Nick Hexum
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Lofton Hexum is an American
musician, currently the vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the alternative rock
band 311
.
, Hexum went to Westside High School
in Omaha, Nebraska
. There he played in the school's concert jazz band, and played in several local bands like "The Extras","The Ed's," "The Right Profile," and "Unity." In the late 1980s Nick moved to Los Angeles to pursue music, but he found his opportunity to be back home in Omaha just a couple of years later. His friend and future band mate, Chad Sexton
, convinced him to move back to Omaha to start a band with other friends Aaron Wills
and Jim Watson; this is the band that would eventually take the name 311
.
, Unity
, and Hydroponic
, as well as one EP, Downstairs EP
, before signing to Capricorn Records
in 1992.
track "It's A Rockin' World", from Chef Aid: The South Park Album
alongside Flea
and Tom Morello
. Hexum contributed vocals for the track "Age of Consent" on the Neverending White Lights
CD in 2006. Neverending White Lights is fronted by Daniel Victor and features various notable artists mainly from Canada and the United States.
Hexum collaborated with The Urge
on "Jump Right In" on the Urge's Masters of Styles album, was featured on "Stay On" from Sugar Ray
's 2001 self-titled album and has done reggae/hip-hop remixes for Lenny Kravitz
, and No Doubt
. Throughout 2010, Nick had several different solo performances outside of 311.
Nick Hexum bought a private island
vacation rental off the coast of Florida
, and has renamed the island from Money Key to Melody Key. Melody Key was available to be purchased for $4,900,000 and can also be rented. Nick announced he sold the island on March 17, 2011 because his priorities had changed and was not able to get to the island as much as he wanted.
Hexum also created a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting various environmental causes called Liberal Hexum, which focuses on global warming
. Nick completed the Los Angeles Marathon
as his first charity event; accepting per mile pledges to be donated to his PAC.
"Ginsing Clothing" (presumably a musical-reference spelling variant of "ginseng") is a clothing line owned and operated by Nick, started in the late 1990s.
During the 2004 presidential election
, Nick hit the road with his brother, Zack Hexum, who is also a musician in support of John Kerry
. They covered some of their favorites from bands like The Clash, XTC, Bob Marley, The Beatles, Coldplay, Radiohead, and others as well as playing some of their own songs. Despite Kerry's loss, the Hexum brothers stayed positive and continued on with their individual endeavors.
Nick still uses his label, What Have You Records, to produce other artists such as Pepper
, The Matches
, and Zack Hexum
, his younger brother. Nick met Nicole Scherzinger
, of the Pussycat Dolls, backstage at a Days of the New
concert in 2000 or 2001. They dated and later became engaged but broke it off sometime in 2004.
Nick married Nikki, a writer/painter who had worked with Val Kilmer and Robert Evans for years on New Year's Eve
2008. Their daughter, Echo Love Hexum, was born in a home birth on August 29, 2009. Their second daughter, Maxine, was born May 1, 2011 also Nikki's birthday– due to the absence of his family's midwife, Nick performed the delivery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician, currently the vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the 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 311
311 (band)
311 is an American rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. The band was formed in 1988 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum, lead guitarist Jim Watson , bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills and drummer Chad Sexton...
.
Early life
Born in Madison, WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, Hexum went to Westside High School
Westside High School (Omaha)
Westside High School is the high school of the Westside Community Schools district of Omaha, Nebraska. This school has provided education in the Westside Community for 50 years.-Modular schedule system:...
in 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...
. There he played in the school's concert jazz band, and played in several local bands like "The Extras","The Ed's," "The Right Profile," and "Unity." In the late 1980s Nick moved to Los Angeles to pursue music, but he found his opportunity to be back home in Omaha just a couple of years later. His friend and future band mate, 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....
, convinced him to move back to Omaha to start a band with other friends Aaron Wills
P-Nut
Aaron Charles Wills , is an American musician, bassist for band 311, and music producer / bassist for band Hollows Follow.- Background :...
and Jim Watson; this is the band that would eventually take the name 311
311 (band)
311 is an American rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. The band was formed in 1988 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum, lead guitarist Jim Watson , bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills and drummer Chad Sexton...
.
311 formed
311 began playing together in 1988. In 1990 Nick realized the only way for 311 to gain notoriety was to release albums, so Nick started his own record company called "What Have You Records" and used it to begin releasing 311 titles. The band released three albums, 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...
, 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...
, and 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...
, as well as one EP, Downstairs EP
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...
, before signing 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.
Personal life and other projects
Hexum appeared on the Joe StrummerJoe Strummer
John Graham Mellor , best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the British punk rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in...
track "It's A Rockin' World", from Chef Aid: The South Park Album
Chef Aid: The South Park Album
-Episode reference:- Singles :* "Chocolate Salty Balls "CD1# "Chocolate Salty Balls " - Performed By Chef# "Oh Holy Night" - Performed By Eric Cartman...
alongside Flea
Flea (musician)
Michael Peter Balzary , better known by his stage name Flea, is an Australian-American musician and occasional actor. He is best known as the bassist, co-founding member, and one of the composers of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers...
and Tom Morello
Tom Morello
Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
. Hexum contributed vocals for the track "Age of Consent" on the Neverending White Lights
Neverending White Lights
Neverending White Lights is a Canadian music collaboration project fronted by Daniel Victor from Windsor, Ontario, and featuring several artists mainly from Canada and the United States. Daniel Victor performs all musical instruments, with most of his songs featuring guest singers...
CD in 2006. Neverending White Lights is fronted by Daniel Victor and features various notable artists mainly from Canada and the United States.
Hexum collaborated with The Urge
The Urge
The Urge is a St. Louis rock band formed in 1987 by drummer Jeff Herschel, bassist Karl Grable, guitarist Pat Malecek, and singer Steve Ewing...
on "Jump Right In" on the Urge's Masters of Styles album, was featured on "Stay On" from Sugar Ray
Sugar Ray
Sugar Ray is a band from Orange County, California. The band, starting off more as an alternative metal band, first gained fame in 1997 with their release of the song "Fly". This song's success, coupled with its pop rock sound that was quite different from the rest of their material at the time,...
's 2001 self-titled album and has done reggae/hip-hop remixes for Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
, and No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
. Throughout 2010, Nick had several different solo performances outside of 311.
Nick Hexum bought a private island
Private island
A private island is a disconnected body of land wholly owned by a single private citizen or corporation. Although this exclusivity gives the owner substantial control over the property, they still fall within the jurisdiction of national and sometimes local governments.-Ownership:There are many...
vacation rental off the coast of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and has renamed the island from Money Key to Melody Key. Melody Key was available to be purchased for $4,900,000 and can also be rented. Nick announced he sold the island on March 17, 2011 because his priorities had changed and was not able to get to the island as much as he wanted.
Hexum also created a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting various environmental causes called Liberal Hexum, which focuses on global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. Nick completed the Los Angeles Marathon
Los Angeles Marathon
The Honda LA Marathon is an annual running event held each spring in Los Angeles, California. The 26.219 mile footrace, inspired by the success of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games, has been contested every year since 1986...
as his first charity event; accepting per mile pledges to be donated to his PAC.
"Ginsing Clothing" (presumably a musical-reference spelling variant of "ginseng") is a clothing line owned and operated by Nick, started in the late 1990s.
During the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, Nick hit the road with his brother, Zack Hexum, who is also a musician in support of John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. They covered some of their favorites from bands like The Clash, XTC, Bob Marley, The Beatles, Coldplay, Radiohead, and others as well as playing some of their own songs. Despite Kerry's loss, the Hexum brothers stayed positive and continued on with their individual endeavors.
Nick still uses his label, What Have You Records, to produce other artists such as 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...
, The Matches
The Matches
The Matches are a United States-based band formed in 1997 in Oakland, California. It currently is composed of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Shawn Harris, lead guitarist and backup vocalist Jonathan Devoto, bassist and backup vocalist Dylan Rowe, and drummer Matt Whalen...
, and 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...
, his younger brother. Nick met Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente Scherzinger is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, model, and actress. Scherzinger is perhaps best known for being the lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls....
, of the Pussycat Dolls, backstage at a Days of the New
Days of the New
Days of the New is an American alternative rock band from Louisville, Kentucky, formed in 1995. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Travis Meeks and a variety of supporting musicians...
concert in 2000 or 2001. They dated and later became engaged but broke it off sometime in 2004.
Nick married Nikki, a writer/painter who had worked with Val Kilmer and Robert Evans for years on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
2008. Their daughter, Echo Love Hexum, was born in a home birth on August 29, 2009. Their second daughter, Maxine, was born May 1, 2011 also Nikki's birthday– due to the absence of his family's midwife, Nick performed the delivery.