311 Biography
311 is an American rock group from Omaha, Nebraska. They are pronounced “three eleven.” The band was founded in 1988 by bassist Aaron “P-Nut” Wills, drummer Chad Sexton, lead guitarist Jim Watson, and guitarist/vocalist Nick Hexum. In 1990, Tim Mahoney replaced Watson. Doug “SA” Martinez joined in 1992 and added turntables and vocals.
311’s first independent release was the Downstairs EP. It was recorded in 1989 in Nick Hexum’s basement. Unlike their other releases, it didn’t have a cover image. The EP features the song “Feels So Good,” which was later remastered for the album Music and is frequently performed live by 311.
Dammit!, their second independent release, was recorded at IEV Studios in Papillion, Nebraska, and released by 311 in 1990 on 300 cassettes. Tim Mahoney replaced Jim Watson on the guitar in 1991, and 311 issued Unity, their third independent album, which was recorded at Rainbow Recording Studios in Omaha. Unity had 500 cassettes and 1000 CDs manufactured; they were sold at concerts and distributed through consignment. In 1993, they released Music, their debut studio album. Modern rock radio stations played the tune “Do You Right,” which peaked at No. 27 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks list. But the record didn’t do well in the charts at the time. Eddy Offord, best known for producing Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, produced the album.
311 released their self-titled album, also known as The Blue Album, in 1995. Unlike their previous albums, this one was recorded live. The first song, “Don’t Stay Home,” had some success, reaching No. 29 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks list. But it was the follow-up song, “Down,” that really took off. It got a lot of exposure on mainstream radio and the music video was played frequently on MTV. “Down” reached No. 1 on the Modern Rock chart. On August 23, the band made their first appearance on network television on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. The third single, “All Mixed Up,” had similar success, peaking at No. 4 on the Modern Rock chart. They also performed “Down” on the Late Show with David Letterman.
Thirteen studio albums, two live albums, four compilation albums, four EPs, and four DVDs have all been published by 311. Following a string of independent albums, 311 was signed to Capricorn Records in 1992 and saw some measure of success with the albums Music (1993) and Grassroots (1994). Their 1995 self-titled triple platinum album, which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 thanks to the singles “Down” and “All Mixed Up,” the former of which topped the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks in 1996, brought them additional success.
Transistor (1997), Soundsystem (1999), and From Chaos (2001) were commercially successful, with the first going platinum and the final two going gold. Greatest Hits ’93-’03, their 2004 compilation CD, was also awarded a platinum certification. The band’s most recent studio album, Voyager, was released in 2019. Over 8.5 million copies of 311’s music have been sold in the US as of 2011.
On June 23, 2017, Mosaic was made available, and it received favorable reviews. It was their 12th studio album and their 10th straight to make its US Billboard 200 Top 10 debut. With 39,000 album-equivalent units, of which 37,000 were sales of just the album, it debuted at number six.
The first single from Mosaic, called “Too Much to Think,” came out on March 9. 311 then released the singles “Too Late” and “Perfect Mistake.” The band got its name from the Omaha police code for indecent exposure, after their original guitarist got in trouble for streaking.
311 Discography
| Uplifter |  |
| Don’t Tread on Me | |
| Evolver | |
| From Chaos | |
| Soundsystem | |
| Transistor | |
| 311 | |
| Grassroots | |
| Music | |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who’s the lead singer of 311?
The lead singer of 311 is Nick Hexum. He has been with the band since its inception in 1988. He is also one of the band’s primary songwriters and vocalists.
What Genre Is 311?
311 is a band from Omaha, Nebraska. They are considered to be part of the alternative rock, rap rock, and reggae fusion genres.
What Was 311 First Album?
311’s first album, Unity, was released on August 28, 1991. It had a hit single called “Do You Right” that reached number one on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart. The album received gold certification from the RIAA on November 12, 1991, and platinum certification on April 7, 1992. They went on their Unity Tour from September 5, 1991, in Boulder, Colorado, to December 31, 1991, in Omaha, Nebraska.
What Is The Name Of 311’s Most Famous Song?
The song is called “Amber.” It was released in 1992 and was a huge hit, reaching number one on the Billboard charts. The song is about a relationship between two people who cannot be together.
Most Searched For 311 Songs
| Amber | |
| Love Song | |
| Down | |
| All Mixed Up | |
| I’ll be here Awhile | |
| Sunset in July | |
| Beautiful Disaster | |
| Homebrew | |