311 - Television Tropes & Idioms

From left to right: Tim, Nick, P-Nut, Chad, SA

311 is a band well-known for their eclectic blend of rock, reggae, rap and funk. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1988, they first acheived mainstream success in 1995, with their self-titled album.

Current Members:

Nick Hexum (vocals, rhythm guitar)
Doug "SA" Martinez (vocals, turntables)
Tim Mahoney (lead guitar)
Aaron "P-Nut" Wills (bass)
Chad Sexton (drums)

Former Members:

Jim Watson (guitar)

Discography:

Independent Releases
- Dammit! (1989)
- Unity (1990)
- Hydroponic (1991)
Studio Albums
- Music (1993)
- Grassroots (1994)
- 311 (1995)
- Transistor (1997)
- Soundsystem (1999)
- From Chaos (2001)
- Evolver (2003)
- Don't Tread On Me (2005)
- Uplifter (2009)
- Universal Pulse (2011)
Compilation/Live
- Live (1998)
- Omaha Sessions (1998)
- Greatest Hits '93-'03 (2004)

Well-known singles include:

Tropes associated with the band:

Album Title Drop: "It's the bubblin' spring and double in kings of this soundsystem."
Alternative Rock
B-Side
Black Sheep Hit: "Amber"
Call-and-Response Song
Cover Version: Their cover of The Cure's "Love Song" (which appeared on the 50 First Dates soundtrack) is the most well-known. They have also covered Bad Brains' "Leaving Babylon" and "Who's Got the Herb?", The Clash's "Midnight in Hammersmith Palais", and Toots & the Maytals "Reggae Got Soul" (which appeared on the Surf's Up soundtrack).
Creator Breakdown: while 311 is usually known for their positive, upbeat lyrics, Soundsystem includes songs (particularly "Flowing") with lyrics reflecting the self-doubt and lack of direction that Nick was dealing with at the time.
Department of Redundancy Department: "Nothing like the comfort of a silence that's comfortable"
Doesn't Like Guns: "Guns (Are For Pussies)"
Epic Instrumental Opener: The B-Side "Let the Cards Fall"
Erudite Stoners
Fan Nickname: Their self-titled album is often referred to as "the blue album"
A Good Name for a Rock Band: The band's name is derived from Omaha police code for indecent exposure (a friend of the band's was arrested for skinny dipping). It is NOT related to the Ku Klux Klan (K is the eleventh letter of the alphabet, 3K, get it?)
Gratuitous French: "Salsa" lampshades this in the line "Je vais a la plage parce que le guignol est chouette! I kick nonsense in French, tasty like Crepe Suzette". This translates to "I go to the beach because the puppet show is cool!"
Greatest Hits Album
Long Runner Line Up: A type 2 example. The band originally consisted of Nick, P-Nut, Chad, and Jim Watson. In 1991, Jim left the band and Tim and SA were added.
Melismatic Vocals: Sever has a pretty good one on the word "home".
Memetic Number
Mistaken for Racist: That damn KKK rumor.
Neoclassical Punk Zydeco Rockabilly
Nobody Loves the Bassist: Averted: "P-Nut, beat that thing!"
Non Appearing Title
Ode To Intoxication: "Homebrew" and "Loco" are the most overt.
Performance Video: "Homebrew", ''Beautiful Disaster"
Protest Song: "Solar Flare"
Rap Rock
Sampling: "Strangers" features a sample of "Hands On Experience" by The High & Mighty.
Self-Titled Album
Signature Song: "Down" and possibly "Amber"
Singer Name Drop: Both the band and individual members.
Song Style Shift: "Get Down" is a good example.
Spelling Song: "J-U-A-N B-O-N-D!"
Stage Names: SA, P-Nut
Studio Chatter: The end of "Salsa"
Tomato Surprise: The "constant companion" in "Hey You" is revealed to be not a person, but music.
Vocal Tag Team
What Could Have Been: After the rumor that the band was named for the Ku Klux Klan, they started writing a song entitled "Fuck the KKK". This eventually morphed into the song "Electricity", which is a cry for tolerance and unity. The opening lyrics explain why:
This song started as a rant against haters,
But that'd be giving in to the instigators
Word Salad Lyrics

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