311 (band)
Encyclopedia
311 is an American rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 band from Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...

. The band was formed in 1988 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum
Nick Hexum
Nicholas Lofton Hexum is an American musician, currently the vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the alternative rock band 311.-Early life:Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Hexum went to Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska...

, lead guitarist Jim Watson (who would later be replaced by Tim Mahoney), bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills
P-Nut
Aaron Charles Wills , is an American musician, bassist for band 311, and music producer / bassist for band Hollows Follow.- Background :...

 and drummer Chad Sexton
Chad Sexton
Chad Ronald Sexton is the drummer for American rock band 311. He grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and went to Westside High School with fellow band members Nick Hexum and Tim Mahoney....

. In 1992, Doug "SA" Martinez
SA Martinez
Douglas Vincent "SA" Martinez is a vocalist and DJ for the alternative rock band 311. He is of Hispanic descent. Martinez's nickname is partially a play on the Mexican Spanish slang term "ese", meaning "buddy" or "friend." It is also said that SA had an "out-of-body experience" in college and S.A...

 joined to sing and provide turntables for 311's later albums, rounding out the current line-up.

To date, 311 has released ten studio albums, one live album, four compilation albums, four EPs and four DVDs. After a series of independent releases, 311 was signed to Capricorn Records
Capricorn Records
Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:...

 in 1992 and released the albums Music
Music (311 album)
- Charts :Album...

(1993) and Grassroots
Grassroots (album)
-Personnel:*Nicholas Hexum - rhythm guitar, vocals*Tim Mahoney - guitar*S.A. Martinez - turntables, vocals*P-Nut - bass*Chad Sexton - percussion, drums-Production:*Producers: Eddie Offord, 311*Engineers: Eddie Offord, Scott Ralston, 311...

(1994) to moderate success. They achieved greater success with their 1995 triple platinum self-titled album
311 (album)
311 is the third major-label album by American alternative rock band 311. The album, often referred to as "The Blue Album", was released July 25, 1995. The album contained three successful singles, "Don't Stay Home", "All Mixed Up", and "Down", resulting in the band's mainstream breakthrough. It...

, which reached #12 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

 on the strength of the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

s "Down" and "All Mixed Up", the former of which topped the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks in 1996. The band's next three albums, Transistor (1997), Soundsystem
Soundsystem
Soundsystem is the fifth studio album by 311, released on October 12, 1999. Soundsystem, which was certified Gold by the RIAA, was the last 311 album on Capricorn Records before the band switched to Volcano Records in 2000...

(1999) and From Chaos
From Chaos
From Chaos is the sixth studio album by 311, released on June 19, 2001.In 2000, before this album was recorded and released they left Capricorn Records and switched to Volcano Entertainment as their permanent label....

(2001), did not achieve the massive success of the self-titled album, though they were still successful, with the first going platinum and the last two going gold. Their 2004 compilation album Greatest Hits '93–'03 was also certified gold. The band's most recent studio album is 2011's Universal Pulse
Universal Pulse
Universal Pulse is the tenth studio album by American rock band 311, released on July 19, 2011 on 311 Records/ATO Records.-Album information:...

. As of 2011, 311 has sold over 8.5 million records worldwide.

Early recordings (1989–1992)

311's first independent release was the Downstairs
Downstairs EP
Downstairs is an EP by 311, which was recorded in Nick Hexum's basement in 1989, and is considered the band's first recording. It is an independent release without cover art. Almost nothing is known about this collectors item, and an original version of the EP is almost impossible to find...

EP, which was recorded in 1989 in Nick Hexum's basement. Unlike many of their releases, it had no cover art. A copy of this EP can easily be found circulating in bootleg circles and tape trading communities. The Downstairs EP suffers from guitar so scratchy that the instrument produced an unintended grinding "ringing" sound so high-pitched that it distorted the sound of the tape upon recording; the sound is so abrasive and scratchy that it has caused listeners of the EP to the suffer tinnitus
Tinnitus
Tinnitus |ringing]]") is the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound.Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that can result from a wide range of underlying causes: abnormally loud sounds in the ear canal for even the briefest period , ear...

. On this EP, "Right Now" is one of the songs most afflicted with the grinding, ringing guitar noise. Owners of original copies of the EP (not the bootleg version) report that the grinding, ringing guitar noise is in fact present on the original source material.

In 1991, 311 released their second independent release, Unity
Unity (311 album)
Unity was 311's third independent release and first CD release on their own record company, What Have You Records. It was released in 1991 on both CD and Cassette. It is considered by some to be the band's second album if Dammit! is counted as their debut album. This album is no longer in print...

, recorded at Rainbow Recording Studios, Omaha, which was released with far greater numbers than their first release Dammit!
Dammit!
Dammit! was 311's second independent release , on their own record company, What Have You Records. It was released in 1990 and it's considered by some people to be the band's first album. This album is no longer in print and is very rare...

, which was also recorded in 1989 and released in the following year. While Dammit! only printed 300 cassettes, Unity had 1000 CDs and 500 cassettes printed and was distributed through consignment and also sold at shows. The band began to headline shows in local clubs, such as The Ranch Bowl and Sokol Auditorium
Sokol Auditorium
The Sokol Auditorium is located at 2234 South 13th Street in the Little Bohemia neighborhood of south Omaha, Nebraska. It is a local icon for its historical context, as well as modern musical performances and gymnastics....

, and became a local success.

In 1992, S.A. Martinez
SA Martinez
Douglas Vincent "SA" Martinez is a vocalist and DJ for the alternative rock band 311. He is of Hispanic descent. Martinez's nickname is partially a play on the Mexican Spanish slang term "ese", meaning "buddy" or "friend." It is also said that SA had an "out-of-body experience" in college and S.A...

, who had been making various appearances with 311 over the past years as a vocalist, was officially asked to join the band. 311 recorded a six-track demo, called Hydroponic
Hydroponic (album)
Hydroponic is an EP by 311, released in 1992. It was their last independent release before they were signed to Capricorn Records for their first studio album Music. It was considered the first EP with S.A. Martinez as an official member of the band. This EP was a six track demo that contained four...

, and moved to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...

. Within their first few months, 311 was signed to Capricorn Records
Capricorn Records
Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:...

.

311 considers their first show to be held on June 10, 1990, opening for Fugazi in Omaha, NE, at the Sokol Auditorium
Sokol Auditorium
The Sokol Auditorium is located at 2234 South 13th Street in the Little Bohemia neighborhood of south Omaha, Nebraska. It is a local icon for its historical context, as well as modern musical performances and gymnastics....

.

Music (1993)

After taking their name from the police code for indecent exposure in Omaha NE (after the original guitarist for the band was arrested for streaking), their first major record, Music
Music (311 album)
- Charts :Album...

was released in 1993. The single "Do You Right
Do You Right
"Do You Right" is a song by 311, released as a single in April 1993, from their album Music which was released February 9, 1993.-Charts:...

" received airplay
Airplay (song)
Airplay is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to state how frequently a song is being played on over-the-air radio stations. For example, a song which is being played several times every day would be classed as receiving a large amount of airplay...

 on modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...

 stations and reached #27 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

s Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...

 chart. However, the album failed to chart at the time.

Grassroots (1994)

Financing their own tour, the band drove around in an old RV borrowed from Chad's father, and towed a Volkswagen bus which held their equipment. After tackling a steep incline while on route to an Omaha show, the RV caught fire. The only door out of the vehicle was surrounded by flames so the band jumped through the fire. All of their equipment and possessions were lost, though no one was seriously injured. The band continued their tour, using borrowed equipment. The incident is referenced in various songs, including "Omaha Stylee", with the lyrics:

When one girl dreamt a fire in hers and then it happened

To me and my family my bro's and I were driving"

The RV bleeding flames us leaping through fire surviving

Zoned with no home there was fire all on it

Umm let me have my life I want it

The following year, they released their second studio album,
Grassroots
Grassroots (album)
-Personnel:*Nicholas Hexum - rhythm guitar, vocals*Tim Mahoney - guitar*S.A. Martinez - turntables, vocals*P-Nut - bass*Chad Sexton - percussion, drums-Production:*Producers: Eddie Offord, 311*Engineers: Eddie Offord, Scott Ralston, 311...

. Although none of the singles charted, the album reached #8 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...

 chart and #193 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

, and tracks from
Grassroots began popping up on college charts nationwide. It was during this time that 311's loyal fan base began to take on the form it remains in today.

311 (1995)

In 1995, 311 released what was to be their biggest selling CD, the self-titled 311
311 (album)
311 is the third major-label album by American alternative rock band 311. The album, often referred to as "The Blue Album", was released July 25, 1995. The album contained three successful singles, "Don't Stay Home", "All Mixed Up", and "Down", resulting in the band's mainstream breakthrough. It...

(also known as The Blue Album). Produced by Ron St. Germain, the album was recorded live in contrast to their previous two albums in which all instruments were recorded separately. The first single "Don't Stay Home" was a modest success, reaching #29 on Billboards Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...

 chart. But the follow-up single "Down", which was released 14 months after the album, received heavy airplay
Airplay (song)
Airplay is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to state how frequently a song is being played on over-the-air radio stations. For example, a song which is being played several times every day would be classed as receiving a large amount of airplay...

 on mainstream radio and the accompanying music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...

 was on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

's rotation
Spin (radio)
In radio broadcasting, a spin is a single play of a song. The term is also used as a unit to measure popularity, typically in spins per week...

. The song hit #1 on the Modern Rock chart. The band made their network television debut on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...

on August 23. The third single, "All Mixed Up", enjoyed almost identical success, reaching #4 on the Modern Rock chart. These singles propelled the album to platinum status in 1996. The album eventually went triple-platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...

. They also appeared on Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...

playing "Down".

Transistor (1997)

In the following years, 311 continued touring and on August 5, 1997 they released Transistor which debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

, their highest position on that chart. While featuring popular tracks like "Beautiful Disaster
Beautiful Disaster (311 song)
"Beautiful Disaster" is a 1997 song by the band 311. It is the third and final single from the album Transistor.-Reception:Consequence of Sound commented that "Beautful Disaster" may be 311's greatest hit and states that it has one of most recognizable intro in any song.-Use in Media:*The song is a...

", "Transistor
Transistor (Song)
"Transistor" is the title track by the band 311 from the album Transistor . The song clocks in at approximately 3:03. A music video was also shot and directed for the single.-Music video:...

", and "Prisoner," the album also dealt with more weighty subject matter such as world affairs ("Borders"), spirituality ("Inner Light Spectrum"), and mysticism ("The Continuous Life"). Although not garnering as much fame as some of 311's previous output, the album quickly went platinum.

Live and Omaha Sessions (1998)

In 1998, 311 released Live
Live (311 album)
Live is the only live album by 311. Recorded during the Transistor tour. Notable for Chad Sexton's 2 minute, 47 second drum solo during "Applied Science."...

, a live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...

 from a 1997 performance in New Orleans, Louisiana. 311 also released Omaha Sessions
Omaha Sessions
Omaha Sessions is an album released by 311 only on their website in October 1998 which contains re-masterings of highlights from their first three albums: Dammit!, Hydroponic, and Unity....

, a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...

 from their early independent releases.

Soundsystem (1999)

In 1999, 311 released their fifth major album, Soundsystem
Soundsystem
Soundsystem is the fifth studio album by 311, released on October 12, 1999. Soundsystem, which was certified Gold by the RIAA, was the last 311 album on Capricorn Records before the band switched to Volcano Records in 2000...

. "Come Original
Come Original
Come Original is a single by 311, first released on their 1999 album Soundsystem. It was later released on the compilation album Greatest Hits '93-'03.-Music video:...

" was the album's first single and had success on radio and MTV. The song reached #6 on Billboards Modern Rock Tracks chart. The video was heavily requested on MTV's TRL
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...

, and was #60 on TRL's Top 99 of '99. The second single, "Flowing
Flowing
"Flowing" is a song by the group 311. It first appeared on the 1999 album Soundsystem and was released as the second single from the album...

", had
American Pie's
American Pie (film)
American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film written by Adam Herz. American Pie was the directorial film debut of brothers Paul and Chris Weitz, and the first film in the American Pie film series...

Eddie Kaye Thomas
Eddie Kaye Thomas
Eddie Kaye Thomas is an American film, television, and stage actor who rose to prominence in 1999 as Paul Finch in the American Pie film series.-Early life:Thomas was born in Staten Island, NY...

 featured in the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...

.

The success of these albums helped the band's first two major albums,
Music and Grassroots, reach certified gold status.

Starting in 2000 the band began celebrating "their holiday" of 311 Day, held on March 11 (3/11). Every other year the band and thousands of their most loyal fans gather to New Orleans and celebrate with an extended concert put on by 311. In 2000 they played 47 songs and in 2002 59 songs were played. In 2004 311 played 68 songs in 5 hours, and later that year a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....

 was released of 311 Day 2004, containing 64 of the 68 songs. 311 Day in 2006 was held at the Mid-South Coliseum
Mid-South Coliseum
The Mid-South Coliseum, also known as "The Entertainment Capital of the Mid-South", was a multi-purpose arena, that seated 10,085 people, in Memphis, Tennessee...

 in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....

. The band played 65 songs, the setlist was cut short from 69, because of a strict curfew of midnight. The band recorded the entire show in high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...

. A 2 hour edit of the show aired on HDTV
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...

 on December 10. 311 Day in 2008 was held in the New Orleans Arena
New Orleans Arena
New Orleans Arena is an indoor arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is located in the city's Central Business District, adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome....

 in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

. They played 63 songs total, over three separated sets, to a sold out crowd of 14,000 fans, who represented all 50 states and 13 countries. In 2010, 311 Day took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center
Mandalay Bay Events Center
Mandalay Bay Events Center is a 12,000 seat indoor arena, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, on the Las Vegas Strip, in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by MGM Resorts International.It has hosted many music, boxing and mixed martial arts events....

 in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

. All 60 songs, 32 of which were different from 311 Day in 2008, were broadcast live on the web in a video on demand
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...

 format described as a "professional multi-camera HD production."

In 1995, the band purchased a recording studio in North Hollywood, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 called The Hive
The Hive (place)
The Hive is a recording studio in North Hollywood, California that is owned and run by the members of the alternative rock band 311. It takes its name from the band's rabid fanbase which is commonly known as "The Hive."- Origin :...

. The band has recorded every album at The Hive since 2000, beginning with the sessions for From Chaos
From Chaos
From Chaos is the sixth studio album by 311, released on June 19, 2001.In 2000, before this album was recorded and released they left Capricorn Records and switched to Volcano Entertainment as their permanent label....

, 311's sixth major record release.

From Chaos

From Chaos was released in late 2001 and debuted at #10 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

. Its first single, "You Wouldn't Believe
You Wouldn't Believe
"You Wouldn't Believe" is a popular hip-hop style hard rock song by 311 that was first released on their album From Chaos in 2001, which has a music video featuring Shaquille O'Neal. The song appeared on Canadian MuchMusic Top 30 chart. "You Wouldn't Believe" also appeared on the compilation album...

" featured basketball star Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...

 in the video and had a solid run of success on MTV. The album is also known for its third single, "Amber
Amber (song)
"Amber" is a 2001 single from the band 311 off their album From Chaos. Focusing more on their reggae roots, the song is about Nick Hexum's then fiance Nicole Scherzinger...

", an ethereal love song with surf guitar and the group's signature reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...

-flavored sound.

Evolver (2003)

Their seventh major release, Evolver (Produced By Ron Saint Germain), came in 2003 and marked a return to the straightforward guitar-heavy sound that the band had become known for. Evolver debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200, and the single "Creatures (For A While)" reached #3 on Billboards Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...

 chart.

Love Song (2004)

In 2004, 311 covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...

 The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...

's "Love Song" which became a #1 hit on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It also reached #59 on the Hot 100, their first single to reach that chart. It was featured on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...

 for the motion picture 50 First Dates
50 First Dates
50 First Dates is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Segal and written by George Wing. The film stars Adam Sandler as a woman-chasing veterinarian and Drew Barrymore as an amnesiac, along with Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Lusia Strus, Blake Clark, and Dan Aykroyd.Most of the film...

.

Greatest Hits '93-'03 (2004)

A few months later they released Greatest Hits '93-'03
Greatest Hits '93-'03
Greatest Hits '93–'03 was the first compilation album by 311, released on June 8, 2004. The album features tracks from each of 311's major label albums from Music through Evolver and two new tracks "First Straw" and "How Do You Feel?"...

. The compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...

 debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

 and was certified gold. The album also featured two new songs. "How Do You Feel?" and "First Straw". Of these new tracks, "First Straw", was released as a single and reached #14 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Don't Tread on Me (2005)

On August 16, 2005, 311 released their eighth studio album, titled Don't Tread on Me
Don't Tread on Me (album)
-Bonus tracks:-Outtakes & Demos:#Into the Flame#Take My Money#Wandering Around#Stealing My Girl#Go#Mase - Early demo for "It's Getting OK Now"#Hotness - Early demo for "Into the Flame"- Personnel :*Shepard Fairey – artwork, design...

. "Don't Tread On Me", the first single, reached #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart and #1 at R&R
Radio & Records
Radio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...

. The next two singles, "Speak Easy" and "Frolic Room", did not receive the same success as the first, neither of which made it past #20on the Modern Rock Charts. Neither of their newest studio albums, excluding Greatest Hits, have received an RIAA certification yet.

Unity tours (2006-present)

On July 20, 2006, 311 kicked off their Summer Unity Tour, playing 37 shows in 27 states and featuring opening bands Pepper
Pepper (band)
Pepper is a rock band originally from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The band's music is often classified as a combination of reggae, dub and rock. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Kaleo Wassman, vocalist/bassist Bret Bollinger, and drummer Yesod Williams...

 and the legendary Wailers
Wailers Band
The Wailers Band are a reggae band formed by the remaining members of Bob Marley & The Wailers‎, following the death of Bob Marley in 1981.-Previous Wailers' incarnations:The Wailers‎ started as Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh...

. Though their album sales have declined in recent years, the band continued to attract record crowds to their shows. Over 18,500 people came to see the band in Atlanta, their largest audience ever in the city. Other cities with high turnouts included New Jersey (17,210 people), Boston (15,276), Washington DC (13,812), Omaha (13,467), Kansas City (11,156), and Colorado
(10,000).

After completion of the tour, 311 announced they would be taking a break, their first official one in over eight years.

Reggae Got Soul (2007)

In January 2007, 311 stepped back into their Hive Studios with Nick's younger brother Zack Hexum
Zack Hexum
Zack Hexum is a Los Angeles based singer-songwriter.Hexum lists his influences as including Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Paul McCartney, Todd Rundgren, and Jeff Buckley. Hexum plays both guitar and saxophone...

. They recorded a cover of Toots & the Maytals
Toots & the Maytals
Toots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group and one of the best known ska and reggae vocal groups. According to Sandra Brennan at Allmusic, "The Maytals were key figures in reggae music...

 song "Reggae Got Soul" for the soundtrack from the film Surf's Up
Surf's Up (film)
Surf's Up is a 2007 American computer-animated mockumentary family comedy film directed by Ash Brannon and Chris Buck. It stars the voices of Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel and Jon Heder among others....

, which was released on June 5, 2007. 311 is also one of the selected group of bands that have been able to successfully tour "off-cycle", headlining amphitheaters each summer.

Their Summer Unity Tour in 2007 included supporting acts Matisyahu
Matisyahu
Matthew Paul Miller , better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae and alternative rock musician....

 and The English Beat. In 2008, they featured opening acts Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...

 and Fiction Plane
Fiction Plane
Fiction Plane is a rock band from England. Originally formed in London under the name Santa’s Boyfriend in 2001, Fiction Plane is currently composed of lead vocalist, guitar and bass player Joe Sumner ; guitarist Seton Daunt; and American drummer Pete Wilhoit.-Recording history:Fiction Plane’s...

.

In 2009, they had another Summer Unity Tour which featured opening acts Ziggy Marley
Ziggy Marley
David "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. He is the oldest son of famed reggae musician Bob Marley...

 and The Expendables
The Expendables
-Musical career:Their music is a diverse mix of styles, including reggae, ska, surf rock, and punk rock. Members include Geoff Weers , Adam Patterson , Raul Bianchi and Ryan DeMars . The band was formed in 1997. In 2003 they had their own radio show, Locals Only, on radio station KMBY...

 while in 2010, supporting act The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...

 and opening act Pepper
Pepper (band)
Pepper is a rock band originally from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The band's music is often classified as a combination of reggae, dub and rock. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Kaleo Wassman, vocalist/bassist Bret Bollinger, and drummer Yesod Williams...

 were featured. In 2011, Sublime With Rome
Sublime with Rome
Sublime with Rome is a musical collaboration between Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh, formerly of the band Sublime, and singer and guitarist Rome Ramirez. The group chiefly performed songs by Sublime, which was fronted by Bradley Nowell until his death in 1996...

 and DJ Soulman & DJ Trichrome will be opening on the Unity Tour.

Uplifter (2009)

Uplifter
Uplifter
-Bonus tracks:-Album:-Singles:...

, 311's ninth studio album, was released on June 2, 2009. The album, produced at 311's Hive Recording Studios in Los Angeles by Bob Rock
Bob Rock
Robert Jens Rock, , is a Canadian musician, sound engineer, and record producer best known for producing bands such as Aerosmith, The Cult, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, 311, Metallica, Our Lady Peace, The Offspring and most recently Bush.-Payola$ and Rock and Hyde:Rock began his music career in Langford,...

, debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200, the band's highest chart position in the U.S. to date. The band followed up the release of the album with tours in Summer and Fall 2009. They have completed their Spring 2010 tour, which included 311 Day 2010, held in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

. A Summer tour with The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...

 began in June 2010. 311 also held a 2010 fall tour.

Universal Pulse and Pow Wow Festival (2010-2011)

In early 2011, 311 finished recording their tenth studio album called Universal Pulse
Universal Pulse
Universal Pulse is the tenth studio album by American rock band 311, released on July 19, 2011 on 311 Records/ATO Records.-Album information:...

at the Hive in Los Angeles, with producer Bob Rock. The album was released July 19, 2011. The album's first single, "Sunset in July" was released on June 3, 2011. Universal Pulse is their shortest album yet, only having 8 songs.

311 hosted their first ever "Pow Wow" Festival from August 4 to August 6 at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park
Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park
The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is located in North Central Florida, in Suwannee County, United States. Situated on the banks of the historic Suwannee River, the park consists of over 600 acres of camping areas, concert venues, recreational facilities, and unspoiled forests...

 in Live Oak, FL. Along with 311, it featured DJ Trichome, Murs, SOJA
Soldiers of Jah Army
Soldiers of Jah Army is a band based in Arlington, Virginia in the Northern Virginia / Washington D.C. area. Starting as an active band in 1997, their music is produced under the record label Innerloop.-Biography:...

, Deftones
Deftones
Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...

, DJ Soulman, The Movement, Full Service
Full Service (band)
Full Service is an American rock band that formed in 2004 in Austin, Texas. The band is a quartet consisting of Tim "Bonesaw" Kepner , Dave "hoagman" Kepner , Elliott "Smellman" Larden , and Anthony "Twinky P" Pitt . Full Service has 4 full length albums, 2 acoustic albums, 2 live albums, and 1 EP...

, Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto is an American punk band with many influences from different genres including ska, from New Brunswick, New Jersey fronted by Tomas Kalnoky....

, The Dirty Heads
The Dirty Heads
The Dirty Heads are a Reggae rock band from Southern California with a melodic style that includes hip hop and punk genres. Their debut album, Any Port in a Storm, was released on September 23, 2008, by Executive Music Group .-History:...

, Sublime with Rome
Sublime with Rome
Sublime with Rome is a musical collaboration between Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh, formerly of the band Sublime, and singer and guitarist Rome Ramirez. The group chiefly performed songs by Sublime, which was fronted by Bradley Nowell until his death in 1996...

, Shinobi Ninja, Ballyhoo!, The Supervillains
The Supervillains
The Supervillains are a four-piece reggae band from St. Cloud, Florida.-Massive:After spending 2006 and 2007 supporting "Grow Yer Own" on the road with the likes of Pepper, Slightly Stoopid, Fishbone, Streetlight Manifesto, Mu330, Inner Circle, Authority Zero, the Expendables, the Mad Caddies, and...

, Ozomatli
Ozomatli
Ozomatli is a seven to ten piece band playing primarily Latin, hip hop, and rock music, formed in 1995 in Los Angeles. They are known both for their vocal activist viewpoints and their wide array of musical styles - including salsa, jazz, funk, reggae, rap, and others.In a 2007 NPR interview, band...

, G. Love & Special Sauce
G. Love & Special Sauce
G. Love & Special Sauce is an alternative hip-hop band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are known for their unique, "sloppy", and "laid back" blues sound that encompasses classic R&B. The band features Garrett Dutton, better known as G...

, and comedians Doug Benson
Doug Benson
Douglas Steven "Doug" Benson is an American stand-up comedian and actor who has appeared on Comedy Central Presents, Best Week Ever and was a contestant on Last Comic Standing in the show's fifth season....

 and Graham Elwood
Graham Elwood
Graham Elwood is an American comedian, actor and writer.Elwood hosted the Game Show Network original series Cram and the USA Network and syndicated game show Strip Poker. From October 2006, he appeared in a DirecTV testimonial commercial as "Graham - Customer since '01"...

.

Unnamed eleventh studio album (2011-present)

There will be an eleventh album of no current name.

Musical style

Various writers and critics define 311 by a number of genres. They are generally known as an alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

 band, but they are also classified as rap rock
Rap rock
Rap rock is a cross-genre fusing vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with various forms of rock. Rap rock is often confused with rap metal and rapcore, subgenres that include heavy metal-oriented and hardcore punk-oriented bands, respectively....

, rap metal
Rap metal
Rap metal is a subgenre of rap rock which fuses vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop music with heavy metal.-History:Rap metal originated from rap rock, a genre fusing vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with rock...

, funk rock
Funk rock
Funk rock is a music genre that fuses funk and rock elements. Its earliest incarnation was heard in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s by acts such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience , Eric Burdon and War, Trapeze, Parliament-Funkadelic, Betty Davis and Mother's Finest. The 1990s were known for acts...

, funk metal
Funk metal
Funk metal is a subgenre of funk rock that fuses elements of heavy metal and funk. Allmusic has claimed that "funk metal evolved in the mid-'80s when alternative bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Infectious Grooves, Mordred and Fishbone began playing the hybrid with a stronger...

, ska punk, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...

 and jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...

.

Current members

  • Nick Hexum
    Nick Hexum
    Nicholas Lofton Hexum is an American musician, currently the vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the alternative rock band 311.-Early life:Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Hexum went to Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska...

     – vocals, rhythm guitar
    Rhythm guitar
    Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...

    , programming (1988–present)
  • Doug "SA" Martinez
    SA Martinez
    Douglas Vincent "SA" Martinez is a vocalist and DJ for the alternative rock band 311. He is of Hispanic descent. Martinez's nickname is partially a play on the Mexican Spanish slang term "ese", meaning "buddy" or "friend." It is also said that SA had an "out-of-body experience" in college and S.A...

     – vocals, turntables
    Phonograph
    The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...

    , DJ (1992–present)
  • Tim Mahoney – lead guitar
    Lead guitar
    Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...

     (1991–present)
  • Aaron "P-Nut" Wills
    P-Nut
    Aaron Charles Wills , is an American musician, bassist for band 311, and music producer / bassist for band Hollows Follow.- Background :...

     – bass
    Bass guitar
    The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

     (1988–present)
  • Chad Sexton
    Chad Sexton
    Chad Ronald Sexton is the drummer for American rock band 311. He grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and went to Westside High School with fellow band members Nick Hexum and Tim Mahoney....

     – drum
    Drum kit
    A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

    s, percussion, programming (1988–present)

Guest musicians

  • Ward Bones – guest keyboards on the version of "Fuck the Bullshit" on Dammit!
    Dammit!
    Dammit! was 311's second independent release , on their own record company, What Have You Records. It was released in 1990 and it's considered by some people to be the band's first album. This album is no longer in print and is very rare...

  • Black Chiney
    Black Chiney
    Black Chiney is a Jamaican sound system based in Miami, Florida. It consists of four Chinese Jamaicans mixed with African descent: Supa Dups, Bobby Chin, Willy Chin and Walshy Killa. The Caribbean slang "Black Chiney" refers to this racial mix....

     – back-up vocals on "Creatures (For Awhile)" and vocals on "Are You Ready" stage intro
  • Daddy Freddy – back-up vocals on "Nix Hex"
  • Robert Greenridge – steel drums on the song "Speak Easy"
  • Adam Merrin
    Adam Merrin
    Adam Merrin is the pianist/keyboardist for the Los Angeles based rock band, The 88.- Discography :In January 2007, Adam Merrin released his first solo EP entitled HAVE ONE, available on iTunes and other digital music sites...

     – piano on "Too Much Too Fast"
  • Zack Hexum
    Zack Hexum
    Zack Hexum is a Los Angeles based singer-songwriter.Hexum lists his influences as including Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Paul McCartney, Todd Rundgren, and Jeff Buckley. Hexum plays both guitar and saxophone...

     – Nick's younger brother, plays saxophone in "Outside" a 311
    311 (album)
    311 is the third major-label album by American alternative rock band 311. The album, often referred to as "The Blue Album", was released July 25, 1995. The album contained three successful singles, "Don't Stay Home", "All Mixed Up", and "Down", resulting in the band's mainstream breakthrough. It...

    B-side. He also plays the horns on 311's cover of the Toots & the Maytals
    Toots & the Maytals
    Toots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group and one of the best known ska and reggae vocal groups. According to Sandra Brennan at Allmusic, "The Maytals were key figures in reggae music...

     song "Reggae Got Soul", recorded for the Surf's Up
    Surf's Up
    Surf's Up is the seventeenth studio album by The Beach Boys, released in 1971. The album was released that August to more public anticipation than the Beach Boys had had for several years. It outperformed Sunflower commercially, reaching #29 in the US and #15 in the UK...

    movie soundtrack.
  • Marcus Watkins – guest guitar on the version of "Fat Chance" on Dammit!
    Dammit!
    Dammit! was 311's second independent release , on their own record company, What Have You Records. It was released in 1990 and it's considered by some people to be the band's first album. This album is no longer in print and is very rare...

  • Eric "Bobo" Correa – guest percussionist on "Running", "Strangers" and "Stealing Happy Hours" on Transistor
  • Shaquille O'Neal
    Shaquille O'Neal
    Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...

     – On Enlarged to Show Detail 2, Shaq made an appearance with 311 at the 2001 KROQ Weenie Roast
    KROQ Weenie Roast
    KROQ Weenie Roast is a multi-artist alternative rock concert, presented annually in June by the Los Angeles, California, USA radio station KROQ-FM. Since its beginning in 1993, the event has been traditionally held on a Saturday in June, except from 2005 to 2009 when it occurred in May.Every year...

    , performing his song entitled "Psycho".

Discography

  • Music
    Music (311 album)
    - Charts :Album...

    (1993)
  • Grassroots
    Grassroots (album)
    -Personnel:*Nicholas Hexum - rhythm guitar, vocals*Tim Mahoney - guitar*S.A. Martinez - turntables, vocals*P-Nut - bass*Chad Sexton - percussion, drums-Production:*Producers: Eddie Offord, 311*Engineers: Eddie Offord, Scott Ralston, 311...

    (1994)
  • 311
    311 (album)
    311 is the third major-label album by American alternative rock band 311. The album, often referred to as "The Blue Album", was released July 25, 1995. The album contained three successful singles, "Don't Stay Home", "All Mixed Up", and "Down", resulting in the band's mainstream breakthrough. It...

    (1995)
  • Transistor (1997)
  • Soundsystem
    Soundsystem
    Soundsystem is the fifth studio album by 311, released on October 12, 1999. Soundsystem, which was certified Gold by the RIAA, was the last 311 album on Capricorn Records before the band switched to Volcano Records in 2000...

    (1999)
  • From Chaos
    From Chaos
    From Chaos is the sixth studio album by 311, released on June 19, 2001.In 2000, before this album was recorded and released they left Capricorn Records and switched to Volcano Entertainment as their permanent label....

    (2001)
  • Evolver (2003)
  • Don't Tread on Me
    Don't Tread on Me (album)
    -Bonus tracks:-Outtakes & Demos:#Into the Flame#Take My Money#Wandering Around#Stealing My Girl#Go#Mase - Early demo for "It's Getting OK Now"#Hotness - Early demo for "Into the Flame"- Personnel :*Shepard Fairey – artwork, design...

    (2005)
  • Uplifter (2009)
  • Universal Pulse
    Universal Pulse
    Universal Pulse is the tenth studio album by American rock band 311, released on July 19, 2011 on 311 Records/ATO Records.-Album information:...

    (2011)
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