311’s Nick Hexum on 30 Years of Rock, Being Hated by Critics, and Their Next Album’s ‘Big Riffs’

variety.com:

William Earl For over 30 years, Omaha rockers 311 have been a fixture on alternative airwaves and renowned for their dynamic live shows.

The band started in 1988 and their current lineup — Nick Hexum (vocals/guitar), Chad Sexton (drums), Tim Mahoney (guitar), SA Martinez (vocals/DJ) and P-Nut (bass) — has been solid for some 31 years.

Blending heavy riffs with reggae flourishes, hip hop verses, funk breakdowns and touching on countless genres, the band’s musical influences are varied and have led to chart-topping songs, including “Down,” “Amber,” “Come Original” and a popular cover of the Cure’s “Love Song.” 2023 is as busy as ever for 311, as the group is headed on a fall tour with openers AWOLNATION, reissuing their debut album “Music” on vinyl, announced a new beer called Come Original India Pale Ale, and even released a TikTok-friendly sped up version of “Amber.” As if that isn’t enough, they’re planning to record a new album during a break on tour.

Hexum spoke with Variety from his studio about how the band was able to get their big break while embracing their unique style, how they keeps things fresh in the studio and on the road, and what the new album will sound like. 311 embraces so many genres. When you first came together, how did you nail down the blend of musical ingredients that worked? My biggest heroes and influences were bands that were brave about genre-jumping, and whether it’s The Clash or The Beatles, you could just hear that they were not going to be hemmed in to any one category.