“LUCKY” and wouldn’t stop barking. If you crank the volume, you can hear a sliding glass door Sexton called it “classic 311” since it’s open before Hexum tells the dog to be quiet. a “rock-riff-rap song that has singing Then after the track starts, you can hear him choruses.” It showed the band experimenting laughing about it. with dancehall, funk and even country. “We CLOSE thought it had some innovation as well as “We thought it was cool, so we just left it some rock riffs and sort of some rapping,” in there,” Sexton said. he said. “Back then, that was pretty new.” “GRASSROOTS” “NUTSYMTOM” “GrassrOOts” was chosen as the album title A big infl uence on this track was John to reflect the band’s homegrown aesthetic TO HOME and how they felt there were no rules while Scofield and Pat Metheny, which is why the song has a tempO change and a guitar solo making the album. The song reflects the New album made AS 311 READIES TO PLAY THE ENTIRE ‘GRASSROOTS’ in the middle. same attitude, that their music comes from how and where they grew up. “We grew up listening to those things, even “It was a natural and real point of view,” ALBUM, WE LOOK AT EACH SONG jam bands like Grateful Dead,” Sexton said. Sexton said. with fans in mind “We were really into mixing rock and rap back BY KEVIN COFFEY then.” “Stereolithic” is geared toward 311’s rabid fan base. WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER “SALSA” When the Omaha-bred band convened in Los maha’s biggest rock band formed “8:16 A.M.” Another song from the album that smashes Angeles to make its new album, they made it with their annual summer tour in mind. more than 25 years ago. The vibraphone that holds down this song? several musical parts together to make “I wanted it to be fresh and new,” said lead singer And on July 12, 1994, It isn’t real. It’s a synthesizer. Sexton called one song, the tune deals a bit with 311’s Nick Hexum. “We had a more eclectic batch of songs, the Omaha-to-Los Angeles the song a funk ditty that the band probably falling-out with producer Eddie Offord during O the making of “Grassroots.” About a third of but we said, ‘Let’s go for it.’ ” wouldn’t make these days as the members transplants in 311 released their “Stereolithic” is full of dual, harmonizing guitar, are more intO rock and reggae. “It’s almost the way intO making the album, Offord left sophomore album, “Grassroots.” the project. Sexton praised the producer’s which show’s off Hexum’s progress as a guitarist. He On the album’s 20th anniversary, the funk mixed with jazz. That influence comes even did all the solos in “Friday Afternoon.” from our high school jazz experience (at knowledge. rock-reggae-rap-funk band is set to Fans have drawn a comparison to 311’s 1997 album, Westside High School). Nick and I were in “It was a crazy time and we were very play the album in its entirety to close young,” he said. Sexton could see the break “Transistor,” the group’s only other album recorded the band back then, (and) it just comes out with producer Scotch Ralston. out the aptly named Grassroots in your music,” he said. coming, so he asked Offord for a crash Music Festival, at River’s Edge course in recording. “At one point, I said to The band’s fan base has eaten it up. They even donated money to a crowdfunding campaign so the Park in Council Bluffs. him, ‘I don’t think we’re gonna fi nish this band could release “Stereolithic” on its own label. “OMAHA STYLEE” record together. If you could tell me what to Recorded in a house shared The release has band members recalling their One of the big 311 myths is that, after do or how to fi nish this record.’ And I pulled by the members, “Grassroots” Omaha days when they hand-assembled CDs. moving to Los Angeles, they began to eschew out a notepad.” was the stepping stone on their hometown. Sexton put it like this: “I “In the early days in Omaha, it was me bringing a the way to the band’s triple- think we heard some rumors that ‘They don’t box of CDs down to Pickles and Homer’s and going platinum, self-titled record even say they’re from Omaha any more. They “LOSE” back in two or three weeks. That was the whole label that would be released the say they’re from California.’ ” It’s never been Hexum and Sexton’s time in jazz band at experience,” Hexum said. next year. (“Grassroots” the case, and they wrote “Omaha Stylee” as Westside directly influenced this tune. “We Playing in the Omaha area is always a special itself was certified gold in a tribute to their hometown. were putting jazz chordings and phrasings thing for the band. Back in the day, they even made 1999.) “We’re proud of where we came from, and in our music quite a bit back then,” Sexton interested record labels travel to Omaha to see them play at Sokol Auditorium. We went through we know how we feel and we kinda want to said. “It’s a song about a breakup or about a “There’s a feeling of a deeper bond,” Hexum said. “Grassroots” song by write a song that there’s no doubt where this pending breakup you know is gonna happen.” band is from,” he said. “We put it in our songs. Even though we reside out song with drummer Chad here (in L.A.), we’ll always be known as being from Sexton to talk about the “SIX” Omaha, which we’re happy about.” making of the entire “APPLIED SCIENCE” While putting together some of the drum When 311 gets to town, the band will play its album and its behind-the- This is a song now famous for its live phrases that tie together “Six’s” rhythmic second album, “Grassroots,” in its entirety on the scenes elements, which performance. In the recorded version, a drum guitar and drum jams, Sexton put in a bit 20th anniversary of that album’s release. The band included a producer who break splits the song. In the live version, of “The Wizard of Oz.” He played music is excited to take on the album, some of which they an epic drum solo that begins with Sexton abandoned them, a dog from the fi lm during his days in drum corps, rarely play. and ends with all fi ve members of the band that wouldn’t quit barking, and a beat from a portion of the movie’s “Coming from my point of view, being the drummer, smashing out beats in unison gets the entire I’m really excited to play this record all the way borrowing from “The introduction made it intO “Six.” “I was always crowd into it. like, ‘I’m gonna put that thing right in (a through just because of how much variety there is,” Wizard of Oz” and a lot of “We were just letting the creativity fl ow. song),’ ” he said. said drummer Chad Sexton. “I’m really excited to play influences from the early We still felt like, at that point, that we had this thing straight through.” BY KEVIN COFFEY days in Omaha of Sexton, no rules,” Sexton said. “We’re not trying Nick Hexum, Aaron “P-Nut” to make a hit. We’re not trying to please “OFFBEAT BARE-ASS” Wills, Tim Mahoney and anybody. We’re trying to make the coolest This one is based on a true story. During a GRASSROOTS Doug “SA” Martinez. type of creation and see what happens.” 1993 tour, the band’s RV caught fi re while The original drum break lasts 24 MUSIC FESTIVAL featuring 311 the guys were on their way to play Omaha. When: Saturday measures and contains many overdubs. Sexton left the fi re with only a pair of shorts “HOMEBREW” Sexton would record it once, grab a cowbell — his clothes and his wallet burned up along Where: River’s Edge Park in Council Bluffs or another drum and do it again. with the band’s equipment and instruments. Tickets: $20 at Guitar Center, Lotus House of Yoga, It ended up leading off the With borrowed equipment, the band played The Hive and Wake N Skate Boardhouse or $26.25 via album because the band felt Omaha and a show in Colorado before Ticketmaster it was a strong rock song. It “TAIYED” heading back to L.A. On the way home, police Info: grassrOOtsmusicfest.com has its origins in a song from Sexton called it “hippy funk,” which came stopped the band’s rented car, and they were one of Hexum and Sexton’s from the band’s love of hippy jam bands old bands. “(It) was titled from the era. “Jerry Garcia was still alive,” he hassled a bit for their rock star appearance. SCHEDULE ‘Independence Day,’ ” Sexton said. “It’s a nice, little, tasty, danceable jam 2 p.m.: DJ Tri-Chrome said. “That was written to have on the record. “1,2,3” 3 p.m.: Mary Clair Sweet’s Live Yoga Class probably in ’89, and we had “This has to be one of my favorite all-time 4 p.m.: The Wailers liked that chorus.” The band “SILVER” 311 songs,” Sexton said.