throughout their career. Their eclectic style is a key part of their identity.
What are some of 311’s biggest hits?
Some of 311’s most popular and well-known songs include:
– “Down” – This reggae fusion song was a huge hit single for 311 off their self-titled album in 1996. It reached #1 on the Billboard Alternative chart.
– “All Mixed Up” – Another single from 311’s self-titled album. Its mix of rapped verses and catchy choruses made it a Top 5 Modern Rock Tracks hit.
– “Amber” – The love song “Amber” was part of 311’s mainstream breakthrough in the mid-90s. It reached #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
– “Love Song” – This 2004 hit is one of 311’s most pop-oriented crossover successes and made it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
– “Come Original” – The fast-paced fusion track “Come Original” from the Soundsystem album hit #6 on the Modern Rock Tracks in 1999.
How many albums has 311 released?
In their over 30 year career, 311 has released 14 studio albums:
- Dammit! (1990)
- Unity (1991)
- Music (1993)
- 311 (1995)
- Transistor (1997)
- Soundsystem (1999)
- From Chaos (2001)
- Evolver (2003)
- Don’t Tread on Me (2005)
- Uplifter (2009)
- Universal Pulse (2011)
- Stereolithic (2014)
- Mosaic (2017)
- Voyager (2022)
They also have released two live albums and over a dozen compilation albums/box sets featuring remixes, demos, and rarities from throughout their career.
311’s Music Style and Influences
311’s unique mix of rock, rap, reggae, and funk sets them apart in the music world. Their diverse set of influences helps give their sound its distinct flair.
Reggae
Reggae music, especially artists like Bob Marley, are a huge influence on 311’s sound. The offbeat rhythms and mellow vibes of reggae come through in many of their songs, either as a subtly underpinning their rock songs or as the main focal point as in their bigger reggae-fusion hits like “Down” and “Amber”.
Punk Rock
The high energy and aggressive guitars of punk rock are also an ingredient in 311’s musical stew. They cite bands like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Bad Brains, and Fishbone as early influences. The fast tempos and distorted guitars of punk help give their music its harder edge.
Hip Hop
311 were one of the first bands to blend rap and rock. Hip hop acts like Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy and A Tribe Called Quest inspired them to fuse styles and have rapped vocals coexist with sung melodic hooks. Their rhythm section also has hip hop grooves ingrained in it.
Funk
The bounce and rhythm of funk music can be felt in a lot of 311’s catalog as well. Bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fishbone, and Faith No More that mixed funk into punk/rock were inspirations. The basslines and drum beats in 311 songs often draw directly from the funk playbook.
Metal
While less obvious, the crunchy downtuned guitars in some 311’s harder rocking songs also have traces of heavy metal influence. Guitarist Jim Watson has cited Metallica, Pantera, and Sepultura as some of his earliest inspirations.
Band Members
311 has maintained the same core lineup throughout their over 30 year career. The band members are:
Nick Hexum
Nick Hexum is 311’s lead vocalist and plays rhythm guitar. He also writes the majority of the band’s songs. As co-founder of 311, Hexum has been the central figure of the band since the beginning. His mix of rapped vocals and melodic singing has become a 311 signature.
Chad Sexton
Chad Sexton is the drummer for 311. He is known for his high-energy drumming style that mixes rock power with funk and reggae rhythms. Sexton has been called one of the best drummers in the genre.
Aaron “P-Nut” Wills
Aaron “P-Nut” Wills is 311’s bassist and a co-founder of the band. His slick basslines underpin their songs. He is acclaimed for his speedy finger-plucking technique on the bass.
Jim Watson
Jim Watson plays lead guitar in 311. He’s known for his skilled guitar solos and complicated fretwork that enhances 311’s catchy songs. Watson joined 311 in 1992 after original guitarist Tim Mahoney left the band.
SA Martinez
Although not an original member, SA Martinez has been 311’s turntablist and co-vocalist since 1992. His scratches and samples add another dimension to 311’s sound. Martinez often handles the rapped verses in 311’s songs while Hexum takes the melodic choruses.
311’s Recording Career
311 has been prolific in the recording studio, releasing 14 studio albums, two live albums, multiple compilation albums, and dozens of music videos. They’ve also had eight singles reach Billboard’s Top 10 Rock Tracks charts over their long career.
Early Independent Albums (1990-1994)
311 first began recording as teenagers while still developing their signature sound in Omaha. These early indie albums like Dammit! (1990) and Unity (1991) showed the raw talent of the burgeoning band, mixing rap, rock, reggae and funk. Their 1993 indie album Music further refined their style.
Major Label Breakthrough Self-Titled “Blue” Album (1995)
After signing to Capricorn Records in 1992, 311 released their self-titled third album 311 in 1995. Often nicknamed the “Blue Album” for its album cover, it was their major label debut. Powered by hits like “Down” and “All Mixed Up”, it went triple platinum and ushered the band into mainstream success.
311 “Blue Album” | Release Date | Chart Peak |
---|---|---|
Down | June 1996 | #1 Billboard Alternative |
All Mixed Up | April 1995 | #4 Billboard Alternative |
Experimenting and Dabbling in New Sounds (1996-2004)
Riding high off their success, 311 began expanding their sound in new directions over the next decade. Transistor (1997) incorporated more straight-ahead rock songs. Soundsystem (1999) contained trippy psychedelic-influenced tracks. From Chaos (2001) moved towards mainstream pop/rock. Evolver (2003) saw 311 dabbling in political lyrics. They continued to evolve their eclectic style.
Maintaining a Consistent Presence (2005-Present)
While 311’s popularity dipped from its late 90’s peak, the band has maintained a very steady presence since then. They’ve released 5 more studio albums since 2005, including crowd-funded Voyager in 2022. Their devoted fanbase (referred to as The Unity) keeps turning out for 311’s tours and records. Their longevity and consistency is unusual in the music business.
311’s Legacy and Influence
While often grouped broadly as “alternative rock” or “reggae fusion”, 311’s unique mix of styles has allowed them to stand apart and have an impact on various genres.
Creating a New Rock/Rap Hybrid
311 were one of the first bands to blend rock and rap together in a major way before “nu-metal” or “rap rock” became a big music style. Their rock instrumentation and rapped vocals on many songs spawned many future copycats and helped pave the way for bands like Limp Bizkit.
Bringing Reggae to Rock/Alternative Audiences
By folding reggae into their hip hop-influenced rock songs, 311 also helped introduce fans of harder music to reggae’s chill vibes. For many rock and alternative fans in the 90’s, 311 were their entry point to exploring reggae music.
Inspiring Other Genre Fusion Bands
311’s anything-goes “genre fusion” approach has gone on to inspire many other bands over the last 25 years. Groups like Twenty One Pilots, Sublime and Iration all followed in 311’s footsteps of freely mixing styles like reggae, punk, pop, and hip hop without rules. 311 helped make the concept of genre fusion mainstream.
Dedicated Fan Community
Over their long career, 311 have cultivated one of music’s most dedicated fanbases referred to as The Unity. The Unity and 311 have a symbiotic relationship, with the fans’ passion fueling the band’s longevity and vice versa. Their tight fan engagement was ahead of its time and has become a model for other bands in the social media era.
So while 311 have never again matched their commercial heights of the mid 90’s, their influence and footprint looms large. They broke down walls between musical genres and changed rock music’s landscape forever. 311 forever left their mark by following their own unique path.
Where Are They Now in 2023?
311 remain active recording and touring to this day. Here is a quick look at what each band member is up to now in 2023:
Nick Hexum
– Released 311’s 14th studio album Voyager in June 2022
– Embarked on 311’s Voyager summer tour in 2022 across the U.S.
– Continues releasing solo albums and touring during 311 breaks
Chad Sexton
– Toured with 311 in summer 2022 supporting Voyager
– Performs shows with his Chad Sexton Sextet jazz ensemble when not playing with 311
– Hosts the Chad’s Corner video podcast breaking down 311’s catalog
P-Nut
– Provided bass grooves on 311’s Voyager album
– Laid down tracks for 311’s summer 2022 tour
– Streams frequent live jams from his home studio on Twitch channel
Jim Watson
– Contributed guitar work to 311’s summer 2022 Voyager tour
– Active on NFT/web3 space, collaborating with NFT music platform Royal
– Planning to release guitar instructional masterclass
SA Martinez
– Toured America with 311 in summer 2022
– Dropped guest verse on Dirty Heads’ 2022 single “Fear of Failure”
– Voiced character on Kid Cudi’s 2022 Netflix series Entergalactic
311 shows no signs of slowing down in their late career. Nearly 35 years in, they continue making new music and extensively touring for their legions of passionate fans. While they only occasionally appear on mainstream radio now, 311 remain road warriors flying the flag for their one-of-a-kind genre fusion style. Don’t be surprised if Hexum and co. continue rocking stages well into their 50s and 60s given their members’ continued energy and dedication.