"311" has been added to your list of bookmarked artists
close
311
Biography
311's fusion of reggae and rap-metal was created in Omaha, NE, where singer/guitarist Nick Hexum, DJ/singer S.A. Martinez, guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton, and the bassist known only as P-Nut launched the group in 1990. Taking their name from the Omaha Police Department's code for indecent exposure, the quintet began gigging locally and soon moved to Los Angeles, signing with Capricorn Records in 1991. 311 then translated their regional success into national recognition with several key albums, including 1992's Music, 1993's Grassroots, and 1995's eponymous 311 (aka The Blue Album), the latter of which reached number 12 on the album chart, sold three million copies in the U.S., and sported the hit tracks "All Mixed Up" and "Down."

In 1996, following a nonstop year of touring in support of 311, the band released Enlarged to Show Detail, a home video of live performances taken from amphitheater shows in Kansas City and Denver. Transistor, a double album of new songs sandwiched onto one CD, arrived one year later and prompted the group's most ambitious tour yet. The album soon achieved platinum status, and the resulting show dates provided ample material for Live, which was released in 1998 and captured the band's strength in concert.
report abuse