Omaha Stylee

When you think of bands, where do you typically think they are from? Answers usually vary from the West coast, East coast, the South, or Europe. These seem to be breeding grounds for bands and talent. Just think of where certain genres were born. Grunge has its roots in Seattle, punk appeared in California, and country began in the South. I'd like to talk about a band that isn't from these areas. Let's move to the Midwest, in the grip of cornfields as far as the eye can see.

Nick Hexum was born on April 2, 1970 in Madison, Wisconsin. Shortly thereafter, his family moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where he attended high school. While in high school, he discovered a passion for music. He tried moving out West to find a band, but went back to Omaha. Two of his high school buddies, Chad Sexton and Aaron Willis, joined him to create one of my favorite bands. This band is 311. 311 grew into a very popular band and has been kickin' since 1988, releasing tunes varying from rock, punk, reggae, ska, and jazz fusion.

My father originally got me to be a fan. I used to hear them on the radio as I went to grade school. He had a few songs that he had on his computer that he would play at home. I kept on listening to them and eventually procured all their albums. The diversity of their music is what I like about them the most. Rather than moving from genre to genre, they tend to fuse several together to give them a unique sound. Their talent is impeccable. Nick Hexum and S.A. Martinez are great lyricists and vocalists. Their differing tones and back-and-forth singing style also add to their uniqueness. Tim Mahoney is one of my favorite drummers, one of the reasons being that his drumset is tweaked to have a very different sound then most. It's very percussion-orientated, with loud, blasting snare hits, but a powerful bass drum. The musicality all five of the members possess has allowed them to cruise to popularity. An example of how popular they are is on 3/11 of every year. Rightly so, they have named it 311 Day. Every year, the band plays at a large venue, from places in New Orleans to Las Vegas, and plays a day-long concert averaging about 60 songs.

Their popularity seems to vary, though. I would rate them as something mainstream, but many people haven't heard of them. The thing is, most people have heard their songs; they just don't know it was 311. The fan base seems to lie more in the college students range. Ever since their arrival in the world of music, they have grown stronger and have gained an even greater fan base. Have a listen and see if you like their music! Peace.