Three Eleven are a band from Omaha, Nebraska who mix hip-hop, punk, reggae and alt-rock into their sound. They took their name from the Omaha police code for indecent exposure, a number with which founding member Jim Watson was to become familiar, after he was caught skinny dipping.
311 built up their following by releasing EPs and singles on singer/guitarist Nick Hexum's own record label, which he established for the purpose. Their first long player, Music, received favorable reviews but didn't make a big impact at the time, although it has subsequently gone on to gold sales. After the second album established their name on the college circuit, they had a breakthrough with their self-titled third album, released in 1995. The LP was the start of a run of Top 20 charting, platinum-selling releases.
In 2000 the band started the 311 holiday, which was a gig held on March the Eleventh (3/11). The gig has grown in scale ever since and the 2006 edition saw the band play 65 songs. Most recently 311 provided a cover of the Toots and the Maytals record "Reggae Got Soul" for the summer hit film Surf's Up.
