Nick Hexum: 311, Opening for Fugazi, Bad Brains Influence & Selling 10+ Million Albums

Happy 311 Day to all who observe... We're joined by 311 co-founder and vocalist Nick Hexum at his home studio, deep in the old Topanga Canyon.

We break down his roots growing up punk and listening to funk in Omaha, Nebraska, 311's formation taking place just to open for Fugazi, the whole band moving to Van Nuys to try to get a record deal, the breakout success of "Down" and the whole self-titled record, the even bigger success of "Amber" and the 50 First Dates soundtrack, and thoroughly breakdown how bands like Bad Brains & Helmet influenced them from the beginning.

A truly great conversation and we thank Nick for having us, and for joining us.

Brought to you by BRAIN DEAD, check out their new collaboration with Cannibal Corpse and to see what's playing at the iconic Brain Dread Studios this month!

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00:00:00 - Start

00:00:54 - Nick Hexum

00:02:19 - Omaha, Nebraska & 311's First Show Opening for Fugazi

00:06:34 - Grew Up Punk, Listening to Funk & The Rumor About Their Name

00:11:39 - The Ed's: Meeting the Rest of 311

00:16:20 - DAMMIT & UNITY... LA to Omaha to Van Nuys, What Have You Records

00:21:42 - MUSIC & GRASSROOTS... SA Joins, "Do You Right," First Radio Play

00:26:49 - Dynamic in 311 Today, the RV Fire

00:31:25 - SELF-TITLED... Ron St. Jermaine (I Against I), Helmet Influence, The Success of "Down"

00:45:43 - Pardon This Interruption...

00:47:02 - Touring On The Self Titled And Europe For the First Time

00:49:01 - TRANSISTOR... "Beautiful Disaster," NOFX Influence, Making An Affordable 2xLP

00:59:45 - SOUNDSYSTEM... "Come Original," Focusing on Heavy Riffs, Hugh Padgham

01:07:18 - Learning to Tune Out Critics

01:09:27 - Opening The Hive

01:11:22 - FROM CHAOS... The Iconic Neve Board, Referencing I & I Survive in "I'll Be Here a While"

01:18:53 - "Amber"

01:23:51 - "Lovesong," Adam Sandler & The 50 First Dates Soundtrack

01:28:25 - EVOLVER & GREATEST HITS... Beatles Influence, Musical Catharsis, Keeping Expectations Low

01:35:06 - DON'T TREAD ON ME... Ska, Doomsday Prepping for the State of Music in 2005

01:38:20 - UPLIFTER, UNIVERSAL PULSE... Bob Rock, Some Kind of Monster, "Sunset in July"

01:43:12 - STEREOLITHIC, MOSAIC, VOYAGER & The Post-Pandemic Boom

01:48:18 - FULL BLOOM, SKP & What Nick is Yet to Achieve

01:52:50 - Nick is So Vascular & Jacked (And Eats Good)

01:58:02 - Top 4 Punk/Hardcore Records

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Edited by Steven Grise • Title sequence by Nicholas Marzluf

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