What better way to spend March 11th than with 311 bringing love and nostalgia to the Tiny Desk? The members of 311, who have been a band for more than 30 years, strolled into NPR headquarters and played four of their favorite tracks with little rehearsal time. The band has been playing these songs for decades and you can tell it all comes naturally. “It reminds me of being in my dad’s basement, back by the pool table, but it smells better,” says frontman Nick Hexam, who feels right at home back in his office space in our office. source.
311’s self-titled album was released in 1995, when I was entering the peak of my anxiety. The songs on that album were the perfect soundtrack to all the pre-teen feelings I couldn’t quite express myself. I also relate a lot to my favorite lyric from the band’s 1997 album Transistor: “I do, I don’t, whatever.”
311’s Tiny Desk album opens with a personal favorite, “Beautiful Disaster” lyrics. The band continued with the classic “All Mixed Up” before letting loose with “Amber.” Then, as Hexum said before the band’s final song, “Down,” “Back to the Rock.” Listen to SA’s revised lyrics in honor of the hometown Tiny Desk and I share: “Falling in love with your teacher, on wax we’re homemade/Checking the tech, Washington’s 311”
settings list
“Beautiful Catastrophe”, “Mix It All”, “Amber”, “Falling”
musician
Nick Hexum: Vocals, Guitar Tim Mahoney: Guitar SA: Turntables, Vocals Chad Sexton: Drums P-Nut: Bass
Small desk team
Producer/Director: Maia Stern Audio Technical Director: Neil Tevault Series Producer: Bobby Carter Cinematographer: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Alanté Serene Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer Cinematographer: Michael Zamora Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Hazel Cills Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson VP of Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
